Asus ZenFone Max Pro M1 Launched Starting Rs 10,999 With Snapdragon 636, 5000mAh Battery & More

It has been a while since ASUS launched a smartphone in India. The Taiwanese company's last venture in the country involved the budget ZenFone 4 series smartphones which were launched in September 2017. ASUS is now returning to the Indian budget market with a new phone which packs a punch to challenge Xiaomi, who has been ruling the affordable segment for quite some time.

At an event in New Delhi, ASUS, today, announced the ZenFone Max Pro M1 for India. Just like previous ZenFone Max smartphones, the Max Pro M1 features a beefy 5000mAh battery. The smartphone sports a 5.99" Full HD+ IPS LCD display with the modern 18:9 aspect ratio. The device is powered by the Snapdragon 636 along with 3/4/6GB of RAM. The internal storage is 32/64GB and there is support for microSD cards up to 256GB. In the camera department, there is a 13MP+5MP setup at the back and an 8MP selfie shooter in the front along with LED flash.

Here is the complete list of specifications.

Device	ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1
Bands	4G: LTE FDD LTE band 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/13/14/17/25/26/29/30/66 3G: HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 2G: GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
Display	5.99", 1080x2160 IPS LCD, 402ppi, 450 nits brightness, 2.5D arc glass panel
Aspect Ratio	18:9
Dimensions (Length x Breadth x Height)	159 x 76 x 8.5 mm
Weight	180 g
Processor	Snapdragon 636 (Octa-core 1.8GHz Kryo 260), Adreno 509 GPU
RAM	3/4/6GB
Storage	32GB (for 3GB RAM variant) internal memory 64GB (for 4/6GB RAM variant) internal memory, support for microSD up to 256GB (all models)
Rear Camera	13MP (f/2.2) + 5MP (depth sensor), PDAF, 4K 30fps (for 3/4GB RAM variants) 16MP + 5MP, PDAF, 4K 30fps (for 6GB RAM variant)
Front Camera	8MP (f/2.2), selfie flash (for 3/4GB RAM variants) 16MP, selfie flash (for 6GB RAM variant)
Battery	5000mAh Non-removable
Charging	Micro USB, 10W (5V, 2A) charger included with cable, 2hr 42 mins from 0-100%
Security	Fingerprint sensor (rear), face unlock (to be added in a future update)
Software	Stock Android Oreo 8.1
Headphone jack	Yes
Sensors	Accelerometer, proximity, compass, gyroscope
Colours	Deepsea Black, Meteor Silver
Pricing	3GB/32GB: Rs 10,999 ($US165/€136) 4GB/64GB: Rs 12,999 ($US195/€160) 6GB/64GB: Rs 14,999 ($US225/€185)
Miscellaneous	Bluetooth 4.2 (with aptX), dedicated slot for microSD along with two SIM cards

Since the ZenFone Max Pro runs stock Oreo 8.1, one would expect the smartphone to be free of bloatware, however, that isn't the case. The Max Pro comes preloaded with apps from Facebook including the official Facebook app, Messenger, and Instagram.

The in-box accessories comprise of a 10W (5V, 2A) charger with a micro USB cable and a portable sound amplifier which ASUS terms as "Max-box". ASUS claims that when the Max Pro is placed in the Max-box, the sound quality is improved because the audio is channeled towards the listener.

The ZenFone Max Pro M1 will be sold in India via Flipkart. The 3GB/32GB base model is priced at Rs 10,999 and the higher 4GB/64GB variant costs Rs 12,999. Another variant - 6GB RAM and 64GB storage - will "soon" be available for Rs 14,999. The 3GB/32GB and 4GB/64GB variants will be sold through flash sales. The first sale is on May 3 at 12PM. The ZenFone Max Pro will be available in black and silver colors.

As a launch offer, ASUS has partnered with Flipkart to offer consumers 'Complete Mobile Protection' at Rs 49/year. The protection plan will cover for broken screens, liquid damages, and hardware and software faults. Flipkart will also be offering customers extra Rs 1000 off on exchange of select smartphone models.

The Max Pro will take on the likes of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro. Going by the pricing and specifications on paper, it is certain that there is going to be stiff competition between the two smartphones.

Source: ASUS, Flipkart

[All images were sourced from ASUS and Flipkart]

Krittin Kalra

Krittin Kalra is a 20 year old Android freak. Striving for passions, chasing down his dreams and living a life without regrets is his sole mantra. A bit moody, he also does custom ROM reviews for AndroGuider. Currently pursuing his B.Tech, he aspires to follow his heart.