Asus Zenfone 2 Laser (ZE550KL) review
The device we are reviewing has a 5.5-inch screen with 720 pixel resolution, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor, and 2GB of RAM. By the way, a variant with Snapdragon 615 processor and 3 GB RAM is also available in the market.
Your question might be, what is so special about laser? This Rs 9,999 smartphone has a laser-powered autofocus system, which fires an invisible laser pattern at the subject area and adjusts the focus. In theory, this should help with faster focusing and output better photos. Does this also happen in practice? We will try to know this in this review.
Look and Design
Asus ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE550KL) in action asus zenfone 2 As it is. The design of both the handsets is similar. Asus has retained its concentric-circles pattern design in this device as well. If both the phones are kept together then it becomes difficult to tell the difference.
There is no button or card slot on the side of the phone. Micro-USB port has been placed at the bottom. The power button and 3.5mm port remain on the top. Through the touch gestures given in the user interface, you can activate the device by double tapping and also launch selected apps. Apart from turning the device on and off, you will not need power.
Like the Zenfone 2, the volume rockers on the Zenfone 2 Laser are located on the back of the device. We are satisfied with the display of this smartphone. It is quite sharp for a budget device. Colors and brightness are also suitable.
The dual-tone flash in the laser smartphone is on the left side of the camera and the laser is on its right side. The backpanel is removable. The batteries are replaceable and the SIM card slot is located below it. The Ledger has a hybrid SIM slot and the device’s storage is 16 GB. Due to less storage, the possibility of using dual-SIM reduces slightly.
Specifications and Software
In a departure from its tradition, Asus has used a Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset in the Zenfone 2 Laser (ZE550KL). The variant we reviewed has Snapdragon 410 processor with 2 GB RAM. By the way, in addition to Snapdragon 615 chipset, the expensive variant will get 3 GB RAM. In terms of processor, the Laser appears to be a slightly expensive handset. However, the laser autofocus camera setup makes the price worthwhile.
Rest of the specifications include 16 GB internal storage, 13 megapixel primary and 5 megapixel secondary camera, support for microSD card up to 128 GB and 3000 mAh battery. Despite being a budget device, both the SIM slots support 4G.
Asus Zenfone 2 Laser runs on Android 5.0 operating system and on top of it, Asus has used its Zen user interface. We’re not fans of this user interface, but it does its job well.
There are many things to like about the user interface, such as better security and customization options. You can quick-launch the camera by simply double tapping the volume button. You can also choose gestures that automatically launch selected apps, even when the device is in sleep mode. Zen UI has great customization options.
camera
The Asus ZenFone 2 Laser takes its name from the laser autofocus feature present in its primary camera. If seen on paper, the camera is much ahead compared to the rest of the specifications of the smartphone. This type of camera setup is seen in high-end devices.
Camera performance is good in suitable lighting and indoor settings. However, in daylight it gives a washed out image. This can be fixed to some extent by using HDR mode or by focusing very precisely, but it is still somewhat annoying. Photo sharpness and detail are decent for a device priced under Rs 10,000.
One thing to keep in mind is that the laser autofocus system is less effective in taking photographs at distant and open places. The reason for this is the small receiving sensor. For this reason it becomes a little difficult to take pictures of moving objects. It is clear that Zenfone 2 is more suitable for taking short distance photos with laser.
More information is recorded faster in short distance images. The laser autofocus system works quickly and focuses accurately on the object. By the way, its laser system is slightly faster than the autofocus systems that usually come.
The camera app is very easy to use. You get many options in this. Most of the important settings are very easy to access. It has many amazing filters and modes including time lapse, depth of field and GIF images. There are many professional options in manual mode. The most important drawback of the camera app is that you do not get the option to record video from the front camera. This can be fixed through third party camera software.
performance
Camera performance goes in favor of Asus Zenfone 2 Laser. It is worth noting that the rest of the specifications of this smartphone are of an entry level smartphone, so expect basic performance from it. Despite this, we had a pleasant experience with the performance of the handset. Dead Trigger 2 ran very smooth. During this period, there was no problem of the phone heating up or the battery draining too fast. Our test videos played without any issues. However, sometimes it took some time while running the app and unlocking the device. However, this shortcoming will not bother budget smartphone users.
The Asus ZenFone 2 Laser’s benchmark test results are very similar to budget devices powered by the Snapdragon 410 processor. Although, much better performance can be achieved at this price, but keep in mind that you are paying for premium camera technology.The performance of the phone was good in the video loop test. The battery lasted for 14 hours after a full charge. Perhaps this was possible due to the 3000 mAh battery. In daily use this phone will last a little more than a day.
our decision
Due to laser autofocus technology, Asus Zenfone 2 Laser does not seem to be in the league of other phones in the range of less than Rs 15,000. Mainly, it is a budget device whose specifications are also of average quality, but due to the excellent camera technology, this smartphone creates its own identity. At this price you will hardly find a camera phone that gives such fast and excellent performance.
Outdoor shooting, slightly weaker performance than its rivals and a slightly longer time to open apps are the main drawbacks of the Asus ZenFone 2 Laser. However, there is a feeling of trust when using this phone. When you need it, it won’t fail. Apart from that, it looks good, has a good build and great battery life too.
At a price under Rs 10,000, the Asus ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE550KL) probably offers the best camera performance in close environments. If you are fond of photography then this smartphone can be given a chance.
