Cherry Mobile has been quiet for the last few months, but apparently, they still remain as the most bankable smartphone brand here in the Philippines.
The company owes their success to their low-end offerings, as they are considered to be the best-sellers in the local market. However, the recent IDC report shows that midrange devices are starting to cope up as it’s trying to take a larger piece of the pie.
So, to make sure they remain competitive, the company has come up with the Cherry Mobile Flare S7 Plus, a new device that will tap the sub-Php12,000 segment.
But to able to make it, the Flare S7 Plus will have to go against some of the best brands in this category. One of them is the ASUS Zenfone Max Pro M1.
If you haven’t heard of it, the Zenfone Max Pro M1 became an instant hit when it launched due to the appealing features that it was able to cater for the price. It has an excellent display, capable processor, and long battery life, which we discussed in detail in our full review.
Since the two phones have a very identical price tag, it’s just fitting to have them fight with each other. In our Cherry Mobile Flare S7 Plus versus ASUS Zenfone Max Pro M1 specifications and features comparison, we’ll see if Cherry Mobile’s newest attempt to penetrate the midrange market can make it big. Let’s start!
| Cherry Mobile Flare S7 Plus | ASUS ZenFone Max Pro M1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Android 8.1 Oreo | Android 8.1 Oreo |
| SIM | Dual SIM Dual Standby Hybrid | Dual SIM Dual standby |
| Display | 6.18-inch FHD+ IPS 2246 x 1080 pixel resolution ~403ppi 19:9 aspect ratio Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | 5.99-inch FHD+ IPS 2160 x 1080 pixel resolution ~402ppi 18:9 aspect ratio 2.5D Curved Glass |
| Processor | 2.0GHz MediaTek Helio P60 octa-core | 1.8GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 octa-core |
| RAM | 4GB | 3GB/4GB |
| GPU | Mali-G72 MP3 | Adreno 509 |
| Storage | 64GB expandable via microSD up to 256GB | 32GB/64GB expandable via microSD up to 400GB |
| Front camera | 16-megapixel | 8-megapixel f/2.2 LED flash |
| Rear Camera | 16-megapixel + 5-megapixel BSI LED flash AI scene detection FlareMoji | 13-megapixel + 5-megapixel f/2.2 PDAF LED flash |
| Security | Fingerprint scanner Infrared Face Unlock | Fingerprint scanner Face unlock |
| Connectivity | HSPA+, 4G LTE WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n Bluetooth 4.2 GPS, A-GPS FM Radio USB Type-C | HSPA+, 4G LTE Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n Bluetooth 4.2 GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS FM Radio microUSB 2.0 |
| Dimensions | 155 x 75.5 x 7.85 mm | 159 x 76 x 8.5mm |
| Weight | 200g | 180g |
| Colors | Black | Deepsea Black Titanium Grey |
| Battery | 3,050mAh battery non-removable Wireless charging | 5000mAh non-removable 10w charger |
| Price | Php11,999 | 3GB/32GB: Php9,995 4GB/64GB: Php12,995 |
It appears that Cherry Mobile really improved their game this time around. As you can see, the Flare S7 Plus was able to dominate this specs comparison. And the most interesting part is, it even has a cheaper price than the ASUS Zenfone Max Pro M1.
The Cherry Mobile Flare S7 Plus’ win starts with the display. It has a 6.18-inch screen, which is a tad larger than the 5.99-inch display of the latter, thanks to its screen notch on top. Cherry Mobile’s offering also has Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection, while the Zenfone Max Pro M1 only settles for a 2.5D curved glass.
In addition, the 16-megapixel selfie camera on the Flare S7 Plus is obviously better than the 8-megapixel shooter of the ASUS Zenfone Max Pro M1. Cherry Mobile was also able to rig it with 16-megapixel + 5-megapixel rear cameras, with AI scene detection, built-in filters, and a new novelty called FlareMoji.
On the other hand, the Zenfone Max Pro M1 only has 13-megapixel + 5-megapixel rear cameras, with slightly boring software extras.
Related
- Cherry Mobile Flare S7 Plus vs OPPO F9: Specs Comparison
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The Cherry Mobile Flare S7 Plus has an infrared face unlock, USB Type-C, and wireless charging capability. However, probably the biggest advantage of the Zenfone Max Pro M1 is its 5,000mAh battery. That’s miles better than the 3,050mAh battery that the former has.
ASUS’ offering also kept the 3.5mm headphone jack, while Cherry Mobile’s bet had to include a Type-C to 3.5mm adapter on the packaging.
Performance-wise, both phones can deliver almost the same level of performance. The MediaTek Helio P60 processor on the Flare S7 Plus and the Snapdragon 636 chipset on the Max Pro M1 are some of the most reliable workhorses in this price category. Thus, you shouldn’t worry too much about the performance difference.
To wrap it up, I guess it’s safe to say that the Cherry Mobile Flare S7 Plus is the winner here. For a cheaper price, this device offers a better set of cameras, better face unlock system, a more futureproof USB type-C implementation, and wireless charging.
But if you really are a heavy smartphone user and having a large battery capacity is a top priority, then going with the ASUS Zenfone Max Pro M1 is the most sensible choice.