Asus ZenFone AR launches in U.S. starting at $599 unlocked, coming to Canada soon

Asus’ Google Tango-enabled augmented reality phone, the ZenFone AR, has officially hit the market in the U.S.

The phone is priced at $599 USD (about $755 CAD) unlocked for a 6GB RAM/64GB internal storage version and $699 USD (about $880 CAD) for an unlocked version with 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage.

The handset is also available through U.S. carrier Verizon in a 6GB RAM/128GB internal storage configuration for $648 USD outright, or $27 down on a two-year plan.

Specs

Asus Zenfone AR

Lenovo Phab 2 Pro

Display

5.7-inch Super AMOLED, 1440 x 2560p (~515 ppi)

6.4-inch IPS LCD, 1440 x 2560p (~459 ppi)

Processor

Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 (2x2.35GHz Kryo & 2x1.6GHz Kryo)

Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 (4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A72 & 4x1.4 GHz Cortex-A53)

RAM

6/8GB RAM

4GB RAM

Storage

64/128/256GB internal storage

64GB expandable up to 256GB

Dimensions

158.7 x 77.7 x 9mm

179.8 x 88.6 x 10.7mm

Weight

170g

259g

Rear Facing Camera

23-megapixel, f/2.0, OIS (4-axis), 3x zoom, phase detection autofocus, depth & motion tracking sensors

16-megapixel, phase detection autofocus, depth & motion tracking sensors

Front Facing Camera

8-megapixel, f/2.0

8 MP, f/2.2

OS

Android 7.0 Nougat

Android 6.0 Marshmallow

Battery

Non-removable 3,300mAh

Non-removable 4,050mAh

Network Connectivity

GSM/ HSPA / LTE

GSM/ HSPA / LTE

Sensors

Fingerprint (front-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer

Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass

SIM Type

Nano SIM

Nano SIM

Launch Date

June 1, 2017

June 1, 2016

Misc

Bluetooth 4.2, Project Tango

Dolby Audio Capture 5.1, Google Tango, Bluetooth 4.0

The device has yet to hit the Canadian market, but according to Asus spokespeople, it will be coming north soon.

The Asus ZenFone AR is the second purpose-built Google Tango device to hit the market after Lenovo’s Phab 2 Pro. The ZenFone AR’s Tango support gives it access to the most mature mobile AR platform for consumers, with apps that range from educational experiences to practical functions, like measuring for furniture.

Additionally, the device is Google Daydream VR certified and features a 5.7-inch screen, triple rear camera set-up, Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 chipset and 3,300mAh battery.

Check out our recent hands-on with the ZenFone AR here.