Review of the smartphone ASUS ZenFone Live

Not so long ago, social networks abruptly changed our idea of ​​how you can expand your social circle and talk about your life. Now there is a new trend - video streaming: Perisope, Twitch, and so on. Life is in online format, but already video. And especially for fans of this approach, ASUS has released a ZenFone Live smartphone.

Specifications

Operating system : Android 6.0
Processor : Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 quad core, ARMv7 (VFPv4, NEON)
RAM : 2 GB, LPDDR3
Built-in memory : 16/32 GB
Memory card: microSD up to 128 GB (either two SIM cards are used at the same time, or one and a SIM card and a memory card)
Display : 5 '', 1280 x 720
Cameras :
Front: 4.9 megapixel, LED flash, f / 2.2 aperture
Primary: 13 megapixel, 5-element lens, f / 2.0 aperture
Wireless : 802.11 b / g / n, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi direct
Navigation : GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
Battery : 2650 mAh, non-removable
Charger : Output: 5.2 V, 1 A, 5.2 W
Dimensions : 141 x 71.7 x 7.9 mm (H x W x T)
Weight : 120 gr.

Appearance

The plastic case of the smartphone lies quite comfortably in the hand due to the rounded ends and a slightly rounded back cover and protective glass around the perimeter.


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Above the screen is unusually closely from all sorts of devices: there is a flash, a speaker, a front camera and a sensor for light and proximity. The protective glass does not cover the entire front part, a narrow plastic frame runs around, also playing to improve the tactile "streamlining" of the smartphone.



It's unusual that ZenFone Live is devoid of the Zen line's concentric pattern, I somehow got used to it as an obligatory attribute.



The main camera is shifted to the upper left corner.



At the bottom there is a microUSB connector, speaker and microphone.



At the top - the audio jack and the second microphone.



On the right are the power and volume buttons.



And on the left side is hidden tray for SIM-cards and memory cards.





Please note that in ZenFone Live, you can simultaneously use either two SIM cards or one SIM card and a microSD memory card.



The phone comes in three colors:

Display

The smartphone has a very decent 5-inch display with a resolution of 1280 x 720. Brightness is enough so that when streaming on a sunny day you can comfortably track yourself on the screen.

Cameras and software for shooting

The resolution of the front camera matrix is ​​4.9 MP. For photography, by modern standards this is not much, but most selfies are made for social networks, where a priori high resolution is not needed, and for video this is more than enough. On the sides of the camera, there is a rather large flash and an illumination sensor, so when streaming and shooting, selfies do not have to look for a lighter place, or choose a view that illuminates an external light source.



In addition, the matrices of both cameras are made up of enlarged pixels — 1.4 μm, which reduces image noise with a lack of light and reduces the thermal interaction of pixels.

The main camera, as it should be, has higher characteristics: 13 Mp, f / 2.0 aperture, 5-element lens.

One of the main features of ZenFone Live is the BeautyLive application, which processes the image from the camera on the fly, “removing” skin defects. It is launched either as a separate label or as an icon in the “Selfie” shooting mode. The intensity of the work of the "improver" can be adjusted using a special scale: from a barely noticeable correction to a really porcelain face. Along the way, BeautyLive corrects the tone of the face (local redness, bruises under the eyes, and so on), and even improves illumination. And it works when shooting both photos and video. According to ASUS, ZenFone Live has become the first smartphones equipped with an active software function to enhance portraits. And I really did not hear about this feature in other smartphones.



Having played with this function, I can say that it works quite accurately and quickly. The smartphone quickly recognizes the face and immediately makes adjustments. There were almost no situations when the face was first displayed as it was, and then finally the digital facelift worked. Even with the rapid movements of the smartphone BeutyLive quite confidently tracks you. The effect of the work is quite unusual, with the maximum settings of the "Improver" it is unusual to see yourself as ... so smooth.

When shooting in the portrait enhancement mode, the standard — and extensive — toolkit for all kinds of facelifting is available.



And in the selfi mode, the Find faces tool is activated, with which you can help the smartphone identify all people in the frame. When you press the shutter, the device takes three shots in a row, after which you can choose the best one.


A short video in motion, shot on the front camera: cloud.mail.ru/public/6MaV/RuCbAwLA3

Performance and software

The smartphone is built on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor operating at up to 1.6 GHz. Graphic chip - Adreno 305. 2 GB of RAM, built-in - 16 or 32 GB. Of course, this volume may not be enough for a smartphone that can be actively used for shooting video, but the problem is solved by installing a memory card of up to 128 GB.

ZenFone Live is running Android 6.0 with a proprietary graphic shell ZenUI 3.0. In addition to the standard set of proprietary utilities and the BeautyLive program integrated with the camera, a fitness app is installed on the smartphone.






The power of iron is quite enough for everyday needs. Yes, and it would be strange if with such a processor, two gigabytes of memory and a display resolution of 1280 x 720, the phone braked in the browser or watching a movie. In three-dimensional games, the smartphone is not strong, but it is not intended for this. In addition, not the most powerful processor is beneficial in terms of power consumption: with a 2650 mAh battery, the smartphone worked for almost 8 hours, and this is up to 20% of capacity.

Conclusion

ZenFone Live, as far as I know, is the first smartphone in the world, in which special attention is paid to the convenience and quality of shooting photo and video selfies. It is equipped with an additional front flash and a light sensor, but more importantly, the BeautyLive software function is integrated into ZenFone Live, which real-time corrects skin imperfections when shooting through the front camera, both in the photo and in the video. Two microphones make it much more effective to suppress the noises of the city and the wind, which so often spoil the sound in amateur videos. In addition, the phone shoots video with stereo sound, so that viewers will be able to better feel the environment in which the shooting is conducted. And if you buy headphones that support DTS Headphone: X technology, you will be able to please yourself with a wonderful sound in 7.1 format.

But it would be wrong to assume that ZenFone Live is suitable only for video bloggers. Both externally and in function, this is a universal smartphone that will suit everyone, regardless of sex or addiction to selfies and video broadcasts: a dark gray, almost black model is offered for men, and a pink and golden model for women (as a copy from the review).



ZenFone Live has a high-quality screen, its design is not boring, it is compact enough, many consider 5 inches as the most balanced size for a smartphone. And if you suddenly decide that it would be nice to capture yourself with friends, or against the background of some event, then you will find tools that will improve the quality of photos or videos when shooting on the front camera.

Recommended retail price: 9,990 rubles.