Based on discussions with several Asus PH execs and multiple sources who want to remain anonymous, we’ve got the most up-to-date details on the Zenfone 2 — like the exact variants, their release dates and their expected retail prices.
Earlier, we got confirmation from Asus Philippines that two models of the Zenfone 2 will be released in May. These are the ZE500CL and the ZE551ML (see here).
Check our Asus Zenfone 2 Review.
However, there are three variants of the ZE551ML model. The specific variant of the Zenfone 2 ZE551ML that’s going to be released will be the one with 2GB RAM, 16GB storage and 1.8GHz CPU.
The other variants of the ZE551ML will not be released this May (our initial info is May 10). The one with 4GB, 2.3GHz and 64GB storage is pushed for a later date (perhaps Q3 of 2015). The 32GB variant might not be even released in the Philippines at all, just like the ZE550ML.
The pricing is as follows:
This is not yet the official SRP as Asus PH has not made any formal announcements to that fact. This is just the proposed SRP by the local distributor.
The prices were provided to us by a 3rd-party source and the figures are very close to the SRP when they were announced in Taiwan last month. I also had a conversation with an Asus executive last Tuesday (during the T300 Chi event) where we agreed that a Php2,000 difference between models/variants is the ideal price gap so there is no overlap.
A source familiar to the industry shared with us that Asus PH is experimenting with the Zenfone 2 variants. They wanted to know if the interest is driven more by price hype or by specs. If it’s hype, then a ZE551ML with 2GB RAM/1.8GHz CPU under the Zenfone 2 label will be enough to drive sales targets. That’s probably the reason why the 4GB/2.3GHz variant is scheduled for a later date.
According to an Asus executive, they requested an initial shipment of 300,000 units of the Zenfone 2 for the first release. It’s not an ambitious target since Asus managed to sell over 250,000 units of the Zenfone 4, 5 and 6 last year (including other variants of the Zenfone 5). That’s more than double their initial target of 100,000 units in 2014.
Another source told us Asus PH (rather, the local distributor which is Axis) is still generating as much as Php70 million in revenue a month from the Zenfone 4/5/6 sales until today. That’s about 10,000 to 12,000 units per month, 10 months after they were released in the Philippines.
The continued and strong demand for the Zenfone 5 and Zenfone 5 Lite will still be fulfilled.
The 2015 Zenfone family in the Philippines will be represented by the Zenfone C at around Php4.5k+, the Zenfone 5 at Php7k+ (eventually sunsetted), the Zenfone 2 ZE500CL at Php8k and the Zenfone 2 ZE551ML 2GB at Php10k. Hopefully, they will be joined by the ZE551ML 4GB/64GB at Php15k sometime later in the year.
The Zenfone 4 and the Zenfone 6 will eventually be sunsetted. Asus is just waiting for the remaining inventory to be completely bought off the store shelves.
* Author’s Note: Please note that the accuracy of these details is not 100% guaranteed as they can still change as we approach the launch date. As of the moment, these are the best details we can get. Asus might change them prior to the official launch. If everything goes as planned, the details we shared here (especially the SRP) can be another shock to the local mobile industry.
Actually I am very disappointed sa 2.3Ghz variant. Sobrang tagal ng 3rd Q. We have been saving for it (ng partner ko) for 3 months already and we saved enough as expected (around 14k ang assume ko).
Sana mas maaga nilang ilabas kasi 5-6 months of waiting is too long. Baka magsettle na lang kami tuloy sa 1.8Ghz variant.
(Very Satisfied Zenfone 5 user here)
buti nlang nka bili na ako 550ml..mas ok ung battery back up kasi 720 p lang..551. ml..1080 yan:). …9500 pesos nga lang:) pero ang ganda
Sir kelan at saan mo nabili? Musta naman siya sir?
Sir, May I ask? San ka nkabili ng 550ml ? Thnks
WidgetCity.com.ph
Sir ok ba mga gadgets na nabibili sa widget city o hit and miss din?
LOL! pag nag re stock yung importer ng 4GB variant sa Lazada bibilin ko na. Q3 pa pala official eh!
Grabe nosebleed ako sa dami ng grammar problems ng article na ito. Well kung totoo ang leaks, the prices are good pero I rather wait for the official announcement
obviously there are some.
gingersoftware.com
Bakit yung Zenfone 2 na 551ML 32gig/4gig variant nagpost nung isang araw si Lazada 13,999 nga eh pero walang warranty then suddenly nawala na ang post… seems inaccurate pa ang details ng release nito no… for me i would prefer the specs since its already 4gb ram then quadcore intel atom procie and at the same time CG3 na… LTE pa! LP 5.0 out of the box… mejo tahimik ang marketing ni ASUS dito pero malakas na variant na ang zenfone 2 compare ngayon sa latest android phone in the market at mura!
Imported product yun from 3rd party seller, obviously na bili na yung item. Eng eng!
Yung ZE551ML 2GB na variant ba eh Red lang yung back cover.Yun kasi halos nakikita ko pati sa online shops. Just asking ^_^. Okay na ako sa P 9,995
Sir pakibawasan po yung mga ADS nyo kc half po ng screen or website nyo puro ADS na ang nakikita ko, naglalag pa yung browser sa kakaload ng ADS. please poh Slamat
Hi Arnold,
Can you try using AdBlock in Chrome? Should remove all other annoying ads on the site. :)
ok, so ngayon pala pag nafrustrate / disappoint ka na di narelease ung gusto mong model ng phone e wala kang pambili.. wew
Ang laki naman ng agwat between 2GB@10k vs 4GB@15K
nagsilabasan na naman ang mga walang pambili.kung gusto nyo wala kayo reklamo bumili kau ng iphone brand o di kya high end samsung line tulad ng edge ! halatado kaung lang pambili kya puro plit mkkuha ng specs n mganda tanung mgkano bnayad mo ?. ang tamaan di tinamaan !
anong inaano mo? mas mamaw pa din specs ng ASUS na ito compare sa iphone 6 .. kaya nga madami naghihintay, magbasa basa ka din boy
Talaga bang may 16g ROM ang ZE551ML 2G RAM variant? Sa Taiwan kasi eh walang narelease na ganun. Only the 2G RAM/32G ROM was released in TW and priced at TW$6990 (P9,995).
Grey try to will beat Official in the releasing if the delay is true. By the time the released it, people have gotten their 4GB from the grey by then.
Very disappointing if releasing 4gb version later
I wonder whether the performance of the ZE551ML (w/ a Z3560 clocked @ 1.8ghz, 2gb ram 1080p) would be worse compared to the ZE550ML (same chipset, 720p) variant. Why? The only difference between the two is the screen resolution – 1080p and 720p respectively. How will this affect performance and batt life of the ZE551ML?
I don’t know why people are so excited about the 4GB RAM. I bet they don’t even know how RAM works. I am currently using a phone with 3GB RAM and I don’t even exceed in using half of it. Plus the people who are so eager to comment don’t even have the intention to spend that much money for a smartphone.
If you’re checking only your fb, checking emails and playing COC then that should definitely not slow down your phone’s performance a bit.
By the way, have you ever heard of load time? I am critical as to how fast the apps load on my phone. The 4GB version has a faster CPU and 32 GB should be enough to have my frequently used apps inside the phone’s internal storage.
Pde na sana ung 2 GB variant kung 32G internal memory lang, but 16G? no thanks.
Have you ever heard of a micro SD card?
Well dapat kasi nirelease na rin nila yung 4gb with 32gb storage para matuwa yung iba pero tingin ko ok na rin to eh kasi di naman lahat afford yung almost 13K example na rin is zenfone 5 which is 6995 back then na super hit mala block buster sa takiya kaya ito muna nilabas. Tingin ko this is business strategy titignan kung hype is real for 4gb variant or yung budget friendly 2gb 1080p at 720p 2gb variant. at kung titignan nyo kasi yung 64gb is 3rd quarter pero yung 32gb ay no target which means, my assumptions is ready to go tong 4gb variant kung sakaling ito talaga yung hype.
Well dapat kasi nirelease na rin nila yung 4gb with 32gb storage para matuwa yung iba pero tingin ko ok na rin to eh kasi di naman lahat afford yung almost 13K example na rin is zenfone 5 which is 6995 back then na super hit mala block buster sa takiya kaya ito muna nilabas. Tingin ko this is business strategy titignan kung hype is real for 4gb variant or yung budget friendly 2gb 1080p at 720p 2gb variant.
Hype or specs? They should’ve added specs with hype. I think the hype was driven by the 4GB specs they announced, knowing what the Zenfone5 reception. There will soon be 2GB RAM variants from local brands, and hype is triggered by price (brand/quality might just be on the next priority).
awww. you’re killing the hype asus ph, if that is true.
BOYCOTT muna natin ang Zenfone 2 with 2gb ram, tignan natin kung hindi bumagsak ang sales nila. Pa arte din itong asus eh, baka mamaya ang antutu benchmark score niyan 4gb ram na yan nasa 30k lang,,,PANIS yan kapag ganon.
2gb version 5.5″ 720p ay 40K na sa antutu kaya yung 2gb 1080 at 4gb variant sigurado mas mataas. tsaka kung natatagalan ka o ayaw mo wala naman pumipilit sayo na bumili ng ibang brand di yung ibabash mo pa. Just Sayin.
I bet you don’t even have the money to buy this phone. So why bother complaining?
Ok so Q3 pa labas ang 4g ram and possibly wala pang 32g rom.
lalong nakaka sawa maghintay, hype is fading fast… need to move on.
make or break asus ph
32gb pa ang wala wew. Yun sana pinaka okay, walang compromise sa specs at a very good price
I was thinking twice to preorder the new S6 since I thought the 4G Zenfone variant was one of the best deals. To S6 then….
Ang tagal ng Q3 para dun sa top variant…eh di sa ibang brand na lang ako nyan kung ganun katagal. Inaabangan ko pa naman talaga sana yung Zenfone 2…
LOLz. what an utter disappointment. by the time the zenfone 2 with 4gb ram comes out, the market will be flooded with other phones with similar specs at the same price range, and the people who really wanted the zenfone 2 w/ 4gb ram will have bought grey units already. what a stupid move on the part of asus ph.
Eh di bumili ka ng ibang brand o di kaya ikaw ang magbayad sa shipping, magparegister sa NTC ng bawat phone at magdistribute sa buong Pilipinas sa iba ibang branch. Isipin mo na lang na parang Xiaomi yan na di na makakarating sa Pinas para di ka na umaasa. Pag di dumating kalimutan ang brand ganun kasimple.
Kung Q3 pa pala nila ilalabas yung 4GB RAM variant, edi sa unofficial na Asus dealers nalang ako bibili.
wowwwwwww. very impressed if everything is true about the pricing. Ok na ako sa ZE551ML with 2gigs of RAM. Pinakasulit na phone na talaga to under 10 thousand pesos. Highend specs under 10K FTW!!!.
Does this mean the end of local branded phones(refering to abusadong local smartphone comoanies specifically Cherry Mobile, 0 Plus and Starmobile)? Hahaha.
O+ is an american brand..
Tatak lang american nyan. Mga singkit may-ari… Ulol!
O Plus was registered not a local brand..
mmmh… nope, *buys the M1 note*
It’s a big disappointment if they will release the 4G RAM version at a later date, if at all.
I cannot understand why they are not releasing the 4GB variant. That is all the hype about the zenfone 2!! The 4gb ram is the trademark of a zenfone 2. They should release it first and not depend about the sales of the 1.ghz model!!!
the answer is very simple ASUS can’t produce tens of million phones kung may kakayahan lang sila gaya ng mga major smartphone companies LG, SAMSUNG SONY eh di a month after palang mula ng i announced nila ang Zenfone2 with 4gb RAM di sana kalat na ibat ibang regions.
asa lang ang mga sabik na magkaroon ng zenfone 2 4gb RAM akal nila ganun kabilis nila makukuha…
kung talgang kaya ng ASUS maglabas ng maraming Zenfone2 with 4gb RAM for sure sasamantalahin nila ang pagkakataon kaso yon nga Hindi naman sila gaya nga Samsung or LG na capable maglabas ng millions of million high end smartphones.
LIMITED UNITS lang ang kayang ilabas ng Asus.