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.
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 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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.