Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 Review | Comparison to Max Pro M1

Asus launched the Zenfone Max Pro M2 last year and fans went flocking to it. Reimagined to be a bigger, better experience than its predecessor, I got the chance to review it a couple of weeks ago and here are my thoughts and comparisons of the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 to the Zenfone Max Pro M1.

Asus Max Pro M2 Impressions:

As a mom who is always on the go, my phone usage is off the charts. Aside from sometimes substituting my phone for a camera, I also surf the internet and take care of my blog through my phone. It is kinda hard to meet writing deadlines if you don't have a laptop on hand, and I won't be lugging my husband's heavy gaming laptop to events all the time as that is just tiresome. Then there's the fact that I am in love with Ragnarok and I do a little game on the side, plus my kids will sometimes be borrowing my phone to play games and pass the time.

If a phone is handling that much, you either live with a powerbank connected to your system or you get a phone with a bigger battery and does not heat up easily.



What you get with a box of the Max Pro M2 are:

• The Unit
• Charging Cord and plug
• earphones
• a jelly case
• manuals

Max Battery

And this is where the Max Pro M2 takes the cake. I love how it has a battery storage of 5000 mAh, enough to supply a day's worth of internet surfing, gaming and picture taking with a little more juice left before the day ends.

Performance/ Gaming

Just like the previous version, the Max Pro M2 comes with either 4/6 GB of RAM and 32/64 GB of internal storage respectively and can still be expanded via Micro SD. For a mom/blogger lifestyle though, I experienced no lags even with a lot of apps it has open. (Hello 4 GB of Ram? Damn. Of course it won't lag. LOL.) It still has the usual multi screen dsiplay where you can access 2 apps at the same time. Youtube while reading fanfiction anyone? :p

In terms of gaming Max Pro M2 is a bit more responsive than its previous predecessor. Zenfone Max Pro M2 uses stock android, although it has a pre installed game that you can't erase, "Freefire". Freefire kinda resembles PUBG.

What makes M2 the better of the Max brothers is its got Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 that makes it a bit smoother and faster than the M1. But for playing PUBG or any other high resolution games, you can't go to HDR settings, just the average settings. I think it depends on the game that you are playing.

Display and Look

Asus had the display made with Corning Gorilla Glass 6 which is the toughest material for smartphones' screens. Considering the point that this is phone is made for the mid to low range market, I would say that it is a nice feature for its cost. Especially if you are the type of person who would always have their phone slip off their hands. :p

The display, as compared to the previous version is also slightly improved at 6.26” inch display, and the pixel density is up to 403-404 ppi. Videos with 1080p looks really nice here.



It is also a bit lighter than the M1 as the back part is made of plastic that has a gradient quality to it. Personally, as I have said before in my previous reviews I really prefer the matte/metal type of case because those are less prone to scratches, but if you want it for style then Max M2 really is nice to look at. Just don't use it with extra oily hands because while they tried to lessen the impact of your fingerprints, it is still susceptible to them and scratches cause it is made of plastic.

Also considering that the battery is pretty heavy, I think it is still a smart move to make it plastic. I just don't personally like the glossy effect cause #fingerprints just like all other smartphone who has this type of graident-y casing at the back.

Photography

I'll just let the photos do the talking here.

Just kidding. Hahaha! I like the bokeh, the pro mode, and it has improved better than the Pro M1 on low light / indoor photography. I also love the part that it has AI Technology which can sense the scenes you are shooting- be it food or landscapes or portraits.

 The lower aperture with the rear cam of the M2 made it possible to capture in low light and still make it look decent. The photo above is taken on a really cloudy day (almost no light). The photos below are taken indoors. :)

On Capturing Videos

Taking videos are nicer in outdoors because there is now video stabilization and 4k video recording. But when it comes to videos in low light, or night time videos it still falls a bit.

But then again, we have come to a point in time where we always expect so much for a phone. If you really want a good video, I think you would be better suited with an actual camera because while a phone is a good "jack of all trades" gadget and can do good in photos, capturing videos at night is entirely another matter that would require some specialty, you know?

Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 Vs Zenfone Max Pro M1?

Here are the links to the full specs of Max Pro M2 and Max Pro M1. 

But the main differences that you can see are these:

Price + Overall Thoughts

You can get the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 for:

• Zenfone Max Pro M2 4GB + 64GB :PHP 12,995 at Shopee/Lazada
• ZenFone Max Pro M2 6GB + 64GB :PHP 14,995 at Asus Zenfone shops and Accredited partners

If you're coming in from say the Asus Max M1 or Asus Live, then I woulld say YES. GET THIS. LIKE RIGHT NOW.

Improvements with the Max Pro M2 are really nice overall vs it's price. And you  definitely get your money's worth with its durability and better specs. Plus who doesn't want a phone that can last all day? Kahit pa mag brown out at wala kang powerbank hindi ka kakabahan dito hahaha!

If you got yourself a Max Pro M1, I think it is still a nice upgrade and definitely worth the price because of the CPU Snapddragon 660 and Corning Gorilla Glass 6 display. Just for extra durability.