UPDATE: Malaysia will be getting 5 variants of the ASUS ZenFone 2, with price starting from RM599. The mid-spec ZE550ML model will be coming as well. Thanks @im_joshwong for the tip!
ASUS has made its mark in the smart phone category with its Zenfone series, offering high spec-like features in an affordable package. The new Zenfone 2 was recently launched for the South East Asian market, and it will be arriving in Malaysia this month.
Now its appears that the official Malaysian Zenfone 2 pricing has been revealed thanks to MDroid. They have posted some on site photos of what seems to be a closed door dealer event where they have announced four five Zenfone 2 variants with a starting price of just RM599.
Based on the info they have obtained at the event, the ZenFone 2 will be priced as follows:
ZE500CL (5″ HD, 1.6GHz Z2560, 2GB RAM, 8GB ROM) – RM599
ZE550ML (5.5″ HD, 1.8GHz Z3560, 2GB RAM, 16GB ROM) – RM749 Updated
ZE551ML (5.5″ FHD, 1.8GHz Z3560, 2GB RAM, 32GB ROM) – RM899
ZE551ML (5.5″ FHD, 2.3GHz Z3580, 4GB RAM, 32GB ROM) – RM1,099
ZE551ML (5.5″ FHD, 2.3GHz Z3580, 4GB RAM, 64GB ROM) – RM1,299
Compared to Indonesia, Malaysians will get an even lower spec version for the entry-level option with a smaller 5″ display and it runs on an older Intel Atom Z2560 processor. This is similar to the current ASUS ZenFone 5 that’s priced at RM559. For its mid-range model, the ZE551ML with a 1.8GHz Intel Atom Z3560 processor is similar to Indonesia’s spec at RM749 but we also get a larger 32GB capacity option at RM899, which is quite generous for its price.
For those wanting the best performance, the top end ZE551ML model with a faster 2.3GHz Z3580 processor and 4GB of RAM can be yours at RM1,099 for 32GB and RM1,299 for 64GB storage. ASUS is not only the first smart phone maker to introduce a smart phone with 4GB of RAM, but they are also priced lower compared to the competing mid-range smart phones.
Can the Taiwan manufacturer fend off competition from its mainland Chinese rivals? Looking at the price and specs alone, the answer is probably yes. Lets hope that ASUS Malaysia has enough stock to go around. The Malaysian ASUS ZenFone 2 launch is happening on 9th May.
