ASUS ZenFone Live: Good device for live content creators (Tech Review)

With live streaming on the rise, a majority of consumers are shifting towards interactive content to share stories on social platforms. And why not? Having other people involved in a story is fun and engaging. ASUS has launched its ZenFone Live smartphone in India given this increasing demand.

Priced at Rs 9,999 ZenFone Live incorporates the "BeautyLive" app that automatically beautifies faces when live-streaming on social networks like Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

Here is what works for the device.

Weighing 120 grams, the device is slim, compact and has rounded edges, making it comfortable to hold. Topped with 2.5D arc glass, the sandblasted matte body finish feels smooth to touch and is also resistant to fingerprint smudges.

The "BeautyLive" app functions wonderfully, correcting blemishes on the face and making you look better on video. Users can also adjust the beautification level on a scale of 0 to 10. The feature can also be applied to selfe videos that you can record and store in the phone.

The 5-inch HD display is rich enough for a phone this size and projects vibrancy in colours. Viewing content and playing games was pleasant and the colour temperature of the display is also on the warmer side. The text is also sharp and the screen readability is also good in sunlight.

Running on the ZenUI 3.0 on top of Android Marshmallow, the phone functioned smoothly between menus and opened apps instantly, thanks to its 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor along with 2GB of RAM and the Adreno 305 graphics chip. However at times, the smartphone took longer to load graphic-intensive games like Asphalt 8: Airborne.

The camera department is where most smartphones struggle and so does ZenFone Live. However, the 13MP rear camera captured good landscapes with average amount of contrast and detail.

ZenFone Live also equips a pair of MEMS (MicroElectrical-Mechanical System) microphones tuned to reduce noise. Thus even if you are live streaming from a noisy environment like a pub, a party or from a music festival, your voice will be heard clearly.

Not only does the ZenFone Live make you look and sound great in live video streams, it also sounds great for audio utilising a "Five-Magnet" speaker.

The 2,650mAh battery ran for approximately a full day. However, users hooked to the screen are advised to carry a power bank.

What does not work?

Most of the time the auto-focus works nicely, focusing on the intended shot within milliseconds -- but it struggles with moving objects.

The camera performance is average in low-light and we would not recommend the phone for night-time photography.

Conclusion: ZenFone Live offers a nicely-balanced display, decent battery life, reasonable performance and a capable live stream camera.

(Anuj Sharma can be contacted at anuj.s@ians.in)

--IANS

anuj/vm