Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 vs Realme 2 Pro: Which Is The New Budget King Smartphone?

Taiwanese smartphone maker Asus set the Indian market on fire with its re-entry in May. The company launched a budget flagship killer, Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 in the country to take on some of the bestselling budget phones.

Within six months, 1 million units of Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 has been sold in India.

Asus is again ready to hit the market with another budget killer, Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2. The second generation Asus Zenfone Max Pro is better, faster and smoother. What will happen if Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 goes against the current best-selling Realme 2 Pro?

Who will get the crown for the best budget mid-range smartphone in India?

Let’s find out.

Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 vs Realme 2 Pro: In-Depth Comparison

Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 will launch in India on December 11 alongside Asus Zenfone Max M2.

Design & Build

Realme 2 Pro offer a polycarbonate body with a glass-like finish. The built quality is good and more durable compared to metal. On the other hand, Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 will have a finish like its Zenfone 5Z flagship.

The upcoming Asus smartphone has a similar glass-like finish on the out.

Display

Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 will come with a 6.3-inch Full HD+ notched display in a 19:9 aspect ratio. Similarly, Realme 2 Pro also has a 6.3-inch Full HD+ LCD notched display, but in an aspect ratio of 19.5:9. The water drop notch offers an added advantage over the standard notch with higher screen space.

Both the smartphones will come with thin bezels and full-screen displays. But the water-drop notch helps Realme 2 Pro offer higher screen-to-body ratio.

Hardware

Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 and Realme 2 Pro both are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 octa-core processor. In terms of performance, both the smartphones will perform day to days tasks with ease, but stock Android on Zenfone Max Pro M2 will help it run smoother.

In all, the Snapdragon 660 offers an impressive performance with multitasking, mid-tier games and memory heavy apps.

Storage

There are three Realme 2 Pro models available in India: 4GB/64GB, 6GB/64GB and 6GB/128GB. Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2, on the other hand, launched in Russia in a single 4GB/64GB variant.

The storage on both the handsets can be expanded with the help of an external memory card.

Software

Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 will run on stock Android. Realme 2 Pro runs on Color OS 5.2 based on Android Oreo 8.1 UI. In terms of overall user experience, Max Pro M2 will offer a better UI with bloat-free Pixel-like Android experience.

Rear Camera

Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 has a rear dual camera system comprising of a 13-megapixel primary sensor and a 12-megapixel secondary depth sensor. Realme 2 Pro also has a rear dual camera setup featuring a 16-megapixel primary f/1.7 sensor paired with a 2-megapixel secondary depth sensor.

Both the smartphones produce clearer pictures with great details and colour accuracy. The low light performance is also above average.

Front Camera

Up front, Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 has a 5-megapixel sensor and Realme 2 Pro comes has a 16-megapixel selfie snapper. Again both the smartphones perform well in good lighting.

Connectivity

Realme 2 Pro and Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 offer a similar set of standard connectivity features. You will get a fingerprint sensor, face unlock, an infrared sensor, dual 4G LTE, VoLTE, Bluetooth v5, GPS + GLONASS and other added features.

Battery

Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 has an advantage here with a 5,000mAh battery. On the other hand, Realme 2 Pro has a lower 3,500 mAh battery backing the complete package.

Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 can easily run for upto two days with moderate usage.

Pricing & Availability

Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 been launched in Russia at RUB 17,990, which translates to around INR 18,900. In India, Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 is priced at:

Rs 12,999 for the 3GB/32GB variant

Rs 14,999 for the 4GB/64GB variant

Rs 16,999 for the 6GB/64GB variant. 

Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 will be available exclusively via Flipkart. The smartphone is scheduled to be unveiled on December 11 in India.

On the other side, Realme 2 Pro starts at Rs 13,990 for the base 64GB variant. It is currently available via Flipkart and Reliance Digital stores.

Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 vs Realme 2 Pro: CONCLUSION

Reame 2 Pro and Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 both will end on the same line if put against each other. Realme 2 Pro has larger screen space while Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 has a larger battery and a smoother bloat-free UI with stock Android.

Both the smartphones perform really well given their respective price points.

The only two reasons to pick Max Pro M2 over Realme 2 Pro are its bigger battery and stock Android UI. Or else, both offer similar performance and user experience.