Asus launched its latest flagship smartphone, the Asus 6Z at a launch event in Valencia about a month back. The device maker priced the Asus 6Z starting from 499 Euro (Rs 39,000) for the base model with 6GB RAM and 64GB internal storage all the way up to 599 Euro (Rs 47,000) for the top-end with 8GB RAM and 256GB internal storage. Asus has priced the 6GB RAM variant with 128GB internal storage at 559 Euro (Rs 43,900). The device is already available on sale in two colors including the Midnight Black, and Twilight Silver in a number of countries around the globe. Asus invited us for a briefing and a hands-on session for Asus 6Z first impressions.
Taking a closer look at the hardware and the pricing of the Asus 6Z, it looks like the company is aiming to take on its competition in the mid-premium segment with the likes of recently announced and teased, OnePlus 7, Xiaomi Redmi K20, and more. Just before launch, Asus invited us to a briefing where we got some time to play around with the device, and here are our first impressions of the new Asus 6Z.
Out of the box Motorized camera on Asus 6Z
Before we talk about the hardware details about the device, let’s jump in the first thing that everyone will notice as soon as they take this phone out of the box or even see someone else use in the crowd, it the design. Specifically, the crazy flip-up camera design that is something unique in the world of pop-up motorized cameras, punch holes, notches or even slider mechanisms. The company has managed to do a great job in differentiating itself even from the recently launched Samsung Galaxy A70 which employs similar hardware magic.
The glass back and front design along with metal frames will give you a strong throw-back to the design of the Asus ROG Phone in terms of the almost brushed metal look. You get the power button, volume rocker and a new custom hardware key on the right side of the smartphone. The flip camera mechanism ensures that there is no notch or distraction on top of the display. The back of the 6Z showcases a curved finish along with a dedicated fingerprint scanner below the camera.
Moving back to the flip camera mechanism, it is still interesting to see how the company pulled it off. Asus used 13 different gears to make sure that the motorized mechanism is precise, smooth at the same time. The camera can also be controlled with the help of volume up or down buttons of the volume rocker. This can also be used to achieve smooth pans in the video mode. This provides users with some interesting perspectives to work with, both while capturing images as well as videos. The front camera quality is likely best in the class because of the 48-megapixel primary camera sensor.
Asus 6Z hardware specifications and that 5,000mAh battery
The Asus 6Z comes with a 6.4-inch IPS LCD panel with FHD+ resolution, 19.5:9 aspect ratio and Gorilla Glass 6 protection in the front. It runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 SoC along with up to 8GB RAM and up to 256GB internal storage. As noted in the launch post, the Asus 6Z will come in three different storage and RAM variants. The base model will come with 6GB RAM and 64GB internal storage. The second RAM a combination will sport 6GB RAM and 128GB internal storage. Beyond this, the third will feature 8GB RAM and 256GB internal storage.
We get a 48-megapixel primary sensor with an f/1.79 aperture and a 13-megapixel secondary sensor with an ultra-wide angle lens. Asus has also added a laser-assisted autofocus mechanism along with a Dual LED flash unit to improve the camera package. Asus has also added dual 5-magnet stereo speakers along with a Dual NxP smart amps, dual mics.
In addition to all this, the 6Z also comes with a dedicated smart key on the right side of the device that users can customize according to their choice in the software. Asus 6Z will feature the usual connectivity options such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v5.0, 3.5mm audio socket, GPS, and NFC. Other connectivity features include the FM Radio, USB Type-C, rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, and a triple shot. The first two slots are for VoLTE 4G-enabled nano-SIMs and the third one is for a dedicated microSD card slot.
Another key aspect that I want to highlight here is the 5,000mAh battery along with 18W QuickCharge 4.0 support. This is important because the smartphone does not seem to pack a lot of weight for its battery capacity. Given the flip camera module and the 5,000mAh battery in the smartphone, the weight is quite generous. Last but not least, the device comes with Android 9 Pie-based near stock Android, Zen UI 6.
ZenUI 6: Stock enough to probably shock you
Asus ZenUI 6
Asus is launching the next version of its in-house Android-based skin, the Asus ZenUI 6 with the launch of Asus 6Z. The drastic change in the ZenUI 6 will leave you surprised when you first boot the smartphone. First off, it is based on the stock Android interface. Yes, you heard it right that an Android smartphone maker has evolved its skin to focus on stock Android.
Asus Smart key customization
It almost seems like Asus took some pages from the playbook of OnePlus to focus on stock Android interface and then add some additional tweaks that don’t get in the way. This transformation is based on the feedback that Asus received after the Zenfone Max M1 and Lite L1 launch. The responsive UI and lack of bloatware, in general, left me quite impressed. The device will also come with support for Android Q Beta in the coming weeks. Asus also guaranteed that the device will get up to Android R update when it is out during the Asus 6Z first impressions briefing.
First Impressions
The hardware design, internal specification, and the software transformation that I saw in the Asus 6Z left me stumped. It is good to observe that a smartphone maker has made improvements to its product from the user feedback. Given that the time that I spent with the Asus 6Z was limited, I would not be able to say how it will fair in the market against the likes of upcoming OnePlus 7 and the Xiaomi Redmi K20. But, the package that I saw during the Asus 6Z first impressions briefing has surely piqued my interest.
