Another issue we found annoying is the cameras UI, which at best can be described as unpolished. However, with more updates planned ahead, ASUS claims to better the area in time.Loss of details in low light.Display:The Zenfone Max Pro M1 follows the market trend of adopting taller yet bigger 18:9 displays. Do note that this isn’t an Android One ROM, therefore it’s not known how efficiently ASUS will handle the Android updates for this baby over the course of time. There is also a dedicated microSD card slot along with the dual SIM slot — a feature that many would find it impressive.ASUS has retained the convenient ZenMotion gesture shortcuts from its ZenUI Android skin. ASUS has built in a 6-inch IPS LCD panel like the competition. This upcoming smartphone could beat the rival hands down. Experiment for a few hours with the camera and you would slowly be accustomed to the modes.The front camera is an 8MP sensor with no LED flash – this is something that the competition mostly offers as standard these days. The Zenfone Max Pro M1 is also slated to receive the Face Unlock support in subsequent updates. Throw in some heavy games such as Need For Speed No Limits, Asphalt 8 and Dead Trigger 2, and you will be treated to a fairly lag-free experience with almost unnoticeable frame drops. The rear camera sits flush with the rear panel, eliminating any camera bump.Brightly-coloured objects tend to lose details in brightly lit conditions.Night photos tend to carry noticeable noise with a tremendous loss in details.The Zenfone Max Pro M1 is a culmination of the all the essential elements that make a highly recommendable midrange smartphone in 2018. Macro shots in direct sunlight. However, the rear heats up noticeably during such sessions, which is usual with most smartphones these days.Also read: Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 reviewCamera:The area where Zenfone Max Pro M1 doesn’t command bragging rights — camera.Colours appear naturally in shadows.Colours appear naturally in shadows. The display performs like any of its rivals — natural dynamic range with adequate contrasts and brightness.Therefore, the camera is probably the weakest area of the Zenfone Max Pro M1 and if you demand good shooting skills in your smartphone, you should probably check out the rivals. There’s a mammoth 5000mAh battery keeping the phone alive for a long. Whats missing here is ASUS trademark Zenfone concentric circles on the rear panel. The selfies are decent and the software-assisted bokeh effects also suffer from an incorrect distinction between the subject and the background.Landscape photos also lose details, despite maintaining good contrast and colours. it tends to tone down the brightness in brightly lit environments and vice versa.Poor exposure management and improper colour reproduction are seen in low light scenes. One look at the specifications sheet and you will be convinced that ASUS’ latest pawn has all those features that could dethrone the Redmi Note 5 Pro. The plastic chassis blends well with the metal rear panel, giving a very seamless design all around. The shutter speed takes a hit in dark surroundings, requiring the user to hold still for a few seconds after capturing the shot. Sunlight legibility is decent as well along with wide viewing angles.Macro shots are vibrant in daylight and carry ample details. Check out some photos from the phone below. The build quality is impressive and in our opinion even surpasses that of the Redmi Note 5 Pro’s. How long? For someone who does a marathon talk time, incessant texting, occasional online video streaming and photo sessions, the Zenfone Max Pro M1 will last around a day and a half, and probably a little more. We wonder whether someone will even need a power bank with this handset ahead. We could say that the camera is not on par with the rival — thanks to the absence of a Sony sensor here. Filling up the giant tank is also taken care by 5V/2A Rapid Charging, which is often overlooked by the rivals. Notice the overexposed exhaust pipes. The portrait mode isn’t the best in the business, faltering with the distinction between the subject and background at sometimes.e.The uniquely designed loudspeaker, the headphone jack and the micro USB charging port sit flush with the curved edge.1. For those looking for even more performance, ASUS will soon unveil the Max Pro M1 in a 6GB + 64GB variant along with a 16MP + 5MP rear camera and a 16MP selfie shooter. Yes, for those who crave for a pure stock Android experience, the Zenfone Max Pro M1 will be a welcome change in this segment. Under bright sunlight, the photos are vibrant. It’s built around the same Snapdragon 636 SoC found on the Redmi Note 5 Pro. The walls surface doesnt carry the details. The mildly curved corners also impart premium vibes, which only adds to the appeal of this new Zenfone.One of the biggest benefits of a stock Android interface, apart from faster access to the latest updates, is a mostly lag-free and fluid user experience.Performance:In the past, midrange ASUS smartphones offered conservative performance that would have been on par with the competition. The Zenfone Max Pro M1’s specifications also suggest something similar.1 managing the errands along with select ASUS plastic Tray container apps. ASUS says the Camera app offers simpler access to controls, but it takes some time getting used to the settings. You can do a full refuel in about two and a half hours.However, the combined power of the SD636 and a stock Android Oreo is visible when it comes to gaming. There’s an almost-stock Android 8.Conclusion:With the Zenfone Max Pro M1, ASUS has taken a leap in the right competitive direction.Inaccurate colour reproduction happens in low light. The Zenfone Max Pro M1 feels to be in its composure when it comes to ‘usual’ daily phone tasks such as swiping around the interface, going through photos in the gallery, browsing the web and resource intensive social apps — stuff that one expects to work effortlessly on a stock Android smartphone.Also read: Honor 9 Lite reviewBattery:For what it loses in the camera department, the Zenfone Max Pro M1 makes up for it with a big battery — in fact, its enormous and the only other smartphone with such a huge fuel tank, but in a smaller form factor. However, it falls short of expectations when you consider the camera performance, which is the only major chink in its armour. The form factor is more rounded, which imparts a more comfortable grip. Dubbed the Zenfone Max Pro M1, the smartphone starts at Rs 10,999 for the base 3GB/32GB variant, just undercutting the Redmi Note 5 Pro, whereas the 4GB/64GB variant is priced at Rs 12,999.ASUS had been pretty silent in this category for a considerable amount of time and have come finally up with something that they claim will be an ‘unbeatable performer’. We also tried the resource-intensive PUBG and were able to play an hour-long session without any noticeable stutters on medium graphics. Otherwise, it comes out as a fairly interesting all-rounder, especially when you consider its price.In low light, the camera compensates with higher ISO values, which adds in a fair amount of noise.Also read: Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro reviewBuild, Design:Whether or not you are a tech enthusiast, it isnt hard to miss the fact that the Zenfone Max Pro M1 is ironically identical to Xiaomis Redmi Note 5 Pro.However, the Zenfone Max Pro M1’s weapon against the competition is the presence of a stock Android operating system.5D glass, the curved edges, the vertical alignment of the rear cameras, the placement of the fingerprint sensor — it’s a very Redmi Note 5 Pro-like affair initially. The familiar 18:9 tall display with a 2. In absolute dark conditions, the photos lose colour accuracy and sharpness — passable for social media.However, look closely and there are subtle differences that separate the Zenfone Max Pro M1 from its Chinese rivals.To sum it up, the Zenfone Max Pro M1 is a recommendable option for those who are willing to seek a no-nonsense smartphone for a pocket-friendly deal.Bokeh shots suffer from rough edges occasionally.Also read: Xiaomi Mi A1 review(source) end-of Tags: asus, android, smartphone. And yes, for those who hate the notch, there isnt one here. There’s a lot that favours it — an almost stock Android interface, an impressive build and a mammoth 5000mAh battery. Overall, the rear cameras performance is not great, but not bad either. HDR helps with enhanced light in the night at cost of details. We found the SD636 to be fairly powerful handling all the daily abuses along with the heavily customised MIUI OS without breaking a sweat. Layouts and icons are a bit confusing and are improperly marked for the functions they offer. However, it does a job well, but faults can be noticed in few photos. Therefore, has ASUS morphed a ‘Xiaomi-killer’ in the Zenfone Max Pro M1? Let’s dig deeper. Therefore, things should also work well for the Max Pro M1. It wont be exaggerating to state that the Zenfone Max Pro M1 edges out the class-leading Redmi Note 5 Pro in most parameters and easily comes across as a top recommendation in the budget mid-range smartphone segment. Human subjects in the bokeh mode are also seen with a few irregular edges, but its not a complaint as most smartphones with this feature also tend to fail at times. Therefore, beating the highly-hyped Redmi Note 5 Pro at its own game takes an even more rounded package and offering it at an equally competitive price. The Zenfone Max Pro M1 is a recommendable option for those who are willing to seek a no-nonsense smartphone for a pocket-friendly deal. However, the camera struggles with the exposure, i. Rating: Have you ever wondered why the budget and midrange smartphone market is dominated by Xiaomi, particularly its Redmi series? Apart from their extensive marketing efforts and the flash sales, the phones offer everything that a budget smartphone seeker expects from his investment — a large display, a huge battery, decent cameras, highly customisable and easy-to-use software, and a reasonably good build quality — all the criterion that the latest Redmi Note 5 Pro hits happily. On the whole, the Zenfone Max Pro M1 is well-built for a budget midrange smartphone and definitely sets the benchmark for others to follow in this category. The phone is reasonably fast in everyday usage scenarios and those looking for a device for daily casual tasks to tad heavy gaming should find this fairly appealing. This setup manages to take above average photographs — the dynamic range is average and contrasts are decent. There’s a 13MP + 5MP dual rear camera setup accompanied by an LED flash