ASUS announces the Zenfone 2 smartphone, with 4GB of RAM, just $199

UPDATE: We have reached out to ASUS and asked if the $199 price was on a two-year contract, which it is. The Zenfone 2 will start from $399, which is still a very, very competitive price. It positions ASUS right up against Samsung and Apple, and beats them in terms of specs, features and most of all: price.

CES 2015 - One of the most exciting things unveiled at ASUS' CES 2015 press conference has to be the new Zenfone 2.

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The new Zenfone 2 from ASUS continues the company's 'iconic Zen design' with a 'concentric-circle texture' and 'sleek, brushed metal finish'.

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The Zenfone 2 has some powerhouse specifications, with an quad-core Intel Atom Z3580 64-bit processor clocked at 2.3GHz, either 2GB or 4GB of RAM, a 5.5-inch Full HD IPS-based panel with a beautiful 72% screen-to-body ratio, a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera and 5-megapixel front-facer both with ASUS' PixelMaster technology. We also have LTE Category 4 support, dual SIM, and Dual Active technologies as well as fast-charging technology. ASUS has splashed its ZenUI over Android 5.0 Lollipop for the OS, too.

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The 3000mAh internal battery can be charged from a dead flat 0% to 60% in just 39 minutes, while the Samsung Galaxy S5 takes around 51 minutes, and the iPhone 6 Plus at 69 minutes.

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The Intel Atom Z3580 processor is capable of some serious number crunching, too.

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Selfie fans, you're in for a treat with the Zenfone 2.

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The cameras on the Zenfone 2 are damn impressive with these various technologies thanks to PixelMaster and its HDR mode.

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The best bit? It's bloody $199 and available in March - mic drop.