ASUS Zenfone Zoom Review

After our first impressions on it during its launch in Cebu and our unboxing video, we are now ready to give you our full review of the imaging-centric Zenfone Zoom from ASUS.

Design and Construction

There’s not much that’s changed when you look at the Zoom at first glance. It has that standard Zenfone look with the capacitive buttons present, those same-sized bezels, and the ASUS branding up top.

However, if you turn it around, it’s not like any other Zenfones you’ve seen before. It sports a circular plate (reminiscent of the camera-focused Lumia 1020)  which is basically the entire mechanism of its 13-megapixel camera. We will talk more about its optics in just a bit.

The back cover screams top-notch material as it’s made with premium traditional Italian leather and precision-tailored for top-of-the-line craftsmanship.

Lastly, there’s a chrome trimming surrounding the camera module that adds to the elegant design of the removable back cover.

The volume rocker on the left side also doubles as zoom keys when you’re in the Camera app. Right beside it is the power/lock button.

On the right, we have two buttons dedicated to imaging. Here we have the shutter button for taking photos as well as the record button for shooting videos.

It’s worth noting that whenever you’re in the middle of something and you see something you want to take a picture of, simply pressing and holding the capture or record buttons automatically directs you to the Camera app, ready to shoot.

If the previous Zenfone models we’ve seen sport sharp, cornered edges, the Zoom looks more premium with its rounded edges. The company also veered away from the plastic form factor and went for an aluminum unibody frame that measures 5mm at its thinnest point.

ASUS also boasts that the Zenfone Zoom went through 201 intricate steps in production before landing in your hands. It involves a lot of detailed processes that you can read on their website.

The headphone jack is located up top, and even the area of the back plate where it breaks has a silver accent simply for aesthetics.

Meanwhile, the microUSB port for charging and transferring files is down under. There is also a slot in the corner for the included lanyard that makes sure it doesn’t accidentally fall when you shoot.

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