The low-end smartphone market just keeps on getting better and better in the last couple of years. As the industry transcends, certain technologies go cheaper which allows companies to incorporate better hardware for their affordable smartphones.
One evidence to this is the ASUS Zenfone Max M1 and the OPPO A71 2018. These are two devices that you might be looking at now if you’re shopping in the Php8,000 to Php9,000 price range. They are from prominent brands and are basically available pretty much anywhere in the Philippines.
For a quick background, the Zenfone Max M1 was just launched in the Philippines back in April. It incorporates ASUS’s new design aesthetic minus the fancy shiny back panel, which is reserved to their higher-end Zenfone 5 line-up.
Since it’s a member of the Zenfone’s “Max” line, which means that it has an incredibly large battery capacity.
On the other hand, we have the OPPO A71 2018 — an obvious refresh of last year’s low-end smartphone of the same name. Aside from the upgraded chipset, the A71 2018 looks pretty much identical to its predecessor — both in the specs and the design.
But the main question is, which between these two should you get? Check out our ASUS Zenfone Max M1 versus OPPO A71 2018 specifications and features comparison below to figure it out.
| ASUS ZenFone Max M1 | OPPO A71 2018 | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Android 8.0 Oreo ASUS ZenUI 5.0 | Android 7.1 Nougat ColorOS 3.2 |
| SIM | Dual SIM Dual standby | Dual SIM Dual Standby |
| Display | 5.5-inch HD+ IPS 1440 x 720 resolution ~292ppi 18:9 aspect ratio | 5.2-inch HD IPS LCD 1280 x 720 resolution ~282ppi 16:9 aspect ratio |
| Processor | 1.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 octa-core | 1.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 octa-core |
| RAM | 3GB | 2GB |
| GPU | Adreno 505 | Adreno 506 |
| Storage | 32GB expandable via microSD up to 256GB | 16GB expandable via microSD up to 256GB |
| Front camera | 8-megapixel LED flash | 5-megapixel |
| Rear Camera | 13-megapixel + 8-megapixel PDAF f/2.0 LED flash | 13-megapixel PDAF f/2.2 LED flash |
| Security | Facial recognition Fingerprint scanner | Facial recognition |
| Connectivity | HSPA+ 4G LTE Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n Bluetooth 4.0 GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS FM Radio microUSB 2.0 | HSPA+ 4G LTE Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n Bluetooth 4.2 GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS FM Radio microUSB 2.0 |
| Dimensions | 147.3 x 70.90 x 8.7mm | 148.1 x 73.8 x 7.6mm |
| Weight | 150g | 137g |
| Colors | Deepsea Black Ruby Red Sunlight Gold | Black Gold |
| Battery | 4000mAh non-removable | 3,000mAh non-removable |
| Price | Php8,995 | Php7,990 |
Judging by the specs table above, the ASUS Zenfone Max M1 can easily take on the OPPO A71 2018. Sure, it does cost a thousand pesos more, but all the extra features that you’d be getting can justify the price you’d be paying.
For starters, the Zenfone Max M1 sports a bigger screen with the trendy 18:9 aspect ratio. Meanwhile, the OPPO A71 2018 is stuck with a smaller 5.2-inch display with the 16:9 aspect ratio standard from the past.
ASUS’ offering also offers more RAM and twice the storage space than OPPO’s. You might barely notice the difference between the 3GB RAM and 2GB in light usage, but you’d surely appreciate the extra storage space brought by its 32GB ROM. It can accommodate more apps, pictures, and other media compared to the A71’s 16GB.
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In addition, ASUS was able to beat OPPO in its own territory as the Zenfone Max M1 is equipped with a better 8-megapixel selfie camera, while the latter only has 5-megapixel. It also comes with a 13-megapixel and 8-megapixel dual rear shooters, while the A71 2018 only has a single 13-megapixel camera.
The ASUS Zenfone Max M1 also has a fingerprint scanner, runs on the newer Android 8.0 Oreo and it is powered by a huge 4,000mAh battery.
But to OPPO’s credit, the A71 2018 does come with a more powerful Snapdragon 450 chipset. And as I said earlier, it costs Php1,000 less.
Although, at the end of the day, the ASUS Zenfone Max M1 still feels like the better option here. For its price tag of Php8,995, it is one of the best smartphones you can get in this price category. But if the OPPO A71 2018’s design and better processor really appeal to you, then you might as well go with it and save some cash as it only retails for Php7,990.