Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro: Price, features compared

Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1, the first smartphone announced as part of strategic partnership with Flipkart, is now official. The Taiwanese tech giant has launched the smartphone exclusively on Flipkart at a starting price of Rs 10,999. The Zenfone Max Pro M1 will go on its first sale on May 3, and comes with an introductory offer called Flipkart Complete Protection for Rs 49. It also comes with offers worth up to Rs 3,200 from Vodafone India, which offers additional data benefits.

The Zenfone Max Pro M1 comes in two storage variants – 3GB RAM model with 32GB storage, and 4GB RAM model with 64GB storage. It is priced at Rs 10,999 for the 3GB RAM model, and Rs 12,999 for the 4GB RAM model. Asus also plans to introduce a variant with 6GB RAM and updated camera for Rs 14,999 at a later stage. During the event, Asus made a number of comparisons with Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 5 Pro, its direct competitor, and it has been one of the most sought after device in the sub-Rs 15,000 price segment. So, without further ado, let’s compare the two devices and see how they stack up against each other.

Zenfone Max Pro M1 vs Redmi Note 5 Pro: Design and Display
Both Zenfone Max Pro M1 and Redmi Note 5 Pro feature a 5.99-inch display with a Full HD+ (2160×1080 pixels) resolution, and support for taller 18:9 aspect ratio. Both the devices feature a metal unibody casing, but Asus has the camera completely flush with the design compared to the Redmi Note 5 Pro. Otherwise, the design seems to be standard for any smartphone.

Both the smartphones feature dual rear camera setup, but Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 has the cameras flush with the body. The Zenfone Max Pro M1 weighs 180 grams, while the Redmi Note 5 Pro weighs 181 grams despite a smaller battery. The Zenfone Max Pro M1 comes in two color options of black and titanium grey, while the Redmi Note 5 Pro comes in black, blue, gold and rose gold colors.

Zenfone Max Pro M1 vs Redmi Note 5 Pro: Specifications
This is where the difference between the Zenfone Max Pro M1 and Redmi Note 5 Pro becomes interesting. The Redmi Note 5 Pro comes in two storage variants – 4GB RAM variant with 64GB storage, and a 6GB RAM variant with 64GB of storage. The Zenfone Max Pro M1, on the other hand, comes with 3GB or 4GB of storage and 32GB or 64GB of internal storage. However, they both are powered by the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 SoC, the octa-core CPU with Kryo 260 cluster and power-efficient 14nm architecture.

At the event, Asus claimed that Zenfone Max Pro M1 is 1.54 times more powerful than the Redmi Note 5 Pro, despite using same chipset, and having lesser memory. Of course, we can’t take Asus for its word without doing our own testing, but there could be that stock Android supporting the smartphone to boost performance. The Zenfone Max Pro M1 is the first smartphone from Asus to run stock Android, and the company is promising timely software upgrades. The Redmi Note 5 Pro, on the other hand, runs MIUI 9 based on Android Nougat, which is not the latest but offers cool customizations that Xiaomi users eventually end up liking.

Another major differentiator between the two devices is the fact the Zenfone Max Pro M1 packs a larger 5,000mAh battery, while Redmi Note 5 Pro houses a 4,000mAh battery. The stock Android experience, power-efficient processor, and large battery should mean that Zenfone Max Pro M1 lasts longer than the Redmi Note 5 Pro.

Asus is also planning to launch a variant with 6GB RAM later, which should make it even more competitive against Xiaomi’s offering.

Zenfone Max Pro M1 vs Redmi Note 5 Pro: Cameras
The Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 features a dual rear camera setup with a combination of 13-megapixel and 5-megapixel image sensors. The Redmi Note 5 Pro is comparable in this space with a combination of 12-megapixel and 5-megapixel sensors. Xiaomi is using updated Sony IMX image sensors, and it is not clear what kind of sensors Asus has opted for with the Zenfone Max Pro M1.

The Redmi Note 5 Pro has impressed with its imaging capability, especially considering its price. We will need to put the Zenfone Max Pro M1 through its paces before passing a judgement. If it maintains color accuracy and offers commendable dynamic range then it might have a winner in its hands. On the selfie camera front, however, the Redmi Note 5 Pro might fare better with a high-resolution 20-megapixel camera while the Zenfone Max Pro M1 gets an 8-megapixel shooter.

Pricing
As noted above, the Zenfone Max Pro M1 is priced at Rs 10,999 for the 3GB RAM variant while the 4GB RAM variant is priced at Rs 12,999. The Redmi Note 5 Pro is priced at Rs 13,999 for the 4GB RAM variant with 64GB storage and Rs 16,999 for the 6GB RAM variant with 64GB of storage. Asus definitely undercuts Redmi Note 5 Pro in pricing but it needs to build the connect that Xiaomi enjoys in the market.