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ASUS' ZenFone 3 Zoom has two cameras and a big battery
ASUS' ZenFone Zoom was an ugly phone. While the front was discrete enough, the back was a leather-clad monster with a plastic disk jutting out. The benefit, of course, was the 3x optical zoom lens that allowed you to capture detail from afar. Its successor, the ZenFone 3 Zoom, takes a vastly different approach. The circular bulge is gone and in its place you'll find a dual-camera setup reminiscent of the iPhone 7 Plus. One is a f/1.7-aperture, 25mm wide-angle lens, while the other is a 59mm version offering a 2.3x optical zoom. Like Apple's latest smartphone, you can instantly bounce between to retain clarity in your shots.
ASUS' Zenfone 3 and its Snapdragon 821 arrive this month
If you want the fastest Android phone in the US, you can pre-order Google's Pixel phone starting at $649, and get it around October 20th. There is another option, though -- ASUS will release its 5.7-inch Deluxe Special Edition ZenFone 3 smartphone with the same Snapdragon 821 processor in the US for $799 by the end of the month. Both have metal unibodies, but the ASUS is the flashier of the two.
ASUS ZenFone 3 Deluxe gets first dibs on Snapdragon 821 chip
We knew it wouldn't be long before ASUS rolls out its latest smartphones after the Computex unveiling, but it turns out the company has saved a little surprise for us. At the Taiwan and Hong Kong launch event today, ASUS revealed that its flagship 5.7-inch ZenFone 3 Deluxe has been given a chipset upgrade -- from Snapdragon 820 to the speedier Snapdragon 821 announced yesterday. And yes, it's officially the world's first device to feature this 2.4GHz processor, while still benefiting from the same old Cat 13 LTE radio, a slightly faster Adreno 530 GPU, dual-SIM support (Micro SIM plus Nano SIM) and Quick Charge 3.0.
Up close with the ASUS ZenFone 3 series
Like it does every year at Computex, ASUS announced a bunch of new smartphones that won't break the bank. Only this time, the best-looking device turned out to be the base model: the ZenFone 3. I managed to get some hands-on time with this $249 device and to my surprise, it looks just as good in real life thanks to the spun-metal finish on the back. It also has a more premium feel than its predecessor due to the switch from a plastic body to a combination of metallic frame and 2.5D glass panels. At this price point (with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage), there's little to complain about, but it'll take some real-life usage to see if the mid-range Snapdragon 625 will suit your needs.
Catch up with Computex 2016: Day one
Computex is typically ASUS' show. Every year, the Taiwanese company takes to Taipei to unload a host of its wares and, in the process, steal the lion's share of the show's headlines. Well, 2016 is no different as ASUS has taken the wraps off a slew of devices including an ultraportable that's thinner than Apple's own MacBook, Surface-like 2-in-1 PCs, three new ZenFones, a charming robot assistant for the home and a me-too mobile VR headset. Don't fret if you whiled away the holiday weekend and need to get up to speed on day one of the show -- we've got you covered in the video above and the gallery below.
ASUS's ZenFone 3 looks and feels twice its price
Intel may have already quit the smartphone market, but its buddy ASUS continues to fight the good fight with a slightly different approach this year. At Computex, the Taiwanese giant announced not just one, but three new Android M smartphones: ZenFone 3, ZenFone 3 Deluxe and ZenFone 3 Ultra. The three share a common design language, though in our opinion, it's the $249 base model that has the best appearance thanks to 2.5D Gorilla Glass on both sides, as well as the spun-metal finish on the back (underneath the glass). Together, these work well with any of the four color options: Shimmer Gold, Aqua Blue, Sapphire Black and Moonlight White. The sandblasted metallic frame around it adds a nice touch too.
