A new ASUS smartphone is joining the ZenFone 3 family next week, and it seems to be gunning for the OPPO A39, which was released in the Philippines first week of January this year.

Meet the ASUS ZenFone 3S Max (click for complete specs), which shares the same front-camera megapixel count, processor, amount of RAM and storage, and screen size as OPPO’s P10,990 (roughly $221) handset. Think 13-megapixel camera sensor; MediaTek MT6750 octa-core chipset; 3GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, expandable up to 256GB via a microSD card; and 5.2-inch 720p display.

But the Taiwanese manufacturer takes things further by placing a huge, 5,000mAh battery; a front-mounted fingerprint sensor; and — get this — Android 7.0 Nougat on top of its own ZenUI 3.0. In fact, this is the first phone in the ZenFone 3 lineup that will ship with the latest Android version out of the box. 

The ASUS ZenFone 3S Max is the first phone in the ZenFone 3 lineup that will ship with Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box. 

The ASUS ZenFone 3S Max also features an 8-megapixel front camera. Compare that with the OPPO A39’s 5-megapixel selfie camera. Not that a higher megapixel count automatically translates to better-quality photos. That’s a myth. You’ll have to take into consideration factors like the image processor and the size and type of the camera sensor.

Anyhow, the smartphone will be launched in India on February 7 at a still-undisclosed price. But considering its higher-end, 5.5-inch ZenFone 3 Max brother costs P10,995, we’re guessing the ASUS ZenFone 3S Max will retail at P9,995 (approximately $201) if it will go on sale in the Philippines.

Image via The Mobile Indian

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