
Today at Mobile World Congress 2018, ASUS announced two new phones: the ZenFone 5 and the ZenFone 5 Lite. What they have in common is a huge aspect ratio display that gives users as much display area for the smallest body sizes possible.
The 6.2-inch full HD AMOLED display on the ZenFone 5 has a bezel that is hardly noticeable, barring a notch along the top for the earpiece and camera. It's more than a pretty face, though. Inside the upper-end ZenFone 5Z is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor with up to 8 GB of RAM and a 3300 mAh battery. ASUS is boasting new AI technology applied in the rear dual camera system that can automatically detect scenes and applies ideal settings accordingly. This AI engine adds a bunch of other conveniences, like automatically increasing or lowering call volume based on ambient sound, and monitoring your charging habits to prolong battery lifespan.
The ZenFone 5 Lite sports a 6-inch 18:9 full HD display, also reducing the bezels significantly. The major differentiator from the ZenFone 5 is a dual front-facing camera and front-facing LED flash, which is very much in line with the previous ZenFone Selfie series. The primary front-facing 20 megapixel Sony IMX376 camera has a relatively large f/2.0 aperture for sharper low-light photos. A second 120° wide angle camera on both sides ensures you can leave the selfie stick at home.
Those who have been following ASUS for awhile may recall that they actually made a ZenFone 5 in 2014. As an homage to that highly successful ZenFone, they've titled their unveiling event as #Backto5. This is the first time ASUS has had a major presence at Mobile World Congress, and to mark the occasion, they topped off the unveiling with a big concert by OK Go.
To catch up on the event and devices, you can follow the livestream replay here. Check out our hands-on from our own Daniel Bader over here.
Sign up for Black Friday email alerts!
Get the hottest deals available in your inbox plus news, reviews, opinion, analysis and more from the Android Central team.