Review: ASUS ZenFone Max Pro (M1) – The Best Value Smartphone
8 min read
ASUS ZenFone Max Pro (M1)
RM 699.00
Pros
- Great build quality
- Good display
- Loud and clear speaker
- Excellent battery life
- Great performance
- Value for money
Cons
- Slow fingerprint scanner
- Subpar camera app
- Slow charging
Camera
Camera App
Before I talk about the photo quality, I must have a look at the camera app itself. Since ASUS has decided to run stock Android on the ZenFone Max Pro M1, naturally we would assume the Google Camera to take the helm of the photo-taking responsibility. However, we were shocked to know it is, in fact, Qualcomm Snapdragon Camera – a name we never heard before.
The interface, if I must comment, is awkward with super-sized icons. I get the idea where an app with large icons is easier to use but there should be a way to combine elegant and ease of use, right? Besides, there is a slight shutter delay which may not reflect well on fast and demanding photography needs.
Rear Camera
The entry variant we have here is equipped with 13 MP + 5 MP sensor configuration. The secondary 5 MP sensor is purely used for the depth of field effect. Hence the camera app does not support switching over to use the secondary camera.
Image quality from the unidentified 13 MP sensor is not something I would describe as mind-blowing. Frankly speaking, they look pretty alright in well-lit situations but would soon turn into a digital ISO noise goop as the amount of light reduces. In fact, once you get used to the camera app’s post-processing profile, you may take advantage of it and create awesome looking photos. However, you may install any third-party camera app available on the Play Store to achieve your specific type of post-processing result. Meanwhile, we don’t have the chance to test out the premium variant ZenFone Max Pro (M1) with 16 MP sensor, so we can’t really comment anything on that. Unless ASUS would love to have us test them out.
Front Camera
As for the front camera, just like the rear, we’re getting a lower pixel count sensor on this model. 8 MP to be exact as opposed to 16 MP on the top variant ZenFone 4 Max Pro. The photo quality is pretty decent with face-priority auto-metering. Therefore, the camera is intelligent enough to make sure your face is well lit despite the confusing lighting condition.
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