Introduction
Boy do we have a good one for you tonight – the new ASUS ZenFone 2 (ZE551ML) goes up against the new Huawei P8 powerhouse. We will look at the 64GB model of both devices so we are comparing apples to apples. On one hand, we have the ZenFone 2 with real flagship specs, other than the 1080p display – it steals a few tricks from LG, such as the fake metal backing and the rear volume control. It looks high-class, and feels good in your hand, but the plastic is apparent. The new Huawei P8 is another story – a true flagship, still uses a 1080p display, but it is an all-metal design and it looks and feels very solid in your hand.
Both of these devices have a few things in common – both are dual-SIM, both use the IPS LCD display technology and the screens are very similar in size with the ZenFone 2 coming in at 5.5-inches and the P8 coming in at 5.2-inches. Both devices use 64-bit processors – the ZenFone 2 uses an Intel quad-core processor and the P8 uses a homegrown Kirin 930 octa-core. Both devices use 64GB of internal storage and both have a microSD slot for expansion, but the ZenFone has 4GB of RAM and the P8 uses 3GB of RAM. They are both sporting a 13MP main shooter and rather large front-facing camera (FFC) – ZenFone at 5Mp and the P8 at a huge 8MP. They both have non-removable batteries and the usual suspects – Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, NFC, FM radio and a microUSB port for charging and data transfer.
Please take a deliberate look at the detailed Specifications Comparison chart below and here you will see just how these two great devices stack up against one another – click on the “View Full Comparison” link at the end of the chart to expand the details. After that, we will look at each individual device in greater detail and point out some of its pros and cons. From all of this information we will try to determine the winner based on specs and execution of design and functions.
Specifications
Smartphones | SpecOut
ASUS ZenFone 2
As I said above, the ASUS ZenFone 2 is a sheep in wolf’s clothing, although made from plastic, it looks extremely sharp and has a good feel in your hand with the curved back and sides. When compared to the Huawei P8 with its ‘Apple-like’ metal body, the ZenFone 2 doesn’t quite hold a candle in the premium department.
The ASUS ZenFone 2 features a 5.5-inch IPS LCD Full HD (FHD) display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and 403 PPI and holds its own against the 424 PPI on the FHD display on the P8. The top-of-the-line model we are looking at uses a 64-bit Intel Atom Z3580 quad-core processor clocked at 2.3GHz and is coupled to 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal memory, although, like the P8, it does offer expansion by way of a microSD card. This compares to the P8’s 64-bit HiSilicon Kirin 930 octa-core processor, 3GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage.
The main camera on the ZenFone 2 is sporting a 13MP sensor, autofocus and a dual-tone LED flash although there is no OIS. The Huawei P8 also uses a 13MP camera, but adds OIS. Both devices will do a good job taking pictures during normal lighting conditions. The ZenFone 2 comes with a large 5MP FFC for social selfies and video chatting and is smaller than the 8MP FFC on the P8. Power for both devices is in the form of a non-removable battery even though the back easily comes off the ZenFone 2. It has the larger 3000mAh battery, while the P8 uses a smaller 2680mAh battery, although both devices will get you through the day…especially the ZenFone 2.
This Dual-SIM device is running Android 5.0 Lollipop along with its ZenUI Skin overlay that has followed the Google Material Design look. You can find the ASUS ZenFone 2 (ZE551ML) with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of memory on Amazon for only $299 and comes in black, silver, gold, or red.
Huawei P8
The new Huawei P8 is one of those new, well-made devices from China that will soon fit squarely in our mobile environment and should be taken seriously. It is certainly in the premium class of devices, even with its 1080p display. Sony still uses 1080p on their Xperia Z series, many people love the HTC One M9, and it is only a 1080p display, as is the LG G Flex 2. It is designed with an all-aluminum body and available in a Titanium Grey or Mystic Champagne shell for the 16GB model and Carbon Black and Prestige Gold in a 64GB model.
The Huawei P8 sports a 5.2-inch IPS LCD FHD display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and a respectable 424 PPI as compared to the FHD display of the ZenFone 8 and 403 PPI. Huawei, as usual, uses their homegrown 64-bit HiSilicon Kirin 93 octa-core processor to power the device with four cores clocked at 1.5GHz and four cores clocked at 2.0GHz and a Mali-T628 MP4 GPU. There is 3GB of RAM – the ZenFone 2 has 4GB – and either 16GB or 64GB of internal storage, expandable via a microSD card for an additional 128GB of storage. The ZenFone 2 we are comparing has 64GB of RAM, but also allows for memory expansion.
The camera on the Huawei P8 ranges from very good in decent lighting conditions to just okay if you are in poor lighting. It comes with a 13MP camera with autofocus, dual-tone LED flash and OIS with a huge 8MP FFC for social media selfies and video chatting. The ZenFone 2 also has a 13MP sensor (no OIS), and a substantial 5MP FFC. Power for the entire device comes from a non-removable 2680mAh battery that will get you through an entire day of normal usage, as compared with the larger 3000mAh battery in the ZenFone 2.
The Huawei P8 is running the latest Lollipop and comes in Titanium Grey or Mystic Champagne in the 16GB configuration and Carbon Black or Prestige Gold in the 64GB model. It uses enough LTE bands that you should be safe on AT&T or the T-Mobile network (but always check first) and will cost you from $550 – $650 depending on your configuration and where you purchase it.
…And The Winner Is…
Summary
This was a rather easy decision – I pick the ASUS ZenFone 2 as the winner of this comparison. It has a comparable display, as good a processor, 1GB more RAM, the same 64GB of internal memory with room to expand. It has a fairly comparable camera area, although we would have to give a slight nod to the P8. It has a slightly larger battery and are you ready for this…the ZenFone 2 costs one-half as much as the Huawei P8!
The Huawei P8 is definitely the more premium looking device…you will not fool anybody if they actually pick up both devices to compare them. It is a quality smartphone and if it was the same price of the ZenFone 2, then it would be the winner, but it is simply not worth the extra $300 over the ZenFone 2.
Both smartphones are great devices and you should be happy with either one – if you want to pay the extra money, the Huawei P8 will add a little more class to your device, but is it worth that extra money? Only you can make that decision.
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