
The Asus ZenFone 6 and co.
LAS VEGAS -- At CES 2014, Asus took the wraps off its trio of Android 4.3, ZenFone handsets. Coming in three different sizes (the 6-inch ZenFone 6 is pictured above), all devices feature HSPA+, 1GB of RAM, and expandable memory.
A coherent, colorful look
Aside from the different screen resolutions, sizes, and color offerings, the three ZenFone handsets understandably look the same. All of them have an attractive, minimalistic design with soft-touch rear sides. The 6 is pictured above.
The biggest of the bunch
The ZenFone 6, as its name suggests, has a 6-inch HD, IPS display with a 1,280x720-pixel resolution. As the biggest handset of the trio, I found this 'phablet' to be too wide and unwieldy; operating it with just my thumb was out of the question.
13-MP camera chops
Powering the 6's innards is a 2GHz Intel Atom Z2580 processor and a 3,230mAh battery. For photo capturing and video recording, users can operate its 13-megapixel rear-facing camera, as well as its 2-megapixel front-facing shooter.
The Asus ZenFone 5
The ZenFone 5 has the same resolution, CPU, and glove-touch capabilities as the 6, but on a 5-inch display. It also has a less powerful 2,050mAh battery.
Scaled back specs
The ZenFone 5's camera equipment has also been scaled back. Namely, the rear-facing camera has been decreased to 8 megapixels, while the front-facing camera has a 2-megapixel lens. The ZenFone 5 will have also have an additional blue model.
The Asus ZenFone 4
Lastly, there's the 4-inch variant. With its 800x480-pixel resolution, the smartphone has the "grainiest" display of the three. I couldn't like it after handling the other two sharper handsets, but if you're on a budget, the ZenFone 4 would be the way to go.
For those on a budget
The 4 is powered by a 1.2GHz Intel Atom Z2520 processor and a 1,170mAh battery. On the back you'll find a 5-megapixel camera and the front features a 0.3-megapixel camera. It will be available in black, white, red, blue, and yellow.