Asus ZenFone 5

Asus ZenFone 5 (2014 series)

Front view
Brand	Asus
Manufacturer	Asus
Type	Smartphone
Series	Asus ZenFone
First released	A500CG: April 2014 (2014-04) A500KL: July 2014 (2014-07) A502CG (Lite): November 2014 (2014-11)
Discontinued	Yes
Predecessor	Asus ZenFone 4
Successor	Asus ZenFone 2
Compatible networks	GSM, HSPA (A500CG / A502CG) GSM, HSPA, LTE (A500KL)
Form factor	Slate
Colors	Charcoal Black   Pearl White   Cherry Red   Champagne Gold (A500CG / A500KL)   Twilight Purple (A500CG / A500KL)
Dimensions	A500CG / A500KL: 148.2 × 72.8 × 10.3 mm A502CG: 148.2 × 72.8 × 10.8 mm
Weight	A500CG / A500KL: 145 g (5.1 oz) A502CG: 160 g (5.6 oz)
Operating system	A500CG: Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean), upgradable to 5.0.2 (Lollipop) A500KL: Android 4.4.2 (KitKat), upgradable to 5.0.2 (Lollipop) A502CG: Android 4.4.2 (KitKat)
System-on-chip	A500CG: Intel Atom Z2580 A500KL: Qualcomm MSM8926 Snapdragon 400 A502CG: Intel Atom Z2520
CPU	A500CG: Dual-core 2.0 GHz A500KL: Quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A7 A502CG: Dual-core 1.2 GHz
GPU	A500CG / A502CG: PowerVR SGX544MP2 A500KL: Adreno 305
Memory	A500CG: 2 GB RAM A500KL: 1 GB / 2 GB RAM A502CG: 1 GB RAM
Storage	A500CG / A500KL: 8 GB / 16 GB / 32 GB eMMC 4.5 A502CG: 8 GB eMMC 4.5
Removable storage	microSDXC (dedicated slot)
SIM	Dual SIM (Micro-SIM, dual stand-by) (A500KL is also available in Single Micro-SIM)
Battery	A500CG / A500KL: Non-removable Li-Po 2110 mAh A502CG: Non-removable Li-Po 2500 mAh
Rear camera	A500CG / A500KL: 8 MP, f/2.0, AF, LED flash, panorama (1080p@30fps video) A502CG: 8 MP, AF, LED flash, panorama (720p@30fps video)
Front camera	A500CG / A500KL: 2 MP, f/2.4 A502CG: VGA
Display	A500CG / A500KL: 5.0 in (127 mm) IPS LCD 720 x 1280 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~294 ppi density) Corning Gorilla Glass 3 A502CG: 5.0 in (127 mm) IPS LCD 540 x 960 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~220 ppi density) Oleophobic coating
Model	A500CG: T00J / T00J-D A500KL: T00P A502CG: T00K
References

For the phone re-released in 2018 with the same name, see Asus ZenFone 5 (2018).

The Asus Zenfone 5 (2014 series) consists of a family of Android smartphones designed, developed, and marketed by Asus as part of the first-generation Zenfone lineup.

Announced throughout 2014 at CES 2014, the series includes three primary variants: the original 3G model (A500CG), an LTE-capable version (A500KL), and a lower-cost alternative known as the Zenfone 5 Lite (A502CG).

The LTE version (A500KL) will release in Malaysia on June 3, 2014 and November 17, 2014 in India for the A502CG version.

Design

Rear view

The smartphones within this family feature a uniform physical footprint across their front profiles, utilizing a slate form factor with a noticeable chin piece that carries Asus's signature concentric-circle metallic texture. The original A500CG and LTE-enabled A500KL possess identical dimensions, measuring 148.2 mm in height, 72.8 mm in width, and 10.3 mm in thickness, with a total weight of 145 grams. By comparison, the Zenfone 5 Lite A502CG increases slightly in thickness to 10.8 mm and weighs 160 grams to accommodate changes in interior hardware. All models feature a plastic rear shell and plastic framing, and were sold in a variety of colors including Charcoal Black, Pearl White, and Cherry Red, while the high-tier models also offered Champagne Gold and Twilight Purple options.

Technical specifications

Processors

Asus selected vastly different processing architectures depending on the specific model within the generation. The standard A500CG model is powered by an Intel Atom Z2580 chipset featuring a dual-core 2.0 GHz processor paired with a PowerVR SGX544MP2 graphics processing unit. The LTE-capable A500KL shifts away from Intel components entirely, opting for a Qualcomm MSM8926 Snapdragon 400 chipset built on a 28 nm process that utilizes a quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A7 CPU and an Adreno 305 GPU. The Zenfone 5 Lite A502CG relies on a stepped-down Intel Atom Z2520 chipset, which clocks down to a dual-core speed of 1.2 GHz while retaining the same PowerVR SGX544MP2 graphics core.

Batteries

Both the A500CG and A500KL models share a smaller 2,110 mAh cell, yielding up to 18.5 hours and 20.6 hours of talk time over 3G networks respectively. Conversely, despite its budget status, the thicker Zenfone 5 Lite A502CG contains a larger 2,500 mAh battery capacity, providing an extended standby rating of up to 424 hours on 3G connectivity.

Memory

The flagship A500CG variant features 2 GB of RAM and was manufactured in flash storage configurations of 8 GB, 16 GB, or 32 GB. The A500KL LTE model features internal storage options mirroring the A500CG but varies its RAM allocation, offering either 1 GB or 2 GB options based on regional sales parameters. The budget Lite A502CG includes a reduced system memory ceiling of 1 GB RAM accompanied by a standard 8 GB of storage space. All three units support expansion up to 64 GB via a dedicated microSDXC card slot.

Display

All models in the lineup utilize a 5.0-inch IPS LCD panel that outputs a widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio, achieving an approximate 63.9% screen-to-body ratio. The premium A500CG and A500KL panels yield a High Definition (HD) resolution of 720 × 1280 pixels, which equates to a pixel density of roughly 294 pixels per inch, and are structurally defended by Corning Gorilla Glass 3 layer protection. To reduce component costs, the Zenfone 5 Lite A502CG downgrades its resolution to a lower qHD matrix of 540 × 960 pixels at a density of roughly 220 pixels per inch, dropping the scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass for standard protective coating.

Cameras

Rear

The entire device generation shares an identical 8-megapixel rear-facing primary camera module that features an f/2.0 aperture value, autofocus capabilities, a single LED flash, and panoramic shooting capabilities. The maximum video recording capabilities vary significantly across the choices of internal silicon architectures.

The Intel-based A500CG and Qualcomm-based A500KL models can successfully record 1080p Full HD video at a smooth rate of 30 frames per second, whereas the weaker Intel processing architecture in the Zenfone 5 Lite limits video captures to a 720p HD maximum standard.

Front

The A500CG and A500KL phones are equipped with a 2-megapixel sensor containing an f/2.4 aperture, while the Lite model shifts down to a lower-fidelity VGA resolution lens.

Software

The initial A500CG model shipped with Android 4.3 Jelly Bean pre-installed, though Asus subsequently pushed official firmware upgrades lifting the core architecture to Android 5.0.2 Lollipop. Both the A500KL and the A502CG Lite versions shipped with a more modern Android 4.4.2 KitKat base operating system, though only the A500KL retained the pipeline path to receive an official upgrade to Android 5.0.2 Lollipop. All units incorporate Asus’s proprietary ZenUI overlay launcher, introducing specialized custom widgets, native system apps, and visual layout redesigns layered over the standard Android user interface.