Here’s how I tried to drain my ASUS Zenfone Max Pro in 24 hours

By: INQUIRER.net BrandRoom - 6 years ago

The thing that I always tell people about ASUS smartphones is that they are great gadgets to own, thanks largely to their dependability in terms of functionality and reliability. As an ASUS user for over 6 years already (having owned a Zenfone 5 in 2015 and a ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro in 2017) I can speak volumes about the level of confidence I have over the use of their devices for both professional and personal purposes. The intervals of change between units are sparse because I’m generally happy with my ownership of ASUS phones. Strong features plus good hardware that come with a very affordable price tag – what’s not to love, really? So imagine my amazement when I finally got the monster of a smartphone that is the ZenFone Max Pro, a clear indication that with ASUS, it just keeps getting better.

This unit, which already has the latest version of Android (Android 8.1 Oreo), is extraordinarily packed with the best features available in smartphone technology that put other players to shame.

Zenfone Max Pro (M1) is promoted by ASUS as the next-generation smartphone equipped with the super advanced Qualcomm(R) Snapdragon(TM) 636 platform that provides amazing computational performance, thereby giving you an overall fast-speed and highly responsive device. No lags, and that’s just talking about one feature.

The phone is also packed with a 6″ Full HD+ (2160×1080) 18:9 Full View display, an advanced dual-camera system that is capable of shooting 4K UHD videos, a sound setup driven by a powerful NXP smart amplifier, a microSD slot that allows you to expand to up to 2TB — that is TWO TERABYTES, y’all–of storage. My gosh, where have you been all my life, Zenfone Max Pro?

The Zenfone Max Pro line comes in two variants: the ZenFone Max Pro M1 3GB/32GB with 13MP + 5MP dual rear camera and exclusively available at Lazada Philippines for the affordable price of Php 9,995.00 and Zenfone Max Pro M1 4GB/64GB with 16MP + 5MP dual rear camera, available nationwide for the reasonable price of Php13,995.00. Both support storage expansion of up to 2TB, and both come with an ASUS earphone with microphone, a USB power adapter and 1 bumper case. For the price, both are seriously good steal for tech junkies.

Now, I could wax poetic about all the amazing features of this phone because really, I could do just that, but I want to put emphasis on the one thing that will probably set this handset apart from its competitors — by miles.

I’m talking about the thing that is powering this unit to not sleep on you — a powerful 5000 mAh battery that’s custom-crafted to pack the best performance a phone can give into the littlest of space. Because you want to use a smartphone that you charge 100% in the morning and not conk out on you by lunch time. In short, nag-give up na si jowa sa’yo, pero si ASUS Zenfone Max Pro mo, still standing with you. *mic drop*

To test the foundation of this hugot line I just pulled from thin air, I put my Zenfone Max Pro unit to real work to see first-hand just how long this thing was going to last me. I kind of expected that before the stroke of midnight, the phone would give out. But my, how wrong was I.

*But first, laying down the conditions of this informal test*

I used it just like I would any phone in my possession–for personal and work related stuff.
I did not insert my sim card for this, but I did double down on WiFi connectivity and twice the usual usage
I still went about my usual routines for the day while testing the device. (Because seriously, who spends every second of their day on their phone?) Also, I had to eat and work. So there.

Here are the things I did to try to drain my ASUS Zenfone Max Pro in 24 hours:

Day 1, Morning:

The first order of the day was to fire up the ASUS Zenfone Max Pro and get it to work on energy vampire apps, such as navigation apps (Waze, Google Maps), social media apps (Instagram, Facebook, Facebook Pages, Messenger), and graphic-intensive games (PinOut, Mental Hospital, Does Not Commute), though I’m not much of a gamer. The content plan I have created for my pages should be enough for 2 weeks, but I barely made a dent on the unit’s battery level.

Day 1, Afternoon:

I went on to use the unit later in the afternoon to access my social media activities, including my personal feed, my news feed for work, our page manager, and chat apps to get in touch with people at work. I video-called almost anyone who’s willing to pick up my call. Here I was, video-calling my colleague Gillan who was in Hong Kong for official business at the time. I also used the camera feature extensively by taking loads of photos and videos, even editing some of them for sharing. Yup, battery’s still good, and to think I’ve already done a lot.

Day 1, Evening:

By evening, I have already downloaded a ton of entertainment and productivity apps and have used the phone non-stop for hours even while doing other activities, which should have been more than enough to drain the battery of my Zenfone Max Pro (M1), but the phone stood strong despite multiple apps running in the background at the same time. I used my tablature app for a couple of hours to try and zap a huge percentage of the battery (because bulky, standalone apps with audio and video requirements are sure energy-hoggers, right?) But my usage just went on until the wee hours of the night. Props to me, though, because I did learn a dozen new songs to play on the guitar.
*By 12 midnight, my Zenfone Max Pro (M1) started to behave like a baby—it wants to stay awake the whole night. Needless to say, I drained myself first before the device did.*

Day 2: The Final Stretch

I woke up to my Zenfone Max Pro (M1) still holding about 40% energy. So I did what any reasonable person would do on a rainy weekend—I went hard on educational and entertainment apps. In the morning, I watched a lot of NHK World episodes on their official mobile app, then shifted to watching viral videos on Youtube and Facebook, then shifted to learning another level of foreign language through Memrise. Then, I spent the latter part of the day absorbed in re-watching Black Mirror episodes on Netflix, until about 8 in the evening when I decided to connect my Bluetooth keyboard to the phone to finally write this piece.

My Zenfone Max Pro (M1) called it quits by almost 9 in the evening, and that’s after approximately 37 hours of going through a lot of activities on the device. I may have even enriched myself in the process, thanks to the many things I learned while trying to drain it of its energy.

Now, imagine what this smartphone can do for you on a daily basis. Whether you use it just lightly, or more actively, it’s a phone you can actually count on whenever you need it, and you know you can’t say the same for other smartphone brands. I should know—I’ve just proven it here!

Zenfone Max Pro – 1, Human – 0

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ASUS Zenfone Max Pro M1 (3GB + 32GB) is available at Lazada Philippines for PHP 9,995.00, just click or tap here.

ASUS Zenfone Max Pro M1 (4GB + 64GB) is available in all ASUS accredited stores nationwide for just PHP 13,995.00, and it comes with in-game exclusives from your favorite mobile games!

ASUS Zenfone Max Pro M1 (3GB + 32GB) is available at Lazada Philippines for PHP 9,995.00, just click or tap here.

ASUS Zenfone Max Pro M1 (4GB + 64GB) is available in all ASUS accredited stores nationwide for just PHP 13,995.00, and it comes with in-game exclusives from your favorite mobile games!

INQUIRER.net Brandroom/Vida Lacano