ASUS launched the ZenFone Zoom and ZenFone Max in the Philippines last week, and it didn’t take long for the Taiwanese manufacturer to ship their latest Android phones to local stores.

The Zoom and Max retail for P26,995, and P8,495, respectively, but I wouldn’t consider them to be great purchases at this point, all for different reasons.

The ZenFone Zoom might be a decent digital-camera alternative, all thanks to its relatively powerful zooming capability, but it doesn’t really bring anything new or innovative to the category.

At worst, the ZenFone Zoom is a thicker and chunkier ZenFone 2 Deluxe that costs way too much for what it tries (and fails) to achieve.

Early reviews also don’t inspire confidence that ASUS’ first serious camera phone can do better than the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 or LG G4 in casual point-and-shoot situations. I reckon it can’t take on the iPhone 6s either.

At best, it’s a well-specced phone that, should you ever need it, takes sharp photos of distant objects; at worst, it’s a thicker and chunkier ZenFone 2 Deluxe that costs way too much for what it tries (and fails) to achieve.

On the other hand, the ZenFone Max offers a large display and extra-long battery life — but very little else. ASUS’ decision to release the ZenFone Max with Android 5.0 Lollipop on tap raises a red flag as well.

The ZenFone Max offers a large display and extra-long battery life — but very little else.

But if you’re already sold on either of these devices, again, you’ll be happy to know that they’re already available locally.

Specs of the ASUS Zenfone Zoom (Price in the Philippines: P26,995):
* LTE
* 2.5GHz quad-core Intel Atom Z3590 CPU
* PowerVR G6430 GPU
* 4GB RAM
* 128GB internal storage
* microSD card slot (up to 128GB)
* 5.5-inch IPS display with Corning Gorilla Glass 4 (1,080 x 1,920 resolution)
* 13-megapixel rear camera with dual-LED flash, 10-element lens, 3x optical zoom
* 5-megapixel front camera
* 3,000mAh battery
* Android 5.0 Lollipop

Specs of the ASUS Zenfone Max (Price in the Philippines: P8,495):
* LTE
* 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 CPU
* Adreno 306 GPU
* 2GB RAM
* 16GBinternal storage
* microSD card slot (up to 128GB)
* 5.5-inch IPS display with Corning Gorilla Glass 4 (1,080 x 1,920 resolution)
* 13-megapixel rear camera with laser autofocus, LED flash
* 5-megapixel front camera
* 5,000mAh battery
* Android 5.0 Lollipop

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Ramon Lopez

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Reviews Editor: Ramon "Monch" Lopez is an 18‑year media veteran who has helped shaped content for Yahoo and other top publications. He first dove into PR and marketing for an automobile brand, then ran the gadgets‑merchandising arm of a Philippine retail giant — proof he knows wheels and tech from the warehouse to the web. Now REVU's Reviews Editor, Monch balances his obsession with specs with a "quality over quantity" mindset, usually fueled by coffee, photography, videography, video games, basketball, and the occasional deadline chase.