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NEW YORK—Asus had something for just about every technology enthusiast at its Zenvolution event here on Oct. 5, including four new ZenFone 3 smartphones, a new ZenBook 3 premium notebook, two new Transformer 3 tablets, a new ZenWatch 3 and its latest ZenPad tablet.
For Asus, the latest hardware starts with its ZenFone 3 smartphones, which are being offered in four GSM models: the ZenFone 3 Deluxe 5.7 Special Edition, the ZenFone 3 Deluxe 5.7, the ZenFone 3 Deluxe 5.5 and the ZenFone 3 Laser. The latest ZenFones are built on previous models from the company.
Both 5.7-inch ZenFone 3 Deluxe models are built on a slim all-metal unibody chassis and include full HD AMOLED displays, 6GB of memory, Corning Gorilla Glass 4 cover glass, quick charging, 23-megapixel main rear cameras with optical image stabilization and electronic image stabilization, and 8-megapixel front-facing cameras.
The ZenFone 3 Deluxe 5.7 Special Edition runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor and includes 256GB of built-in storage, while the ZenFone 3 Deluxe 5.7 uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor and includes 64GB of storage.
The ZenFone 3 Deluxe 5.7 Special Edition will be available at the end of October for $799 through the Asus Store, while the ZenFone 3 Deluxe 5.7 can be preordered immediately for $499 through Asus and selected retailers. The Special Edition will be available in Glacier Silver and Sand Gold, while the Deluxe will be available in Glacier Silver.
The ZenFone 3 Deluxe 5.5-inch handset (pictured) also boasts an all-metal unibody and features a full HD IPS display with Corning Gorilla Glass 4, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor, 4GB of memory and 64GB of onboard storage. Also included are a 16-megapixel rear-facing main camera, an 8-megapixel front-facing camera, quick charging and 4K video recording with stabilization. The Deluxe 5.5 will sell for $399 and is available immediately for preorder.
The ZenFone 3 Laser handset features a 5.5-inch full HD display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 octa-core 64-bit processor, 2GB of memory, 32GB of onboard storage, a 13-megapixel main camera with laser focus and 4K video recording capabilities, and an 8-megapixel front-facing camera. The phone will sell for $199 and is available immediately for preorder.
All four of the ZenFone 3 handsets include the ZenUI 3.0 Android operating system, fingerprint scanners for security, dual SIM card slots and microSD card support for storage cards of up to 128GB.
ZenBook 3
The new ZenBook 3 notebook includes a choice of 7th-generation Intel Core i7-7500U or i5-7200U processors and is equipped with a 12.5-inch LED backlit full HD display.
The Core i7-equipped machine includes 16GB of LPDDR3 2,133MHz memory and a 512GB PCIe SSD drive and runs on Microsoft Windows 10 Pro, while the Core i5 model features 8GB of LPDDR3 1,866MHz memory and a 256GB SATA SSD drive and runs on Windows 10 Home.
Both ZenBook 3 models are 11.65 inches wide, 7.53 inches high, 0.47 inches thick and weigh about 2 pounds. They both include a USB 3.1 Type-C port and come with an Asus Mini Dock that features a USB port, a USB-C port and an HDMI port. Also included is a four-speaker Harmon Kardon audio system, an edge-to-edge display and a Corning Gorilla Glass 4 display cover.
The ZenBook 3 is available now and sells for $1,599 for the Core i7 model and $1,099 for the Core i5 model.
ZenWatch 3
The company’s latest smartwatch, the ZenWatch 3, features Asus’ first round display—a 1.39-inch AMOLED screen (400-by-400 resolution) on a watch body made from jewelry-grade 316L stainless steel. The ZenWatch 3 includes a Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 processor, 512MB of LDDR3 memory, 4GB of onboard eMMC flash storage and a 340mAh battery that can quick-charge to a 60 percent charge in 15 minutes.
The smartwatch meets IP67 dirt-, dust- and water-resistance standards and comes in Silver, Gunmetal and Rose Gold color options. The watch has three control buttons for various operations and will sell for $229 when it becomes available in early November.
Asus Unveils Its Latest Smartphones, ZenBook 3 Notebook, Tablets
Transformer 3 Pro Tablet
The Asus Transformer 3 Pro is an all-metal two-in-one device that features a 12.6-inch 3K (2,880-by-1920) anti-glare touch-screen display, an Intel Core i7 6500U processor, 16GB of 2,133MHz memory, a 512GB PCIEx4 SSD drive and a backlit detachable keyboard.
It also includes an Asus Pen stylus that can sense 1,024 different levels of pressure and stereo speakers that are tuned by Harmon Kardon. The Transformer 3 Pro sells for $1,499 and is available immediately at Costco.
Transformer 3 Mini
The smaller Asus Transformer 3 Mini two-in-one tablet includes a 10.1-inch touch screen, an Intel Core x5-8350 processor, 4GB of memory, 128GB of eMMC onboard storage and a rear fingerprint reader for security. An Asus Pen stylus is also included.
The Transformer 3 Mini will sell for $399 and will be available in late October through the Asus Store and leading retailers.
ZenPad 3S 10
Also unveiled was the ZenPad 3S 10 tablet, which includes a 9.7-inch QXGA (2,048-by-1,536) high-resolution display, a MediaTek 8176 hexa-core processor, 4GB of memory, 64GB of onboard eMMC storage, an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera, a 5-megapixel front-facing camera and dual front speakers.
The tablet sells for $299 and will be available in early November.