Buzz
Artistic Design
ZenFone 3 Max boasts a sleek and captivating design, combining a metal back panel with a 2.5D curved glass on the front. Upon first glance, ZenFone 3 Max shares resemblances with the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 in terms of the back panel material, antenna band running vertically above the camera, and the fingerprint sensor positioned below. However, Asus's phone stands out with its eye-catching curved display at the edges.
The 2.5D curved display adds a touch of elegance to ZenFone 3 Max's design
With a compact 5-inch screen size, this phone offers a neat profile. Due to the smaller battery, the thickness of the device has been reduced to 8.6 mm, making it 2 mm slimmer than the ZenFone Max. Overall, this phone exudes a tidy and versatile appeal suitable for a wide range of users compared to its predecessor.
The device supports 2 SIM cards and 1 memory card, but only accommodates 2 cards simultaneously
ZenFone 3 Max retains the familiar MicroUSB connection, instead of adopting USB Type C like the one on ZenFone 3
ZenFone 3 Max utilizes a dual SIM tray with memory card support, allowing for the use of 2 SIMs (Nano and Micro SIM) or 1 MicroSIM and 1 MicroSD card simultaneously. While this feature has become common in mid-range phones, it would be more convenient if Asus designed it to support both SIMs and the memory card simultaneously.
The fingerprint sensor located on the back unlocks swiftly
Placing the fingerprint sensor on the back has the advantage of easy access when users lift the phone, but in a few cases, it may be inconvenient when the phone is placed on a flat surface. The external speaker is positioned on the back, not at the bottom, affecting the sound quality when placed on a flat surface.
Inside the box, in addition to the charger and cable, the manufacturer also provides a USB OTG cable, which can be used to charge other devices.
ZenFone 3 Max has undergone significant design improvements compared to ZenFone Max. The device has an attractive appearance (more noticeable in the black version due to the curved screen effect), a moderate size, and the addition of a fingerprint sensor for more convenient daily use.
Display
The display of ZenFone 3 Max performs quite well within its price range
ZenFone 3 Max features a 5-inch screen with HD resolution (1280 x 720 pixels). In this phone's price category, some products already offer Full HD screens, so in terms of specifications, ZenFone 3 Max may seem a bit behind. However, in real-world usage, the display quality remains quite satisfactory. The screen brightness is sufficient for outdoor use, and colors are reproduced vividly and slightly more vibrant than reality. The 2.5D curved effect and image reflections also make the screen more visually appealing.
However, the screen has a narrow viewing angle, and contrast decreases significantly when viewed from an angle
The most notable drawback in display performance is the somewhat narrow viewing angle. When viewed from an off-angle, the color and contrast of the screen are noticeably affected, although this issue is not too severe and still acceptable for an affordable phone.
Camera
ZenFone 3 Max is equipped with a 13MP camera
The camera specifications of ZenFone 3 Max are quite impressive compared to other products in the same segment. The main camera of this phone has a 13MP resolution, utilizing a lens with an aperture of f/2.2, while the front camera boasts a 5MP resolution.
Familiar photo capture interface found on ZenFone devices
The device features the familiar photo capture interface seen in various ZenFone models, supporting multiple shooting modes. Overall, the speed of capturing and saving photos is quick, but the HDR capture speed is relatively slow.
Photos taken with ZenFone 3 Max often have more vibrant colors than reality
The photo quality of ZenFone 3 Max is only average. In well-lit outdoor conditions, the photos exhibit eye-catching colors, especially with greens and yellows appearing more vivid than in reality. The low-light performance is somewhat lacking and can be improved with HDR mode, but it's important to note that HDR photo capture is prone to shake. The camera's limitation lies in slow low-light captures, which are susceptible to blurring.
Photos captured in HDR mode enhance the dynamic range, but the slow capture speed makes them prone to blurring
Low-light and slow night shots capture with slightly weak exposure. Photos taken with the low-light mode have slightly better brightness
Battery Life
This is the most anticipated aspect of ZenFone 3 Max as Asus positions it as a 'beastly' battery phone. However, in practical usage, ZenFone 3 Max's battery takes a step back compared to ZenFone Max.
Battery performance evaluation results of ZenFone 3 Max are inferior to the previous generation but still quite competitive within the same price range
When using VnReview's standard battery testing, ZenFone 3 Max falls far behind the previous generation. Results for gaming, video playback, and web browsing (under the same conditions) show ZenFone 3 Max's battery life is only about half of the previous generation. However, when compared to competitors in the same price range, ZenFone 3 Max still performs quite well.
In real-world conditions, the battery life of ZenFone 3 Max is slightly better. While with ZenFone Max, I could comfortably use it for 2-3 days, ZenFone 3 Max provides about 1.5 days of usage, meaning it will have around 20% battery left by the second afternoon. At this point, enabling battery-saving mode can extend usage until the evening.
USB OTG cable, besides charging other devices, can also be used to connect external USB storage
The included Asus charger has an output specification of 5V/2A. This is not a fast charger, so the charging speed is only average. The time it takes for the phone to charge from empty to full is nearly 3 hours. Asus also provides a USB OTG cable in the product box, which can be used for charging other devices.
Performance and Software Features
Despite having lower specifications, the performance rating is not high...
The battery of ZenFone 3 Max falls short of expectations, possibly due to the poor energy management of the MediaTek 6735 processor. However, Asus has optimized the performance of this phone well. The user experience is smooth, without lag when opening regular apps or features.
Impressive performance is also evident when running graphics-intensive games: both Dead Trigger 2 and Asphalt 8, two heavy Android games, run smoothly on ZenFone 3 Max. Compared to ZenFone Max, equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor, the performance of ZenFone 3 Max is more impressive.
Asus is quite generous in equipping this phone with 3GB of RAM. The ample RAM capacity provides excellent multitasking capabilities, allowing smooth transitions between common tasks without frequent app restarts or content reloading. The 32GB internal storage is sufficient for saving photos and apps. If additional storage is needed, you can purchase a MicroSD card, but it's worth noting that ZenFone 3 Max only supports cards up to 32GB.
Conclusion
ZenFone 3 Max is the most budget-friendly product in Asus's ZenFone 3 series. Priced at 4.5 million VND, the phone features an attractive design, decent display and camera, and satisfactory performance for its price range. If excluding imported products like Xiaomi phones, the mentioned aspects of ZenFone 3 Max are quite appealing in this price range.
However, what sets the Max series apart is battery life, and in this aspect, ZenFone 3 Max disappoints. The battery life is too short, only half of its predecessor, and it doesn't stand out in comparison to other devices in the same segment. While ZenFone 3 Max has made progress in design and performance, it's regrettable that the battery life has taken a step backward.
