Asus Zenfone Max (2016) vs. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4: A Generational Leap?
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 utterly dominates the Zenfone Max in almost every category. While the Zenfone Max offers incredible value for its age, the Z Flip4's performance, camera, display, and features are in a different league. The Z Flip4 is the clear winner for most users.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Asus Zenfone Max ZC550KL (2016) | Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 - India | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 3, 5, 38, 39, 40, 41 - India | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 |
| 5G bands | - | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat4 150/50 Mbps | HSPA, LTE (6CA), 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| - | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2016, May. Released 2016, May | 2022, August 10 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2022, August 25 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | - | Plastic front (unfolded), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus+), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 156 x 77.5 x 10.6 mm (6.14 x 3.05 x 0.42 in) | Unfolded: 165.2 x 71.9 x 6.9 mm Folded: 84.9 x 71.9 x 15.9-17.1 mm |
| SIM | Dual SIM (Micro-SIM, dual stand-by) | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 202 g (7.13 oz) | 187 g (6.60 oz) |
| - | IPX8 water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 4 | - |
| Resolution | 720 x 1280 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~267 ppi density) | 1080 x 2640 pixels (~426 ppi density) |
| Size | 5.5 inches, 83.4 cm2 (~69.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.7 inches, 101.5 cm2 (~85.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD | Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1200 nits (peak) |
| - | Cover display: Super AMOLED, 1.9 inches, 260 x 512 pixels (Gorilla Glass Victus+) | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (4x1.5 GHz Cortex-A53 & 4x1.0 GHz Cortex-A53) | Octa-core (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.75 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm MSM8939 Snapdragon 615 (28 nm) | Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 405 | Adreno 730 |
| OS | Android 6.0.1 (Marshmallow), ZenUI | Android 12, upgradable to Android 15, One UI 7 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | No |
| Internal | 32GB 2GB RAM, 32GB 3GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 512GB 8GB RAM |
| eMMC 4.5 | UFS 3.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | - | 12 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.76", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.06", 1.12µm |
| Features | Laser AF, Dual-LED dual-tone flash, panorama, HDR | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Single | 13 MP, f/2.0 | - |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@60/240fps, HDR10+ |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | - | HDR |
| Single | 5 MP, f/2.0 | 10 MP, f/2.4, 26mm (wide), 1/3.0", 1.22µm |
| Video | - | 4K@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 4.0, A2DP, EDR | 5.2, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | No | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS |
| Radio | FM radio | No |
| 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 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Accelerometer, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| - | Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | Reverse wired | 25W wired, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless 4.5W reverse wireless |
| Stand-by | Up to 914 h (3G) | - |
| Talk time | Up to 38 h (3G) | - |
| Type | Li-Po 5000 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 3700 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, White, Orange, Blue | Bora Purple, Graphite, Pink Gold, Blue, Yellow, White, Navy, Khaki, Red |
| Models | Z010DD | SM-F721B, SM-F721B/DS, SM-F721N, SM-F721U, SM-F721U1, SM-F721W, SM-F7210 |
| Price | About 170 EUR | $ 214.99 / C$ 334.00 / £ 219.00 / € 284.00 / ₹ 40,999 |
| SAR | - | 1.02 W/kg (head) 0.94 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 1.15 W/kg (head) 1.20 W/kg (body) |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 92h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -27.5 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 685754 (v8) | 800001 (v9) GeekBench: 3913 (v5.1) GFXBench: 74fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
| OUR TESTS | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery (old) | - | Endurance rating 75h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | 919 nits max brightness (measured) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -27.5 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 685754 (v8) | 800001 (v9) GeekBench: 3913 (v5.1) GFXBench: 74fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Asus Zenfone Max ZC550KL (2016)
- Excellent battery life
- Affordable price (when new)
- Reverse wired charging
- Outdated processor
- Low-resolution display
- Mediocre camera
- Slow performance
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4
- Foldable design
- Powerful processor
- Excellent camera
- Vibrant display
- Fast charging (wired & wireless)
- High price
- Fragile hinge (potential concern)
- Battery life, while good, not as exceptional as the Zenfone Max
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 boasts a vibrant, foldable AMOLED display with a 919 nits max brightness and an infinite contrast ratio. The Zenfone Max has a standard 720p IPS LCD display, which is adequate but noticeably less impressive in terms of color accuracy, brightness, and overall visual quality. The foldable aspect of the Z Flip4 is a unique selling point.
Camera Comparison
The Z Flip4's camera system is significantly more advanced, offering better image quality, more features, and improved video recording capabilities. The Zenfone Max's camera is functional but produces mediocre results, especially in low light. The Z Flip4's versatility is a major advantage.
Performance
The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 in the Z Flip4 provides a massive performance advantage over the Snapdragon 615 in the Zenfone Max. Apps launch instantly, multitasking is seamless, and demanding games run smoothly on the Z Flip4. The Zenfone Max struggles with modern apps and can feel sluggish.
Battery Life
While the Zenfone Max was renowned for its battery life, the Z Flip4's endurance rating of 92h is still impressive, especially considering its more powerful hardware. Both offer reverse wireless charging, but the Z Flip4's charging speeds are considerably faster.
Buying Guide
Who should buy the Asus Zenfone Max ZC550KL (2016)? Those seeking a very basic, ultra-budget phone primarily for calls and messaging, and who absolutely prioritize battery life above all else. Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4? Anyone wanting a stylish, foldable phone with excellent performance, a great camera, and a premium experience, willing to pay a significantly higher price.