ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M2 vs Max Pro M1: What’s Changed?

Now that the ZenFone Max Pro M2 has arrived in the country, it’s time to see what ASUS changed with this phone from the Max Pro M1, which was launched a couple of months ago. Find out below.

Here are their detailed specs:

Specification	ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M2	ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1
Display	6.3-inch FHD+ IPS display @ 2280 x 1080px	6-inch FHD+ IPS display @ 2160 x 1080px
CPU	Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 1.95GHz octa-core	Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 1.8GHz octa-core
GPU	Adreno 512	Adreno 509
RAM	4GB/6GB	3GB/4GB
Storage	64GB	64GB
MicroSD	expandable up to 2TB via dedicated microSD card slot	expandable up to 2TB via dedicated microSD card slot
Rear Camera	12MP f/1.8 + 5MP dual rear camera	13MP f/2.2 + 5MP dual rear camera
Front Camera	13MP f/2.0 front camera	8MP f/2.2 front camera
SIM	Dual-nano SIM	Dual-nano SIM
LTE	4G LTE	4G LTE
WiFi	WiFi 802.11 b/g/n	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth	5.0	4.2
GPS	GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS	GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS
Audio	5 Magnet speaker with NXP smart amp	5 Magnet speaker with NXP smart amp
Port	microUSB	microUSB
OS	Android 8.1 Oreo (Upgradable to Android Pie)	Android 8.1 Oreo (Upgradable to Android Pie)
Biometrics	- Fingerprint Scanner - Face Unlock	- Fingerprint Scanner - Face Unlock
Battery	5,000mAh battery with flash charge	5,000mAh battery with flash charge
Dimensions	157.9 x 75.5 x 8.5 mm	159 x 76 x 8.61 mm
Weight	175g	180g

So what has changed?

• Existence of a notch
• Glossy polycarbonate back panel with a wavy design
• Larger screen size
• Higher screen aspect ratio
• Better performing CPU
• Better performing GPU
• Larger maximum RAM capacity (in the Philippines)
• Wider main rear camera aperture
• Higher front camera resolution
• Wider front camera aperture
• Electronic Image Stabilization on 4K videos
• Bluetooth 5.0
• QZSS
• Lower playback time
• Thinner
• Lighter mass

ASUS did a pretty good job in upgrading the ZenFone Max Pro M2 in terms of key smartphone aspects. It now has a larger screen size with a taller aspect ratio, which results in a better viewing experience.

Performance-wise, the Max Pro M2 is faster and is more capable of handling moderate-to-heavy graphics games. Adding to the fact that it has a 6GB RAM variant, this definitely has a better edge in multi-tasking as compared to the Max Pro M1.

If there’s one aspect that has heavily improved, it’s the cameras. The Max Pro M2 may have a slightly lower rear camera resolution, but it has a wider aperture which is ideal for low-light shots. The same goes for the front camera with a higher resolution. The camera software also seems to have improved. Having reviewed both the Max Pro M2 and Max Pro M1, I can definitely say that ASUS really made a great improvement on the quality of the photos. Video stabilization is now also present even when shooting 4K videos, though it’s still not the best. Check their difference below.

If there’s a negative aspect about the Max Pro M2, then it would be the battery performance. Both the M1 and M2 come with a 5,000mAh battery, but when I tested them in our video loop test (1080p video, 50% brightness, 50% sound, with earphones, airplane mode), The latter only lasted for 16 Hours and 30 Minutes while the former lasted for 20 Hours and 16 Minutes which is a significant time difference.

Here are the prices of each variant:

• ZenFone Max Pro M2 4GB + 64GB – PHP 12,995
• ZenFone Max Pro M2 6GB + 64GB – PHP 14,995
• ZenFone Max Pro M1 3GB + 32GB – PHP 8,995
• ZenFone Max Pro M1 4GB + 64GB – PHP 10,995

I believe that the price-to-specs ratio of the Max Pro M2 make it worth upgrading if you’re coming from the Max Pro M1. What do you guys think? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.