Asus Zenfone Max Pro (M2) Review and Price in Nigeria

GadgetsmartMarch 16, 2021

1,089 6 minutes read

The Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 was launched just eight months after its predecessor was released and it sports some major improvements. The Taiwan tech giant has released a phone that looks better both in design and performance and also with good battery life. Undoubtedly, Asus’s long-term effort into delivering a well-efficient smartphone has paid off, thanks to the Zenfone Max Pro M2 release.

Fortunately, the company not only redesigned the smartphone but also corrected the flaws of the Max Pro M1. Unlike other brands, Asus ensured the price of the phone remained unchanged. This pricing system and specifications mean Asus wants to take over the mind space occupied by Xiaomi. The launch of the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 will not only be a better alternative to Redmi Note 6 Pro, but also the one that gives you the best features at a cheaper price. However, why the specifications on paper speak great here, does the Max Pro M2 has what it takes to take over the affordable smartphone market? Read on to find out on our full review.

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Table of Contents

Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 Key Specifications

Display: 6.26-inches IPS LCD
Resolution: 1080 x 2280 pixels
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 660
Front Camera: 13-megapixel
Rear Camera: 12-megapixel + 5-megapixel
RAM: 3GB /6GB /8GB
Storage: 32GB /64GB
Battery Capacity: 5000mAh
OS: Android 8.1 (Oreo), ZenUI

Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2: Design

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At a first glance, you’ll easily notice that the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 widely differs from its predecessor. Fortunately, Asus has altered that dull black chunky big bezels, thereby giving the phone a flagship device outlook. Although the phone is still made of plastic, the brushed metal design makes it look outstanding. Unfortunately, the phone’s back panel will attract some scratches after few months of using it, meaning you should be careful of where you place the phone. However, Asus provided a silicone case out of the box, but it won’t prevent the scratch when the case must have gone old.

However, everything else about the Zenfone Max Pro M2 is great, having a slimmer notch and cool buttons that are tactile enough. Also, the phone’s plastic build-up helps to minimize the weight to just 175g despite the massive battery life. On the right side of the phone are the volume rockers and power button, while the opposite occupies the SDcard/SIM slot.

One of the key selling points of the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 is the Corning Gorilla Glass 6 protection which is lacking on most flagship devices. Overall, we’re pleased with Asus’s taste of design on the Zenfone Max Pro M2.

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Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2: Display

The Max Pro M1 display remains one of the best in the mid-range segment and that remains unchanged in the new M2 model. However, you’ll be getting a bigger 6.26-inch IPS display with a screen resolution of 1080 x 2280 pixels and an aspect ratio of 19:9. One of the key points of this display is that the saturation levels are well in check, with text and icon looking nice and sharp, although the colors are a bit punchy.

Fortunately, you’ll get a very outstanding brightness level which allows you to use the phone comfortably in outdoor conditions. Also, Asus equipped the phone with a display setting that lets you change the hue to your preferred choice, although there aren’t any display modes to choose from.

If you’re a smartphone lover that prefers watching movies on your phone rather than the television, then the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 will definitely be the best choice for you. Streaming videos on Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video in Full HD setting will be a dream come through on this device, thanks to the Widevine L1 feature here.

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Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2: Camera Review

If there’s any area where Asus need to improve on the Max Pro M1, it certainly had to be on the camera quality and that’s undoubtedly what was done on the Zenfone Max Pro M2. However, the Redmi Note 6 will still be a better option when it comes to the camera.

The Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 comes with a dual-camera set-up consisting of a 12-MP primary camera that’s assisted by a 5-MP depth sensor. This is a massive improvement over the Max Pro M1 when it comes to camera quality.

When it comes to the camera performance, the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 dual-camera performed great in a well-lit environment and manages to take some great well detailed shots. Also, the portrait mode perfectly pulls out the subject and blur the background. However, night shots are slightly below average with some parts of the images being filled with noise.

Fortunately, selfies are great, thanks to the 13-MP front-facing camera which performs great especially in outdoor environments. However, the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 lacks a selfie portrait mode which may sound like an odd omission to you.

Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2: Hardware, Performance, and Software

Inside the phone is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 chipset which is paired with an Adreno 512 GPU. When it comes to storage and RAM configurations, you’ve got plenty of variants to choose from. There’s a base 3GB RAM coupled with 32GB inbuilt storage, alongside a second 4GB RAM with 64GB internal memory, and the last 6GB RAM coupled with 64GB inbuilt memory.

Fortunately, Asus equipped the Zenphone Max Pro M2 with a micro SD card slot which can contain up to 512GB SDcard. Also, you’ll get a massive 100GB free Google Drive storage for a year which you can decide to store some of your files on. The performance level of the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 is impressive when compared to other phones of this range.

While regular tasks like web browsing, streaming on Netflix, and checking your Instagram or Facebook news feed was quite smooth, the phone stutters on high-graphics games. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to play PUGB Mobile and Asphalt 9 on high graphics settings here, but tuning it down to medium will ensure decent performance, but not at the best frame rate.

The Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 runs on ZenUI skin built on top of Android 8.1 (Oreo). This is the same software that was equipped on the M1 and it’s quite outdated as most smartphones comes with the latest Android 10 OS. However, the animations are fast with transitions being fluid and can easily switch between day-to-day apps at ease. Unfortunately, the device comes with a little pre-installed apps which occupies 10% of the phone’s internal memory.

Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2: Battery Capacity

The Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 comes equipped with a massive 5000mAh battery cell which is accompanied by a 10W charger. This phone is a great powerhouse at a cheap price and you’re guaranteed of up to 48 hours activeness on average use. However, a bigger fast charging feature would have been better, but with a stellar battery life, there’s no reason to complain much here.

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Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2: Price in Nigeria and Availability

The Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 debuted at a price tag of ₦60,000 (roughly $153). For a phone that starts selling at such cheap price, the M2 is undoubtedly the best mid-range phone you can lay your hands on this period. However, other options like Realme 2 Pro and Honor 8X could have been a better option, but when you compare the battery life, optics, and software, you’ll realize the Zenphone Max Pro M2 is a much better option.