Former Google Nexus partner Asus has revealed its trifecta of Android devices that will serve the need for a mid-range handset, a reasonably priced premium flagship and a near-tablet device that is designed as entertainment hub. The build, specs and feature details revealed so far make it easy to forget about Google's upcoming Nexus 2016 release date plans.
And why not when the regular Zenfone 3 is many ways better than the LG-made Nexus 5X, indicating too that the former will easily overwhelm whatever will come after the 5X. 9to5Google described the 5.5-inch Zenfone 3 as "a well-balanced mid-range device," that boasts of metal and glass for its casing with Asus largely providing a classic touch for the overall design.
The power inside is an 8-core Snapdragon 625 chip that is tapped on 4GB of RAM, firing up the 1080p screen and the combo of 16-megapixel rear shooter and 8-megapixel front-facing camera. Even the battery is beyond decent as Asus packed a juicer of 3000mAh.
Then there is the flagship standard feature of fingerprint reader that is rear-located, further making the Zenfone 3 a worthy rival not only of the upcoming Google Nexus 2016 but also of other handsets.
Also part of the latest effort from Asus is what appears as a natural foe of the Nexus 7 2016. The Zenfone 3 Ultra is technically a smartphone but with its screaming screen size of 6.8-inch, Android fans can very well make this gizmo as replacement to the Pure Android tablet and there is little room for disappointment with the headline specs of SD 625, 4GB RAM and a massive 4600mAh battery.
"The Ultra is in fact a device aimed at entertainment more than anything else, pushing things such as two five-magnet speakers, Hi-Res Audio support, and virtual 7.1 channels surround sound with DTS Headphone X," 9to5Google said.
But really the spotlight trains on the Zenfone 3 Deluxe, which BGR said "has specs so impressive that it could easily power up an ultraportable laptop." The Deluxe front panel stretches to 5.7-inch that renders in Full HD 1080p. And serving as the main engine is the duo of Snapdragon 820 and a whopping 6GB of RAM provision with promise of up to 256GB of internal memory that can be expanded through the built-in microSD slot, thus easily beating out what Google will likely serve with its next-generation Nexus flagship.
Asus said that the biggest Zenfone 3 Deluxe selling point is the true all-metal design that the device is treated with. Per 9to5Google, the design approach "completely eliminates the unsightly plastic antenna lines while keeping a spectacularly thin body at only 4.2mm."
No specific release date yet for all the latest Zenfone variants but they likely will arrive earlier than the Google Nexus 2016. Price starts at $249 for the Zenfone 3, $479 for the tablet-like Zenfone 3 Ultra and a relatively cheaper $499 for the premium flagship Zenfone 3 Deluxe.