The device we are reviewing has a 5.5-inch screen with 720 pixel resolution, Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor and 2GB RAM. However, a variant with Snapdragon 615 processor and 3GB RAM is also available in the market.
What’s so special about the laser, you might ask? This Rs 9,999 smartphone features a laser-powered autofocus system that fires an invisible laser pattern at the subject area and adjusts the focus. In theory, this will help focus faster and produce better photos. Does it work in practice? That’s what we’ll try to find out in this review.
Look and design
Asus Zenfone 2 Laser (ZE550KL) looks similar to Asus Zenfone 2. Both the handsets have a similar design. Asus has retained its concentric-circles pattern design in this device as well. If both the phones are placed side by side, it will be difficult to tell the difference.
There are no buttons or card slots on the sides of the phone. The micro-USB port is placed at the bottom. The power button and 3.5mm port are located on the top. Through the touch gestures given in the user interface, you can activate the device by double tapping and can also launch selected apps. Apart from turning the device on and off, you will not need power.
Like the Zenfone 2, the Zenfone 2 Laser also has volume rockers built into the back of the device. We are satisfied with the display on this smartphone. It is quite sharp for a budget device. Colours and brightness are also adequate.
The Laser smartphone has dual-tone flash on the left side of the camera and the laser on its right side. The back panel is removable. The battery is replaceable and the SIM card slot is built under it. The Laser has a hybrid SIM slot and the device has 16GB of storage. Due to less storage, the possibility of using dual-SIM is a little less.
Specifications and software
Asus has broken away from its tradition and has used a Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset in the Zenfone 2 Laser (ZE550KL). The variant we have reviewed has a Snapdragon 410 processor with 2GB of RAM. However, the more expensive variant will get a Snapdragon 615 chipset along with 3GB of RAM. As per the processor, the Laser seems to be a bit expensive handset. However, the laser autofocus camera setup makes the price worthwhile.
Other specifications include 16GB of internal storage, 13MP primary and 5MP secondary camera, support for microSD card up to 128GB and 3000mAh battery. Despite being a budget device, both SIM slots support 4G.
The Asus Zenfone 2 Laser runs on Android 5.0 operating system and Asus has used its own Zen UI on top of it. We are not fans of this UI, but it does its job well.
There are many things to like about the user interface, such as improved security and customization options. You can quick-launch the camera by simply double-tapping the volume button. You can also choose gestures that will automatically launch selected apps, even when the device is in sleep mode. Zen UI has great customization options.
Camera
Asus Zenfone 2 Laser is named after the laser autofocus feature in its primary camera. On paper, the camera is way ahead of the rest of the specifications of the smartphone. We usually see this kind of camera setup in high-end devices.
The camera performs well in well-lit and indoor settings. However, it produces washed-out images in daylight. This can be fixed to a large extent by using the HDR mode or focusing very closely, but it is still a bit annoying. For a device priced under Rs 10,000, the sharpness and detail of the photos are adequate.
One thing to keep in mind is that the laser autofocus system is less effective in taking pictures at a distance and in open areas. This is because of the small receiving sensor. Due to this, it becomes a bit difficult to take pictures of moving objects. It is clear that Zenfone 2 is more suitable for taking pictures at short distances with laser.
More information is recorded quickly in photos taken at short distances. The laser autofocus system works fast and focuses properly on the object. However, its laser system is only slightly faster than the commonly used autofocus systems.
The camera app is very easy to use. You get many options in it. Most of the important settings are very easy to access. There are many great filters and modes available in it, including time lapse, depth of field and GIF image. The manual mode has many professional options. The biggest 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
The camera performance is what works in favour of the Asus Zenfone 2 Laser. It is worth noting that the rest of the specifications of this smartphone are similar to those of an entry-level smartphone, so expect basic performance from these. Despite this, we had a pleasant experience with the performance of the handset. Dead Trigger 2 ran very smoothly. During this time, there was no problem of the phone heating up or the battery draining too quickly. Our test videos played without any problem. However, at times there was a slight delay in launching apps and unlocking the device. However, this shortcoming will not bother budget smartphone users.
The benchmark test results of the Asus Zenfone 2 Laser are very similar to those of budget devices powered by the Snapdragon 410 processor. While better performance is possible at this price, keep in mind that you are paying for premium camera technology.The phone performed well in the video loop test. The battery lasted for 14 hours after 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 verdict
Due to the laser autofocus technology, the Asus Zenfone 2 Laser does not seem to be in the league of other phones under Rs 15,000. Basically, it is a budget device whose specifications are also average, but due to the excellent camera technology, this smartphone makes its mark. In this price, you will hardly find a camera phone that gives such fast and great performance.
The main drawbacks of the Asus Zenfone 2 Laser are its poor performance when shooting outdoors, and apps taking a little longer to load. However, there is a feeling of reliability when using this phone. It won’t fail you when you need it. Apart from that, it has decent looks, good build and excellent battery life.
Under Rs 10,000, the Asus Zenfone 2 Laser (ZE550KL) probably offers the best camera performance in close environments. If you are passionate about photography, then this smartphone is worth a try.
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