At CES 2014, Asus introduced a trio of affordable smartphones powered by Intel processors, including the super-budget Asus Zenfone 4. The 4-inch device is incredibly affordable at $99 unlocked, but the question is, can any manufacturer deliver a decent Android experience at this price point?
To answer this question, our Joshua Vergara spent time with the new Asus Zenfone 4 and you can see his initial hands-on impressions in the video at the top. Of course, we’ll try to get our hands on a unit of this diminutive device as soon as possible for a full-on review.
Asus Zenfone 4 specifications
- Dimensions: 124.4 x 61.4 x 11.2 mm, 115 grams
- CPU: Intel Atom Z2520, dual-core, 1.2GHz
- GPU: PowerVR SGX 544MP2
- RAM: 1GB
- Internal storage: 4GB, expandable with up to 64GB
- Display: 4-inch TFT LCD, 480 x 800 pixels, 233ppi
- Cameras: 5MP rear, 0.3MP front, LED flash
- Battery: 1170 mAh
- Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi b/g/n, USB 2.0, A-GPS
- Networks: GSM, HSDPA+
- Operating system: Android 4.3
The 1GB of RAM and the dual-core Intel chip inside the Zenfone 4 should be good for most basic tasks, though power users and mobile gamers might want to look elsewhere. The display density could be a bit higher, but for a $99 device, the display is actually decent. The microSD card slot mitigates the problem of the scarce storing space, but the battery is worryingly small, even for a device this size. It remains to be seen how the Zenfone 4 performs in real life, but looking at the specs, it’s clear you get a little more than what you paid for.
Asus debuted a new UI on the Zenfone line, which we found pretty sleek. The UI is minimalistic and fresh, and in tone with a no-frills, approachable device like the Zenfone 4. There were some rough edges, though we were told the software on the demo units was not final.
Stay tuned, we’ll be publishing our hands-on looks at the Zenfone 5 and 6 soon!