Xiaomi has established itself as a known brand of affordable and reliable smartphones in the country. The launch of the Redmi Note 5 Pro which was acclaimed to be one of the best budget camera phones in India this year, further proved Xiaomi’s stronghold in the market. However, Asus has also brought a new contender of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro on the turf now. The Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 has levelled the likes of Xiaomi when considering the performance and pricing. Below we have detailed how the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 rivals Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro and what the latest 6GB variant of the Asus phone has in store to offer.
Similarities
Compared to the last two models of the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 with 3GB/4GB of RAM, the newer variant is the same in design. The phone comes encompassed in the metal unibody frame and has a solid premium feel to it. The main changes that we get to see are in the performance and camera department. The screen of the phone is a 5.99-inch Full HD+ IPS panel which renders impressive colours. The display is very appealing as it comes with enough brightness to be usable under direct sunlight. Also, the layout of the fingerprint sensors along with the ports and buttons remains the same. The fingerprint sensor on the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 has been touted to be one of the best and fastest available in a budget phone right now.
The rear cameras on the earlier launched models are of 13MP+5MP combination which clicks decent photos in well-lit settings. However, the pictures in low light come with grain and are not worthy of boasting. The HDR mode weirdly adds a grey tint to the photos even then the portrait mode on the phone manages to perform well.
Speaking of software, the phone boots a near stock Android 8.1 Oreo ROM out of the box. The device is also able to last an entire day and still manages to save some juice, in the end, thanks to its massive 5000mAh battery.
Differences
The first striking change on the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 in its latest model is the upgraded camera. The selfie camera on the phone goes through a massive revamp, and it is now a 16MP sensor instead of the previous 8MP one. The selfie camera also comes with a LED flash which can light up dark settings and thus results in decent quality photos, which are indeed better than the previous phone. On the rear side, the upgraded 6GB RAM model packs a primary 16MP sensor with f/2.0 aperture and LED, while the depth sensor still remains the same 5MP unit.
A slight disappointment is seen in the portrait mode as the phone seems to smooth out the edges of the subject instead of making them stand out, but it can get better with software. The rear camera is surely a step up from the earlier launched version, and it now comes close to the Redmi Note 5 Pro. In some scenarios, it even managed to beat the latter. During night times, the pictures captured on the 6GB RAM variant of the Zenfone Max Pro M1 rendered better details than the ones captured on the Note 5 Pro.
Another much-talked update on the phone is the 6GB RAM. Although the processor on the handset remains the same Snapdragon 636, the 6GB RAM means that the phone is going to be better able to handle multitasking. However, on testing with PUBG game, there were no significant performance thrusts on the phone compared to its previous variant.
Verdict
Asus has promised that the 6GB RAM variant will compete with the Note 5 Pro in terms of camera performance and boy, the company delivered it. The Zenfone Max Pro M1 6GB variant comes dangerously close to the Note 5 Pro, which has been a go-to option for users looking for the best camera phone under Rs 15,000. The Portrait mode on the Max Pro M1 doesn't even come close to Note 5 Pro, but it can get better with software updates though. If you're looking for a stock Android alternative and cameras are a priority on your list, you can choose the 6GB RAM variant of the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1, which is priced at Rs 14,999. The sale of the smartphone happens every Thursday at 12 PM on Flipkart, and yes, it's a flash sale.
