Battle of the Max: ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 and ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M2
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In just a span of six months, ASUS introduced two of its ZenFone Max Pro M Series smartphones last year. On June 7, 2018, they released the ZenFone Max Pro M1 as a gaming-centric device. With its fast-charge capability that can provide 60% of battery after 1 hour and 11 minutes of charging time, the smartphone became a staple for mobile gamers, like Mobile Legends, playing for over 45 matches in 1 charge. On December 11, 2018, the ZenFone Max Pro M2 was released. It has a higher RAM specification option (up to 6GB), and a much-improved camera system AI Scene Detection.
Battle of the Max: ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 and ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M2
The same #BatteryKing smartphones, both ZenFone Max Pro M1 and ZenFone Max Pro M2 sport a huge 5,000mAh battery capacity. There are, however, some distinctive differences on each of the phone’s technical specifications. Let us compare both and see what factor/s may affect your decision to buying which smartphone (both are still very available in the market today).
| Specification | ZenFone Max Pro M1 | ZenFone Max Pro M2 |
|---|---|---|
| Finish / Color | Meteor Silver Deepsea Black | Midnight Blue Cosmic TItanium |
| Capacity | Internal storage eMCP 5.1 32GB / 64GB MicroSD card Google Drive | Internal storage eMCP 64GB MicroSD card Google Drive |
| Weight and Dimensions | 159mm x 76mm x 8.45mm Weight | 157.9mm x 75.5mm x 8.5mm Weight |
| Display | 6-inch Full HD+ (2160 by 1080) 18:9 Full View IPS display Front 2.5D curved glass display 1500:1 contrast ratio 85% NTSC color gamut 450nits brightness 404ppi pixel density Capacitive touch panel with 10 points multi-touch | 6.3-inch FHD+ (2280 by 1080) IPS display Corning® Gorilla® Glass 6 for best screen protection 90% screen-to-body ratio 94% NTSC color gamut 450nits brightness 1500:1 contrast ratio Capacitive touch panel with 10 points multi-touch (supports glove touch) |
| Processor | CPU Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 636 Mobile Platform with 14nm, 64-bit Octa-core Processor (Snapdragon™ 636 performance is 1.54x better than Snapdragon™ 625) GPU | CPU Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 660 Mobile Platform with 14nm, 64-bit Octa-core Processor with Qualcomm AI Engine FinFET LPP (Low Power Plus) powersaving technology GPU |
| Memory | LPDDR4X 3GB / 4GB / 6GB | LPDDR4X 4GB / 6GB |
| Main Rear Camera | 13MP / 16MP Up to F2.0 aperture Up to 25mm equivalent focal length in 35mm film camera Phase-detection autofocus LED flash Camera modes | 12MP Sony® IMX486 image sensor F1.8 aperture 1.9x light sensitivity low light photos (compared with ZenFone Max Pro (M1)) 27mm equivalent focal length in 35mm film camera 6P lens 0.03 seconds phase-detection autofocus LED flash AI Photography Camera modes |
| Second Rear Camera | 5MP Portrait mode for depth sensing | 5MP Depth sensing 84° field of view |
| Front Camera | 8MP / 16MP Up to 26mm equivalent focal length in 35mm film camera 85° field of view Softlight LED flash Face recognition unlock Camera modes | 13MP F2.0 aperture 26mm equivalent focal length in 35mm film camera Softlight LED Flash Face recognition unlock Camera modes |
| Video Recording | 4K UHD (3840 by 2160) video recording for main rear camera 1080p FHD video recording at 30 fps 720p HD video recording at 30 fps Take still photo while recording video | 4K UHD (3840 by 2160) video recording for main rear camera 1080p FHD video recording at 30 fps 720p HD video recording at 30 fps 3-axis electronic image stabilization for front and rear cameras Take still photo while recording video |
| Audio | Speaker 5-magnet loudspeaker Audio Output Microphone FM Receiver | Speaker 5-magnet speaker with NXP smart amplifier for louder, deeper and less distorted sound effect Audio Output Microphone FM Receiver |
| Wireless Technology | WLAN 802.11 b/g/n 2.4GHz Bluetooth 5.0 Bluetooth HID Wi-Fi direct WiFi display NFC (optional) | WLAN 802.11 b/g/n 2.4GHz Support Wi-Fi direct Bluetooth 5.0 Bluetooth HID Wi-Fi Display |
| Navigation | GPS, AGPS, GLO, BDS | GPS, GLO, BDS, GAL, QZSS |
| SIM Cards | Triple slots: Dual SIM & one microSD card Slot 1: 2G/3G/4G Nano SIM card Slot 2: 2G/3G/4G Nano SIM card Both SIM card slots support 4G LTE network band. But only one SIM card can connect to 4G LTE service at a time. Slot 3: supports up to 2TB microSD card | Triple slots: Dual SIM & one microSD card Slot 1: 2G/3G/4G Nano SIM card Slot 2: 2G/3G/4G Nano SIM card Both SIM card slots support 3G WCDMA / 4G LTE network band. But only one SIM card can connect to 3G WCDMA / 4G LTE service at a time. Slot 3: Supports up to 2TB microSD card VoLTE / VoWiFi support |
| Network Standard | GSM, WCDMA, FDD-LTE, TD-LTE Data rate A version B version ASUS phone 4G/LTE band compatibility varies by region, please check compatibility with local carriers. | GSM/GPRS/EDGE; WCDMA/HSPA+/DC-HSPA+; FDD-LTE; TD-LTE Data rate B version ASUS phone 4G/LTE band compatibility varies by region, please check compatibility with local carriers. |
| Sensor | Rear fingerprint sensor (0.3 seconds unlock, supports 5 fingerprints), Damp finger recognition, Accelerator, Gyroscope, E-Compass, Proximity sensor, Ambient light sensor | Rear fingerprint sensor (0.3 seconds unlock, supports 5 fingerprints), Accelerator, E-Compass, Proximity sensor, Ambient light sensor, Gyroscope |
| External Buttons and Connectors | On/Off Sleep/Wake Volume Up/Down Fingerprint sensor Built-in speaker USB Connector 3.55mm audio jack (1 Headphone/Mic-in) | On/Off Sleep/Wake Volume Up/Down Fingerprint sensor Built-in speaker USB Connector 3.55mm audio jack (1 Headphone/Mic-in) |
| Battery | 5000mAh capacity with fast charging (0-100% in 2 hours 42 minutes) Up to 35 days of 4G standby | 5000mAh capacity with fast charging Up to 35 days 4G standby |
| Power Adapter | Output: 5V 2A 10W | Output: 5V 2A 10W |
| Operating System | Pure Android™ 8.1 Oreo™ | Stock Android™ Oreo™ |
| In the Box | ZenFone Max Pro with Android™ 8.1 Oreo™ ASUS earphone with microphone (optional) Micro-USB cable MaxBox (optional) Ejector pin (SIM tray needle) USB power adapter Documentation (user guide, warranty card) Clear soft bumper (optional) | ZenFone Max Pro with Stock Android™ Oreo™ ASUS earphone with microphone Micro-USB cable Ejector pin (SIM tray needle) USB power adapter Documentation (user guide, warranty card) Clear soft bumper |
| Price | ZenFone Max Pro M1 4GB RAM/ 64GB ROM = ₱13,995.00 ZenFone Max Pro M1 3GB RAM / 32GB ROM = ₱9,995.00 | ZenFone Max Pro M2 6GB RAM / 64GB ROM = ₱14,995.00 ZenFone Max Pro M2 4GB RAM/ 64GB ROM = ₱12,995.00 | Release Date (Philippines) | June 7, 2018 | December 11, 2018 |
Both the ZenFone Max Pro M1 and the ZenFone Max Pro M2 are currently available at select ASUS store and ZenFone shops. They can be bought at Lazada Philippines and Shopee Philippines as well.
ALSO READ: The 5 compelling reasons why you should get a ZenFone 5 for mobile photography
ZenFone Max Pro M1
The ZenFone Max Pro (M1) is the next-generation smartphone with Snapdragon 636 platform providing extraordinary performance and endurance that will take things further than we ever thought possible. With its magnificent 6-inch Full HD+ (2160×1080) 18:9 Full View display, ultra-long-lasting 5000mAh battery, dual-camera system, and breathtaking sound, ZenFone Max Pro M1 has all the stamina and power needed to limitless gaming.
The device models available are 4GB RAM with 64GB internal storage (there’s a 3GB RAM, 32GB internal storage variant with a much lesser price).
At the heart of the ZenFone Max Pro M1 is an advanced Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 Mobile Platform, which combines smooth, responsive performance with superb battery life. This processor is up to 1.54X faster than its predecessor, the Snapdragon 6251.
Whatever you are doing, the ZenFone Max Pro M1 can handle it easily, with more advanced mobile performance to spare.
Inside the sleek exterior of the ZenFone Max Pro M1 is a massive reserve of stamina: a powerful 5000mAh lithium-polymer battery custom-crafted to pack maximum performance into minimum space.
The ZenFone Max Pro M1 has an advanced dual-camera system that will take your mobile photography to new heights. The rear camera focuses on the subject in less than the blink of an eye and has a high-resolution sensor with a high-quality wide-aperture lens that captures clearer photos, every time.
It shoots video at up to 4K UHD resolution — four times the quality of Full HD! There’s nothing complicated for you to do: just point, shoot and share your memories, all captured with incredible levels of detail.
For gorgeous portraits and close-ups, the second camera on the ZenFone Max Pro M1 is used to create an artistic depth-of-field effect, putting the subject in sharp focus while progressively blurring the background for a gentle yet powerful effect that really makes the subject stand out.
To help you take the most indulgent selfies, the ZenFone Max Pro M1 has a live beautification feature that instantly retouches your shots to remove blemishes, balance facial features, enhance skin tone and more. The ZenFone Max Pro really lets your beauty shine!
ALSO READ: ASUS Philippines introduces new #BatteryKing ZenFone Max Pro M2 in Cebu
ZenFone Max Pro M2
Considering that the new ZenFone Max Pro M2 has an amazing price point (₱14,995.00) for its 6GB RAM + 64GB Internal Storage variant, its edge is the monster battery of 5,000mAh, which is very crucial to an on-the-go mobile photographer, its dual lens camera system has also improved compared to the previous ZenFone Max edition.
The ZenFone Max Pro M2 does not stop from being competitive on mobile photography. With its dual lens camera system (that is already AI-enabled; updates will be available on software for early 2019), it can definitely provide amazing results. The 13MP F2.0 front-facing camera can also be utilized to take selfie photos with real-time beautification mode. Not to forget the Pro Mode feature available on the camera a more in-depth setting for your mobile photography.
The latest 6.3” all-screen high-res display design on ZenFone Max Pro M2 is simply stunning, so you can deeply appreciate your photos on the wide-viewing screen. The high-quality display, with its wide color gamut, outstanding brightness and high contrast ratio, makes everything on your phone look clearer and more vivid.
The Asus ZenFone Max Pro M2 is a good deal for someone who is using a smartphone as a camera. It also offers great performance for gaming and entertainment. It can be challenging for those who are tight on budget, however, the specifications and other features can make you consider to have a device like this.
ALSO READ: ASUS Philippines brings ZenFone Master Class to Cebu City
Tune into the ASUS Philippines Facebook Page and the ZenTalk Philippines Forum for the latest news and updates on your ZenFone favorites.