Gaming on the Go! ZenFone Max Pro M1 Initial Impressions and GIVEAWAY Mechanics

ASUS is making headway in the mobile gaming market with strong offerings like the super-powered Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 device, ROG Phone, and now a friendlier offering to everyone at large with the arrival of the ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1.

ASUS launched this to the media and to the gaming public a couple of weeks back at FragFest 2018 and pre-orders are ending soon for this less than Php 10,000 device. We here at Ungeek have been handed a unit to try and enjoy – and best of all we’re PASSING THE FUN TO YOU, our dear readers.

Yup, we’ll be raffling off this particular unit to one lucky reader so keep reading if you want to know how to win yourself one!

Before we jump to the mechanics, let us whet your appetite for one of the best bang-for-buck ASUS devices outed in years.

UNBOXING

The ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 comes in a burly blue and silver box which slides out to another white box with various inner compartments to house the phone and its accessories.

The ZenFone Max Pro M1 comes with the usual accessories found in most smartphones these days. A USB charger (not type-C), 3.5mm Earphones with various in-ear silicon buds to ensure you get the right fit for your ear, aand a soft jelly case to protect your phone from scratches and light bumps (it won’t save it from falls, though – you’ll need a stronger case for that).

All-in-all very standard but complete stuff, the beauty here being the inclusion of the jelly case especially for a product that cost less than Php 10,000.

INITIAL THOUGHTS

We’ve seen the ZenFone Max Pro M1 upclose at Computex 2018 and again at the local media launch a few weeks back, however, we’ve spent a few days with the device and we can say we’re thoroughly impressed.

The ZenFone Max Pro M1 at Computex 2018

It’s hard to get excited for entry-level models, and sure, they do not get as much media love and attention as their high-end flagship models, but the ZenFone Max Pro M1 totally got us all curious particularly because of the phones focus – gaming. This is a segment where hardware performance is crucial and a community that is thoroughly discerning. Why would ASUS choose to push an entry-level smartphone device and position it for gaming? The short answer: because the phone delivers – and it delivers beautifully.

Upon opening the device, we’re greeted with a fresh UI palette especially with the Zen UI gone. As mentioned before, the ZenFone Max Pro M1 runs on stock Android 8.1 which means you’ll get all the features the Oreo has and less of the fluff from Zen UI. If you’re used to Zen UI, though, it does take a while to get into the groove of things as usual shortcuts do not work like they used to (obviously). But still, this isn’t such a terrible move. The removal of the Zen UI means less resources is allocated with the UI and more can now divert to apps and their functions.

The 5.99” screen also provides a beautiful 18:9 viewing with its Full HD+ IPS display. Something that I appreciate when I binge on YouTube or Netflix. It works well on gaming as well, obviously. The lack of notch ensures that nothing will get in the way with you and your viewing pleasure.

Speaking of gaming, we’re actually quite surprised that the ZenFone Max Pro M1 was able to run a couple of tripe A games at almost max settings. While we’re not doubting the strength of the phone’s processor, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 636, we are a bit concerned with the 3G RAM installed on this version of the smartphone. Surprisingly, though, we found minimal stutter and framerate drops – things that wouldn’t really hinder you from enjoying gaming.

As part of the ZenFone Max series, the ZenFone Max Pro M1 has a crazy 5000 mah internal battery and while the phone does not come with a USB type-C connector, it does allow fast-charging. And with 5000 mah battery, you can go on and game as much as you want without worrying about running out of juice!

The ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 comes equipped with 13MP, F2.2 + 5MP depth-sensing camera for bokeh and an 8MP, F2.0 85.5-degree view angle camera with rear and front soft LED flash to take more even photos.

We’ll get deep into the photos once we have our full hands-on review coming out soon. But for now, we’ll leave you with a couple of shots.

: Noise and Grain becomes obvious during night shots

: Selfie with more stable hands

We’re excited to really try the unit out but from what we’re seeing (and from playing through a few hours of Final Fantasy XV) we’re extremely happy with the phones performance. That, and we still can’t believe the whole thing is priced at Php 9,995.

GIVEAWAY MECHANICS

If you want to win yourselves this particular unit, here’s what you have to do:

FOLLOW US on Facebook and on YouTube
FOLLOW ASUSPH on Facebook
COMMENT on THIS POST as to why you would want a gaming phone and what games would you play if you were to win. (click the link and comment on the post: https://www.facebook.com/ungeekph/posts/867705443413677 )
TAG 2 FRIENDS with your comment. Example:
(I want to win an ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 so I can play PUBG Mobile and Mobile Legends for hours with @Robert and @Joey #UngeekGiveaway #ZenFoneMaxProM1 #LimitlessGaming, #BatteryKing)
USE the HASHTAG #UngeekGiveaway #ZenFoneMaxProM1 #LimitlessGaming, #BatteryKing (All 4 hashtags need to be present)
SHARE this post on your timeline.
Make sure your account is SET TO PUBLIC or we won’t be able to check and verify thus disqualifying you from the Raffle.
Winners will be contacted through social media and must have a valid Metro Manila delivery address (where we’ll send the phone over) and/or willing to meet within the Metro Manila vicinity. Winners who fail to claim the prize or get in touch with us within 30 days will be deemed disqualified and we will dispose of the phone in any manner Ungeek deem fit.
Make sure to Turn the Notification ON at FB and click the BELL ICON at YouTube

We’ll run the Promo from now (June 24, 2018) to June 27, 2018 at 11:59PM. We’ll announce the winner on our review article coming out on JUNE 28 (so you best make sure to check that out). We’d also like to thank ASUS Philippines for providing a unit for giveaway.

The ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 becomes available to the public by June 25, 2018. For more details check their page at LAZADA.COM.PH and their FACEBOOK PAGE.