Intel-based smartphones have not been able to gain popularity in the United States, and Asus looks to address that with the release of its latest smartphone, the ZenFone 2.
If the ZenFone 2 succeeds in creating awareness and more users look to pick up Intel-powered smartphones, other viable options such as the previously released smartphones of Asus, namely the ZenFone 4 and ZenFone 5, may also finally garner attention.
Here is a head-to-head comparison of the three devices, which could help potential owners in choosing which Asus ZenFone to purchase.
Processor
In North America, two versions of the ZenFone 2 will be released. The first version packs a quad-core 64-bit 2.3GHz Intel Atom processor with 4GB of RAM, while the second version features a 1.8GHz Intel Atom processor with 2GB of RAM.
Both versions are more powerful compared to the previous ZenFone devices, as the ZenFone 4 packs a 1.2GHz Intel Atom processor with 1GB of RAM while the ZenFone 5 packs a 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor with 2GB of RAM.
Storage
The ZenFone 2 will feature eMMC flash storage of up to 64GB, while both the ZenFone 4 and ZenFone 5 only have eMMC flash storage of up to 8GB. All devices have expandable memory through a microSD card slot up to 64GB, however. Asus device owners also have an additional 5GB through a free lifetime membership on the Asus WebStorage service.
Display
The ZenFone 2 has a 5.5-inch, full HD display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, protected by Gorilla Glass 3. In comparison, the ZenFone 4 has a 4.0-inch WVGA TFT screen with a capacitive multi-touch panel at a 800x480 pixel resolution, while the ZenFone 5 has a 5-inch, HD display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, also protected by Gorilla Glass 3.
Camera
The ZenFone 2 has a 13MP rear-facing camera and a 5MP front-facing camera, while the ZenFone 4 has a 5MP rear-facing camera and a 0.3MP front-facing camera and the ZenFone 5 has an 8MP rear-facing camera and a 2MP front-facing camera.
Weight
The ZenFone 2 is the heaviest of the three, weighing 170 grams. The ZenFone 5 is lighter at 144 grams, but the lightest is the ZenFone 4 at 120 grams.
Operating System
ZenFone 2 will be shipped with Android 5.0 Lollipop. Out of the box, both the ZenFone 4 and ZenFone 5 are powered by Android 4.3 Jelly Bean.
Price
The more powerful version of the ZenFone 2 will be sold at $299 unlocked, while the less powerful version will only be $199 unlocked.
The ZenFone 2 is understandably more powerful than the older ZenFone 4 and ZenFone 5 devices. Users that are interested to own an Intel-powered smartphone but still find the ZenFone 2 out of their budget could opt to purchase the ZenFone 5, with the ZenFone 4 as the third option.
