There’s a massive array of smartphones available and two that have just arrived for the Indian market come from Asus and Xiaomi. Today we have an Asus Zenfone 5 vs. Xiaomi Mi3 specs showdown for India.
The Zenfone 5 released in April and was launched for India earlier this month, while the Xiaomi Mi3 originally released in December last year but also arrived for India this month. These are both Android smartphones, with the Zenfone 5 being dual SIM and the Xiaomi Mi3 being a single SIM handset.
We’ll give you a specs breakdown so that you can see what they have to offer and how they compare. It’s worth noting that we’re comparing the 16GB versions of each model as these are similarly priced and both available for India.
Processors
The Zenfone 5 has a 1.6GHz Intel Atom Z2560 dual-core processor and PowerVR SGX544MP2 graphics. The Xiaomi Mi 3 is powered by a 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor with Adreno 330 GPU.
Display
The Zenfone 5 has a 5-inch IPS display with resolution of 1280 x 720 and 294 ppi, and the Xiaomi Mi3 has a 5-inch IPS LCD display with resolution of 1920 x 1080 and 441 ppi.
RAM and Storage
There’s 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage (expandable via microSD to 64GB via microSD) for the Zenfone 5. On the other hand the Xiaomi Mi3 has 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage, but this is non-expandable.
Camera set-up
The Zenfone 5 has an 8-megapixel rear camera with autofocus, LED flash, and 1080p video capture, as well as a 2-megapixel front-facing unit. The Xiaomi Mi3 has a 13-megapixel rear camera with autofocus, dual-LED flash, and 1080p video recording capability. It also has a 2-megapixel front-facing camera.
Battery
The Zenfone 5 has a 2110 mAh battery while the Xiaomi Mi3 has a 3050 mAh battery. Both are non-removable.
Connectivity
The Zenfone 5 supports 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPRS, EDGE, and microUSB 2.0. The Xiaomi Mi3 supports 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPRS, EDGE and microUSB 2.0. However it also offers NFC and microUSB OTG (on-the-go).
Operating System
Both phones run Android 4.3 Jelly Bean upgradable to 4.4.2 KitKat, and the Zenfone 5 runs the Zen UI while the Xiaomi Mi3 is skinned with MIUI v5.
Dimensions and Weight
The Zenfone 5 measures 148.2mm x 72.8mm x 10.34mm and weighs 145g. The Mi3 measure 144mm x 73.6mm x 8.1mm and also weighs 145g.
Price
The Zenfone 5 16GB model launched in India at Rs. 13,999 but can now be found for around Rs, 12,500 depending on retailer. The Xiaomi Mi3 launched for Rs. 14,999 but we’ve seen it on sale for around Rs. 13,999.
We haven’t considered the designs of these handsets here, as this is very much down to personal taste. However, from specs alone it appears the Xiaomi Mi3 has it pretty much wrapped up. It has a better processor, higher resolution display, improved camera capabilities, a higher battery capacity, NFC, USB OTG, and is a slimmer device.
However the Asus Zenfone 5 benefits from expandable storage, a slightly lower price tag, and is a dual SIM handset, and if you don’t want to pay more for the Xiaomi Mi3 the Asus phone still has plenty to offer. Are you more likely to buy the Asus Zenfone 5 or the Xiaomi Mi3?