Affordable 18:9 display phones, anyone?
Following the reveal of the Huawei Nova 2 Lite, it is just right to compare this new model to the ASUS ZenFone Max M1, a model that was silently unveiled at MWC 2018 together with the ZenFone 5 family. Both the Nova 2 Lite and ZenFone Max M1 have near-identical specs, as both use a Snapdragon 430 processor, along with an 18:9 display. However, both have slightly different features. Let’s compare the two!
Nova 2 lite specs
- 1.4 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 octa-core processor
- 3GB of RAM
- 5.99-inch HD+ display, 18:9 display aspect ratio, 1440 x 720 resolution
- 32GB of storage, expandable via dedicated microSD
- 13-megapixel camera with f/2.2 aperture lens, 2-megapixel secondary camera with f/2.0 aperture lens, PDAF, LED flash
- 8-megapixel f/2.0 front cameras with selfie toning flash
- Dual SIM
- 3G, LTE
- WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, A-GPS, fingerprint scanner, Face Unlock
- 3,000mAh battery
- Android Oreo with EMUI 8.0
ZenFone Max M1 (ZB555KL) Specs
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 425/Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor
- 2GB/3GB RAM
- 5.5-inch 18:9 Full HD+ IPS Display
- 32GB Internal Storage
- 13-Megapixel primary rear camera with LED Flash, PDAF, f/2.0 aperture
- 8-Megapixel secondary rear camera with 120-degree wide-angle lens
- 13-megapixel/8-Megapixel front camera with 85° field of view, f/2.2 aperture, LED flash
- 4G, LTE
- Dual SIM
- WiFi, Bluetooth
- GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Fingerprint Scanner
- 4000mAh battery
- Android 8.0 Oreo (ZenUI 5.0)
Internals: The same basically
Like we mentioned early in this article, both the ZenFone Max M1 and Nova 2 Lite use a Snapdragon 430 processor. In addition, they both have 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage, which is no slouch either. Do note, however, that the ZenFone Max M1 has a cheaper version with a Snapdragon 425, 2GB RAM, and 16GB internal storage.
Display: Full HD+ any day
While the Nova 2 Lite has a bigger display, the ZenFone Max M1 has an advantage as its smaller panel is a Full HD+ variety.
Camera: Almost the same ground
In terms of the primary rear camera, there’s not that much to compare as both the Nova 2 Lite and ZenFone Max M1 have a 13-megapixel snapper. The differences are seen with the secondary rear camera, as the Nova 2 Lite uses a 2-megapixel depth sensor camera while the ZenFone Max M1 has an 8-megapixel wide-angle camera.
There’s also a notable difference with the front camera as well, as the Nova 2 Lite has an 8-megapixel front cam while the Snapdragon 430 version of the ZenFone Max M1 uses a 13-megapixel snapper instead. As usual, we will have to do our usual tests before giving the final verdict on this department
Battery: The ZenFone Max M1 is a “battery king” for a reason
Being part of the Max line, the ZenFone Max M1 has a bigger battery at 4000mAh compared to the Nova 2 Lite. As to power efficiency, there are many factors that can affect how both devices can last within a day (or two) so we have to do our usual tests before giving our final say on this.
Extras: Hooray for Oreo!
While both models are meant for those looking for a phone that will not burn a hole in one’s pocket, both the Nova 2 Lite and ZenFone Max M1 have the latest Android version, along with their latest overlay. The Nova 2 Lite gets a little bonus though as it comes with face unlock, though we think it is possible for ASUS to add this feature to the ZenFone Max M1 via software update.
Verdict: Almost even
Even with their slight differences in terms of features, the ZenFone Max M1 and Nova 2 Lite have their own set of advantages. The Nova 2 Lite offers a bigger screen and face unlock, while the ZenFone Max M1 offers a wide-angle secondary camera and a bigger battery. It all boils down to what the user really prefers, as both models are pretty good for what they offer.
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