“The ZenFone AR is the world’s first smartphone to flaunt 8GB of RAM, and Google’s AR and VR platforms”
At CES 2015, ASUS unveiled the ZenFone 2 (review), which was the world’s first smartphone to boast 4GB of RAM. Now at this year’s CES, the company has introduced the ZenFone AR as the world’s first smartphone to flaunt 8GB of RAM. In addition, the brand has also unveiled its latest ZenFone Zoom series smartphone dubbed the ZenFone 3 Zoom.
The ASUS ZenFone AR is the world’s first smartphone that is compatible with both Google’s Tango augmented reality platform and Daydream VR platform. The 8GB RAM on board on the phone is mated to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 821 SoC, which is fully optimised to deliver VR experience. The phone sports a 5.7-inch quad-HD Super AMOLED display with a layer of Corning’s Gorilla Glass 4.
The phone comes in multiple configurations – 6GB or 8GB RAM, in storage options of 32GB, 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB. The phone boots Android Nougat out of the box with Zen UI 3.0 on top. At the rear, it gets a fisheye depth lens, a motion tracking sensor, a 23MP Sony IMX318 camera with a dual-tone LED flash, three-axis EIS, and laser autofocus. At the front, it houses an 8MP shooter with 85-degree wide-angle lens. The other specs include ASUS SonicMaster-powered speakers, DTS Headphone: X with virtual 7.1 surround sound, dual-SIM slots, 4G, dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, a USB Type-C port, a fingerprint sensor, and a 3,300mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging.
The ASUS ZenFone 3 Zoom’s main highlight is the pair of 12MP cameras at its rear with TriTech+ optimisation, which select one of three autofocus methods to deliver fast image capturing. On the front, the device gets a 13MP selfie snapper. The phone comes with a 5.5-inch full HD AMOLED display with Gorilla Glass 4 protection, and is fuelled by a 2GHz octa-core Snapdragon 625 SoC. It also comes in multiple variants – 3GB of RAM or 4GB of RAM, and 32GB, 64GB and 128GB of storage. The device features Hi-Res Audio, dual microphones, dual-SIM slots, Marshmallow, 4G, a USB Type-C port, a fingerprint sensor, and a beefy 3,300mAh battery.
The ASUS ZenFone AR will be available in major markets starting from Q2 in Charcoal Black with a leather finish. The ZenFone 3 Zoom will starting rolling out next month, and will be offered in Glacier Silver, Sapphire Black and Rose Gold hues. There’s no word regarding their pricing at the moment.
