Asus Zenfone 2 launched in Malaysia: 4 variants of smartphone up for purchase

The Asus Zenfone 2, which generated a lot of pre-launch hype, has now been launched in Malaysia before its 18 May debut in the US.

According to a GSMArena report, that quotes a reliable Malaysian tech portal, prospective buyers of the Zenfone 2 can expect to lay their hands on four variants of the smartphone viz the ZE551ML (both 4GB and 2GB variants), ZE550ML and ZE500CL.

The price tag of the Asus Zenfone 2 smartphone variants in Malaysia:

• Zenfone ZE55OML: RM 749 ($209, £135).
• Zenfone ZE500CL : RM599 ($167, £109)
• Zenfone ZE551ML (2 GB RAM): RM899 ($251, £1622).
• Zenfone ZE551ML (4GB RAM): RM1,099 for 32GB ($306, £198), RM 1,299 for 64GB ($362, £234).

Apart from the US, Asus' Zenfone 2 series of smartphones have reached European countries such as France where the smartphones are open for purchaseat the following prices:

• Zenfone 2 ZE551ML: €349 ($376, £254)
• Zenfone 2 ZE550ML: €249 ($276, £154)
• Zenfone 2 ZE500CL: €179 ($201, £130).

Asus has also launched the Zenfone 2 series in India, where the smartphones can be purchasedfor prices starting from Rs 13,000 (£150, $204).

Competition

The mid-range Asus' Zenfone 2 series competes with similar value-for-money handsets such as the Moto G (2014).

The OnePlus One also faces intense competition from the Zenfone 2 as far as tech-specs and value-for-money aspects are concerned.

Xiaomi's recent global Mi 4i is also bound to face severe competition from the Zenfone 2. Read our technical comparison of Asus Zenfone 2 and Xiaomi's recent Mi 4i global smartphone.

Key technical specifications of Asus' Zenfone 2 smartphone series:

Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML:

• 5.5in IPS capacitive display; enclosed within Gorilla Glass 3, having resolution of 1080 x 1290
• Android 5.0 Lollipop out of the box, with Asus ZenUI on top
• 2.3GHz quad-core Intel Atom processor within the 4GB RAM variant and 1.8GHZ quad-core Intel Atom processor within the 2GB variant
• 13MP rear camera
• 5MP front camera
• 2 and 4GB RAM variants available to buyers
• 16/32/64GB internal storage
• MicroSD card slot for expansion of internal storage up to 64GB
• 4G LTE, HSPA, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi and microUSB connectivity
• Fixed 3,000 mAh Lithium-Polymer battery.

Asus Zenfone 2 ZE550ML:

• 5.5in IPS capacitive display, enclosed within Gorilla Glass 3, having resolutions of 720x1280
• Android 5.0, with Asus ZenUI on top
• 1.8GHz quad-core Intel Atom Z3560 processor
• 13MP rear camera
• 5MP front camera
• 2GB RAM
• 16GB internal storage
• MicroSD card slot for expansion of internal storage up to 64GB
• 4G LTE, HSPA, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi and microUSB connectivity
• Fixed 3,000 mAh Lithium-Polymer battery.

Asus Zenfone 2 ZE500CL:

• 5in IPS capacitive display; enclosed within Gorilla Glass 3, having resolution of 720x1280
• Android 5.0 Lollipop, with Asus ZenUI on top
• 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Atom Z2560 processor
• 8MP rear camera
• 2MP front camera
• 2GB RAM
• 16GB internal storage
• MicroSD card slot for expansion of internal storage up to 64GB
• 4G LTE, HSPA, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi and microUSB connectivity
• Fixed 2,500 mAh Lithium-Polymer battery.