Asus ZenFone 5 Lite Philippines Price Php 5,595, Specs, Antutu Benchmark Score, Features, In the Flesh Photos

Asus' ZenFone line has been tremendously successful in the Philippines ever since it hit the market middle of last year -- so it's no surprise that the Taiwanese company is continuing to release even more models in the country under the same handset series.

Asus ZenFone 5 Lite, Asus ZenFone 5 Lite Philippines

Asus ZenFone 5 Lite - as its very name suggests - is a less powerful version of the best-selling and very popular TechPinas Badge of Excellence Awardee Asus ZenFone 5.

Asus ZenFone 5 Lite, Asus ZenFone 5 Lite Philippines

But just how 'less powerful' is 'less powerful'? Not by much, apparently. And there are even areas where the Lite variant is seemingly better than the regular version.

Asus ZenFone 5 Lite, Asus ZenFone 5 Lite Philippines

In terms of design, Lite looks almost the same as the more expensive Asus Zenfone 5, flaunting the same metallic embellishment and sheen -- but it's available in only three color options (Cherry Red, Charcoal Black, Pearl White) versus five on the more pricey version (additional Champagne Gold, Twilight Purple).

Asus ZenFone 5 Lite, Asus ZenFone 5 Lite Philippines
If you ask me, I think Asus ZenFone 5 Lite looks far more expensive than it actually is, which is always a good thing. Kudos to Asus, really.

Asus ZenFone 5 Lite, Asus ZenFone 5 Lite Philippines

As for technical specifications, compared to the regular variant, Lite has a lower resolution (albeit similarly sized) 5-inch qHD IPS display, less powerful processor, less RAM, lower resolution VGA front facing cam, but - interestingly enough - a larger 2,500 mAh battery pack. You can say it's a mixed bag.

Asus ZenFone 5 Lite, Asus ZenFone 5 Lite Philippines

Talking about the specifics of the innards, Asus Zenfone 5 Lite runs its Zen-UI-skinned Android 4.4.2 KitKat operating system with a Dual Core 1.2 GHz Intel Atom Z2520 with Hyperthreading, has 1 GB of RAM for multitasking, and 8 GB of expandable of storage.

Asus ZenFone 5 Lite, Asus ZenFone 5 Lite Philippines
These internal specifications combine to give Asus ZenFone 5 Lite an Antutu Benchmark Score in the area of 18,384. It's not really all that high but it's not terrible for smartphone with such an affordable price tag. I've played with this phone and I'd say that the touch response and screen transitions are quite smooth -- not as great as on the regular version but definitely not horrible.

Asus ZenFone 5 Lite, Asus ZenFone 5 Lite Philippines

One major advantage of this handset versus other smartphones (especially those by local companies) in the same price echelon but with higher specs is its 8 MegaPixel camera with PixelMaster technology that greatly enhances its low light capabilities and performance. Expect this phone to give you rather bright and clear shots even when there's very little ambient light available.

Asus ZenFone 5 Lite, Asus ZenFone 5 Lite Philippines

Dual SIM 3G-enabled Asus ZenFone 5 Lite is now available at all Asus Concept Stores and retail partners nationwide. You can get it for only Php 5,595 -- making it one of the most affordable 5-inch Android smartphones by an international electronics company that's out in the Philippine market.

TechPinas Smartphone Technical Specs Table (TSTST)
Name Asus ZenFone 5 Lite
Type Slate Form Factor (Full Touchscreen)
Price Category Midrange
Dimensions148.2 x 72.8 x 10.8 mm
Weight 160 grams
Available Colors Cherry Red, Charcoal Black, Pearl White
Operating System Android 4.4.2 KitKat with Zen UI
Display 5.0 inches (~63.9% screen-to-body ratio), qHD 540 x 960 pixels (~220 ppi pixel density), IPS LCD, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors, Oleophobic Coating
Processor Dual Core 1.2 GHz Intel Atom Z2520 with Hyperthreading
RAM 1 GB RAM
Internal Storage 8 GB, expandable via microSD card slot supporting up to 64 GB
Camera Main: 8 MegaPixels, 3264 x 2448 pixels, autofocus, LED flash, PixelMaster (4x Brightness)
Front: VGA
Video Capture Full HD 1080p 30 frames per second for main camera, VGA for front camera
Audio and Video Playback MP3, WAV, eAAC+, MP4, H.264, H.263 player
Ports microUSB v2.0, 3.5 mm audio jack
Connectivity Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth v4.0 with A2DP, EDR, 3G HSPA+, HSDPA, 42.2 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps
GPS Yes, with GLONASS and A-GPS
Sensors Accelerometer, Proximity
Network 2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900, 3G Network HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100
SIM Card Type Dual microSIM
Battery Non-removable Li-Po 2,500 mAh battery
Uptime 242 Hours of Standby
21 Hours 40 Minutes of Talk Time
Value-Added Features Asus Zen UI, PixelMaster
Announcement Philippines: November 2014
Availability Philippines: November 2014
Price Official: Php 5,595