Asus ZenFone 2 Official Price in the Philippines Starts at Php 7,995 : Unboxing the Complete Retail Package

Asus ZenFone 2 has just been officially launched in the Philippines via a grand consumer event held at the World Trade Center in Pasay City that attracted Asus fans from across the archipelago. The local release of this much anticipated handset happened exactly 26 days following its announcement in South East Asia, which I was fortunate enough to have witnessed in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The Philippines gets four official models of the Asus ZenFone 2 with prices ranging from Php 7,995 all the way to Php 14,995. All of these variants are now available nationwide through the Taiwanese brand's concept stores and retail partners:

ZE500CL 16GB HD / 2GB RAM / 1.6 GHz Dual Core 32-bit Intel Atom Z2560 - Php 7,995
ZE551ML 16GB Full HD / 2GB RAM / 1.8 GHz Quad Core 64-bit Intel Atom Z3560 - Php 9,995
ZE551ML 32GB Full HD / 4GB RAM / 2.3 GHz Quad Core 64-bit Intel Atom Z3580 - Php 13,995
ZE551ML 64GB Full HD / 4GB RAM / 2.3 GHz Quad Core 64-bit Intel Atom Z3580 - Php 14,995

I have here the standard retail package of ZE551ML Full HD 32GB with 4GB RAM model, which I personally own. Let's do a quick unboxing.

The Asus ZenFone 2 comes with a simple box with grey outer sleeve showing the image of the phone and as well as its key technical specifications. The device runs on an Intel processor hence the logo of the chipset maker on the side.

There are circular windows on one of the sides of box, each showing a main selling point of the top-level release.

The standard retail package includes the unit itself, the travel charger, in-ear headphones with extra silicone buds, microUSB to USB connector cable, user manual and warranty certificate.

The phone is wrapped in plastic to protect it during shipment. This wrapper also serves as sort of an info-sheet giving you six of the phone's key features. namely, the 13 MegaPixel PixelMaster autofocus main camera with stellar low-light performance, the 5.5-inch IPS OGS Full HD display, the 64-bit Quad Core Intel Atom Z3580 processor, ZenUI interface on top of Android 5.0 Lollipop operating system, Dual microSIM Dual Standby capability, and 4G LTE support.

The curved back cover of ZenFone 2 with 'brushed metal look' is made of plastic and is removable. The camera module features a Dual-Tone LED flash and the volume rocker - which is made of metal - is found below that.

There are no buttons on the sides of the handset giving it a more sleek look.

The microUSB port for charging it and connecting it to a computer is found at the rear of the device.

Now, let's take a look at the individual accessories and peripherals.

The warranty card guarantees after-sales support for this flagship release.

The microUSB to USB connector cable

The travel charger

The headphones with in-ear silicone buds also has a microphone so you can use it for making calls.

The Asus ZenFone 2 has a non-removable 3,000 Li-Po battery, which helps give the phone a lighter and more svelte design and construction.

"Building on the success of ZenFone and leveraging a quarter-century of engineering accomplishments, the highly-anticipated ZenFone 2 provides a wealth of exciting new features and a refined ASUS ZenUI experience to deliver a new level of empowering luxury to everyone," Asus shares.

"ZenFone 2 has a gorgeous, all-new design that employs iconic Zen design elements, such as a sleek, brushed-metal finish and concentric-circle detailing, and introduces new refinements, including a graceful curved case that tapers to an incredibly thin 3.9 mm at the edges. The case provides a comfortable, secure grip, and features an intuitively-placed volume control key on the rear of the phone within easy reach of the user's index finger. This phablet's 5.5-inch Full HD IPS+ screen has an ultra-narrow bezel that reduces ZenFone 2's overall size yet provides a maximized viewing experience," the Taiwanese company adds.

TechPinas Smartphone Technical Specs Table (TSTST)
Name	Asus Zenfone 2
Type	Slate Form Factor (Full Touchscreen)
Price Category	Midrange
Dimensions	152.5 x 77.2 x 10.9 mm
Weight	170 grams
Available Colors	Osmium Black, Sheer Gold, Glacier Gray, Glamor Red, Ceramic White
Operating System	Android 5.0 Lollipop with Zen UI
Display	ZE551ML: 5.5 inches (~403 ppi pixel density), 1080 x 1920 pixels, IPS+, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors, Gorilla Glass 3 ZE500CL: 5 inches (~267 ppi pixel density) 720 x 1280 pixels, IPS+, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors, Gorilla Glass 3
Processor	ZE551ML 16GB version: Quad Core 64-bit 1.8 GHz Intel Atom Z3560 chipset with PowerVR G6430 GPU ZE551ML 32GB and 64GB versions: Quad Core 64-bit 2.3 GHz Intel Atom Z3580 chipset with PowerVR G6430 GPU ZE500CL 16GB version: Dual Core 32-bit 1.6 GHz Intel Atom Z2560
RAM	16GB version: 2 GB of RAM 32GB and 64GB version: 4 GB of RAM
Internal Storage	16GB/32GB/64GB options, expandable via microSD card slot supporting up to 64GB
Camera	ZE551ML Main: 13 MegaPixels, 4208 x 3120 pixels, autofocus, Dual Tone LED flash Front: 5 MegaPixels ZE500CL Main: 8 MegaPixels 3264 x 2448 pixels, autofocus, Dual Tone LED flash Front: 2 MegaPixels
Video Capture	Full HD 1080p 30 frames per second for main camera, HD for front camera (TBC)
Audio and Video Playback	MP3, WAV, eAAC+, FLAC, MP4, H.264
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 HSDPA, 21 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps, HSPA+; LTE Cat4, NFC
GPS	Yes, with GLONASS and A-GPS
FM Radio	Yes
Sensors	Accelerometer, Digital Compass, Proximity Gyroscope
Network	2G GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 and SIM 2, 3G HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100, 4G LTE 700 / 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 / 2600 (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 17, 18, 19, 20, 28, 29), TD-LTE 1900 / 2300 / 2500 / 2600 (Bands 38, 39, 40, 41)
SIM Card Type	Dual microSIM, Dual Standby
Battery	ZE551ML: Non-removable 3,000 mAh Li-Po battery ZE500CL: Non-removable 2,500 mAh Li-Po battery
Uptime	TBD
Value-Added Features	Zen UI, PixelMaster camera, Affordable price tag; Top-notch specs, Fast Charging
Announcement	CES 2015 ~ January 6, 2015 South East Asia ~ April 22, 2015 Philippines ~ May 15, 2015
Availability	Philippines: May 16, 2015
Price	Official SRPs in the Philippines ~ 16 GB with 1.6 GHz Dual Core Intel Atom Z2560 chipset and HD Display ~ ZE500CL : Php 7,995 16 GB with 1.8 GHz Quad Core 64-bit Intel Atom Z3560 chipset ~ ZE551ML: Php 9,995 32 GB with 2.3 GHz Quad Core 64-bit Intel Atom Z3580 chipset ~ ZE551ML : Php 13,995 64 GB with 2.3 GHz Quad Core 64-bit Intel Atom Z3580 chipset ~ ZE551ML : Php 14,995