Asus Zenfone 2 Laser ZE550KL

Carrying the same model name, the ZenFone 2 Laser seems extremely familiar to its progenitor. You’ll find similar design ethos in both the smartphones, however the former isn’t as premium-looking as the original ASUS ZenFone 2. Though both phones are constructed out of plastic, the ZenFone 2 had a metallic finish, which lent it exquisiteness. In comparison, the ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser features a rubberised body, though that does add to the grip.

While the ASUS ZenFone model reviewed by us sported a 1080p display, the device also has variants that feature a resolution of 1,280 x 720 pixels. The ZenFone 2 Laser too – being a mid-range affair – bears an HD resolution. Combined with a 5.5-inch display, it equals a pixel density of 267ppi. Unless you’re nit-picking, the display reproduces decent amount of details and there’s no pixelation. It also offers impressive colour fidelity. However, brightness levels seemed to be a bit low, which made it difficult to read it outdoors.

ASUS’ had dubbed its custom skin as ZenUI, which runs atop Android Lollipop, just like its progenitor. In fact, there are hardly any changes between the two devices as far as UI is concerned. While we have taken a deep-dive look at the UI in our ZenFone 2 review, let’s take a quick look again for the ZenFone 2 Laser.

It was LG which pioneered a laser-aided focus mechanism for its flagship G3 back in 2013. The laser focus helps the phone to focus on the subject quickly and accurately, even if there isn’t enough light. Since LG, many other brands have launched devices with laser-guided autofocus, but mostly, this feature has been out of reach for masses as the offerings are priced in the premium segment. However, with the ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser, the Taiwanese smartphone maker is aiming to change that, since the handset is priced in the mid-range segment. The laser-guided mechanism complements the 13-megapixel sensor and for providing illumination in low-light conditions, it comes with a dual-tone LED flash.

Intel might be a dominating chipset manufacturer for desktops and laptops, but it hasn’t been able to make much headway in the world of portable mobile devices. However, partnering with ASUS for its ZenFone  and its successor, the ZenFone 2 showed that Intel processors are as good as the competition, if not better. But it seems that the exclusivity between the two brands was a short-term one as for the latest variants of the ZenFone 2, the Taiwanese manufacturer turned to Qualcomm.