Note: We may earn commissions (at no cost to you) if you buy through links on our site. Learn more.
Asus ZenFone AR
Asus ZenFone AR
Asus ZenFone AR
Asus ZenFone AR
...


7.2/10
Informr score
The Asus ZenFone AR currently has an Informr score of 7.2 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 27 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

What's good

  • Crisp, bright display
  • Tons of storage space
  • Good performance
  • Excellent camera
  • Project Tango support
  • Google Daydream support

What's bad

  • Price
  • Poor app selection for Tango/Daydream content
  • So-so battery life
Google’s Project Tango has seen one certified device to date—the Lenovo Phab2. ASUS’s latest release brings Tango goodness to a more portable device that includes updated specs and a premium design.

But does the experience justify the price? Reviewers have augmented their world and strapped on headsets to see what they think.

Let’s see what they have to say!

Out of the gate, the design and materials used for the ZenFone AR impressed reviewers. The metal edges and leather-like back provided a sturdy feeling and plenty of grip. However, the phone is not IP rated, so be careful around water.

Heading around front, reviews stay positive. The 5.7-inch 1440-by-2560 AMOLED display earned praise for it’s inky blacks and excellent contrast. Reviewers had no issues with noticing pixels or image crispness—even when strapped into a Google Daydream headset. They also praised the phone for its brightness, noting that it was easy to see when outdoors.

Powering those pixels, you’ll find a quad-core 2.35Ghz Snapdragon 821 processor. While it’s not the fastest processor available in 2017, pairing it with 6 or 8GB of RAM satisfied most reviewers.

Digital Trends noted, “Virtual objects in AR mode respond quickly to interaction, though we did encounter some stutters.” However, for everything else, including graphics-intensive games and multitasking, reviews are great.

Depending on the model, the phone offers between 32 and 256GB of internal storage. If you should need more, microSD support makes it easy to add up to 2TB more room for your apps, games, music and video.

One area where reviewers weren’t as pleased with the phone is the software. While it ships with Android 7.1.1 Nougat—and Oreo support is promises—ASUS’s ZenUI didn’t suit most reviewers. Engadget summed up opinions well saying, “Some people will surely appreciate all of the options ASUS offers here, but fans of stock Android will want to run, not walk, away from this thing.”

That said, there was no complaints about bloatware—even with carrier branded phones.

The phone features a powerful camera and sensors used to power the Tango AR features. But reviewers also found it great for photography. The 23MP rear camera includes three different focusing methods and optical image stabilization. The front-facing 8MP lens is simpler, but still produced clear shots in decent lighting.

Talking about the cameras, SlashGear said, “The Pixel has one of the best smartphone-based cameras in the world right this minute and ASUS ZenFone AR is one of the few devices whose camera comes close.”

But fancy features and powerful specs don’t mean anything if the phone can’t last through a day. And, unfortunately, reviewers had mixed experiences for battery life. They agreed that for light usage, a full day on a single charge is possible. But many of them complained that even a few hours of VR and AR use and they’d need to search for a charger to last the day.

Fortunately, the included BoostMaster Fast Charging support means that the phone is compatible with nearly every fast charging system available. The charger included in the box saw top-offs of 50% or more in only 30 minutes.

Despite this praise, reviewers were still hesitant to recommend the phone for two reasons.

The first is the price. The phone costs as much as some of this years flagship releases without the specs to match.

The second is software. While the phone is the first to support both Google Daydream and Project Tango in a single device, reviewers didn’t find many compelling apps on either platform.

In the end, if you’re looking for performance, there’s better value elsewhere. And if you’re looking for an exceptional AR/VR experience, the market isn’t quite there yet.


Android
Operating system
Operating system
Android
2.35 GHz
Processor
Processor
2.35 GHz
5.7"
Screen Size
Screen Size
5.7"
23+ MP, f/2
Camera
Camera
23+ MP, f/2
3300 mAh
Battery


What the Critics Are Saying...


Gadgets 360
Gadgets 360

The ZenFone AR is an example of a new direction that the smartphone industry could head in. Instead of simply beefing up the internals, Asus offers a set of new experiences on a single smartphone. What the ZenFone AR offers at the moment is unique, but it is a niche product for people who might have...

- Aditya Shenoy, Gadgets 360
Android Guys
Android Guys

With Tango no longer in development, this is a hard purchase to justify, but the ZenFone AR is an extremely well-performing phone for its price point with gorgeous build quality, an impressive camera, and a beautiful display.

- Dono, Android Guys
Notebookcheck
Notebookcheck

The Asus ZenFone AR is a well-made, high-quality smartphone with WQHD OLED display, more than adequate performance for everyday apps and games, and very fast communication modules.

- Manuel Masiero, Notebookcheck
The Mobile Indian
The Mobile Indian

The Asus Zenfone AR does a pretty impressive job in handling most of the virtual and augmented reality apps. Though the whole AR and VR experience work really good, still, it is just not the right time to buy a smartphone just for these experiences, as it really needs to grow at an exponential rate...

- Rohan Pal, The Mobile Indian
Pocket-lint
Pocket-lint

The Asus ZenFone AR came just at the wrong time. It's one of those strange cases where all of its technological advancement is redundant straight out of the box. As surprised as we are to see it launched, it's still kind of exciting to see what Tango could have become.

- Cam Bunton, Pocket-lint


Prices (Where to Buy)




Common Questions


We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the Asus ZenFone AR user manual here.


Asus backs up the ZenFone AR with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.


If your ZenFone AR has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact Asus support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find Asus's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.



Ask the Community



Resources


Manuals / User Guides Helpful Links Share / Embed

Maybe one of your friends will find this review helpful? Please help us spread the word.


Quick view

Screen Size
5.7"

The Asus ZenFone AR's screen size is 5.7 inches with 1440 x 2560 pixels resolution.

Processor
2.35 GHz

There is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 MSM8996 pro Quad core 2.35 GHz processor (CPU).

OS

The phone runs on the Android 7.0 Nougat operating system (OS).

Camera
23+ MP

You can take photos with the phone's onboard 23+ MP, f/2 camera.

There is also a secondary front facing camera with 8+ megapixels resolution.

Storage
32/64/128/256 GB

Internal memory is 32/64/128/256 GB. An external, MicroSD, MicroSDHC, microSDXC (up to 2000 GB) expansion slot is available for increased storage capacity.

Battery
3300mAh

The phone is powered by a Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion), 3300 mAh battery.

ZenFone AR Specs

Overview
Release Date June 14, 2017
Regions Available USA, Canada, United Kingdom
Operating System Android 7.0 Nougat

Compare Android Smartphones

Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 MSM8996 pro Quad core 2.35 GHz
Internal Storage 32/64/128/256 GB
RAM 6 GB
Hearing Aid Compatible Yes
TTY/TDD Yes
Noise Cancellation Yes
SAR Head: 1.16 W/kg
Body: 0.61 W/kg
Manufacturer Warranty 1 Year
Accessories Included AC Charger, Manual
Cellular
Networks
GPRS, EDGE, HSUPA, HSPA+, LTE
Mobile / Cellular Data
4G/LTE
Push-to-talk (PTT) No
Wi-Fi Calling Yes
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) Yes
SIM card size
Nano-SIM
Dual SIM Yes
Connectivity
USB USB Type-C
USB OTG Support Yes
GPS Type A-GPS
Infrared No
Bluetooth 4.2
Bluetooth Profiles A2DP, AVRCP, OPP/FTP, HFP, HSP
Bluetooth Audio Codecs SBC
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
Mobile Hotspot Yes
Memory Expansion Slot Yes
Expansion Slot Info MicroSD, MicroSDHC, microSDXC (up to 2000 GB)
NFC Yes
Data Tethering Compatibility Yes
Camera
Main Camera
Resolution / Aperture
23+ Megapixels, f/2
Zoom
Yes
Flash
Yes (Dual LED)
Additional Rear Camera Info
Auto focus, Effects, Face detection, Geotagging, ISO, Multi-shot, Night mode, Panorama, Self-timer, HDR, Zero shutter lag, Slow motion recording, Exposure value, Time lapse mode, Dual camera feature
Video Recording Formats
3GP / 3GPP, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4, WMV, FLV
Video Recording Parameters
Ultra HD (3840 x 2160 pixels)
Front Camera
Resolution / Aperture
8+ Megapixels
Additional Front Camera Info
Auto focus, Effects, Night mode, Panorama, Wide-Angle 85° lens, Front camera Dual LED flash, HDR
Video Recording Parameters
Display / Screen
Type Color
Technology Super AMOLED
Colors 16.7 million
Resolution 1440 x 2560 pixels
Pixel Density 512 pixels
Size 5.7 inches
Secondary Display No
Sensors Ambient Light, Proximity, Motion / Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Digital Compass
Multi-Touch Yes
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Additional Display Features Capacitive touch screen, Glove friendly screen, Corning Gorilla Glass 4
Power & Battery
Battery Type Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion)
Battery Capacity 3300 mAh
Removable Battery No
Wireless Charging No
Fast Charging Yes
Video Playback Time Up to 715 minutes
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Unknown
Internet Use (Cellular) Up to 500 minutes
Talk Time Unknown
Standby Time Up to 13.2 days
Mixed Usage
Physical Characteristics
Design Type Bar
Material Aluminium
Colors Charcoal Black
Dimensions [H x W x D] 15.8 x 7.7 x 0.5 cm (6.2 x 3 x 0.2 in)
Weight 170 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof No
Rugged design No
IP Rating No
Headset Jack 3.5mm
External Speakers Yes
Input / Navigation
Sleep / Wake Key Yes
Home Key Yes
Input / Keyboard Type Touchscreen
Navigation Type Touchscreen
External Volume Control Yes
Fingerprint Sensor Yes
More
Additional Information Other Names (AKA): Asus ZS571KL

Also available in 8 GB of RAM.

Related Links Manual (PDF)
Asus ZenFone AR Reviews
Where to buy Asus ZenFone AR
Suggest a correction