Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro Specs Comparison: The Mid-Range Pro Is?

Asus – in partnership with Flipkart – has unleashed its online exclusive phone, the Zenfone Max Pro M1 (Review) in India. The stock-Android and dual-rear camera handset sails in the Indian market at a mid-range price. But the ride won’t be smooth for Asus as it will face hurdles from the more prominent, established, and perennially unavailable Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro (Review) with which it shares more than a few similarities.

So, let’s pitch the two devices against each other and enumerate pros and cons of both Redmi Note 5 Pro and Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1.

Jump To:

• Zenfone Max Pro M1 vs Redmi Note 5 Pro: Design and Build
• Zenfone Max Pro M1 vs Redmi Note 5 Pro: Display
• Zenfone Max Pro M1 vs Redmi Note 5 Pro: Processor and Software
• Zenfone Max Pro M1 vs Redmi Note 5 Pro: Camera and Battery
• Zenfone Max Pro M1 vs Redmi Note 5 Pro: Verdict

Disclaimer: We have compared Zenfone Max Pro M1 3GB and 4GB RAM variant with Redmi Note 5 Pro 4GB variant.

Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro

Design and Build

Both Redmi Note 5 Pro and Zenfone Max Pro M1 look and feel conventional. They both are solidly built using the same design philosophy, i.e. a metal back, plastic borders, 18:9 display and 2.5D glass on top. However, there are things that differentiate the two.

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Like the Zenfone Max Pro M1 has an even back and its rear-camera module doesn’t awkwardly jut out from the frame as is the case with the Redmi Note 5 Pro. Another thing you will notice on Asus device is that its metal plate on the rear seamlessly merges with the plastic.

The other aspects of Zenfone Max Pro M1 and Redmi Note 5 Pro design are almost the same. The fingerprint sensor in on the rear, physical buttons on the right edge, and speaker grill, micro USB, and 3.5mm headphone jack are all on the bottom edge.

Summing it all up, there is nothing flashy about the design of either of these two devices. Both have broad bezels and feel bulky. The Zenfone Max Pro incorporates some subtle changes and that make it stand out. It also manages to house a bigger battery in spite of weighing the same as the Redmi Note 5 Pro.

Display

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The Redmi Note 5 Pro and Zenfone Max Pro M1 both have a display cut from the same cloth. They sport a full vision 5.99-inch (2160×1080 pixels) FHD+ display with 18:9 screen aspect ratio and moderate bezels on either end.

Both displays flaunt decent color and contrast and are comfortable to be viewed in any lighting condition.

Performance and Software

The Zenfone Max Pro M1 comes with the same chipset as the Redmi Note 5 Pro, which is an octa-core Snapdragon 636. The powerful Qualcomm chipset ensures that you won’t face any lag or stutter while using it for day-to-day purpose or gaming on either device.

However, there is a catch here. The Redmi Note 5 Pro offers more RAM – it also has a 6GB RAM on top of the 4GB variant – but doesn’t support dedicated microSD card. Whereas the Zenfone Max Pro M1 comes with 3GB/4GB RAM variant and also has a dedicated microSD card slot to expand memory up to 256GB. A 6GB RAM variant is under works and will be available very soon.

As for the software, Asus for the first time is using stock-Android on Zenfone Max Pro M1. It comes with Android Oreo 8.1 out of the box. Whereas its arch-rival, Redmi Note 5 Pro uses a custom skin, MIUI 9, that still has Android Nougat as base software.

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Camera and Battery

The Redmi Note 5 Pro and Zenfone Max Pro M1 both sport a dual-rear camera setup. The secondary sensor is there to capture portrait images (images with blur background) with both devices.

As for the performance, the Redmi Note 5 Pro’s 12MP and 5MP rear sensor with f/2.2 aperture lens does a fairly better job than the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1’s 13MP and 5MP sensor. The Xiaomi device further blows the competition out of the water with its 20MP selfie shooter which is up against an 8MP of Zenfone Max Pro M1.

At the battery front, both devices claim to offer longlasting battery support. The Redmi Note 5 Pro comes with 4000mAh battery, which is still less if you put it against the Zenfone Max Pro M1 5000mAh non-removable battery.

Verdict

Phew! It is certainly a close comparison. Both Redmi Note 5 Pro and Zenfone Max Pro M1 integrate specs that make them value for money. So, which one should you buy – Redmi Note 5 Pro or Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1?

What works for Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1?

• Better looking out of the two
• Pure Android Oreo Experience
• Mammoth battery and dedicated microSD card slot
• Cheaper
• Dual-SIM and Dual VoLTE

What works for Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro?

• Better Camera Performance
• More RAM option available
• IR blaster
• Feature rich MIUI 9