Reviewing a mid-range smartphone - ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser ZE500KL

Most of the well known smartphone manufacturers have already released their new flagship devices for this year. Still, as the majority of sales happen in the mid-range price category, it is important for us to also review smartphones that do not have a high price tag and that appeal to different segments of the global smartphone market. ASUS, the Taiwanese computer giant, continues its constantly increasing involvement in the mobile consumer area with the release of an interesting series of budget models. This company is more and more active in the smartphone area and, recently, they released a new member of the ZenFone series: ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE500KL). With this mid-range smartphone, ASUS tries to pair an appealing price with robust performance. Read this review to find out what we think about the ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE500KL):

Hardware specifications & packaging

ZenFone 2 Laser comes in a typical ASUS packaging, with a glossy box that has the image of the smartphone on its top side and its main features printed on the bottom and sides. The top area also bolsters the fact that the ASUS ZenFone 2 series has been awarded the 2015 iF Design Award. The sliding cover comes off quite easily and inside it you will find the smartphone sitting on top of a cardboard tray. It seems that more and more manufacturers have stop ped using plastic wrappings, probably in an attempt to deliver their devices in a way that is more environmentally friendly. Inside, together with your new smartphone, you will find the following: the charging and data transfer cable, the power charger, the warranty and a Quick Start Guide. ASUS offers 6 color flavors for its ZenFone 2 Laser: Osmium Black, Sheer Gold, Glacier Gray, Glamour Red, Ceramic White and Twilight Purple. As you might have noticed from the pictures above, the model we tested is the Glamour Red variant - an upbeat colour that works well for anyone. The ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE500KL) has a interesting 5.0 inch IPS LCD with an HD resolution of 1280x720 and a pixel density of 294 ppi. This smartphone runs on a quad-core 1.2 GHz processor, namely the Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 (MSM8916). This CPU comes equipped with a built-in Adreno 306 video chip (running at 450 MHz), which supports OpenGL ES 3.0 and features unified shaders. Also, you will get 2GB of RAM memory. In terms of storage, the ZenFone 2 Laser we received for testing has 16GB of internal storage space, out of which only 10 GB are actually usable. It seems that ASUS will also offer a variant with even smaller internal storage of only 8 GB. Still, this is not a problem as you can use a microSD card of up to 128GB to extend the storage space. This smartphone's autonomy is handled by a well balanced 2070 mAh removable lithium-polymer battery. The main camera is made by Toshiba and it has 13 megapixels, 5 element lens, autofocus, dual LED flash, laser detection and HDR capabilities, while the front facing camera has a resolution of 5 megapixels. Moving forward to the connectivity options, we can tell you that the ZenFone 2 Laser includes a microUSB 2.0 port, a Bluetooth 4.0 chip and wireless networking using the 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac standards. In terms of wireless support, you will be able to connect to both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi networks. The ASUS ZE500KL also offers the possibility of using two SIM card at the same time, but only the first one supports 4G (LTE and HSPA+) mobile networks. The second SIM card will only offer 2G connectivity . The ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser has a height of 143.7 mm (5.65 inches) and a width of 71.5 mm (2.81 inches). The smartphone's thickness varies between 3.5 mm (0.13 inches) and 10.5 mm (0.41 inches) , because of the curved back that has a bulky middle and very thin edges. These body dimensions bring the general weight of the smartphone to a total of 140 grams (4.93 ounces). These are the general specifications of the ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE500KL), but if you want to find out more detailed information, check the this page: ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE500KL). The ZenFone 2 Laser is a well balanced mid-range smartphone, built on the platform of ASUS' s flagship phone, the ZenFone 2 ZE551ML. It features a good 1.2 GHz quad-core Qualcomm processor, 2GB of DDR3 RAM and a 13 MP camera with many interesting features.

Design and build quality

As you might have noticed from the section above, the ZenFone 2 Laser sports the eye catching design of its big brother - the ZenFone 2 ZE551ML. The 143.7 mm (5.65 inch) frame of this smartphone is made out of high quality plastic and features a brushed metallic finish on the lower front area. This makes the smartphone really stand-out, making you think that you are handling a premium device. Still, we would have loved it if this metallic finish continued to the top bezel. ASUS invested a lot of attention in terms of ergonomics. This obvious care for details is proved, first of all, by the 70.8% screen-to-body ratio, which implies the fact that ZenFone 2 Laser does not have large unused areas. The top bezel features the 5 MP selfie camera on the right and the ear speaker on the center. The top edge of the smartphone features the all-important power button, which, in our tests, seemed quite easy to reach while using the smartphone with only one hand. Next to it you will find the 3.5 mm audio jack for your headphones. The bottom edge accommodates the micro-USB connector which will allow you to easily transfer content between the ZenFone 2 Laser and a computer, and also charge the smartphone. On the bottom, just above the brushed metallic finish of the front, you will find the three capacitive buttons that allow you to easily access and use any Android-powered device: Back, Home and Recent Apps. These physical buttons worked flawlessly and their backlights are quite nice. One of the most interesting features of the new ZenFone 2 smartphones is the redesigned volume rocker. We are talking about the relocation of t his button on the backplate of the smartphone, under the main camera. ASUS made this change with ergonomics in mind, as the thin sides could not accommodate any serious buttons. Still, it is a great decision because this new positioning makes it easier for you to use this fairly large device with only one hand and, of course, this is also more comfortable. Also, because there are no side buttons we did not have to worry about accidentally pressing one of these keys while holding it in our hands. ASUS's care for ergonomics is also visible in their choice to go with a curved back panel which has the bulk of the weight in the middle area. This design feature together with the thin edges give this smartphone a great grip and a comfortable hold. The matte finish of the backplate also helps in getting a firmer grip on the handset. ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser comes with a 5-inch display with an HD resolution of 1280x720 and a pixel density of 294 ppi. Because it uses an IPS panel, the screen offers great contrast, wide viewing angles and, of course, a good color saturation. It also means that you will be able to easily use the ZenFone 2 Laser in both indoor and outdoor areas and even in direct sunlight. ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE500KL) is a mid-range smartphone with a body design that mirrors the great looks of ASUS' s flagship ZenFone 2 ZE551ML but in a smaller form. The nicely curved back panel and its fairly thin edges make this smartphone fit comfortably in any hand. The robust build of the ZenFone 2 Laser, together with the ingenious repositioning of the power button and volume rocker, shows that ASUS pays a lot of attention to the ergonomics of this smartphone.

The smartphone experience on ASUS ZenFone 2 ZE500KL

In terms of connectivity, the ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser works well with 4G mobile networks and the radio signal seemed to be quite stable in our geographic area. This allowed us to have good quality phone calls. We got a clear sound that made the voice of our callers highly audible and easy to understand. It even makes it easy for you to have a decent phone conversation in a noisy environment. We have to also remind you that ZenFone 2 Laser is a smartphone that supports two different SIM cards, that can be active simultaneously. Still, when it comes to 4G mobile networks, the SIM cards work in a different way: while the first one will support speeds of up to 150Mbps (LTE and HSPA+) for downloads, the second one will stop at 2G networks. Also, unfortunately, this second SIM card slot doubles as the microSD tray, which means that you will have to choose between expanding your storage or using a second mobile service provider. If you are wondering about sound quality when listening to music or when watching movies, we can tell you that the ZenFone 2 Laser will not disappoint you. You will find that the rear-mounted speaker offers a well-calibrated sound, without distortions. We liked the way it handled any music genre and the fact that it packs quite a powerful punch when it comes to its maximum volume. As we mentioned earlier, you will find the 3.5 mm jack on the top edge, but, unfortunately, we did not receive any headphones with the smartphone so we tested the sound with a pair of standard Nokia ones. They worked quite well and the sound quality was great. ZenFone 2 Laser runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop with the ASUS Zen UI installed on top of it. We can tell you that Zen UI is applied to all Android powered smartphones made by ASUS and it offers additional features that enhance the standard Android operating system. Also, this highly customized graphics interface integrates a large number of preinstalled apps that will help you solve any task you need them to. The 2070 mAh battery will allow you to use your smartphone for 10 to 12 hours in normal usage scenarios or 6 to 7 hours in heavy duty usage. It can, probably, allow you to use it for a day or more if you set the brightness to 50% and then make a few short calls, send a few messages or do some light browsing. As with all smartphones battery stamina is strongly related to your personal habits. Overall, ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser is a mid-range smartphone that will offer you plenty of features. It works well with 4G networks and the signal reception is stable. Phone conversations are clear and highly audible on both ends, even in lower signal conditions.

The camera experience on the ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE500KL)

The main camera on the ASUS ZE500KL uses a 13 megapixels Pixel Master sensor made by Toshiba. It comes packed with a laser AutoFocus that allows for a focus time of only 0.3 seconds, a feature that is available also in the flagship ZenFone 2. This makes capturing macro images quite easy. The camera experience is also complemented by a dual-tone, Dual LED flash. The main camera of the ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser was able to deliver pictures with a maximum resolution of 4096x3072 pixels. The five-prism Largan lens coupled with the Toshiba sensor managed to take a lot of good quality pictures (in daylight conditions) which displayed an optimum level of detail, saturation, and contrast. Still, in low-light conditions, the image noise is quite high. ASUS tries to come to the rescue with a low-light mode which manages to eliminate the noise but also reduces details. To help you in these types of situations, we found that using the Dual-LED flash does a great job in filling light and, as such, to reduce noise. We also have to mention the fact that ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser offers a series of camera features that are not available in most mid-range smartphones. We are talking about the availability of Manual Mode, GIF mode, Time Lapse, Time rewind mode (camera captures several images of which you can choose the best), Selfie Mode (allows using rear camera for selfies), Miniature Mode (blurs the surroundings of the subject), HDR and others. Still, even though HDR uses the Super Resolution mode (Multiframe Fusion technology) that combines four images into a single highly detailed picture, we manage d to get only a few results that were to our liking. Of course, this can be a problem related to the shaky hand of the photographer. In the gallery below, we included a series of photos that we took with the ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser. They involve a wide range of subjects, situations and lighting conditions. Unfortunately, we only managed to take one photo in sunny conditions because it either rained or it was cloudy the whole time we tested the smartphone. The photos were taken using auto settings, a few with the depth mode on and, of course, some were taken in low-light conditions. The 5 megapixels front camera will help you take a lot of good selfies, in which you will look good thanks to all the beautification effects available. The main camera can shoot 1080p videos at 30fps with stereo sound. In the first video sample, we tried to capture a moving subject from a static point at 720p. It worked pretty well, except for the cloudy day. Below you will find a short video in which we captured a static panorama while moving the smartphone. Excuse my shaky hands, but it seems that when you use the highest resolution available for recordings, 1080p, the video image stabilization does not work so well. It does a better job though, if you lower the resolution to 720p. The camera used by ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE500KL) is a plus for this smartphone. It comes with lots of features and options, both in the hardware and software areas, which allow you to capture good quality pictures even in low-light conditions.

Android 5.0 Lollipop, ASUS Zen UI & Bundled apps

ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE500KL) is powered by Android 5.0 Lollipop, but the standard operating system is enhanced by a custom graphic interface made by ASUS. This user interface, called Zen UI, includes a wide range of customizable features and proprietary apps that are designed to help you solve different daily tasks. This is a great feature, but these numerous applications can, sometimes, make the UI a bit heavy. We recommend that you carefully consider which are useful for you and remove or disable those that are not. This careful review of bundled apps will help you not overload the system. To help you with the ASUS preloaded applications we have constructed below a small list with all the important apps and what they actually do:

• ASUS Support - Gives information about the Zen UI and support for any smartphone related problems.
• MyASUS - Offers access to 24/7 support from ASUS.
• AudioWizard - Lets you personalize the sound configuration.
• DataTransfer - Helps you connect your ZenFone 2 Laser to older phones that have Bluetooth.
• Do It Later - (our personal favorite) Helps you create and organize daily tasks, reminders, notes and other planning tools.
• Kids Mode - Is a great app that will help parents control what their children can access on the smartphone.
• MiniMovie - It will create movies from the photos saved on your smartphone, which you can then share on social media websites.
• Share Link - An app that will help you transfer files between your smartphone and a computer without needing to use a mobile connection.
• Splendid - Personalized settings for the IPS panel.
• ZenCircle - A social network that works by sharing smartphone created videos.
• ZenMotion - Customize a series of on-screen gestures to open a host of apps from the lock screen, customize the interface for one hand usage and other useful features.
• ZenTalk - A forum dedicated to all ZenFones that can prove quite useful.

Another feature related to the Zen UI that is worth mentioning is its lock screen. Its minimalistic design is highly customizable, as you will be able to choose a series of shortcuts that send you directly to their designated apps. By default, the lock screen contains shortcuts for camera, phone, and messages. All in all, ASUS gives us a beautiful user interface that can be customized to your every wish. Zen UI is a custom graphic interface that sets itself apart from the stock Android pattern through simplicity and intuitiveness.

Performance in benchmarks

ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE500KL) looks like a serious contender in its particular market share (mid-range), especially in terms of performance. To check its hardware capabilities and to really see how good it is, we ran a series of standard benchmarks tests. As you are accustomed, here at Digital Citizen, we first test the CPU performance with Vellamo, a benchmark app developed by Qualcomm. The first test we ran for this review is called Vellamo Multicore and it is a benchmark that aims to measure the CPU performance when running multiple tasks simultaneously. After it finished checking our ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser, this application rated the smartphone at 1455 points. It is a solid score that places the ZenFone 2 Laser almost on par with the ASUS ZenFone 2 and only marginally lower than a Nexus 5. Then, as there are many apps that do not know how to use more that one CPU core, we measured how well this smartphone handled single core tasks. For this particular situation we used the Vellamo Metal and our ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser obtained 902 points. This is a score that places the ZE500KL a little lower than a Lenovo A7000 which is equipped with a 1.5 GHz octa-core processor (Mediatek MT6752) and also runs on Android 5.0. The result from this second preset, which gives us a better idea on how the CPU performs in real-world scenarios, further accentuates the fact that ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser is one of the best mid-range smartphones on the market. Moving on from the CPU tests, we assessed this device in terms of gaming performance. To measure its capabilities we used two of the benchmarks offered by GFXBench GL Benchmark: the Manhattan and the T-Rex tests. As always, we only take into consideration the Offscreen versions, because they run at a resolution of 1080p, regardless of the native resolution of a device. In the Manhattan Offscreen test, ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser managed to render 111 frames. Unfortunately, this result takes this smartphone to the lower area of the list and rates its performance to be similar to what you'd get from a Samsung Galaxy A3 or a Xiaomi Redmi 2. The result of the next test, T-Rex Offscreen, does not differ much from the first one in the GFXBench GL Benchmark, as the ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE500KL) managed to render only 290 frames (5.2 Fps). This means that this smartphone does not go too far up the ranking ladder and remains in an area with smartphones like Samsung Galaxy Ace or the above mentioned Xiaomi Redmi 2. After testing the CPU and gaming performance of the ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE500KL), it was necessary for us to test this smartphone in a more common situation - browsing the web. For this benchmark, we turned to Vellamo again and used the Explore test. The browser tests that are carried out by this application measure the performance of a device when it needs to display a webpage that consists of HTML5, CSS3 or Javascript. The score obtained by ZenFone 2 Laser is consistent and the 1879 points place it somewhere in the middle of the rankings ladder. This means that the performance of ASUS ZE500KL in terms of web browsing places this smartphone just above HTC One, Nexus 4 or Samsung Galaxy S3. In the final part of our benchmarks, we wanted to test the autonomy of the ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE500KL). To do this, we fully charged the smartphone's battery and then attempted to run PCMark's Work battery life. We were finally successful in obtaining a result after trying to run this benchmark for a half dozen times, as it terminated with errors each time. This last attempt to find out what the 2070mAh battery is capable of was successful and the ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser presents itself with a running autonomy of 6 hours. This is a great result, that places this smartphone as a heavy contender in the mid-range category, in terms of battery life. The last test we performed on this device is related to the network speed. As such, we turned to Ookla's Speedtest app. We checked for a good signal coverage and then ran a series of benchmarks on Internet speeds while using a 4G connection from Orange Romania. ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE500KL) successfully achieved, in our geographical area, an average download connection speed of 29.34 Mbps and an average upload connection speed of 11.80 Mbps. To our amazement, one of the benchmarks (of which you can see a screenshot below), achieved a maximum download connection speed of 68.91 Mbps and an upload connection speed of 31.55 Mbps. All the benchmarks we ran confirm that the ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE500KL) has solid specs for a mid-range smartphone. It will not allow you to play the most demanding games available in Google Play, but it will surely accommodate the needs of the average user. We were very pleased with the performance of the ZenFone 2 Laser in our day to day usage and the fact that it handled well all the tasks we threw at it.

Verdict

The ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE500KL) is a budget-friendly version of the flagship ZenFone 2 (ZE551ML). This smartphone retains the beautifully designed body of the ZenFone series, but in a smaller form factor as it only uses a 5-inch screen. The quad-core 1.2 GHz processor, its 2 GB of RAM memory and the option to expand the smartphone's internal storage with a microSD card of up to 128 GB are more than enough in terms of performance and space for apps or games. We really enjoyed the design features of the ZenFone 2 Laser, because ASUS paid a lot of attention to ergonomics and successfully created a smartphone that offers a great grip and easily accessible buttons. The camera offers a fast autofocus, dual-LED flash and a multitude of useful modes; features that are rarely found on mid-range smartphones. The simple ZenUI Android user interface can accommodate any taste and solve any task you might think of with the help of its bundled apps from ASUS. There are some issues in the performance area, but they become acceptable once you understand that this is a smartphone built for budget-conscious users. We enjoyed using this smartphone and we can say that ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE500KL) is one of our top contenders in the "Budget choice" options. It is a smartphone that looks like a flagship and offers good performance while still maintaining a reasonable price tag.