Back in August 2015, Taiwanese electronics company Asus launched their Asus ZenFone Selfie ZD551KL, which - as its name suggests - was targeted towards consumers who enjoy taking self-portraits using the front-facing camera of their handsets.
That earlier model had a 13 MegaPixel autofocus camera with Dual Tone LED flash right above the display, allowing the user to snap clear and crisp regardless of the lighting condition.
Oddly enough, it took the company almost two years to come up with follow-up to that selfie-centric handset. But what's good is that, the 2017 iteration already incorporates neat enhancements as well as new features that go along the latest trends in snapping selfies.
In terms of design and build, the Asus ZenFone 4 Selfie represents a clear upgrade coming from its predecessor.
Not only is this newer model far thinner and lighter but it also flaunts a real metal frame that makes it look and feel more elegant and sophisticated. I mean, just look at these photos.
The rear camera resolution had also been bumped up to 16 MegaPixels coming from 13 MegaPixels on the predecessor. And what's nice is that it now has Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF) which locks in the subject far faster.
Also, the camera interface is now more intuitive and easier to use. There's even a Pro mode that lets you tweak settings - like White Balance and ISO - to get the exact look that you want to achieve in your photos. And I'm sure you'll appreciate the one-click Background Defocus button that gives you virtual Bokeh effect in your shots where the background of your subject is beautifully blurred.
Of course, the main selling of the Asus ZenFone 4 Selfie ZD553KL is its all-new Dual Front-Facing camera module, which incorporates cool tech trends in snapping selfies and groufies.
The first one is the front-facing Softlight LED flash, which is more less similar to that of the older model. This feature allows the user to snap clear and crisp selfies even in low to zero lighting conditions such as in bars or clubs. The bulb supports both flash and torch light illumination for self-portraits and videos up to Full HD resolution.
The Dual Front Camera Set-up is made up of a 24 MegaPixel Selfie shooter with standard field of view and another 8 MegaPixel lens with wide-angle 120-degrees field of view.
With just a click of an on-screen button in the camera app, you can quickly toggle between the regular selfie shooter and the groufie or - as Asus calls it - WeFie wide-angle camera to shoot photos with your friends or with better view of your background. Both optics benefit from Asus' all new SelfieMaster photo and video beautification mode that instantly evens out the user's skintone in every shot or clip.
To be fair, you'll find other Android smartphones in the market with Soft LED front flash or Dual Front-Facing Camera Module -- but if my memory serves me right, only Asus ZenFone 4 Selfie offers both of these at the same.
Under the hood, Asus ZenFone 4 Selfie runs its near-bloatware-free, Zen-UI-4.0-skinned Android 7.1.1 Nougat operating system with a 64-Bit Octa Core 1.4 GHz ARM Cortex-A53 and Adreno 505 GPU based Qualcomm MSM8937 Snapdragon 430 chipset that's complemented by 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage that can easily be expanded using the dedicated microSD card slot. The handset is powered by a non-removable 3,000 mAh Li-Po battery that should be good enough to deliver around a whole day of uptime.
So is the handset worth recommending? Well, having played with the device during the event, I'd say if you and your friends love to take selfies and wefies, you should certainly include this model in your bucket list. The Dual Front Cam, the SoftLight Front Flash, and the top-notch SelfieMaster beautification software combine to make Asus ZenFone 4 Selfie one of the best 2017 handsets in delivering those kinds of shots. However, if you're a heavy mobile gamer or a power user, you might want to look at other mid-level smartphones by Asus or other brands with better CPU and GPU.
Personally, I wish that this device's 5.5-inch IPS display had a Full HD resolution instead of just HD -- but I guess it's a compromise that Asus made to keep the price of the phone fairly affordable all while adding new features and improving the design and build of the product.
For those who are interested, Dual-SIM 4G-enabled Asus ZenFone 4 Selfie is now available at all Asus Concept Stores and partner retailers across the country. Currently out in just one color - Black, this smartphone dons an official suggested retail price of Php 13,995.
TechPinas Smartphone Technical Specs Table (TSTST) Name : Asus ZenFone 4 Selfie ZD553KL
Type : Slate Form Factor (Full Touchscreen)
Price Category : Midrange
Dimensions : 155.7 x 75.9 x 7.9 mm
Weight : 144 grams
Available Colors : Black
Operating System : Android 7.1.1 Nougat with ASUS ZenUI 4.0
Display : 5.5 inches (~70.6% screen-to-body ratio), 1280 x 720 pixels, IPS LCD, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors, 2.5D Curved Corning Gorilla Glass
Processor : 64-Bit Octa Core 1.4 GHz ARM Cortex-A53, Adreno 505 GPU, Qualcomm MSM8937 Snapdragon 430 chipset
RAM : 4GB RAM
Internal Storage : 64GB ROM, expandable via dedicated microSD card slot supporting up to 2TB
Camera : Back: 16 MegaPixels, Phase Detection AutoFocus (PDAF), LED flash
Front: Dual Camera Module - 24 MegaPixels (for Selfie) + 8 MegaPixels with wide-angle 120-degrees field of view (for WeFie), SoftLight LED flash
Video Capture : Front and Back: Full HD 1080p 30 frames per second
Audio and Video Playback : MP3, WAV, eAAC+, FLAC, MP4, H.264
Ports : microUSB 2.0, USB On-The-Go, 3.5 mm audio jack
Connectivity : Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth v4.1 with A2DP, EDR, 3G HSPA+; LTE Cat4
GPS : A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS
FM Radio : Yes
Sensors : Accelerometer, Digital Compass, Proximity, Gyroscope, Fingerprint Scanner in front
Network : 2G bands GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 and SIM 2,
3G HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands LTE band 1(2100), 3(1800), 5(850), 7(2600), 8(900), 20(800), 40(2300)
SIM Card Type : Dual nanoSIM
Battery : Non-removable 3,000 mAh Li-Po battery
Uptime : Whole Day of Regular Use (TBC)
Value-Added Features : Dual Front Camera Module with Wide Angle Shot, Front Flash, Aluminum Alloy Shell
Announcement : Philippines - August 19, 2017
Availability : Philippines - August 2017
Price : Official Suggested Retail Price in the Philippines - Php 13,995
That earlier model had a 13 MegaPixel autofocus camera with Dual Tone LED flash right above the display, allowing the user to snap clear and crisp regardless of the lighting condition.
Oddly enough, it took the company almost two years to come up with follow-up to that selfie-centric handset. But what's good is that, the 2017 iteration already incorporates neat enhancements as well as new features that go along the latest trends in snapping selfies.
In terms of design and build, the Asus ZenFone 4 Selfie represents a clear upgrade coming from its predecessor.
Not only is this newer model far thinner and lighter but it also flaunts a real metal frame that makes it look and feel more elegant and sophisticated. I mean, just look at these photos.
The rear camera resolution had also been bumped up to 16 MegaPixels coming from 13 MegaPixels on the predecessor. And what's nice is that it now has Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF) which locks in the subject far faster.
Also, the camera interface is now more intuitive and easier to use. There's even a Pro mode that lets you tweak settings - like White Balance and ISO - to get the exact look that you want to achieve in your photos. And I'm sure you'll appreciate the one-click Background Defocus button that gives you virtual Bokeh effect in your shots where the background of your subject is beautifully blurred.
Of course, the main selling of the Asus ZenFone 4 Selfie ZD553KL is its all-new Dual Front-Facing camera module, which incorporates cool tech trends in snapping selfies and groufies.
The first one is the front-facing Softlight LED flash, which is more less similar to that of the older model. This feature allows the user to snap clear and crisp selfies even in low to zero lighting conditions such as in bars or clubs. The bulb supports both flash and torch light illumination for self-portraits and videos up to Full HD resolution.
The Dual Front Camera Set-up is made up of a 24 MegaPixel Selfie shooter with standard field of view and another 8 MegaPixel lens with wide-angle 120-degrees field of view.
With just a click of an on-screen button in the camera app, you can quickly toggle between the regular selfie shooter and the groufie or - as Asus calls it - WeFie wide-angle camera to shoot photos with your friends or with better view of your background. Both optics benefit from Asus' all new SelfieMaster photo and video beautification mode that instantly evens out the user's skintone in every shot or clip.
To be fair, you'll find other Android smartphones in the market with Soft LED front flash or Dual Front-Facing Camera Module -- but if my memory serves me right, only Asus ZenFone 4 Selfie offers both of these at the same.
Under the hood, Asus ZenFone 4 Selfie runs its near-bloatware-free, Zen-UI-4.0-skinned Android 7.1.1 Nougat operating system with a 64-Bit Octa Core 1.4 GHz ARM Cortex-A53 and Adreno 505 GPU based Qualcomm MSM8937 Snapdragon 430 chipset that's complemented by 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage that can easily be expanded using the dedicated microSD card slot. The handset is powered by a non-removable 3,000 mAh Li-Po battery that should be good enough to deliver around a whole day of uptime.
So is the handset worth recommending? Well, having played with the device during the event, I'd say if you and your friends love to take selfies and wefies, you should certainly include this model in your bucket list. The Dual Front Cam, the SoftLight Front Flash, and the top-notch SelfieMaster beautification software combine to make Asus ZenFone 4 Selfie one of the best 2017 handsets in delivering those kinds of shots. However, if you're a heavy mobile gamer or a power user, you might want to look at other mid-level smartphones by Asus or other brands with better CPU and GPU.
Personally, I wish that this device's 5.5-inch IPS display had a Full HD resolution instead of just HD -- but I guess it's a compromise that Asus made to keep the price of the phone fairly affordable all while adding new features and improving the design and build of the product.
For those who are interested, Dual-SIM 4G-enabled Asus ZenFone 4 Selfie is now available at all Asus Concept Stores and partner retailers across the country. Currently out in just one color - Black, this smartphone dons an official suggested retail price of Php 13,995.
Type : Slate Form Factor (Full Touchscreen)
Price Category : Midrange
Dimensions : 155.7 x 75.9 x 7.9 mm
Weight : 144 grams
Available Colors : Black
Operating System : Android 7.1.1 Nougat with ASUS ZenUI 4.0
Display : 5.5 inches (~70.6% screen-to-body ratio), 1280 x 720 pixels, IPS LCD, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors, 2.5D Curved Corning Gorilla Glass
Processor : 64-Bit Octa Core 1.4 GHz ARM Cortex-A53, Adreno 505 GPU, Qualcomm MSM8937 Snapdragon 430 chipset
RAM : 4GB RAM
Internal Storage : 64GB ROM, expandable via dedicated microSD card slot supporting up to 2TB
Camera : Back: 16 MegaPixels, Phase Detection AutoFocus (PDAF), LED flash
Front: Dual Camera Module - 24 MegaPixels (for Selfie) + 8 MegaPixels with wide-angle 120-degrees field of view (for WeFie), SoftLight LED flash
Video Capture : Front and Back: Full HD 1080p 30 frames per second
Audio and Video Playback : MP3, WAV, eAAC+, FLAC, MP4, H.264
Ports : microUSB 2.0, USB On-The-Go, 3.5 mm audio jack
Connectivity : Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth v4.1 with A2DP, EDR, 3G HSPA+; LTE Cat4
GPS : A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS
FM Radio : Yes
Sensors : Accelerometer, Digital Compass, Proximity, Gyroscope, Fingerprint Scanner in front
Network : 2G bands GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 and SIM 2,
3G HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands LTE band 1(2100), 3(1800), 5(850), 7(2600), 8(900), 20(800), 40(2300)
SIM Card Type : Dual nanoSIM
Battery : Non-removable 3,000 mAh Li-Po battery
Uptime : Whole Day of Regular Use (TBC)
Value-Added Features : Dual Front Camera Module with Wide Angle Shot, Front Flash, Aluminum Alloy Shell
Announcement : Philippines - August 19, 2017
Availability : Philippines - August 2017
Price : Official Suggested Retail Price in the Philippines - Php 13,995
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