Asus Zenfone 2: How does the 'world's first 4GB RAM phone' measure against Xiaomi Mi 4, OnePlus One?

New Delhi: While smartphone makers can be seen fiercely competing in the low-end and high-end segments of the smartphone market, they seem to be paying little heed to the mid-range section. Not that there is a dearth of phones in the Rs 18K-23K phones, but there is, indeed, a scarcity of value-for-money devices in that bracket. And this is where new entrants are stepping in to cash in on the relatively less-exploited layer of the Indian smartphone market.

Chinese tech giants Xiaomi and OnePlus, which forayed into the Indian market last year, have already successfully created a niche for themselves by placing their top-of-the-line offerings (Mi 4 and OnePlus One) in the mid-range category, it's time for Asus, that entered the Indian smartphone market 9 months ago, to put its money in, what we see as the yet-to-be-fully-explored section of the Indian phone market.

Asus, which made users drooling over the Rs 9,999 Zenfone 5 last year, is now all set to launch its new warrior - the Zenfone 2 - to compete with the likes of Mi 4 and OnePlus One. While the phone is slated to be released in three variants, we expect its high-end model to be priced close to Rs 20,000. While the price tag would make it a worthy contender to the Mi 4, HTC Desire 820 and OnePlus, its exclusivity of being "the world's first 4GB RAM smartphone" is likely to give it an edge over its rivals.

We got to take an early look at the phone at a media preview last week. As you unbox the Zenfone 2, you will find a couple of design elements that give it extra points in scoring above the flat design of the Mi 4. The most noticeable of them is the volume key positioned at the back. In what appears to be very obvious, Asus has aped LG in positioning volume controls at the back of the Zenfone 2 and this does add to the convenience of using the phone. Also, the Zenfone 2's removable plastic rear panel has a brushed-metal finish that gives it a premium look. Adorning the phone is the company's signature concentric circle finish at the lower-end block of the front panel.

The Zenfone 2 comes with a slightly larger display when compared to its potential rivals. Measuring 5.5-inch, the phone may appear to be very wide in the first look but its curved back and rounded edges give this gigantic phone a good grip and comfortable handling. Despite being so monstrous, it easily rests in one hand.

Its 13-megapixel shooter camera appears to be capable of giving the Mi 4 and OnePlus One a tough fight. We, so far, have got to test the Zenfone 2's camera in low-light and are yet to pit it against the competition. With its low-light mode on, the phone's 13-megapixel shooter could be a good companion for capturing selfies and group pictures in a bar or other low-light areas.

Another point that could make the upcoming Zenfone 2 in mid-range category a favourable choice is its ability to expand the memory with the help of a microSD card. The phone lets users add a microSD card of up to 64GB. At its heart is an Intel 64-bit quad-core processor paired with 4 GB of RAM.

The Zenfone 2 is scheduled to be launched in India on April 23. Slated to be released in three models, the phone will come at different price points, and as already mentioned, the high-end model is expected to be priced close to Rs 20,000. It will be available in India in five colours - Black, Silver, Red, Gold, White. "The high-end mode, however, will be available in only first four colours," said Asus India country manager Peter Chang.

How well does the Asus Zenfone 2 stand up against the competition? Stay tuned for our detailed review.