Shootouts

Shootout: Compact 4G LTE Smartphones under S$300 (Q4 2014)

By Sidney Wong - 5 Nov 2014

ASUS ZenFone 5 LTE: Design & Features

ASUS ZenFone 5 LTE

The ASUS ZenFone 5 LTE has the looks identical to its 3G counterpart.

Having launched the successful foray of value-oriented quality phones with the ASUS ZenFone 4, ZenFone 5, and ZenFone 6 smartphones in the middle of the year, they quickly followed it up with the ZenFone 5 LTE variant to further extend the options available for consumers looking for the best mix of performance and features at a reasonable price point. In fact, HardwareZone members were among the first to have trialed out the new LTE model when we held a members' event with ASUS.

However, the ZenFone 5 LTE isn't exactly the same ZenFone 5 that we've reviewed earlier slapped on with a new modem to support LTE connectivity.In fact, there are three differences you need to take note. First, the ZenFone 5 LTE runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 quad-core 1.2GHz processor, which is different from the Intel Atom chipset in the 3G model. Secondly, ASUS offers the ZenFone 5 LTE in three configurations with these official price points:-

  • ZenFone 5 LTE with 1GB RAM and 8GB internal storage - S$249 (only available on the ASUS Online Store)
  • ZenFone 5 LTE with 2GB RAM and 8GB internal storage - S$269
  • ZenFone 5 LTE with 2GB RAM and 16GB internal storage - S$299 

Comparatively, the original ZenFone 5 (3G) was only sold in one configuration in Singapore: 2GB RAM with 8GB internal storage. The review unit we have of the ZenFone 5 LTE comes with 2GB RAM and as expected, user experience was smooth and responsive.

Last, but not least, the ZenFone 5 LTE loses the dual-SIM support that is present in the 3G model. With the exception of the HTC One (E8) sold in China, there is probably no other 4G phone in the market with dual-SIM support, so it's not a disadvantage but more about consumers making the right choice for their needs. Dual-SIM 4G capable phones are both a technical and cost challenge that can drive up the amount of heat, radiation and power consumed by the device and thus such devices will be highly limited till further progress has been made in modem and antenna design.

You only get one micro-SIM card slot (center) and a microSD memory card slot (top right) on the ASUS ZenFone 5 LTE.

Besides these three differences, the ZenFone 5 LTE looks and feels the same as the 3G model. This means you get the sturdy chassis with a soft touch texture on the back. In fact, the design and handling of the ZenFone 5 LTE feels the best among the phones compared in this shootout. Its matte texture helps one to have a better grip of the device while minimizing fingerprints and smudges at the same time.

The ASUS ZenFone 5 LTE not only feels great in the hand, it also looks stunning in red.

The rear cover is still removable where you access the micro-SIM and microSD card slots (though battery isn't removable). As mentioned earlier, the ZenFone 5 LTE does not have dual-SIM support. In terms of storage expansion, the microSD card slot supports memory cards up to 64GB in capacity.

Along with the ZTE Blade VEC 4G, the ZenFone 5 LTE sports the biggest display among the lot at 5-inches. Both phones also have HD resolution displays (1,280 x 720 pixels). Just below the display, you'll find three hardware navigation buttons (Back, Home and Recent Apps). Unfortunately the buttons aren't backlit, so you'll have to put up with a little inconvenience when using the phone in dark environments. ZTE and Motorola don't face this problem on their devices as they use on-screen navigation keys.

The phone's interface, ZenUI remains intact from what you would get with the previous ZenFone devices. As we've discussed about the ZenUI's usability and features in a number of articles so far, you can refer to our past coverage in this dedicated article and find out if the features are relevant in daily usage in our review of the oroginal ZenFone 5.

ASUS introduced the ZenUI on its ZenFone series earlier this year. Overall, we like ASUS' ZenUI interface for its modern and colorful look.

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