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ASUS ZenFone 5 Series: Which one is for you?

ASUS revealed three new smartphones at MWC 2018 – the top-of-the-line ZenFone 5Z, the mid-range ZenFone 5 and the selfie-centric ZenFone 5 Lite. If you’re wondering what’s the difference between the three and which one is best suited for your needs, we’ll break them down for you.

ASUS ZenFone 5Z (ZS620KLZ)	ASUS ZenFone 5 (ZE620KL)	ASUS ZenFone 5 Lite (ZC600KL)
6.2-inch Full HD+ (2246 x 1080) Super IPS+ display, 402ppi	6.2-inch Full HD+ (2246 x 1080) Super IPS+ display, 402ppi	6-inch Full HD+ (2160 by 1080) IPS display, 402ppi
Corning Gorilla Glass	Corning Gorilla Glass	Front and rear 2.5D-contoured glass
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, 10nm, 64-bit octa-core w/ AI Boost	Qualcomm Snapdragon 636, 14nm, 64-bit octa-core w/ AI Boost	Qualcomm Snapdragon 630, 14nm, 64-bit octa-core, or Qualcomm Snapdragon 430, 28nm, 64-bit octa-core
Adreno 630 GPU	Adreno 509	Adreno 508 or Adreno 505
4GB/6GB/8GB LPDDR4X	4GB/6GB LPDDR4X	4GB LPDDR4 (SD630) or 3GB/4GB LPDDR3 (SD430)
64GB/128GB/256GB UFS 2.1 storage	64GB eMCP storage	32GB/64GB eMCP storage
microSD up to 2TB (uses SIM 2 slot)	microSD up to 2TB (uses SIM 2 slot)	microSD up to 2TB (dedicated slot)
12MP Sony IMX363 dual pixel, 1/2.55", 1.4um, f/1.8, OIS, + 120-degree wide-angle, LED flash	12MP Sony IMX363 dual pixel, 1/2.55", 1.4um, f/1.8, OIS, + 120-degree wide-angle, LED flash	16MP f/2.2 main + Secondary 120-deg wide-angle, LED flash
4K UHD @ 30fps, 1080p @ 30/60fps, 720p @ 30fps, 1080p @ 120 fps / 720p @ 240 fps	4K UHD @ 30fps, 1080p @ 30/60fps, 720p @ 30fps, 1080p @ 120 fps / 720p @ 240 fps	4K UHD @ 30fps (SD630), 1080p @ 30/60fps, 720p @ 30fps
8MP f/2.0 front camera	8MP f/2.0 front camera	20MP Sony IMX376 f/2.0 main front + Secondary 120-deg wide-angle, Softlight LED flash
Dual-SIM (hybrid, nano)	Dual-SIM (hybrid, nano)	Dual-SIM (nano)
4G LTE Cat18 up to 1.2 Gbps	4G LTE Cat13 up to 600 Mbps	4G LTE Cat13 up to 400Mbps (SD630), or 4G LTE Cat4 up to 150Mbps (SD430)
WLAN 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac	WLAN 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac	WLAN 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (SD630), or WLAN 802.11 b/g/n (SD430)
Bluetooth 5.0	Bluetooth 5.0	Bluetooth 4.1
NFC	NFC	NFC
GPS, AGPS, GLONASS, BDS	GPS, AGPS, GLONASS, BDS	GPS, AGPS, GLONASS, BDS
Fingerprint scanner	Fingerprint scanner	Fingerprint scanner
Face Unlock	Face Unlock	Face Unlock
Gyroscope, RGB sensor	Gyroscope, RGB sensor	Gyroscope
USB Type-C	USB Type-C	microUSB
3.5mm audio port	3.5mm audio port	3.5mm audio port
Dual 5-magnet speakers w/ NXP Smart Amp	Dual 5-magnet speakers w/ NXP Smart Amp	Loudspeaker
Hi-Res audio 192kHz/24-bit, DTS Headphone:X 7.1	Hi-Res audio 192kHz/24-bit, DTS Headphone:X 7.1
FM Radio	FM Radio	FM Radio
3,300mAh battery with fast charging, Smart charging	3,300mAh battery with fast charging, Smart charging	3,300mAh battery
Android 8.0 Oreo w/ ZenUI 5	Android 8.0 Oreo w/ ZenUI 5	Android 8.0 Oreo w/ ZenUI 5
153 x 75.65 x 7.85 mm	153 x 75.65 x 7.85 mm	160.62 x 76.16 x 7.8 mm
155 g	155 g	168.3 g
Meteor Silver, Midnight Blue	Meteor Silver, Midnight Blue	Midnight Black, Rouge Red, Moonlight White

Table of Contents

ASUS ZenFone 5Z

Let’s start with the 5Z which is basically the premium flagship of the new ZenFone 5 Series. Like the other new flagships in the market, this one sports a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 octa-core chipset with AI Boost and Adreno 630 GPU. It also has a faster LTE Cat18 modem capable of up to 1.2 Gbps speeds.

ASUS is also offering the 5Z in three models: 4GB RAM + 64GB UFS 2.1 storage, 6GB RAM + 128GB UFS 2.1 storage, 8GB RAM + 256GB UFS 2.1 storage. This flexibility makes the 5Z more accessible to consumers who want a premium chipset without forcing them to splurge on bigger RAM or storage.

ASUS ZenFone 5

The 5 sits in the middle of the three and is basically the 5Z except for the following: it has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 octa-core chipset with AI Boost, Adreno 509 GPU, and an LTE Cat13 modem capable of up to 600Mbps speeds.

ASUS is offering two models of the ZenFone 5: 4GB RAM + 64GB eMCP storage, and 6GB RAM + 64GB eMCP storage. According to Micron Technology Inc., eMPC stands for embedded Multichip Package which is a combination of e.MMC and LPDRAM.

ASUS ZenFone 5 Lite

The ASUS Zenfone 5 Lite, also known as the ZenFone 5Q, is different from the rest of the 5 family which is evident in the design and specs. For one, the screen size is smaller but the resolution gives it the same 402ppi pixel density as the 5Z and 5. It has a 2.5D contoured glass but no mention of Gorilla Glass.

It has a total of four cameras – two at the back and two at the front. The rear consists of a 16MP main shooter accompanied by a still-unspecified secondary camera with a wide-angle lens. On the front is a 20MP Sony main camera, also accompanied by a secondary wide-angle.

As for other features, it sports an older Bluetooth 4.1, uses a micro USB port, doesn’t support Hi-Res audio, a triple card tray with dedicated microSD card slot (not the hybrid type found in the 5Z and 5), and comes in three color options: Midnight Black, Rouge Red, and Moonlight White.

Based on the company website, the 5 Lite comes in two models: a Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 with Adreno 508 GPU and 4GB RAM, and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 with Adreno 505 GPU and 3GB/4GB RAM. This puts the 5 Lite in the lower mid-range or upper-entry-level segments.

Which one is for you?

The ZenFone 5Z is for those who prefer a device with a premium flagship performance as guaranteed by the Snapdragon 845 chipset and up to 8GB RAM. It is also the recommended device if you prefer a faster and bigger storage as it can go up to 256GB.

The ZenFone 5 is for those who want to retain most of the 5Z’s features including its design yet don’t want to splurge much on performance. The SD636 is still a performer and the 4GB/6GB RAM + 64GB storage is more than enough most users.

The ZenFone 5 Lite will appeal more to users who are fond of selfies thanks to its high-resolution front camera, and those who like using two SIM cards and a microSD card at the same time. It is also expected to be priced lower than the other ZenFone devices so those on a budget should find this as a more attractive option.

ASUS is yet to reveal the local SRP of the ZenFone 5 series, but we’re hoping it will be priced competitively.