The budget smartphone market is fiercely competitive. Today, we're pitting the aging Asus Zenfone Max ZC550KL (2016) against the newer Lava Blaze 1X to see which offers the best value for your money. Can the Zenfone Max's massive battery still compete with the Blaze 1X's modern chipset?
🏆 Quick Verdict
The Lava Blaze 1X decisively wins this comparison. While the Zenfone Max boasts a large battery, the Blaze 1X's significantly more powerful chipset, improved camera, and modern features make it the superior choice for most users, despite the Zenfone's reverse charging capability.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 | GSM 900 / 1800 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 - India | HSDPA 900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 3, 5, 38, 39, 40, 41 - India | 1, 3, 5, 8, 40, 41 |
| 5G bands | - | 1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 41, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat4 150/50 Mbps | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2016, May. Released 2016, May | 2023, April 27 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2023, June 14 |
| Body |
|---|
| Dimensions | 156 x 77.5 x 10.6 mm (6.14 x 3.05 x 0.42 in) | 165.3 x 76.4 x 8.9 mm (6.51 x 3.01 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | Dual SIM (Micro-SIM, dual stand-by) | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 202 g (7.13 oz) | 207 g (7.30 oz) |
| Display |
|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 4 | - |
| Resolution | 720 x 1280 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~267 ppi density) | 720 x 1600 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~270 ppi density) |
| Size | 5.5 inches, 83.4 cm2 (~69.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches, 102.0 cm2 (~80.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD | IPS LCD, 90Hz |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (4x1.5 GHz Cortex-A53 & 4x1.0 GHz Cortex-A53) | Octa-core (2x2.2 GHz Cortex-A76 & 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm MSM8939 Snapdragon 615 (28 nm) | Mediatek Dimensity 700 (7 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 405 | Mali-G57 MC2 |
| OS | Android 6.0.1 (Marshmallow), ZenUI | Android 12 |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 32GB 2GB RAM, 32GB 3GB RAM | 128GB 6GB RAM |
| | eMMC 4.5 | UFS 2.2 |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Features | Laser AF, Dual-LED dual-tone flash, panorama, HDR | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Single | 13 MP, f/2.0 | - |
| Triple | - | 50 MP, (wide), AF
2 MP
0.3 MP |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1440p@30fps, 1080p@30fps |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Single | 5 MP, f/2.0 | 8 MP, (wide) |
| Video | - | Yes |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 4.0, A2DP, EDR | 5.1, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | No | No |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS | GPS |
| Radio | FM radio | FM radio |
| USB | microUSB 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/ac |
| Features |
|---|
| Sensors | Accelerometer, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery |
|---|
| Charging | Reverse wired | 15W wired |
| Stand-by | Up to 914 h (3G) | - |
| Talk time | Up to 38 h (3G) | - |
| Type | Li-Po 5000 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 5000 mAh |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Black, White, Orange, Blue | Glass Blue, Glass Green |
| Models | Z010DD | - |
| Price | About 170 EUR | - |
Asus Zenfone Max ZC550KL (2016)
- Exceptional battery life
- Reverse wired charging
- Affordable (used)
- Outdated chipset
- Low-resolution display
- Slow performance
- Older software
Lava Blaze 1X
- Modern chipset (Dimensity 700)
- Improved performance
- Likely better camera
- More contemporary design
- Battery life potentially slightly less than Zenfone Max
- Brand recognition (Lava is less established)
Display Comparison
The Zenfone Max features a 5.5-inch 720p display, offering adequate clarity but lacking the sharpness of the Blaze 1X's likely 6.5-inch (estimated) display. While specific Blaze 1X display specs are scarce, it's expected to have a higher resolution, providing a more immersive viewing experience. Color accuracy and brightness are also likely to be better on the Blaze 1X.
Camera Comparison
The Lava Blaze 1X is expected to have a more capable camera system. While the Zenfone Max's camera was decent for its time, the Blaze 1X's newer sensor and image processing should deliver better image quality, especially in low light. Specific megapixel counts are unavailable for the Blaze 1X, but modern sensors often outperform older, higher-megapixel ones.
Performance
This is where the Blaze 1X truly shines. The Mediatek Dimensity 700 is a significant upgrade over the Snapdragon 615. Expect noticeably faster app loading times, smoother multitasking, and better gaming performance on the Blaze 1X. The Zenfone Max's chipset is showing its age.
Battery Life
The Zenfone Max was renowned for its massive 5000mAh battery, offering exceptional battery life. The Lava Blaze 1X likely has a smaller battery (estimated around 5000mAh), but the Dimensity 700's efficiency may offset this, resulting in comparable or even slightly better real-world battery performance.
Buying Guide
Who should buy the Asus Zenfone Max ZC550KL (2016)? Primarily users seeking a very long-lasting battery and are comfortable with an older, slower device. Who should buy the Lava Blaze 1X? Anyone looking for a modern, capable budget phone with good performance, a decent camera, and a more contemporary user experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Is the Zenfone Max still worth buying?
Only if battery life is your absolute top priority and you're on a very tight budget. Otherwise, the Lava Blaze 1X offers a much better overall experience.
❓ What is the Dimensity 700 chipset?
The Dimensity 700 is a modern, efficient chipset from MediaTek, offering significantly improved performance compared to older chipsets like the Snapdragon 615.
