ASUS has announced two new smartphones for the mid-range category. Both phones were unveiled in Brazil yesterday and are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon SiP 1, a new processor borne from a collaboration between Qualcomm Technologies (a subsidiary of Qualcomm Inc.) Universal Scientific Industrial (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (USI) and the Brazillian government.
Snapdragon SiP 1
First, let’s talk about the Snapdragon SiP 1. The SiP 1, where SiP is short for System in Package, is a new processor that integrates all the main components into a single package. So you have the application processor, modem, RF front end, audio codec, RAM and storage in a single package.
The advantage is a smaller motherboard which means thinner devices. The extra space can be used for a bigger battery or more components such as an extra camera or a dedicated MicroSD card slot. It has been reported that RAM and storage can be changed in the same SiP.
The SiP 1 is said to have the same specs as the Qualcomm Snapdragon 450. It is a 14nm chipset with eight cores clocked at 1.8GHz with an Adreno 506 GPU.
ASUS Zenfone Max Shot
The Zenfone Max Shot has a 6.26-inch FHD+ display with a notch at the top of the screen. It comes in two variants – 3GB RAM + 32GB and 4GB RAM + 64GB.
On the back of the phone are a 12MP Sony IMX486 f/1.8 primary sensor, an 8MP 120° ultra wide-angle camera, and a 5MP depth sensor. An LED flash sits below the triple camera setup. There is also a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. The front of the Zenfone Max Shot is home to an 8MP selfie camera with its own LED flash. The cameras have AI features such as scene recognition.
The phone runs Android 8.1 Oreo which is disappointing but ASUS says Android Pie will be released for it in the future. The Max Shot packs a 4,000mAh battery under its metal back and charges via a MicroUSB port (10W max). It is available in red, blue, silver, and black.
The Zenfone Max Shot is priced at BRL 1,349 (~$352) for the 3GB RAM variant and BRL 1,699 (~$445) for the 4GB RAM variant.
ASUS Zenfone Max Plus M2
The Max Plus M2 shares most of its specs with the Max Shot. However, it comes with just 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. It also has only two rear cameras – the 12MP Sony IMX 486 primary sensor and the 5MP depth sensor. There is a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner too. The selfie camera is also the same as that of the Zenfone Max Shot and so is the battery capacity.
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The Zenfone Max Plus M2 comes in red, black, blue, and silver and will sell for BRL 1299 (~$339). Both phones are already available for purchase on the official ASUS Brazil website.
