The Gen XY Lifestyle
Asus’ ZenFone Ultra is the closest thing to a portable cinema
Asus is slowly making a name for itself in the smartphone world with reasonably priced devices and specialist phones like the camera-centric ZenFone Zoom. This time round, they have a movie-centric phone, and that might be of interest to you.
The ZenFone 3 Ultra is huge — the screen measures 6.8 inches. However, with a 79% screen-to-body ratio and 6.8mm thickness, it’s not clumsy; especially when used to watch a video. The other upside is that it is ideal for reading.
The video experience is pretty much the main point of the Ultra. Its specifications are geared towards that aspect, what with a 95% NTSC colour gamut screen that displays vibrant colour and contrast. It’s controlled by a dedicated display processor (Tru2Life+) that Asus says is ‘4K TV-grade’. One caveat is that the display resolution is only 1080p, but thankfully it’s sharp enough that it’s not detrimental to the experience.
The dual speakers are rather powerful so there’s no need for earphones if you don’t need to keep the peace. The ZenFone 3 Ultra is capable of decoding high resolution, 24-bit files and supports DTS Headphone:X for an impressive virtual 7.1 experience when you do use your earphones.
With an unusually large battery capacity of 4,600mAh, you don’t have to worry about getting caught out after watching one episode of Doctor Crush too many. Short of having a TV tuner installed, the ZenFone 3 Ultra is perfect for those who can’t get enough of Netflix and the like.
Its ‘bread-and-butter’ features aren’t bad either. The Snapdragon 652 processor is more than adequate for everyday tasks and the 4GB of RAM will help keep things running smoothly. The PixelMaster 3 camera system on all its new phones is rather impressive; on the Ultra, you’ll find an OIS-equipped 23-megapixel camera with a triple autofocus tech for responsiveness and very detailed images for a smartphone.
Given its size, it’s hard to recommend this to just anyone, but if you find yourself spending a lot of time watching shows and video clips on your phone, the all-out experience of the ZenFone 3 Ultra might just be the natural step up for you.
Available now
S$778, 6.8-inch, 4GB RAM, 64GB ROM
ZenFone 3 and ZenFone 3 Deluxe
The ZenFone 3 Ultra is quite well-made, but the ZenFone 3 and ZenFone 3 Deluxe perhaps showcase this better. The ZenFone 3 is the ‘starter’ model but you wouldn’t have known just by looking at it. It’s a very keenly-priced mid-range smartphone given its specifications and its build quality, so it’s one that warrants consideration.
Available now
S$398, 5.2-inch, 3GB RAM, 32GB ROM
S$498, 5.5-inch, 4GB RAM, 64GB ROM
The ZenFone 3 Deluxe is Asus’ flagship and is the most expensive phone they’ve ever made. It has all the bells and whistles — Super AMOLED display, fastest Snapdragon processor, 6GB of RAM, 256GB of internal memory, super-quick fingerprint unlock, and the same 23-megapixel camera found on the Ultra. However, it will only hit our shores in December.
Available December
S$998, 5.7-inch, 6GB RAM, 64GB ROM
S$1,188, 5.7-inch, 6GB RAM, 256GB ROM
