THE bigger, better variant of the 5.2-inch ASUS ZenFone 3 Max, the 5.5-inch ZC553KL, finally gets priced in the Philippines, about two weeks before its official release in the country.

ASUS Philippines says the device will cost P10,995 — or roughly $221 — when it becomes available sometime in the second week of December. 

At that price, we believe the ZenFone 3 Max Zc553KL becomes a wiser investment than the smaller variant launched in August 2016 for P8,995 ($181). For only P2,000 ($40) more, you get a sleeker look, a better camera, a more powerful processor in the Qualcomm Snapdragon 430, and a more vibrant, full-HD screen. We have prepared a comparison table for you.

If you prefer a smartphone that lasts longer to something that takes better photos, then it is even more sensible to get the ASUSZenFone 3 Max Zc553KL than the ASUS ZenFone 3 Laser. The latter is retailing for P11,995 ($241), P1,000 ($20) more than the Max. However, if you look at the spec comparison below, you’ll find that it is basically a camera-centric ZenFone 3 Max. The major differences really lie in the camera, battery, and RAM departments.

SEE ALSO: 10 smartphones in PH with batteries above 4,000mAh

Whichever you prefer and whatever your budget is, there is an ASUS ZenFone for you. In fact, there are too many of them that it’s hard to keep track of all the ZenFones out on the market.

MY PARTNER RAMON LOPEZ’S TAKE: The 5.5-inch ASUS ZenFone 3 Max combines the best qualities of the smaller Max and the ZenFone 3 Laser without asking for too much in return. And while it will no doubt affect the sales of other ZenFone models — that’s how good this phone is — coming out with a proper successor to last year’s Max (and arguably, to a lesser extent, the ZenFone 2) is the right move for ASUS.

The 5.2-inch ASUS ZenFone 3 Max doesn’t cut it in the bargain basement, where local favorites and critical darlings like the Moto G4 and the OPPO F1s are all about giving the masses what they want at the lowest price possible. The upcoming Max will give ASUS more than a fair chance of succeeding in the budget category as it did a few years ago.

ASUS ZenFone 3 Max ZC553KL

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