CES 2014: ASUS announces the ZenFone 4, 5 and 6 powered by Intel Atom processors

BY Rajesh Pandey

Published 7 Jan 2014

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Remember that teaser from ASUS that hinted at mobile phones with multiple screen sizes? Well, the company has finally unveiled those handsets under the “ZenFone” series and they will be available in a variety of metallic colors. 

Starting from the bottom, the ZenFone 4 packs in a 4-inch WVGA (800*480) LCD and is powered by a 1.2GHz Intel Atom Z2520 processor. Other specs include 1GB of RAM, a 5MP camera at the back, microSD card slot and a tiny 1170mAh battery. The handset will be available in Charcoal black, Pearl White, Cherry Red, Sky Blue, and Solar Yellow.

Next comes the ZenFone 5 with a 5-inch 720p IPS display with PenTouch and GloveTouch for enhanced sensitivity when using a Stylus or Glove covered fingers.

Other notable features of the device include a 2GHz Intel Atom Z2520 processor, 1GB of RAM, a microSD card slot and a disappointingly low 2050mAh battery. There is also an 8MP rear camera with an F/2.0 lens and PixelMaster low-light shooting mode.

Last but not the least is the ZenFone 5 with a 6-inch 720p IPS screen. Other specs of the handset are exactly the same as the ZenFone 5 except for the camera and battery size. The camera has been bumped to 13MP with a PixelMaster feature for brighter low-light images and a non-removable 3230mAh battery. Both the handsets will be available in four colors — Charcoal Black, Cherry Red, Pearl White and Champagne Gold.

The handsets will be running on Android 4.3 when launched, with ASUS’s ZenUI on top of it. Asus has promised to update the handsets to KitKat sometime soon though.

Pricing and availability for the devices will vary by region but looking at the specs, don’t expect the ZenFone(s) to burn a hole in your wallet. In the United States, the ZenFone 4 will retail for $99 with the Zen 5 and 6 coming in at around $149 and $199 off-contract, respectively.