It was only recently that the Moto E was the darling of the budget smartphone space, but you know as well as we do that nothing lasts forever. ASUS' Zenfone range caused quite the opposite of a 'Zen' effect when it launched, and no wonder, given its incredible pricing. The Zenfone 4, the most affordable of the lot, offers a generous 8GB of storage, dual-core Intel processor, 1GB of RAM, 5-megapixel autofocus rear camera and VGA front camera, all for a sweet Rs 5,999. Before we get to the full review, here's a quick review in pictures.

1. ASUS Zenfone 4
Review in pictures

2. Compact build suited to one-handed use
• The ASUS Zenfone 4 is very
compact, making it ideal for
one-handed use
• It has a row of Android
capacitive keys, but they
aren’t backlit
• The chin sports an appealing
concentric circle design
• The back panel features a
grippy, rubberised finish,
and can be pried open to
insert the microSD card and
dual micro-SIM cards

3. Scores for responsiveness, but not resolution
• The handset features a 4-inch display with an average resolution of
480 x 800 pixels (~233ppi)
• The display isn’t the sharpest, but suffices for day to day use
• There’s no ambient light sensor, so brightness needs to be
adjusted manually. Sunlight legibility isn’t a strong point either
• On the plus side, the display was one of the most responsive we’ve
come across in the budget category

4. PixelMaster of modes
• The Zenfone 4 sports a 5MP
rear camera, with ASUS’
PixelMaster tech to improve
image quality
• However, it lacks an LED
flash, and the front camera
bears a basic VGA resolution
• The camera app offers
several modes, including
Depth of Field, HDR,
Panorama and Night
• There are a bunch of colour
effects to choose from too

5. But results are a mixed bag
• Image quality is quite
average
• Even daylight shots are
grainy and lack sharpness
• Using the modes on offer
greatly improves results
• The Night mode works
surprisingly well to bring out
details in low light
• The front camera is a no-no
for selfies, but suffices for
video calls

6. ASUS has got it right with ZenUI
• The smartphone runs ASUS’
refreshing ZenUI skin on top of
Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, with an
update to KitKat on the way
• The lockscreen displays
shortcuts to access the dialer,
messages, camera and the
What’s Next widget
• The pull-down notification tab
has a RAM cleaner
• The in-call menu incorporates a
handy call recording function

7. With plenty of useful features and apps
• The app drawer lets you
‘lock’ specific apps with a
password
• An app called Splendid lets
you adjust colour
parameters, while
AudioWizard lets you tweak
audio settings
• There are a bunch of other
ASUS apps too, like Do It
Later, SuperNote, Share
Link, Party Link, Power Saver
and ASUS’ WebStorage

8. Day-to-day performance is dependable
• Powering the device is a 1.2GHz dual-core Intel Atom Z2520 processor,
mated to a gig of RAM and PowerVR SGX544MP2 graphics
• The device performs smoothly for day-to-day tasks, but there are a
occasional lags when multi-tasking.
• Games like Riptide GP2 can play without freezing, though
• Out of the 8GB of expandable memory, only 4.47GB is available to use

9. But battery life isn’t a strong point
• The Zenfone 4 is fuelled by
a meagre 1,600mAh
battery that lasts barely a
day with regular use
• With both SIMs and 3G on,
the battery drains much
faster
• In our video loop test, the
phone lasted for under six
hours before draining
completely
• Using one of the power
saving modes is advisable

10. At a glance
• 4-inch, 800 x 480 pixels,
233ppi
• 1.2GHz dual-core Intel Atom
Z2520 processor
• PowerVR SGX544MP2 GPU
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB storage with microSD slot
• 5MP primary, VGA front
camera
• Android 4.3 Jelly Bean with
ZenUI
• 1,600mAh battery
• Dual-SIM (3G+3G), Wi-Fi,
Bluetooth, USB OTG, Miracast

11. -
• No ambient light sensor
• Not the sharpest display
• Average primary
camera
• Poor battery
• Android hardware keys
aren’t backlit
Pros and cons
+
• Compact build that’s
ideal for one-handed use
• Responsive display
• Dependable
performance
• Ample internal storage
• ZenUI offers several
useful features

12. Rs 5,999
Pricing and verdict
“The ASUS Zenfone 4 marries a
sophisticated UI with dependable
performance, ample storage and
quality build. With a price tag and
features that beat even the Moto E
and Micromax Unite 2, the Zenfone 4
is currently one of the best options in
the entry-level domain. Our only
concern is the underwhelming
battery life, but you could always
consider the 4.5-inch variant, that
offers a larger display and battery,
for a marginally higher price.”