Asus ZenFone 2 release date in U.S.: won't be sold through carriers

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The Asus ZenFone 2, which was announced back in January at the Consumer Electronics Show, circled around Asia and parts of Europe before touching down in the United States and Canada. The handset has various flavors but only two are up for grabs in the said North American countries. 

These two variants have the same package except for the RAM, storage and processor. The pricier one ($299 in the U.S. or $379 in Canada) has an Intel Atom Z3580 with a 2.3 GHz quad-core CPU and a 4 GB RAM/ 64 GB combo. 

The other has 2 GB RAM and a 1.8 GHz quad-core Intel Atom Z3560 chipset onboard and it costs $199 ($249 in Canada). Instead of 64 GB, it has 16 GB of storage, thus contributing to the variant's smaller price tag. 

Android Central notes that the ZenFone 2's use of an Intel-made CPU and modem is in itself a milestone and Asus' efforts to market the device in the said locations is a first time for the company, making the handset a very special offering. 

As for the rest of the specs, users in the U.S. and Canada will get to enjoy its 5.5-inch display, which renders 1080p, and a pair of stellar cameras. The Asus ZenFone 2 sports a 13-megapixel shooter on the back and a selfie-centric 5-megapixel snapper on the front. 

Users will also be treated with Android 5.0 Lollipop, which was given the maker's touch with the overlap of an Asus ZenUI. The Asus ZenFone 2, in the design department, made use of brushed plastic and curved edges for a comfy grip. 

The units are unlocked so there won't be any carrier contracts tied along with them. Interested buyers in the U.S. can check out Amazon, Newegg, Groupon and B&H while those in Canada should visit Newegg, Canada Computers, Memory Express and NCIX.com. 

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