Asus Zenfone Go T500 – A Much Better Zenfone Go Version, Is It Worth The Price?
ASUS recently released the ASUS Zenfone Go T500, a 2016 version of the Asus Zenfone Go.
Last year ASUS released the Asus Zenfone Go (ZC500TG) and (ZC451TG). You may find it difficult to remember the versions, but it is important that you do because they have different key features.
What are the new features of the 2016 version? Compared to the top smartphones within the same price range, is it worth it? Well, Let’s find out.
Device Type: Smartphone
Display: 5.0 inches (720 x 1280 pixels)
Camera: 8MP (1080p)
Hardware: Snapdragon 410, Quad-core 1.2 GHz, 2GB RAM
Battery: 2500 mAh
Price: US$ 120
New Features that are Not in the 2015 Versions
The Asus Zenfone Go (T500) packs a Snapdragon 410 chipset while the 2015 versions (ZC500TG and ZC451TG) have Mediatek chipset inside.
Is the Snapdragon 410 chipset better than the Mediatek chipset in the previous versions?
Yes. Although this Snapdragon chipset was released in 2014, it has more advantages compared to the Mediatek chipset which was released in 2015.
First, the new chipset allows LTE connection with LTE band 3 (1800) and 40 (2300). You may want to check your location and network provider if you can use this LTE bands to maximize the use of this fast-speed connection.
I always prefer LTE phones over 3G phones because I like to stream videos and download files from the internet. In my location, an LTE connection can go as high as six (6) times the speed of my 3G connection.
Second, it allows the use of the GLONASS feature. GLONASS stands for Global Navigation Satellite System which is Russia’s version of the GPS of the USA. GLONASS and GPS are both useful when navigating with Google Maps. You may be using it while driving to know your real-time position and the roads where you need to turn.
GLONASS allows connection to at least 24 of Russia’s satellites covering the earth while GPS has about 31 satellites. With about 55 satellites helping you to locate your location, you will definitely get more accurate positioning compared to the older versions of Asus Zenfone Go which can only use GPS.
Third, the new chipset is a 64-bit mobile system, unlike the 32-bit Mediatek chipset of the older versions. A 64-bit mobile system is more energy efficient and much, much faster, with increased security for mobile wallets.
Most apps today and in the future will also be optimized for a 64-bit platform so this is a big advantage for the new version.
Fourth, the chipset will include an Andreno 306 graphics processor which is capable of handling Application Programming Interfaces (API) such as OpenCL and OpenGL ES 3.0. These APIs are commonly used by application developers to improve visualizations of games and other applications.
So expect better graphics than the older versions.
When it comes to battery life, the 2016 version has a 2500 mAh battery capacity which is 20% to 50% larger compared to the two 2015 versions. If the oldest 2015 version can last up to 11 hours of talk time (3G), we can safely assume that the latest version can last up to 15 hours of talk time (3G).
This increase in battery capacity contributed to the additional weight of the latest version. It weighs 153 g while the 2015 versions only weigh about 135 g. Despite the slight increase in weight, all versions are about 10 mm thick.
Another advantage of the Asus Zenfone Go T500 is the 5MP front camera which is a lot better than the older versions’ 2MP and VGA camera.
Similarities with the Previous Versions
The Asus Zenfone Go T500 has the same 5-inch HD display with IPS LCD technology. IPS LCD is the same display technology in the LG G5, the latest flagship smartphone from LG. It has better viewing angles compared to a TFT display technology.
The sharpness of the display also remains the same. With 294 ppi pixel density, the sharpness is almost close to an iPhone with Retina display (326 ppi). I really prefer phones with sharper displays. This level of display sharpness is definitely worth its price.
The rear camera is still at 8MP with LED flash that can record Full HD videos.
Other similar features that you will also like are Wi-Fi connectivity, hotspot, FM radio, removable battery, proximity sensor, acceleration sensor, use of microUSB 2.0, and Bluetooth (4.0) to connect to wireless speakers and headsets.
There are two areas where the older versions are better.
First, the internal memory of the new version is 16GB which can be expanded up to 32GB using a microSD card. The older versions are available in both 8GB and 16GB and can use a 64GB microSD card. The decrease in microSD card capacity is what I don’t like in the new version.
Second, the latest version is only currently available in two colors: black and white. The older versions have red, blue, and pink color choices aside from the two said colors.
Comparison with Other Brands within the Same Price Range
We will be comparing the Asus Zenfone Go (T500) with the Top Smartphones Under US$ 150 to check if its features are the best you can get within that budget.
Like the top smartphones below US$ 150, the 32GB microSD card is a normal feature. So I shouldn’t be disappointed after all with the microSD size I guess.
The display resolution of the top smartphones are also in HD quality with sharpness ranging from 258 ppi to 312 ppi. That’s not far from the 294 ppi of the Asus Zenfone Go T500 version.
The chipset of the top smartphones run a Snapdragon 400 to 410 with Quad-core 1.2 GHz to 1.3GHz. So the processing power of our subject smartphone is really one of the best you can get.
When it comes to RAM, the top smartphones only have 1GB while the Asus Zenfone Go (T500) comes in 2GB. That’s twice the memory or twice the performance when multitasking.
The top 5 smartphones also have an 8GB rear camera and 5MP front camera. The battery capacity ranges from 2070 mAh to 2540 mAh. So when it comes to camera and battery capacity, it is also one of the best.
The top smartphones are also LTE capable but most of them do not have a GLONASS feature.
Conclusion
The ASUS Zenfone Go T500 is a new version of the two Asus Zenfone Go versions that were released in 2015. Compared to the older versions, it has a better chipset which allows new features such as LTE connection, 64-bit processing, GLONASS, and better graphics.
When compared with the top smartphones within the same price range, the ASUS Zenfone Go T500 proves that its features are definitely worth its value price.
It can compete or even surpass the current top smartphones when it comes to display, processing power, camera, and battery capacity. This smartphone is definitely worth your money.
