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Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL Smartphone Review

Late luxury. Asus' latest ZenFone 3 Deluxe flagship smartphone will also be available on the European market soon. With Qualcomm's current premium SoC, a high-resolution 23-megapixel camera, and a large 5.7-inch AMOLED panel, the handset features some technological highlights. But how will it fare in the test compared with other equally first-rate competitors?
Asus Zenfone 3 Deluxe

For the original German review, see here.

The ZenFone 3 Deluxe was introduced in May 2016 and has been available in Asia for about 6 months. It was the first device based on a Snapdragon 821 SoC at the time of its debut there. Today there are many competitive devices that are also equipped with this premium-range processor. Now, the smartphone is officially being launched in Europe. Its configuration makes it obvious that it is a flagship: Our review sample comes with a generous 128 GB of UFS 2.0 flash memory and 6 GB of RAM. The especially high-resolution 23-megapixel primary camera and a large 5.7-inch AMOLED panel are further features. The ZenFone 3 Deluxe will be available in Glacier Silver and Sand Gold at a starting price of 799 Euros (~$840).

The high-price and the incorporated high-end technology only allow using the premium models of competing manufacturers for comparison. Among them, we find the Android smartphones Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, the Lenovo Moto Z and the Google Pixel XL with a 5.5-inch screen. However, the review sample also has to compete against the compact Huawei Mate 9 phablet with a 5.9-inch screen. Non-Android rivals fighting for the smartphone crown are found in Apple's iPhone 7 Plus and Microsoft's Lumia 950 XL.

Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL (Zenfone Series)
Processor
Graphics adapter
Memory
6 GB 
, LPDDR4
Display
5.70 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 386 PPI, capacitive touchscreen, AMOLED, Gorilla Glass 4, glossy: yes
Storage
128 GB UFS 2.0 Flash, 128 GB 
, 109 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm headset jack, Card Reader: micro-SD max. 2 TB, 1 Fingerprint Reader, NFC, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: accelerometer, gyroscope, electronic compass, proximity sensor, Hall sensor, RGB sensor, IR sensor, USB-OTG, WiFi Direct, Miracast, FM radio
Networking
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.2, 2G (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz), 3G (bands: 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 19, 34, 39, BC0), 4G (bands: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40, 41) DL Cat 12/13, UL Cat 11, SAR (head): 0.663 W/kg, SAR (body): 0.970 W/kg, Dual SIM, LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 7.5 x 156.4 x 77.4 ( = 0.3 x 6.16 x 3.05 in)
Battery
3000 mAh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Camera
Primary Camera: 23 MPix (autofocus f/2.0, 2160p video @30 FPS, Sony IMX318)
Secondary Camera: 8 MPix (fix-focus f/2.0, 1080p video @30 FPS, 84° wide angle)
Additional features
Speakers: mono speaker lower edge, Keyboard: virtual, 18-watt power supply with USB Type-C cable (2.0), in-ear headset, ZenUI 3.0, Facebook, Instagram, Puffin, TripAdvisor, 12 Months Warranty, fanless
Weight
172 g ( = 6.07 oz / 0.38 pounds), Power Supply: 92 g ( = 3.25 oz / 0.2 pounds)
Price
799 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

Asus is particularly proud of the ZenFone 3 Deluxe's aluminum casing that is not - as in most rivals - interrupted by antenna strips. They are only visible as three matte points in the milled edge around the front, covered by Gorilla Glass 4. The silver color of our review sample looks like champagne depending on the light angle. With a width of 156.4 millimeters (~6.2 in) and length of 77.4 millimeters (~3 in), it is not much bigger than Apple's iPhone 7 Plus or Lenovo's Moto Z with a 5.5-inch screen, despite its 5.7-inch panel. However, Huawei's Mate 9 scores with even more screen surface with similar dimensions. The review sample's maximum height of 7.7 millimeters (~0.3 in) corresponds roughly to Asus specifications (4.2 to 7.5 millimeters/~0.17 to ~0.3 in). The camera lens protrudes by approximately one millimeter (~0.04 in) and thus the smartphone rocks a little when placed on a table. Asus' minimum specification of 4.2 millimeters (~0.17 in) only applies to the outermost area between both glossy diamond cut edges and is thus not significant for everyday handling. With a weight of 161 grams (~5.7 oz), our review sample is even 11 grams (~0.4 oz) lighter than stated in the specification sheet. Furthermore, the handset gives the impression that it has been made of one piece: The smartphone absolutely defies twisting attempts and moderate pressure on both the front and the back.

The build quality does not leave much room for complaint either. All edges have been impeccably smooth, the materials feel high-quality, and the gaps between the different parts are narrow. Only the lateral buttons clatter somewhat when touched lightly. Apart from the removable card tray on the casing's left, there are no maintenance options and the user cannot replace the battery easily.

Front view of the ZenFone 3 Deluxe (with card slot)
Front view of the ZenFone 3 Deluxe (with card slot)
Front view of the ZenFone 3 Deluxe
Front view of the ZenFone 3 Deluxe
Rear view of the ZenFone 3 Deluxe
Rear view of the ZenFone 3 Deluxe
Packaging of the ZenFone 3 Deluxe
Card slot of the ZenFone 3 Deluxe
Headset included
18-watt power supply

Size Comparison

158.2 mm / 6.23 inch 77.9 mm / 3.07 inch 7.3 mm / 0.2874 inch 188 g0.4145 lbs156.9 mm / 6.18 inch 78.9 mm / 3.11 inch 7.9 mm / 0.311 inch 192 g0.4233 lbs156.4 mm / 6.16 inch 77.4 mm / 3.05 inch 7.5 mm / 0.2953 inch 172 g0.3792 lbs154.7 mm / 6.09 inch 75.7 mm / 2.98 inch 8.5 mm / 0.3346 inch 168 g0.3704 lbs155.3 mm / 6.11 inch 75.3 mm / 2.96 inch 5.19 mm / 0.2043 inch 136 g0.2998 lbs151.9 mm / 5.98 inch 78.4 mm / 3.09 inch 8.3 mm / 0.3268 inch 165 g0.3638 lbs150.9 mm / 5.94 inch 72.6 mm / 2.86 inch 7.7 mm / 0.3031 inch 157 g0.3461 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs

Connectivity

The generous 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage make it obvious that the ZenFone 3 Deluxe is a premium-range smartphone. However, the operating system and preloaded applications occupy a large part of the latter, and the user ultimately has only 109 GB available. It is possible to insert a microSD card with the current maximum capacity of 256 GB that should provide more storage should it be needed (theoretically up to 2 TB). It cannot be formatted as internal storage and thus apps cannot be installed on it. Furthermore, this blocks the dual-SIM function since the microSD card slot shares the space with the second SIM slot.

A reversible USB Type-C is installed for recharging the battery and sharing data. While the ZenFone 3 Deluxe supposedly supports USB 3.0 according to some specification sheets, only 2.0 speeds were possible with our review sample. Although a USB 2.0 cable is included, no more than 35 MB/s could be transferred even with a USB 3.0 cable. It is nice that USB OTG is supported, which allows  direct attachment of peripherals and flash drives or keyboards. Furthermore, the ZenFone 3 Deluxe supports video output via DLNA and Miracast. Wi-Fi Direct, NFC, and Bluetooth 4.2 are available for wireless data sharing. An FM radio is also installed.

An Always-On display and the notification LED allow the user to see information at a glance. However, the latter only lights up in orange and green. Configuration options are not available.

Upper edge: 3.5-mm headset jack
Upper edge: 3.5-mm headset jack
Lower edge: Microphone, USB Type-C port, speaker
Lower edge: Microphone, USB Type-C port, speaker
Left: Microphone, card slot
Left: Microphone, card slot
Right: Power button, volume control
Right: Power button, volume control

Software

Asus covers Android version 6.0.1 with its adapted user interface ZenUI 3.0. It is not known when or if an update to Android 7, which has already been available for a few months, will follow. Asus had started to deliver the corresponding update for the smaller ZenFone 3 in some regions a few days ago, but the rollout was stopped again shortly afterward. Asus also lags behind with security patches: Our review sample's was dated October 2016 - buyers could expect better support especially for a top model.

ZenUI 3.0 comes with a variety of functions - among them a theme engine that allows adapting the user interface's appearance extensively and quickly. Furthermore, a "Basic" and a "Kid's" mode that limit the smartphone's functions accordingly are installed. 50 items are found in the app drawer ex-factory; among them third-party apps from Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, Puffin, and TripAdvisor. Only the latter two can be uninstalled completely.

Home screen
App drawer
App drawer
App drawer
Overview of recently opened apps
Quick settings and notifications
Basic mode
Kid's mode
Software version

Communication and GPS

5 GHz Wi-Fi: Connection interruption
5 GHz Wi-Fi: Connection interruption

The ZenFone 3 Deluxe supports dual-SIM (1x nano-SIM, 1x micro-SIM). However, the second SIM slot is a hybrid slot that will possibly be occupied by a microSD card. All German mobile network frequencies are supported. Data transmission is possible at up to 600 MBit/s (download) and 100 MBit/s (upload) in the LTE network. However, only the SIM card set up for the data service can dial into them.

The ZenFone 3 Deluxe transmits in the latest Wi-Fi ac standard, and is also equipped with MIMO technology. Thus, gross data speeds of up to 867 MBit/s are possible. However, the connection with our Linksys EA8500 router recurrently was interrupted in the 5 GHz network and we could only perform reliable tests in the 2.4 GHz frequency band. With real transmission rates of 75.5 MBit/s in send and 70.4 MBit/s in receive, the ZenFone 3 Deluxe cannot keep up with other premium-range devices that we tested in the 5 GHz band. Furthermore, we noticed that the 5 GHz Wi-Fi range was not as good as with many other high-end rivals.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Apple iPhone 7
A10 Fusion GPU, A10 Fusion, 128 GB NVMe (Klaus I211)
485 MBit/s +542%
Google Pixel XL 2016
Adreno 530, SD 821, 32 GB eMMC Flash
435 MBit/s +476%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Mali-T880 MP12, Exynos 8890, 32 GB UFS 2.0 Flash
335 MBit/s +344%
OnePlus 3T
Adreno 530, SD 821, 64 GB UFS 2.0 Flash
313 MBit/s +315%
Huawei Mate 9
Mali-G71 MP8, Kirin 960, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
165 MBit/s +119%
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL
Adreno 530, SD 821, 128 GB UFS 2.0 Flash
75.5 MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
Apple iPhone 7
A10 Fusion GPU, A10 Fusion, 128 GB NVMe (Klaus I211)
532 MBit/s +656%
Google Pixel XL 2016
Adreno 530, SD 821, 32 GB eMMC Flash
515 MBit/s +632%
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Mali-T880 MP12, Exynos 8890, 32 GB UFS 2.0 Flash
281 MBit/s +299%
Huawei Mate 9
Mali-G71 MP8, Kirin 960, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
259 MBit/s +268%
OnePlus 3T
Adreno 530, SD 821, 64 GB UFS 2.0 Flash
257 MBit/s +265%
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL
Adreno 530, SD 821, 128 GB UFS 2.0 Flash
70.4 MBit/s
GPS indoors
GPS indoors
GPS outdoors
GPS outdoors

The ZenFone 3 Deluxe located our position with an accuracy of 3 meters (~10 ft) without significant delays outdoors. Indoors, this was at around  10 meters (~33 ft). The GPS, GLONASS, and BeiDou satellite networks are supported. Qualcomm's lZat location service can also be enabled optionally.

As usual, we took the review sample alongside Garmin's Edge 500 GPS system on a bike ride and logged the results. The smartphone does a relatively good job: The outcome of the total route recorded with both devices deviates by less than 2%, making the ZenFone 3 Deluxe quite suitable as a navigation system. In detail - for example, the crossing at the bridge just before the turning point in the west - most smartphones tend to take shortcuts.

Garmin Edge 500 - Route
Garmin Edge 500 - Route
Garmin Edge 500 - Underpass
Garmin Edge 500 - Underpass
Garmin Edge 500 - Turning point
Garmin Edge 500 - Turning point
Asus ZenFone  3 Deluxe - Route
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe - Route
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe - Underpass
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe - Underpass
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe - Turning point
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe - Turning point

Telephone and Call Quality

Keypad
Keypad
Contacts
Contacts

Asus does not use the standard Android phone software. Instead, a proprietary app is installed. It offers the standard features, such as a call list, keypad and direct access to the contact database. In addition, it can be fitted with a dark skin, a different background, and individual fonts to meet personal preferences.

The ZenFone 3 Deluxe convinces with good intelligibility and effective noise suppression during normal calls. However, a moderate background noise could occasionally be heard during the test. The strong speaker ensures decent clarity, even in hands-free mode, but recurrent short interruptions are heard on the contact’s side. The included headset also makes a useful impression: Both sides understand each other impeccably, and again, a slight noise is present only on the contact's side.

Cameras

Webcam photo (click for original)
Webcam photo (click for original)
Primary camera photo (click for original)
Primary camera photo (click for original)

The primary camera in the ZenFone 3 Deluxe has an aperture of f/2.0, optical image stabilizer and a high resolution of 23 megapixels. A laser and phase detection autofocus are used for focusing the picture as fast as possible. In practical use, this intricate system still functioned reliably to a large degree, even under difficult conditions. As our sample photos show (scene 1 & 2), lots of details could be captured with the high-resolution sensor in bright ambient light. However, a slight blurriness can be seen in the outer corners. Furthermore, some image areas present a certain graininess that becomes even more evident in poor light conditions. Smartphones with a lower resolution sensor are often superior to our review sample in low light situations. Asus has a trick up its sleeve, though: This shortcoming is hidden well via a special low-light mode that halves the photo's resolution horizontally and vertically. The opposite is the case in the super-resolution mode: Here, several photos are combined into one photo with twice the horizontal and vertical resolution of the automatic mode. This equates to a high 90.3 megapixels, even though Asus states 92 megapixels. In fact, landscape photos shot in this mode display a few more details. Overall, Asus has installed a primary camera suitable for the premium range. Its strength lies primarily in its high resolution under ideal conditions.

The smartphone's front-facing webcam has an 84-degree wide-angle lens with an aperture of f/2.2 and a resolution of 8 megapixels. This component does not give much reason for complaint: Relatively high-detail selfies can be taken in both good and bad light conditions - although inherently its resolution is lower than that of the primary camera.

The primary camera records videos with a maximum resolution of 3840x2160 pixels at 30 FPS. Videos at 60 frames per second are possible in Full HD quality. It is rather too bad that autofocus is disabled, and thus the touchscreen has to be used for changing the plane of focus. The front-facing camera records Full HD videos that are astonishingly focused for a selfie camera.

Camera app (automatic)
Camera app (automatic)
Camera app (manual)
Camera app (manual)

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

Scene 1Scene 2Scene 3

We compare a photo of X-Rite's ColorChecker Passport taken under defined light conditions with the factual reference colors to evaluate the color accuracy of the primary camera in the ZenFone 3 Deluxe. The photo is not edited afterward, e.g. a manual white balance. It is very obvious that the smartphone displays all colors more strongly and much brighter than they actually are. The latter is also true in the grayscale levels, but fortunately, here a color tint is not visible.

We test the sensor's resolution and reproduction performance by photographing our test chart under defined light conditions. The loss of sharpness at the edges and a visible graininess due to artifacts becomes even more apparent here than in the sample photos.

Screenshot of ColorChecker colors. Original colors are displayed in the lower half of each patch.
Screenshot of ColorChecker colors. Original colors are displayed in the lower half of each patch.
Test photo section
Test photo section
Test photo (click for original)
Test photo (click for original)

Accessories and Warranty

Asus delivers the ZenFone 3 Deluxe in a high-quality, stable box. It contains the smartphone, an 18-watt charger (5V, 2A or 9V, 2A), a USB 2.0 cable, an in-ear headset and a quick start guide. A custom made View Flip Cover is optionally available in black and beige for 49.99 EUR (~$53).

Asus includes a 12-month warranty on the smartphone. Of course, the legal warranty period of two years via the retailer applies within the EU. Please see our Guarantees, Return Policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input Devices and Handling

Gorilla Glass 4 protects the 5.7-inch touchscreen and allows accurate inputting. Quick typing on the proprietary ZenUI keyboard is possible. The keyboard also offers swipe input, makes word suggestions, and the user can customize its size and appearance.

The Android navigation buttons are implemented as backlit touch buttons below the screen in the ZenFone 3 Deluxe. They are very sensitive to the touch and their positioning saves valuable space on the screen compared with on-screen solutions. The smartphone generally responds stutter-free and without delays thanks to its high-end hardware.

It is also possible to use various touch gestures; among them, double-tap to wake and double-tap to sleep, as well as opening apps directly from standby. A finger has to draw a predefined letter on the disabled screen for this.

Obviously, a fingerprint scanner should not be missing in a top model. It is on the smartphone's back and is relatively small. It usually does its job without issues, but not quite as fast as the category leaders. The fingerprint is sometimes identified incorrectly.

Keyboard portrait mode
Keyboard portrait mode
Keyboard landscape mode
Keyboard landscape mode

Display

Subpixel grid
Subpixel grid

Asus has installed a 5.7-inch Super AMOLED panel with diamond matrix into the ZenFone 3 Deluxe. According to the manufacturer, it only needs an extremely narrow bezel. A specification of 1.3 millimeters (~0.05 in) is stated. However, we measured approximately 3.3 millimeters (~0.13 in) between the active screen surface and the outermost edge - not a bad rate, but not outstanding either.

With a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels and a pixel density of 386 PPI, the smartphone does not stand out positively in today's high-end sector - many competitors already use higher resolution QHD panels. Only Huawei's Mate 9 phablet has slightly less to offer here. Nevertheless, individual pixels can hardly be seen away from VR applications. When looking closer, light color fringing can be seen at the edges on single-colored surfaces.

The ZenFone 3 Deluxe achieves an average maximum brightness of 468 cd/m² with the ambient light sensor on a completely white surface. It even climbs up to 619 cd/m² when dark and bright areas are distributed evenly over the screen (average picture level / APL 50). On the other hand, a maximum of only 334 cd/m² is possible when adjusting the screen's brightness manually. These rates place the review sample roughly on par with Lenovo's Moto Z, but overall, cannot quite reach the level of Samsung's Galaxy S7 Edge or Huawei's Mate 9. Furthermore, the screen's illumination of 85% is not as homogeneous as in most rivals, even though this is not visible in practice. The black level is 0 cd/m² thanks to the underlying AMOLED panel technology, and thus high contrasts are achieved.

463
cd/m²
470
cd/m²
509
cd/m²
452
cd/m²
464
cd/m²
493
cd/m²
432
cd/m²
448
cd/m²
485
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 509 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 468.4 cd/m² Minimum: 3.01 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 85 %
Center on Battery: 619 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.2 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 1.4 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
Gamma: 2.27
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL
AMOLED, 1920x1080, 5.70
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Super AMOLED, 2560x1440, 5.50
Lenovo Moto Z
AMOLED, 2560x1440, 5.50
Huawei Mate 9
IPS, 1920x1080, 5.90
Google Pixel XL 2016
AMOLED, 2560x1440, 5.50
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
IPS, 1920x1080, 5.50
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
AMOLED, 2560x1440, 5.70
Screen
Brightness middle
464
554
19%
485
5%
696
50%
402
-13%
557
20%
297
-36%
Brightness
468
552
18%
490
5%
680
45%
408
-13%
553
18%
297
-37%
Brightness Distribution
85
96
13%
92
8%
93
9%
85
0%
97
14%
93
9%
Black Level *
0.42
0.35
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
3.2
1.59
50%
2.1
34%
4.3
-34%
4
-25%
1.4
56%
2.67
17%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
10.5
2.56
76%
5.5
48%
9.4
10%
10.1
4%
3.1
70%
3.98
62%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
1.4
2.01
-44%
2.6
-86%
4.8
-243%
3.2
-129%
1.3
7%
2.81
-101%
Gamma
2.27 97%
2.01 109%
2.23 99%
2.33 94%
2.19 100%
2.21 100%
2.08 106%
CCT
6590 99%
6321 103%
6843 95%
7255 90%
7037 92%
6667 97%
6379 102%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
82.12
88.14
63.1
66.31
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
99.98
100
99.83
99.79
Contrast
1657
1591

* ... smaller is better

Like virtually all AMOLED panels, the ZenFone 3 Deluxe uses PWM technology for controlling the brightness. The amplitude of switching cycles increases the darker the screen's brightness is set. It operates at a frequency of 235.8 Hz, which can cause eye problems or perception of screen flickering in sensitive users.

maximum brightness
maximum brightness
50 % brightness
50 % brightness
minimum brightness
minimum brightness

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM detected 235.8 Hz

The display backlight flickers at 235.8 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) .

The frequency of 235.8 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below.

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 3 ms rise
↘ 5 ms fall
The screen shows fast response rates in our tests and should be suited for gaming.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 16 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
12 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 7 ms rise
↘ 5 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 20 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).
Adapted color temperature
Adapted color temperature

The screen's color reproduction can be adapted via the app "Splendid". Asus sets the color profile to "Super Color" ex-factory. It delivers rich, cool colors and seems to be geared to the AdobeRGB color space. The setting "Standard" is aimed more at the more common sRGB color space and reduces the color saturation visibly. Nevertheless, the color temperature of 7518 K remains clearly over the ideal rate of 6500 K. We could reduce the color temperature to almost ideal 6590 K by pushing the corresponding slider in "Super Color" mode. At the same time, the DeltaE rates also dropped to 3.2 (colors) and 1.4 (grayscale).

Grayscale (Super Color, target color space: sRGB)
Grayscale (Super Color, target color space: sRGB)
ColorChecker (Super Color, target color space: sRGB)
ColorChecker (Super Color, target color space: sRGB)
Saturation Sweeps (Super Color, target color space: sRGB)
Saturation Sweeps (Super Color, target color space: sRGB)
Colorspace (Super Color, target color space: sRGB)
Colorspace (Super Color, target color space: sRGB)
Colorspace (Super Color, target color space: AdobeRGB)
Colorspace (Super Color, target color space: AdobeRGB)
Grayscale (Standard, target color space: sRGB)
Grayscale (Standard, target color space: sRGB)
ColorChecker (Standard, target color space: sRGB)
ColorChecker (Standard, target color space: sRGB)
Saturation Sweeps (Standard, target color space: sRGB)
Saturation Sweeps (Standard, target color space: sRGB)
Grayscale (adapted color temperature, target color space: sRGB)
Grayscale (adapted color temperature, target color space: sRGB)
ColorChecker (adapted color temperature, target color space: AdobeRGB)
ColorChecker (adapted color temperature, target color space: AdobeRGB)

The panel's high contrast also ensures good legibility outdoors. If only the screen could be a little brighter in direct sunlight or heavy reflections so that all contents could be easily recognized.

Outdoors direct sunlight
Outdoors direct sunlight
Outdoors shade
Outdoors shade

As typical for AMOLED, the viewing angle stability is very good. The brightness loss when looking at the screen from flat angles is kept within tight limits, and colors do not invert. Light color fogging is only visible from an almost lateral angle.

Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance

Qualcomm's current premium Snapdragon 821 SoC is inside the ZenFone 3 Deluxe. Two of the quad-core's high-performance Kyro cores clock at a maximum of 2.4 GHz, while the other two clock at a maximum of 1.6 GHz. An Adreno-530-GPU is responsible for calculating graphics.

While the review sample is surprisingly far back in the chart, especially in the Geekbench 4 single and multi-core tests - even the Moto Z with its Snapdragon 820 chip limited to 1.8 GHz is not much worse - only the iPhone can put up a fight for the top position in the AnTuTu benchmark. The ZenFone is particularly impressive in all graphics tests: The combination of the high-performance graphics core and moderate screen resolution pay off visibly here. The subjective system performance is beyond reproach even if Huawei's Mate 9 and Lenovo's Moto Z reaps in approximately 50% more points in the PCMark Work Performance score.

AnTuTu v6 - Total Score (sort by value)
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL
154126 Points
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
128749 Points -16%
Lenovo Moto Z
129197 Points -16%
Huawei Mate 9
124087 Points -19%
Google Pixel XL 2016
138641 Points -10%
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
165399 Points +7%
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
94122 Points -39%
Geekbench 4.0
64 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value)
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL
4045 Points
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
5503 Points +36%
Lenovo Moto Z
3946 Points -2%
Huawei Mate 9
5629 Points +39%
Google Pixel XL 2016
4167 Points +3%
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
5630 Points +39%
64 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value)
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL
1482 Points
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
1840 Points +24%
Lenovo Moto Z
1480 Points 0%
Huawei Mate 9
1947 Points +31%
Google Pixel XL 2016
1513 Points +2%
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
3476 Points +135%
Compute RenderScript Score (sort by value)
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL
7171 Points
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
2805 Points -61%
Lenovo Moto Z
6326 Points -12%
Huawei Mate 9
3191 Points -56%
Google Pixel XL 2016
7047 Points -2%
PCMark for Android - Work performance score (sort by value)
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL
4940 Points
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
4660 Points -6%
Lenovo Moto Z
7637 Points +55%
Huawei Mate 9
7403 Points +50%
Google Pixel XL 2016
4739 Points -4%
BaseMark OS II
Web (sort by value)
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL
1136 Points
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
994 Points -12%
Lenovo Moto Z
959 Points -16%
Huawei Mate 9
1076 Points -5%
Google Pixel XL 2016
977 Points -14%
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
1542 Points +36%
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
837 Points -26%
Graphics (sort by value)
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL
4467 Points
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
2203 Points -51%
Lenovo Moto Z
4321 Points -3%
Huawei Mate 9
3939 Points -12%
Google Pixel XL 2016
5017 Points +12%
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
6875 Points +54%
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
2040 Points -54%
System (sort by value)
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL
3763 Points
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
4080 Points +8%
Lenovo Moto Z
3398 Points -10%
Huawei Mate 9
3616 Points -4%
Google Pixel XL 2016
3889 Points +3%
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
6582 Points +75%
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
1386 Points -63%
Overall (sort by value)
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL
2501 Points
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
2074 Points -17%
Lenovo Moto Z
2356 Points -6%
Huawei Mate 9
2772 Points +11%
Google Pixel XL 2016
2378 Points -5%
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
3097 Points +24%
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
1465 Points -41%
GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7
T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value)
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL
59 fps
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
51 fps -14%
Lenovo Moto Z
53 fps -10%
Huawei Mate 9
60 fps +2%
Google Pixel XL 2016
55 fps -7%
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
57.7 fps -2%
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
18.75 fps -68%
1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value)
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL
96 fps
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
81 fps -16%
Lenovo Moto Z
77 fps -20%
Huawei Mate 9
80 fps -17%
Google Pixel XL 2016
91 fps -5%
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
92 fps -4%
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
27.11 fps -72%
GFXBench 3.0
1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value)
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL
49 fps
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
38 fps -22%
Lenovo Moto Z
41 fps -16%
Huawei Mate 9
34 fps -31%
Google Pixel XL 2016
48 fps -2%
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
58.7 fps +20%
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
17.54 fps -64%
on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value)
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL
48 fps
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
27 fps -44%
Lenovo Moto Z
26 fps -46%
Huawei Mate 9
37 fps -23%
Google Pixel XL 2016
30 fps -37%
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
55.2 fps +15%
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
11.81 fps -75%
GFXBench 3.1
1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen (sort by value)
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL
32 fps
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
28 fps -12%
Lenovo Moto Z
27 fps -16%
Huawei Mate 9
24 fps -25%
Google Pixel XL 2016
32 fps 0%
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
41.3 fps +29%
on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen (sort by value)
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL
32 fps
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
15 fps -53%
Lenovo Moto Z
15 fps -53%
Huawei Mate 9
28 fps -12%
Google Pixel XL 2016
17 fps -47%
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
41.5 fps +30%
3DMark
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL
34290 Points
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
28671 Points -16%
Lenovo Moto Z
25135 Points -27%
Huawei Mate 9
27364 Points -20%
Google Pixel XL 2016
27766 Points -19%
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
37746 Points +10%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Graphics Score (sort by value)
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL
40761 Points
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
33031 Points -19%
Lenovo Moto Z
26659 Points -35%
Huawei Mate 9
35626 Points -13%
Google Pixel XL 2016
32652 Points -20%
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
63386 Points +56%
1280x720 offscreen Ice Storm Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL
22044 Points
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
19610 Points -11%
Lenovo Moto Z
20948 Points -5%
Huawei Mate 9
15104 Points -31%
Google Pixel XL 2016
18222 Points -17%
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
15626 Points -29%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics (sort by value)
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL
2078 Points
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
2002 (1539min) Points -4%
Lenovo Moto Z
1828 Points -12%
Huawei Mate 9
2123 Points +2%
Google Pixel XL 2016
1902 Points -8%
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
1522 Points -27%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics (sort by value)
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL
4694 Points
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
3015 (2895min) Points -36%
Lenovo Moto Z
3718 Points -21%
Huawei Mate 9
2448 Points -48%
Google Pixel XL 2016
3935 Points -16%
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
4235 Points -10%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 (sort by value)
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL
3668 Points
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
2710 (2421min) Points -26%
Lenovo Moto Z
3023 Points -18%
Huawei Mate 9
2367 Points -35%
Google Pixel XL 2016
3180 Points -13%
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
3034 Points -17%

Legend

 
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 MSM8996 Pro, Qualcomm Adreno 530, 128 GB UFS 2.0 Flash
 
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge Samsung Exynos 8890 Octa, ARM Mali-T880 MP12, 32 GB UFS 2.0 Flash
 
Lenovo Moto Z Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996, Qualcomm Adreno 530, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Huawei Mate 9 HiSilicon Kirin 960, ARM Mali-G71 MP8, 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash
 
Google Pixel XL 2016 Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 MSM8996 Pro, Qualcomm Adreno 530, 32 GB eMMC Flash
 
Apple iPhone 7 Plus Apple A10 Fusion, Apple A10 Fusion GPU / PowerVR, 128 GB NVMe
 
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 MSM8994, Qualcomm Adreno 430, 32 GB eMMC Flash

The scores in the browser tests are mixed: While only the exceptionally powerful iPhone 7 Plus once again defeats the ZenFone 3 Deluxe in the Mozilla Kraken benchmark, it comes in last in the WebXPRT 2015 test. The Octane V2 and JetStream 1.1 scores are enough for the midfield.

However, considering that the top models of every manufacturer are competing against each other, the performance of the ZenFone 3 Deluxe is very high on its own. Browsing on the Internet is naturally possible without prolonged waiting times or annoying stutters.

Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total (sort by value)
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL
2400 ms *
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
2564 ms * -7%
Lenovo Moto Z
3155 ms * -31%
Huawei Mate 9
2734 ms * -14%
Google Pixel XL 2016
2654 ms * -11%
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
1103 ms * +54%
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
5553 ms * -131%
Octane V2 - Total Score (sort by value)
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL
10007 Points
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
13191 Points +32%
Lenovo Moto Z
7771 Points -22%
Huawei Mate 9
11897 Points +19%
Google Pixel XL 2016
8690 Points -13%
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
26053 Points +160%
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
8059 Points -19%
WebXPRT 2015 - Overall (sort by value)
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL
107 Points
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
163 Points +52%
Lenovo Moto Z
112 Points +5%
Huawei Mate 9
152 Points +42%
Google Pixel XL 2016
126 Points +18%
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
204 Points +91%
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
113 Points +6%
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score (sort by value)
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL
59.8 Points
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
75.1 Points +26%
Lenovo Moto Z
47.5 Points -21%
Huawei Mate 9
68.6 Points +15%
Google Pixel XL 2016
55.4 Points -7%
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
168.1 Points +181%
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
46 Points -23%

* ... smaller is better

Asus has equipped the ZenFone 3 Deluxe with 128 GB of fast UFS 2.0 storage. It achieves a high performance especially in sequential write (163.05 MB/s) and random read (100.87 MB/s) that only the Moto Z can outperform. The outcomes in sequential read and random write are only enough for the midfield in the comparison group.

Accessing our Exceria Pro M401 (THN-M401S0640E2, UHS-I Class 3, max. read: 95 MB/s, max. write: 80 MB/s) was performed at 77.77 MB/s in read and 59.04 MB/s were possible in write. Although the memory card's potential is not quite exhausted, the ZenFone scores extremely well compared with the competition, especially in write.

Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KLSamsung Galaxy S7 EdgeLenovo Moto ZHuawei Mate 9Google Pixel XL 2016Apple iPhone 7 PlusMicrosoft Lumia 950 XL
AndroBench 3-5
Random Read 4KB
100.9
86.7
-14%
117.2
16%
94.7
-6%
87.7
-13%
Random Write 4KB
14.55
15.79
9%
74.9
415%
8.77
-40%
14.56
0%
Sequential Write 256KB
163.1
145.1
-11%
168.3
3%
142.9
-12%
83.4
-49%
Sequential Read 256KB
409
487.3
19%
439.7
8%
594
45%
258.2
-37%
Sequential Write 256KB SDCard
59
50.4
-15%
45.64
-23%
29.53
-50%
Sequential Read 256KB SDCard
77.8
76.4
-2%
78.5
1%
54
-31%
BaseMark OS II
Memory
2051
2072
1%
2190
7%
3850
88%
1677
-18%
1319
-36%
1945
-5%

Games

Games

The fast Adreno 530 GPU in conjunction with the moderate Full HD resolution for a screen in a high-end handset has plenty of power reserves. We measured an average of 59 frames per second in "Dead Trigger 2", while "Asphalt 8" reached very high 30 FPS in both very low and high graphics settings - the latter indicates a frame rate limitation of the game. However, micro-stutters were recurrently observed when tapping the Nitro button in "Asphalt 8" despite the review sample's high performance. As we did not detect this behavior in any of the other apps, we presume that the game had a bug.

The large touchscreen and internal sensors functioned impeccably in gaming mode. However, the speaker on the side could be covered depending on the hands' positioning.

"Asphalt 8"
"Asphalt 8"
"Dead Trigger 2"
"Dead Trigger 2"
Asphalt 8: Airborne
 SettingsValue
 high30 fps
 very low30 fps
Dead Trigger 2
 SettingsValue
 high59 fps

Emissions

Temperature

The idle surface temperatures of roughly 28 °C (~82 °F) on the ZenFone 3 Deluxe are inconspicuous. The entire smartphone heats up moderately during load, and a maximum of only 40.9 °C (~106 °F) is reached. Although this feels slightly warmer due to the metal casing, it is uncritical for the inner components.

We use the battery test of GFXBench that performs the demanding Manhattan test thirty times in succession to examine whether this outcome involves performance losses. Here, it becomes obvious that it makes quite a difference whether one follows Asus' recommendation to enable the performance mode in the energy-savings settings or not. The SoC's performance decreases from the top rate by 18% after 8 runs and remains at this level. However, when the performance mode is selected, the loss of almost 7% is much lower.

GFXBench Manhattan: Performance (normal mode)
GFXBench Manhattan: Performance (normal mode)
GFXBench Manhattan: Frametimes (normal mode)
GFXBench Manhattan: Frametimes (normal mode)
GFXBench Manhattan: Battery consumption (normal mode)
GFXBench Manhattan: Battery consumption (normal mode)
GFXBench Manhattan: Performance (performance mode)
GFXBench Manhattan: Performance (performance mode)
GFXBench Manhattan: Frametimes (performance mode)
GFXBench Manhattan: Frametimes (performance mode)
GFXBench Manhattan: Battery consumption (performance mode)
GFXBench Manhattan: Battery consumption (performance mode)
Max. Load
 39.8 °C
104 F
40.9 °C
106 F
35.6 °C
96 F
 
 40.2 °C
104 F
40 °C
104 F
35.5 °C
96 F
 
 38.5 °C
101 F
39.8 °C
104 F
34.7 °C
94 F
 
Maximum: 40.9 °C = 106 F
Average: 38.3 °C = 101 F
36 °C
97 F
38.3 °C
101 F
38.5 °C
101 F
35.9 °C
97 F
36.4 °C
98 F
39.7 °C
103 F
35.3 °C
96 F
36.6 °C
98 F
38.3 °C
101 F
Maximum: 39.7 °C = 103 F
Average: 37.2 °C = 99 F
Power Supply (max.)  31.2 °C = 88 F | Room Temperature 21.4 °C = 71 F | Voltcraft IR-260
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 38.3 °C / 101 F, compared to the average of 32.7 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 40.9 °C / 106 F, compared to the average of 35 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 56 °C for the class Smartphone.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 39.7 °C / 103 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 28 °C / 82 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.
Thermal image of the ZenFone 3 Deluxe
Thermal image of the ZenFone 3 Deluxe

Speaker

Speaker characteristics
Speaker characteristics

Asus states that it has installed a special 5-magnet speaker design that is especially strong into the ZenFone 3 Deluxe. However, our Pink Noise assessment is not particularly high at a maximum of 78.9 dB(A). Nevertheless, the subjective sound when playing music is loud enough to fill small rooms with sufficient sound and without significant distortions. The handset sounds relatively thin as typical for smartphones, which is illustrated by the Pink Noise frequency curve: It drops audibly toward both the trebles and low tones. Thus, the speaker should be sufficient for many users in everyday use, but it cannot quite compete with the best sound solutions in the mobile sector.

The metal finish of the included 3.5-mm jack looks attractive, but music sounds very bass-heavy and muffled ex-factory. Fortunately, the preloaded audio assistant provides an equalizer and, with a few tweaks, a more balanced sound impression can be achieved.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2031.640.32525.435.43125.333.64032.929.85033.634.86331.633.28028.430100273112520.825.61602233.220021.338.725020.843.431521.252.340019.457.350019.56063017.763.980017.970.4100017.873.4125017.369.6160017.464.1200016.764.1250017.264.6315018.271.4400017.964.4500017.656.6630017.753.1800017.857.71000017.950.71250018.145.61600018.247.3SPL3078.9N1.339.8median 17.9median 57.3Delta1.49.440.632.932.440.641.629.831.341.634.532.131.734.538.140.92638.134.437.839.434.425.627.836.225.629.727.928.629.733.127.525.433.134.924.821.334.941.320.623.341.34526.122.54552.531.322.452.557.837.821.357.859.639.918.459.663.445.417.563.469.950.817.569.971.553.117.271.572.255.216.872.274.757.817.374.774.957.717.474.977.959.416.677.980.361.817.380.380.760.817.680.776.154.717.676.175.954.617.775.979.760.517.479.773.354.317.773.367.849.717.967.866.847.718.166.858.133.518.158.188.769.729.888.773.823.11.373.8median 71.5median 50.8median 17.7median 71.58.911.81.78.9hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseAsus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KLSamsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (78.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 19.9% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 8.1% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (9.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5.8% higher than median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (13.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (28.9% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 71% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 25% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 84% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 13% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (88.7 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 27.4% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (8.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5.8% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (6.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (20.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 29% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 62% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 49% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 42% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Frequency diagram in comparison (checkboxes above can be turned on/off!)

Energy Management

Power Consumption

The power consumption shows that the ZenFone 3 Deluxe is equipped with high-performance components as it is higher than that of all rivals, especially during full load. The review sample is defeated by Google Pixel XL that is also powered by a Snapdragon 821 SoC in the direct comparison in every single measurement. However, the rival also has only to supply a smaller 5.5-inch AMOLED screen with power.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.03 / 0.3 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 0.85 / 1.2 / 1.25 Watt
Load midlight 6.97 / 9.74 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL
3000 mAh
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
3600 mAh
Lenovo Moto Z
2600 mAh
Huawei Mate 9
4000 mAh
Google Pixel XL 2016
3450 mAh
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
2915 mAh
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
3340 mAh
Power Consumption
11%
22%
-20%
23%
-19%
-113%
Idle Minimum *
0.85
0.63
26%
0.66
22%
0.78
8%
0.53
38%
0.77
9%
2.85
-235%
Idle Average *
1.2
1.1
8%
1.01
16%
2.13
-78%
1.07
11%
2.04
-70%
2.95
-146%
Idle Maximum *
1.25
1.56
-25%
1.09
13%
2.17
-74%
1.12
10%
2.24
-79%
3.26
-161%
Load Average *
6.97
5.95
15%
3.97
43%
6.32
9%
5.53
21%
4.69
33%
8.92
-28%
Load Maximum *
9.74
6.7
31%
8.34
14%
6.49
33%
6.26
36%
8.66
11%
9.39
4%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Runtime

The ZenFone 3 Deluxe is equipped with only an averagely sized 3000-mAh battery considering the screen diagonal. The minimum runtime is relatively short due to the highest load energy requirement in the comparison field. Even Microsoft's Lumia 950 XL, equipped with a not very efficient  Snapdragon 810 SoC, lasts half an hour longer in this scenario. At least the outcome is midfield in the realistic Wi-Fi test and when playing our test video with 463 and 799 minutes, respectively.

Asus provides some options for saving energy in the energy settings. For example, it is possible to disable data connections in standby or to limit the CPU performance.

In the ideal case, the battery is fully recharged within one and a half hours with the included 18-watt power supply. The battery is recharged by approximately 60% after 35 minutes should the user be in a hurry.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
23h 13min
WiFi Websurfing
7h 43min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
13h 19min
Load (maximum brightness)
2h 29min
Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL
3000 mAh
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
3600 mAh
Lenovo Moto Z
2600 mAh
Huawei Mate 9
4000 mAh
Google Pixel XL 2016
3450 mAh
Apple iPhone 7 Plus
2915 mAh
Microsoft Lumia 950 XL
3340 mAh
Battery Runtime
64%
23%
35%
6%
28%
-12%
Reader / Idle
1393
1663
19%
1371
-2%
1538
10%
1333
-4%
1835
32%
1078
-23%
H.264
799
914
14%
724
-9%
947
19%
505
-37%
813
2%
611
-24%
WiFi v1.3
463
732
58%
407
-12%
758
64%
505
9%
587
27%
369
-20%
Load
149
392
163%
320
115%
219
47%
230
54%
225
51%
179
20%

Pros

+ very solid casing
+ high-quality build
+ dual-SIM/micro-SD hybrid slot
+ high-contrast AMOLED panel
+ optional Always-On display
+ accurate touchscreen
+ Miracast, USB-OTG and NFC
+ USB Type-C port
+ useful telephone functions
+ fast overall performance
+ ZenUI with many additional functions
+ high-resolution cameras with fast autofocus

Cons

- screen uses PWM for brightness control
- many preloaded apps
- short load battery life
- non-removable battery
- no regular Android updates
- WiFi issues at the reference router

Verdict

In review: Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe (ZS570KL). Review sample courtesy of Asus Germany
In review: Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe (ZS570KL). Review sample courtesy of Asus Germany

Already the feel of Asus' ZenFone 3 Deluxe is pleasing when held for the first time, thanks to its high-quality and particularly solid metal casing. This conceals a 128 GB UFS 2.0 storage and generous 6 GB of RAM besides the Snapdragon, and thus the smartphone is quite capable of competing with other high-end devices from 2016 in terms of performance. The connectivity with a USB Type-C port, optional Always-On display and a dual-SIM/microSD hybrid slot, among other things, is also appropriate. Both high-resolution cameras can reap in bonus points. Furthermore, the primary camera benefits from an especially fast autofocus system. However, it has some room for improvement, particularly in low-light situations and the often grainy picture texture. The high-resolution AMOLED panel's size of 5.7 inches is big, but the handset is only partially suitable for VR applications due to the Full HD resolution. Asus' modified ZenUI 3.0 user interface offers various extra functions - but not every user will like the fact that 19 GB of the admittedly relatively generous storage capacity is reserved. Furthermore, some rivals offer considerably longer battery life.

Users who do not need virtual reality capabilities and like the extensively modified user interface will find a high-quality premium-range smartphone with only a few real shortcomings in Asus' ZenFone 3 Deluxe.

However, it is debatable whether the review sample has enough highlights to justify the current starting price of 799 Euros (~$840), especially when compared to the now falling prices of the rivals. It cannot serve with a curved edge like Samsung's Galaxy S7 Edge or with the modular extensions of Lenovo's Moto Z. It does not have the iconic status of Apple iPhone and its Android is not updated as quickly as Google's Pixel XL smartphone. And users looking for as big a screen as possible will find a bigger screen with roughly the same external dimensions in Huawei's Mate 9. Nevertheless, the ZenFone 3 Deluxe is an interesting alternative that will find friends in the premium smartphone range, thanks to its solid technology, dual-SIM functionality and the successful design.

Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL - 02/16/2017 v6(old)
Andreas Kilian

Chassis
91%
Keyboard
70 / 75 → 93%
Pointing Device
92%
Connectivity
51 / 60 → 85%
Weight
90%
Battery
92%
Display
87%
Games Performance
62 / 63 → 98%
Application Performance
59 / 70 → 84%
Temperature
90%
Noise
100%
Audio
64 / 91 → 70%
Camera
76%
Average
79%
87%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL Smartphone Review
Andreas Kilian, 2017-02-21 (Update: 2019-04-13)