ASUS ZenFone 6 Flagship SD855 Flip Camera Phone Preorders Open At Bargain $500

by Brandon Hill — Monday, August 05, 2019, 02:47 PM EDT

If you though that OnePlus was one of the few that could build a flagship Snapdragon 855 smartphone at a relatively reasonable price; you ain't seen nothing yet. When ASUS announced the ZenFone 6 way back in May, it hinted at a price tag of less than $600. However, today the ZenFone 6 is launching with an unheard of $499 price tag.

In addition to the aforementioned Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor, the base spec will get you 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. If 64GB of storage is too skimpy for you, a microSD card slot is included to add an additional 2TB of external storage. There will also be an optional upgrade with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, but ASUS has not yet announcing pricing for that SKU.

The ZenFone 6 features a rather large 6.4-inch display with a resolution of 2340x1080. More importantly, it has minimal bezels along its edges (92 percent screen-to-body ratio) and doesn't include an unsightly notch.

Selfie duties are handled by a Flip Camera module mounted onto back of the device. In its normal configuration, the 48MP primary and 13MP ultra-wide cameras are positioned in a traditional rear arrangement. However, when a selfie is requested, the module can rotate 180 degrees to face the user. If a user drops the ZenPhone 6 when it is in selfie mode, a G sensor will automatically (and quickly) rotate the Flip Camera module back into its original position before it hits the ground.

Unlike other current-generation flagship Android smartphones, the ZenFone 6 doesn't use an in-display fingerprint sensor. Instead, it uses a tried and true rear-mounted optical fingerprint sensor, which is fine by us. If it works, why not go with it -- especially since it seems to help keep costs down? The smartphone also manages to cram in an epic 5,000 mAh battery that enables a full 2 days of regular usage.

The ASUS ZenFone 6 is available for preorder right now from Amazon and B&H Photo for $499 unlocked.

Tags: Asus, ZenFone 6, snapdragon 855

Brandon Hill

Brandon received his first PC, an IBM Aptiva 310, in 1994 and hasn’t looked back since. He cut his teeth on computer building/repair working at a mom and pop computer shop as a plucky teen in the mid 90s and went on to join AnandTech as the Senior News Editor in 1999. Brandon would later help to form DailyTech where he served as Editor-in-Chief from 2008 until 2014. Brandon is a tech geek at heart, and family members always know where to turn when they need free tech support. When he isn’t writing about the tech hardware or studying up on the latest in mobile gadgets, you’ll find him browsing forums that cater to his long-running passion: automobiles.

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