Asus ZenFone 5 LTE Smartphone Review

1. Introduction2. Packaging and Bundle3. Design4. Display5. Software6. Performance7. Camera8. Battery9. Closing Thoughts10. View All Pages

Continuing the comparison with the ZenFone 6, the ZenFone 5 LTE features a design very similar to its bigger brother, despite the obvious size difference.

Both handsets are constructed from a smooth matte plastic. The backs are removable, allowing you to fit another colour if you wish – including white, gold and purple. We fitted a red back to differentiate the two devices for our photos.

Furthermore, both the 5 and 6-inch devices have a central camera that does not protrude – something we are always glad to see these days. ASUS branding is also common to both, which can be found on both sides of the device.

Where the two devices differ, however, is the placement of the on/off button and volume rocker. The ZenFone 6 featured its on/off button on the right edge below the volume rocker, in the middle of the device. This meant it was within easy reach of your thumb, so unlocking the screen was no problem.

The ZenFone 5 LTE reverses this, with the on/off button above the volume rocker. Despite having a smaller screen, the positioning means its just a bit of a stretch to unlock the screen each time. It's not impossible to reach, just stretching repeatedly can be slightly uncomfortable.

Home buttons remain on the device, rather than soft-keys, whilst the headphone jack stays at the top left of the phone. A microUSB port is centrally positioned on the bottom edge.

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