Monster Power

True to the Max in its name, the phone comes with a 5000mAh battery. As comparison, most phones come in around the region of 3000mAh; as example, the iPhone X sports a 2716mAh, Samsung Galaxy Note 8 has a 3300mAh battery. So yes this phone’s battery is not joke. It runs all day, and some, even under heavy usage. Text all day, game all day. You’d still have left over.  The phone also comes with an app that helps with battery management. With a battery this size it does take slightly longer to full charge from 0, but it’s not that much longer, considering the power output you get from this capacity.

Bulky Built

While it sports a monstrous sized battery, the built of the phone unfortunately mimics the size too. It’s built on the bulkier side, so the phone feels much less refined compared to other counterparts in the market. The finish is a smooth matt aluminium back so that definitely help boost the aesthetics, giving it a classy look. The phone comes with a huge 5.5-inch display, so you don’t have to strain your eyes; navigating the phone with ease.

Fit More in Frame

The rear dual camera features a 16-megapixel standard lens and a 5-megapixel wide angle lens, so you can fit in more landscape, and more people in a group shot. The quality of shots are pretty decent, although it does take some fiddling for the camera to recognise the thing you’re trying to focus on. While the focus isn’t quite an issue, the colour can sometimes turn out too bright or too dark. That is the same for the front camera. Although its 16-megapixels gives very clear, sharp pictures, the colours can sometimes turn out to be a tad dark.

Not Losing Out on Performance

Although fitted with an entry level Snapdragon 430, the phone works surprisingly smoothly. There are no noticeable lags and switching between apps is smooth. The interface is reactive and performs well for daily use. Although, try to multitask too many things and you’d start to see it slow down a bit. Beyond that, it supports  basic games well. Don’t count on running some graphic heavy games though, that might lose out quite a bit.

Why Choose?

While most phones have one SIM slot and an additional hybrid slot that lets you choose between a second SIM, or an SD card; the ZenFone 4 Max lets you have everything. The phone comes with two SIM slots, along with an additional slot for SD cards, so you can have your cake an eat it. Besides, if you need to charge other devices up, you can hook this phone up as an extra power bank.

Verdict

For its price point, this phone is much more than its worth. With decent performance and a battery that keeps going, it’s great for mobile workers who needs a phone that can keep up.