Asus zenfone max zc550kl memory card type. Review and testing of the smartphone ASUS ZenFone Max. Information about navigation and location technologies supported by the device

The task of the ASUS Zenfone Max ZC550KL model, a review of which may be of interest to potential buyers inexpensive smartphone with a large screen, there was an attempt to move from increased functionality to autonomy.

For this reason, the smartphone received a powerful battery and average performance, and is relatively inexpensive - although it cannot be called budget.

In 2017, buying such a device will not be the best choice, but it cannot be called the worst option either.

Content:

Specifications

Model Zenfone Max ZC550KL has the following options:

Battery capacity is 5000 mAh– more than 80% of the models on the market. The operating time of a smartphone with such a battery is about 37 hours when talking, 900 hours in standby mode and about 8 hours in active mode. The weight of the device is 202 grams, the thickness is 10.5 millimeters.

Design Features

The appearance of the phablet is not too different from most of the same large smartphones and.

Although the dimensions of the gadget make it not too suitable for women to use.

Comfortably fits the device only in a large hand- especially if you try to write messages on it or surf the net (while watching movies or reading text is much easier).

Among the design features worth noting:

  • buttons are on the right side, which, according to many users, is not the best location;
  • there are no buttons or controls on the left side;
  • on the back cover there is a lens, a flash, a second microphone, a speaker and a laser rangefinder. Under it you can find slots for SIM-cards and microSD-drive;
  • front panel, almost completely covered with glass, contains a camera, speaker and touch buttons for control;
  • Below you can see another microphone and a USB port;
  • On top of the smartphone is the headphone jack..

You should know: On sale you can find two colors - black and white smartphone, and the cover of the first model is designed "under the skin", and the second is made matte and smooth. This allows you to choose the right option for users with different tastes.

Smartphone screen

The power consumption of the 5.5-inch display is not very economical, so the increased capacity of the phone's battery comes in handy.

The picture quality is not the best for such a diagonal - many similar models work with FullHD format.

However, the graininess is almost imperceptible, and if you look at the screen from a distance of 30 cm, the density of 267 ppi is enough for a video shot by the same phone with a decent resolution.

For users accustomed to high resolutions, this quality may seem insufficient.

However, the picture looks bright and warm - especially if you use the special Bluelight filter mode.

The maximum brightness is enough to view the image on the screen even outdoors on a sunny day.

Recognition of touches by the sensor is quite fast, and the simultaneous number of touches reaches ten.

In winter, you can use your smartphone with gloves - there is another special mode for this.

And, finally, the last advantage of the screen is the presence of 4, which provides good protection, and which allows you not to be afraid to wet the surface.

Processor, memory and performance

The Snapdragon 410 chip is far from the most powerful chip to date, and the Adreno 306 video processor is responsible for the graphics.

For resource intensive applications comes with 2 GB random access memory - not too much for modern games, but enough for most users. There is enough memory and processors to run Asphalt 8, even if not at the highest settings, and, of course, to play HD video.

A gamer will not need such a smartphone- with such opportunities for working with games, it is easier to overpay and choose a more powerful model. On the other hand, for a user who rarely uses game offers, this option is quite suitable. Moreover, the time of the gameplay without the need to recharge the battery for the model is at least 5-6 hours - a parameter, not available for every “gaming” smartphone.

operating system

The smartphone is running operating system Android 5.0.2 and branded launcher ASUS ZenUI 2.0.

This decision will bring some inconvenience to the user of the model - although, if desired, the firmware can be updated to 6.0.1. This will add some features and remove some of the vulnerabilities.

The smartphone interface can also be called outdated- working with it is not as convenient as with launchers of competing models. Many pre-installed programs are not very useful, and are usually removed by users immediately after purchase. But the ZC550KL has some original gestures to control - for example, double "tap" to unlock.

Camera models

The model received two cameras from the manufacturer, which, unlike the processor and graphics, correspond to the average parameters of modern models - and, therefore, meet the requirements of many potential buyers.

Although the photos using the main and front devices are not very high quality, you can get a clear picture without noise only in good lighting.

Under any other conditions good photo It won't work even with the built-in flash.

As the practice of using the phone shows, photos on the front camera (or "selfie") are best taken not only in good light, but also outdoors - indoors the quality will be completely unsatisfactory.

Sharp movements are blurred, no matter what module is used for shooting. But macro shooting with the main camera allows you to get quite acceptable results.

You should know: The maximum video format that a smartphone can shoot is FullHD. However, given the native HD resolution, this is enough - on most computers and even large-screen TVs, such a video will look good. And in order to notice the real difference between FullHD and, for example, 4K, you need a screen of at least 40-45 inches and a distance of no more than a meter.

Sound Options

The capabilities of the model for sound reproduction - both in films and when listening to audio files, are at an average level.

Therefore, a smartphone is hardly worth buying for lovers of loud and clear sound. While for watching videos, the characteristics of its speakers are enough.

Listening to music in the headphones supplied with the phone, we can draw approximately the same conclusions. Movies look fine - there is not enough volume to play music. But the smartphone has a good microphone, which can be seen in a conversation with an interlocutor on mobile communications, and when recording sound.

Connection quality

The quality of communication provided by the smartphone is at a decent level. In addition, the model supports 4G technology and data transfer rates up to 150 Mbps.

You can use two SIM cards, the installation of which will not interfere with memory expansion using a microSD drive.

When testing in talk mode smartphone showed good quality sound and acceptable speaker performance. The launch of navigation applications revealed a normal connection speed to satellites - within 30 seconds. The only noticeable minus of the communication functions is support for only one Wi-Fi channel (2.4 GHz), which reduces the data transfer rate over wireless network.

Gadget battery

To support the operation of all components for a long time, the gadget received a powerful battery. In the list of its features:

  • 7–8 h in talk mode and about the same time, if you use it for resource-demanding games;
  • 18-22 hours of work when watching videos;
  • at least 30 hours Internet surfing;
  • more than a month on standby.

Important: The huge capacity of the battery allows you not only to use your smartphone, but also to charge other gadgets with it. To implement the recharging function, another smartphone, an mp3 player, and even a power bank are connected to the ZenFone Max.

Device package

Box contains inside:

  • myself smartphone with protective film;
  • charger, the most common- therefore easily replaceable by charging from most other models;
  • cable that can also be used to recharge the battery, and to connect the phone to a computer for wired data transfer;
  • branded headphones with a set of nozzles;
  • OTG cable, with which you can connect to a smartphone, for example, a USB flash drive - or a computer mouse.

We are talking about Asus Zenfone Max ZC550KL, which became available in January 2016. But before users had time to evaluate the novelty, as in May, the company already introduced a new Asus Zenfone Max ZC550KL (2016). To some, such a step will seem rather strange, but apparently, the manufacturer decided that he got excited with the release of the device on a simple 410th snapdragon and in a hurry released a version on a more advanced 615th chip.

Appearance of the updated model

For those who are already familiar with the previous model, the appearance will seem familiar. But even in this case, smartphones cannot be distinguished, because the case has not undergone any changes. The front panel is recognizable as always: this is facilitated by the characteristic rounding of the corners, as well as the bottom plate, shining with a metallic finish. The diagonal remained the same: 5.5 inches. The resolution of 720x1280 pixels remains the same. By the way, the display is covered with a protective gorilla of the current fourth generation. The light golden plastic bezel still catches the eye. As for the back, it is textured under the skin, although it is made of soft-touch plastic. Given the mid-segment positioning, the device showed itself with positive side in terms of appearance, besides now, in addition to black and white, orange and blue are also available. But his strength lies elsewhere.

Technical capabilities

As already mentioned, the device received an updated processor that meets all the performance requirements of the mid-range series. And here is the battery Asus zenfon max ZC550KL (2016), as in the previous model, is able to please lovers of long-playing solutions. Yes, the device received a weighty 10.6 mm case for a reason, because it houses a battery with a record 5000 mAh to date. For example, the rival Lenovo Vibe K4 Note is lighter, but the battery capacity is 3300 mAh. As for long-playing solutions, one can only remember Philips, but their devices have already become outdated. RAM left 2 gigabytes, but there is a version with three gigabytes. The permanent memory in the smartphone is 32 gigabytes, there is an expansion slot. Of course, the strong point of even the mid-range Asus is the camera: there is a 13-megapixel sensor, a dual-tone flash and a proprietary laser autofocus, so this long-playing smartphone will also interest photography enthusiasts.

The huge popularity of large screen sizes and the unprecedented increase in the performance of hardware platforms have more than ever focused attention on the already very relevant topic of low autonomy of modern mobile devices. Ask any user what their favorite “pocket pet” really lacks, and the vast majority of respondents will immediately think of a “weak battery” or sincerely complain about the too frequent appearance of the unloved notification of a low percentage of charge.

Therefore, we were doubly delighted to be able to test the new long-playing smartphone ASUSZenfoneMax, the list of advantages of which includes not only a powerful lithium-polymer battery with a capacity of 5000 mAh, but also a rather useful function of recharging other portable gadgets. In addition, the device boasts a stylish appearance, a large 5.5-inch IPS screen and a 13-megapixel camera with laser autofocus, which makes it a serious competitor in the mobile device market.

Specification

Manufacturer and model

ASUSZenfoneMax (ZC550KL)

Type, form factor

Smartphone, monoblock

Communication standards

850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz

850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz

800 / 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 / 2600 MHz

Data transfer

GPRS (32-48 Kbps), EDGE (236 Kbps),

HSPA+ (up to 42.2 Mbps), LTE cat.4 (up to 150 Mbps)

SIM card type

CPU

Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 (MSM8916) (4 x ARM Cortex-A53 @ 1.2 GHz)

Graphics adapter

Qualcomm Adreno 306 (400 MHz)

5.5", IPS, 1280 x 720 (267 ppi), touch (10 points), protective glass Corning Gorilla Glass 4

RAM

Persistent memory

card reader

microSD (up to 64 GB)

Interfaces

1x micro USB 2.0

1 x 3.5mm mini-jack audio jack

Multimedia

Acoustics

Microphone

Main

13 MP (f/2.0, laser autofocus, dual LED flash, 1080p video recording)

Frontal

5 MP (f/2.0, autofocus, wide-angle lens, 1080p video recording)

Networking

802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS (A-GPS), GLONASS, Beidou

Accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, digital compass, hall sensor

Battery

Lithium polymer, non-removable: 5000 mAh

Charger

Input: 100~240V AC e.g. at 50/60 Hz

Output: 5V DC e.g. 2 A

Ability to charge mobile devices

156 x 77.5 x 10.55mm

White black

operating system

Android 5.0.2 Lollipop + ASUS ZenUI 2.2.2

Official guarantee

12 months

Products webpage

Delivery and equipment

There are no complaints about such an important parameter as speed. Despite the abundance of various functions and an impressive number of pre-installed applications, everything works quickly and smoothly, without the slightest hint of jerks or hitches.

Performance and connectivity

ASUS ZenFone Max is based on Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 (Model MSM 8916) quad-core 1.2GHz microprocessor, which is based on 64-bit ARM Cortex-A53 microarchitecture in accordance with 28nm process technology. Paired with it is the built-in Qualcomm Adreno 306 graphics adapter with an operating frequency of 400 MHz, which has support for the most popular technologies and APIs. The amount of RAM is 2 GB, and the permanent memory is 16 GB (about 7 GB is available to the user). In addition, the latter can be expanded with microSD memory cards up to 64 GB.

Despite the relatively low results of synthetic tests, the reviewed smartphone easily copes with any everyday tasks (office and multimedia applications, surfing the net, watching videos), and can also compete on equal terms with most modern gaming projects at medium, and in some cases even at high graphics settings (due to the relatively low screen resolution). At the same time, the case practically does not heat up (the generated heat is well concealed by its thick and dense plastic), which allows you to use the device's resources for a long time without any tactile discomfort.

By default, the smartphone recognizes a number of the most popular audio and video formats, including MP4 and MKV.

ASUS ZenFone Max is equipped with a dual-SIM radio module that supports Micro-SIM cards. It allows to carry out phone calls according to the 2G GSM standard in Dual SIM Dual Stand By mode and transmit data in 3G WCDMA and 4G LTE mobile networks at speeds up to 150 Mbps. There are no complaints about the quality of communication. The speaker and microphone clearly and legibly transmit the voice of the interlocutor and the subscriber. The built-in vibrating alert has an average in strength, but quite pleasant in terms of timbre feedback.

In addition to supporting high-speed mobile networks, the smartphone is equipped with two standard wireless modules: Bluetooth 4.0 and Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n (2.4GHz) with Wi-Fi Direct.

Search WiFi hotspots and the subsequent connection to them is very fast, and established connection has good stability.

The built-in geopositioning module has support for three navigation systems at once - GPS, GLONASS and Beidou. It boasts high accuracy (up to 5 m) and fairly good speed - the cold start time takes only a few seconds.

Offline work


ASUS ZenFone Max has a record-breaking 5000 mAh lithium-polymer battery in all respects, which in moderate use mode for everyday tasks will be enough for almost 4 days of uninterrupted operation. In addition, with its help, the user can recharge other portable gadgets (an OTG cable is required) using a smartphone as a mobile power bank. Despite the removable back cover, the built-in battery is not self-replaceable, which is perhaps its only drawback.

As expected, during the test measurements, the device was able to demonstrate excellent results - more than 22 hours when watching HD video (MPEG-4 / AVC, M4V container, 4 Mbps stream) and as much as 8 hours and 20 minutes in game simulation mode ( Asphalt 8: Airborne).

According to the PCMark benchmark, the autonomy indicator was 16 hours 6 minutes, and according to the Geekbench 3 test - 13 hours 50 minutes, while the GFXBench benchmark gave exactly 1000 minutes. In all cases, except for the game, the display brightness was fixed at around 50%, and the Wi-Fi and GPS wireless modules worked as usual.

In order to completely restore the original condition of the battery using the supplied charger(5V, 2A), you need to spend about 3 hours.

Results

Smartphone ASUSZenfoneMax (ZC550 KL) refers to the category of devices that, with an equal sum of values, have a certain zest that can attract the attention of even the most skeptical user. It is she who makes you get up from the couch, come to the store and make the desired purchase.

In our case, such an “irritant” was an impressive 5000 mAh lithium-polymer battery, which not only provides a record autonomy indicator, but also allows you to charge other portable gadgets, making the reviewed device a kind of analogue of a modern power bank.

However, at the same time, ASUS ZenFone Max does not cease to be a full-fledged smartphone. It can offer its owner an attractive design, high quality assembly, a solid 5.5-inch IPS display and an energy-efficient hardware platform that can solve any everyday tasks and run most modern gaming projects at medium and even high graphics settings. As for those who like to shoot everything and everywhere (13-megapixel camera with laser autofocus and two-section flash), and after a long time to discuss it in a warm friendly conversation (support for two SIM cards in Dual SIM Dual Standby mode), then they will also not remain for nothing. And finally, it is worth remembering that there is still an up-to-date operating room Android systems Lollipop with the ability to upgrade to Android Marshmallow and proprietary ZenUI 2.2.2 shell, which provide rich functionality for all occasions of "digital" life.

Of the minor and generally rather controversial points, one can single out only the periodic occurrence of an error in determining the exposure and the inability to independently replace the battery with a removable back cover.

Otherwise, the ASUS ZenFone Max smartphone is a good choice for those users who are not chasing momentary fashion trends, but want to have a reliable mobile assistant at their disposal and stay in touch for a long time.

Advantages:

  • attractive design;
  • high build quality;
  • solid 5.5-inch IPS-screen with protective glass Corning Gorilla Glass 4 and good oleophobic coating;
  • 13-megapixel main camera module with dual-section LED flash and laser autofocus;
  • an energy-efficient hardware platform that allows you to solve any everyday tasks and run most modern gaming projects at medium / high graphics settings;
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How to insert a SIM card on your Asus ZenFone Max?

Asus ZenFone Max is a dual SIM smartphone and supports 2G/3G/4G connection. The SIM card supported by the device is a Micro SIM card and can be seen after removing the back cover of the phone. To insert a SIM card into Zoom, turn off your device and remove back panel. Now insert the SIM card into the slot according to the marked direction and put back the cover. The device is now ready for use with SIM cards.

You can share the Internet with others by enabling the tethering / hotspot option on your device. To enable this in Asus ZenFone Max, open settings, click "Advanced" in wireless and networks. Also, click on the tethering and portable hotspot and enable the type of hotspot you want to use. In this case, you can manually set the device's password and network name, as well as select the type of security mode.

How to take a screenshot on my Asus ZenFone Max?

A screenshot can be taken by simultaneously pressing the power button along with the volume down button on your device. The captured screenshot is thus stored in your gallery and can be quickly accessed from the notification bar on your device. If you find it difficult to capture a screenshot by pressing two buttons, you can use an alternative method that is quite simple compared to the previous one. In this case, you need to press and hold the last menu or overview menu for about 2-3 seconds to take a screenshot on your device. The captured image can be a jpeg or png file depending on your choice. To configure this setting, open Settings and tap the Screenshots option in your personal area. In the new window, click on the screenshot format file and choose the type of selection you want to use.

How to check for android updates?

Android Updates will help fix bugs on your device, which will help improve the performance of your device. To check for updates on your smartphone, open the settings and click on the phone. Also, click on System Updates and click Check for Updates. The device checks for updates, and if there are new updates, they will be displayed on the screen. You can also update your device manually by clicking System Update in the Tools folder on your device.

How to install external applications with apk files?

To install an external application on any device, you need to enable the option unknown sources on the device. In Asus ZenFone Max open settings, click on security. Now scroll down to the Unknown Sources option and tap on it. Click "OK" on the popup to enable this. Now you can install any number of external apps on your device without any interruption.

How to set up quick settings in the notification panel?

To customize quick settings on the notification panel, click the Edit button on the notification panel and select this app to add a notification panel. At max. There are 12 options to choose from in the notification panel. After selecting the options, click the save button. The selected options will appear on the notification panel in 3 lines.

What is Kids Mode and how do I use it?

The Asus ZenFone Max also has a built-in kids mode on this device. This helps you protect your device when you give your device to children. All you have to do is activate the kids mode and select the apps you want to display in the kids mode and save them. To enable, click on the kids mode app, set a passcode and select apps and save. Once this is done, the rest of the screen will not be available. If you want to exit the kids mode, you need to press the exit button. Now enter your PIN and press OK to exit.

How to use power saving modes on Asus ZenFone Max?

The power saving mode is used to increase the battery life in case of low battery level. To use this on your device, open Settings and tap Power Management under Device and tap PowerSaver. The device comes with multiple battery modes i.e. Performance, Normal, Power Saving, Super saving and Customized. Now tap on any of these options and the appropriate power saving mode will be applied to your device.

What are the layout settings on this device?

The device comes in two modes: single layer and dual layer. Single level mode. It does not include the All Apps button. Thus, all applications are available on the home screen and are easy to use. The dual layer mode includes the "All App" button and is the same as the original Android app. To set this up on your device, a long press on the home screen / swipe on the home control button appears on the screen. Now tap and settings, and in the new list, tap layouts. Also, tap on the home screen and tap on the layout and tap the checkbox next to the option and tap the OK button to apply this on your device.

What sensors are available on the phone?

Acceleration, Rotation Rotation Vector, Geomagnetic Rotation Vector, Gravity, Gyroscope, Light, Linear Acceleration, Magnetic Field, Orientation, Proximity, Step Counter and Step Detector are the sensors available on the device and help in device automation.

Are there LED indicators?

Yes, LED indicators are present on your smartphone. To use them on your device, open Settings and tap the screen under Device. In the new window, click on the checkbox next to the LED indicator to enable on your device.

How to use screen lock feature on Asus ZenFone 2 Delux?

The screen pinning option is available on every android lollipop device. Asus ZenFone Max comes with Android 5.0 on it. So, if you want to use the screen snapping feature, you need to enable it on your device. To enable this feature on your device, open the settings, then scroll down and tap on the screen capture. Click on the off button to turn it on. You can now pin your screen from your last menu by clicking on the pin option on the screen. To unpin a pinned screen, touch and hold and view at the same time.

What is One Hand Mode and how to activate it on your smartphone?

Manual operation helps to reduce the screen size of your device so that you can operate the device easily. To enable this feature on your device, open "Settings", in the list of devices, click "Zen Movement". Click "One-handed" mode and click on the checkbox next to the quick trigger. One Hand mode is enabled on your device. To use the operation on your device, you need to double-tap the home key.

What are the preinstalled applications?

Asus ZenFone comes with Apps4U (clean master, Dr.Safety, Zinio, Amazon Kindle), Google Apps. Personalization (Asus cover, themes), photography (photo collage, camera). Social (Zen circle, Zen Talk), kids mode, mini movie, MyASUS, Weather, UP, ZenFlash pre-installed on it. All applications are available in their respective folders.

Can I move apps from phone storage to SD card on Asus ZenFone Max?

Yes, there is such an option that allows you to move applications from internal storage to external storage. All you need to do is open the settings, click on "Applications", in the new list of applications, select the application you want to move. Next, click on go to SD card. The app is moved from internal storage to SD card.

What is Home Control and what are the options available in it?

The Home Control window appears on the screen when you press and hold an empty space on the home screen for a few seconds. Apps & Widgets, Home Edit, Wallpapers, Icon packs, ZenUI Theme, App Lock, Settings, System Settings/

How much internal storage does the Asus ZenFone Max have?

The device comes with 32 GB as internal storage, of which about 28 GB of free space is available for the user, while the rest of the space is taken up by pre-installed applications and OS.

How much free RAM is available when no apps are running?

The device comes with 2GB as well as 3GB of RAM as the user has a choice to choose from respectively.

What are touch gestures on this device and how can I use them?

Touch gestures help you access your device by launching apps with some gestures. These gestures are used in two standby modes and in standby mode. To access these gestures on your Asus ZenFone Max, open Settings, tap ZenMotion and tap on the touch gesture. Also, click the "Off" button to enable this on your device. On this hard drive, another screen can be selected on the screen so that you can pause/lock the device. To wake up the device, you can double-tap the screen again. The Off Gesture screen includes W- to launch the browser application, S- to launch the messaging application. Other gestures used in suspend mode are launch Email, launching C-launching the camera app, Z- launching Asus Boost and V- launching the phone.

What motion gestures are available on this device?

Shake shake and hands up is a movement gesture present on this device. To use this feature on your device, open Settings, tap ZenMotion, and then tap Motion. Also, click the "Disable" button to enable. When it's on, tap on shake to turn on the motion feature. This motion gesture will help you take a screenshot when you shake it twice and create a new task to do it later.

What are the ASUS settings and how can I use them?

ASUS setup settings help you configure several settings on your device, such as the latest key features. In this case, you can choose any function for your last key, i.e. if you enable tap and hold to capture, it captures the screenshot. It opens the "Manage Home" menu if you select "Tap" and "show menu else" will show the latest apps. Screenshot format, the file can be saved either in JPEG format, or in PNG format. Glove mode helps you increase touch sensitivity when you put gloves on your hands. App installation settings help you install the app either on internal storage or external storage. To use all of these features, you need to enable or disable them in the ASUS setup options in the settings menu.

What is Easy mode?

Light Mode provides a user-friendly interface with a simple layout and basic functions. To enable this on your device, open settings, go to personal and click on "Easy" mode. Now click the "Turn off" button to turn it on. Your device's mode has now changed from normal mode to simple mode, where you can add apps to your screen by tapping the "Add" button and selecting apps. You can also access apps from the More Apps app on the home screen in this mode.

Does the device support OTG?

Yes, the device supports OTG USB storage and helps you easily transfer data from device to disk and vice versa.

How to restore the factory settings of the device?

Always remember to factory reset your device before changing or updating new smartphone. To restore your smartphone to factory settings, open settings and tap " Backup and reset." In the new window, click "Factory Data Reset" and click "Reset Phone" at the bottom of the screen and enter the password if you set one on your device. It will ask for final confirmation, now click to erase everything. The device will reboot and all data will be deleted from your device.

What is the megapixel count of the rear and front cameras?

The device is equipped with a 13-megapixel rear camera with Isocell sensor autofocus, f/2.0 aperture, phase-detect autofocus (PDAF) and dual-tone LED flash and is accompanied by a 5-megapixel front camera for video calls

How to change the theme on your ZenFone Max?

The themes on your smartphone can be changed using the Cool show app on your device. To change the theme, open the Cool show app from the app, you will find a list of themes on your device. Now click on the theme you want to apply and click the "Use" button located at the bottom of the screen. The theme has been successfully changed on your device.