【Review】ZenFone 3 Ultra - Beyond Ordinary

I would always tell myself, "Do not be the same, be BETTER!" Or in this case, "Do not choose mediocre, always choose the BEST!" So when I got myself a ZenFone 3 Ultra, the rest was history.

Most people will not agree that a phablet is the best smartphone to have. Why? Because some would find it too small for a tablet and most would find it too big for a smartphone. But not for me. The ZenFone 3 Ultra and I are a match made in digital heaven. Have you even seen it's all-metal, invisible antenna design yet? No? Let me give you a bit of trivia: It took 240 precision steps to create this beauty of a perfection. That is the kind of intricate and meticulous craftmanship I would love to see on any of my gadgets.

And who said it was too big, moreso for a woman? It perfectly fits in my wirstlet that the tiniest hint of being a fashionista in me is happy.

Another consideration when picking a smartphone would be how good the camera is. It should be able to take a good quality picture in a swift motion of a hand. A bit demanding, right? And it appears that the Pixelmaster Team was happy to oblige and packed the ZenFone 3 Ultra with Pixelmaster 3.0. What's that you say? Pixelmaster 3.0 let's you "Capture reality, fast and steady." Allow me to wow you by mentioning that the ZenFone 3 Ultra comes with an 8MP front camera and a whopping 23MP rear camera that holds a technology that no other smartphone has- the exlusive TriTech Auto-Focus System that boasts of an ultra-fast 0.03s instant focus and subject tracking technology. Being the Selfie Queen that I am, I cannot stress enough at how perfect I want my selfies are. With the Pixelmaster 3.0, there is no need to take dozens and dozens of takes and re-takes. Not to mention that it lets you capture realistic photos that requires less to no post-processing. So all you have to do is point, shoot and upload.

Photos from (Top-Bottom) Taken Peoples Park in Tagaytay and Tinipak River in Tanay, Rizal

Now, to my favorite feature of them all. But first, let me ask you a question. Have you ever come across a smartphone that boasts of a 6.8" Full HD 4K TV-grade optimized display and theater-like surround sound? In short, the ultimate mobile entertainment showcase! Oh yes, the ZenFone 3 Ultra is mobile entertainment like you have never seen and experienced before. It comes with Visualmaster 3.0 that brings you ASUS Tru2Life+ Technology which means you get true-to-life, blur-free images as well as Sonicmaster 3.0 that produces extreme audio performance. (For a real live test of these, I shall upload a video later on in another article) This is a must-have for all mobile entertainment junkies. Because really, you can't lug around a 4K LED TV just so you can watch your favorite shows or movies, can you? And how much does a 4K LED Smart TV cost nowadays? For someone who is always on the go like me but always have the need to be entertained, this is the best bargain for a mobile entertainment showcase that's so handy it can fit right in my pouch!

But with all this talk of power and ultimate awesomeness begs the question, how's the battery life? Understandably, people would expect that a smartphone with such great features should have a large battery capacity. The ZenFone Ultra did not disappoint. It actually comes with a 4,600mAh capacity and uses a Quickcharge 3.0 to get you on the way in no time. In my experience, from 15% to 100% it takes me about 1.5HRS to fully charge my ZenFone 3 Ultra. But, when I am out for long periods of time and got no socket to plug my charger in, I make sure that I have my ZenPower Ultra with me. ZenPower Ultra for my ZenFone 3 Ultra. They are, as they say, my favorite two sides of a coin.

***ZenPower Ultra has 20,100mAh capacity and Dual Quick Charge Ports with total output of up to 36W! Charges my ZenFone 3 Ultra 4.5x with no problem. And it even comes with a built-in flashlight too. See here for specs: https://www.asus.com/ph/Phone-Accessory/ASUS-ZenPower-Ultra/

As for my usage, normally I have my mobile data on 24/7 with occasional hotspot tethering to my other devices (which include my laptop), browsing on Facebook and constant messaging on Viber. This type of usage, it usually burns my battery down to about 15% in 12HRS, sometimes more when I get too busy to check on my Facebook account. Now, when I get home is a different story. I use my ZenFone 3 Ultra primarily for entertainment so that would require mobile date being turned on, my screen also awake the entire time as continuously I stream iFlix and this drains my battery to around 15% in about 4HRS.

VERDICT: For all women or the fashionably-conscious people, this baby will fit right in your pouch, no-hassle. For the mobile entertainment junkies, this is a total and complete must-have, no-worries and no-fuss entertainment right at the palm of your hands. It may be a bit big compared to all my other smartphones but undeniably worth to be called an exception to the rule. Afterall, the ZenFone 3 Ultra is beyond ordinary.