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Asus ZenFone 2 Laser review

7.7/10 AVG.
RATING
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Asus ZenFone 2 Laser
Asus ZenFone 2 Laser
Asus ZenFone 2 Laser
Asus ZenFone 2 Laser
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7.7/10
Informr score
The Asus ZenFone 2 Laser currently has an Informr score of 7.7 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 6 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

What's good

  • Excellent battery life
  • Quick and accurate autofocus
  • Smooth performance
  • Good build and decent design
  • Removable battery

What's bad

  • Photo images washed out in daylight
  • Bad sunlight legibility

In a world of high end and expensive smartphones, Asus offers an affordable option with the Zenfone 2 Laser. Measuring in at 6 x 3 x 0.4 inches, experts could not use it easily one-handed, but found the curved back and flat edges provided a good handling experience. While the design doesn’t stand up to flagship phones, they still consider it quite sleek thanks to the good build and brushed metallic plastic case. Users can remove the back cover to replace batteries, access the dual SIM slots or increase storage via the microSD slot.

The 5.5-inch, 1080p LCD screen offers a pixel density of 401ppi. For its price, experts were quite impressed with its clarity, excellent details and “punchy” colors. While it pales in comparison to higher end devices, for the price they found it very impressive especially since Asus included Gorilla Glass 4. The only complaint they had was with its low maximum brightness. This made it difficult for them to see the screen on bright days.

Unlike its predecessor – the Zenfone 2 – the Laser doesn’t feature an Intel processor. Instead, it features a midrange octa-core Qualcomm processor instead. While this leads to slightly slower benchmark scores, in real-life testing reviewers still found it quite responsive and fast during day-to-day tasks thanks to the 3GB of RAM. They didn’t experience any hiccups even when playing graphics-intensive games on the highest quality setting. And if up to 32GB of storage isn’t enough, the microSD card can accept up to 128GB. In order to keep the phone running, Asus opted for a 3,000mAh battery. Thanks to the less battery draining screen and processor, the battery lasted experts a full day. Plus, since it is removable users can swap it out with a fresh one if it ever gets too low.

The laser in its name comes from the laser autofocus on the main 13MP camera. At first, experts were worried it would be just a gimmick, but when put to the test they were surprised with how quickly and accurately it focused. This was especially noticeable when they took close-up shots providing nice depth of field and accurate focusing. Android Police adds, “…[it] is usually on the money with the first attempt.” With that said, the pictures aren’t perfect. While passable they noticed images were often washed out in daylight. Still, for the cost of the phone, it manages to provide excellent detail and decent color range.

Overall, reviewers highly recommend this phone to shutterbugs who don’t want to spend a ton of money on their smartphone. NDTV states, “…it looks decent, is built well and has a great battery life.” PC Mag adds, “The Zenfone 2 Laser offers moe bang for your buck than many unlocked budget phones, with an attractive combination of solid performance, camera quality and battery life.”


Android
Operating system
Operating system
Android
1.7 GHz
Processor
Processor
1.7 GHz
5.5"
Screen Size
Screen Size
5.5"
13+ MP
Camera
Camera
13+ MP
3000 mAh
Battery


What the Critics Are Saying...


Notebookcheck
Notebookcheck

The buyer could find a diligent, everyday companion in the ZenFone 2 Laser for little money.

- Nino Ricchizzi, Notebookcheck
PhoneArena
PhoneArena

Saturation seems to be the tactic that Asus believes will get them to reach new heights, but it’s almost maddening at the same time because the Zenfone 2 Laser offers very little distinction over the original model. Yes, its starting price point of $199 outright makes for an attractive prospec...

- John V., PhoneArena
PC Magazine
PC Magazine

The unlocked Asus ZenFone 2 Laser offers a solid mix of performance, camera quality, and battery life for a good price.

- Ajay Kumar, PC Magazine
Android Authority
Android Authority

While not without its issues, such as display brightness, battery life, and speaker quality, the Zenfone 2 Laser is still a very compelling option in a sea of cheap Android smartphones.

- Bailey Stein, Android Authority
Android Police
Android Police

If you are on a budget and are not totally averse to OEM customization of Android, you should really give the ZenFone 2 Laser a look. Its strengths are in its value for dollar, the quality of its screen, UI performance, and overall camera experience. More importantly, though, my take is that it lack...

- Jacob Long, Android Police


Prices (Where to Buy)




Common Questions


We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the Asus ZenFone 2 Laser user manual here.


Asus backs up the ZenFone 2 Laser with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.


If your ZenFone 2 Laser has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact Asus support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find Asus's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.




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Quick view

Screen Size
5.5"

The Asus ZenFone 2 Laser's screen size is 5.5 inches with 1080 x 1920 pixels resolution.

Processor
1.7 GHz

There is a Qualcomm MSM8939 Snapdragon 615 Octa core 1.7 GHz processor (CPU).

OS

The phone runs on the Android 5.0 Lollipop (Update Available: 6.0 Marshmallow) operating system (OS).

Camera
13+ MP

You can take photos with the phone's onboard 13+ MP camera.

There is also a secondary front facing camera with 5+ megapixels resolution.

Storage
16/32 GB

Internal memory is 16/32 GB. An external, MicroSD, MicroSDHC, microSDXC (up to 128 GB) expansion slot is available for increased storage capacity.

Battery
3000mAh

The phone is powered by a Lithium Polymer (Li-Pol), 3000 mAh battery.

ZenFone 2 Laser Specs

Overview
Release Date November 2, 2015
Regions Available USA, Canada, United Kingdom
Operating System Android 5.0 Lollipop (Update Available: 6.0 Marshmallow)

Compare Android Smartphones

Processor Qualcomm MSM8939 Snapdragon 615 Octa core 1.7 GHz
Internal Storage 16/32 GB
RAM 3 GB
Hearing Aid Compatible No
TTY/TDD No
Noise Cancellation Yes
SAR Body: 0.87 W/kg
Manufacturer Warranty 1 Year
Accessories Included USB Power Adapter, Manual, Standard Battery, Data Cable
Cellular
Networks
GPRS, EDGE, HSUPA, HSPA+, LTE
Mobile / Cellular Data
4G/LTE
Push-to-talk (PTT) No
Wi-Fi Calling Unknown
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) Unknown
SIM card size
Yes
Dual SIM Yes
Connectivity
USB Micro-USB 2.0
USB OTG Support No
Infrared No
Bluetooth 4.0
Bluetooth Profiles A2DP, AVRCP, OPP/FTP, HFP, HSP
Bluetooth Audio Codecs SBC, aptX
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Mobile Hotspot Yes
Memory Expansion Slot Yes
Expansion Slot Info MicroSD, MicroSDHC, microSDXC (up to 128 GB)
NFC No
Data Tethering Compatibility Yes
Camera
Main Camera
Resolution / Aperture
13+ Megapixels
Zoom
Yes
Flash
Yes (Dual LED)
Additional Rear Camera Info
Auto focus, Effects, Face detection, Geotagging, ISO, Night mode, Panorama, Self-timer, Exposure value, HDR, Time lapse
Video Recording Formats
3GP / 3GPP, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4
Video Recording Parameters
Front Camera
Resolution / Aperture
5+ Megapixels
Additional Front Camera Info
No
Video Recording Parameters
Display / Screen
Type Color
Technology LCD (IPS)
Colors 16.7 million
Resolution 1080 x 1920 pixels
Pixel Density 397 pixels
Size 5.5 inches
Secondary Display No
Sensors Ambient Light, Proximity, Motion / Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Digital Compass
Multi-Touch Yes
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Additional Display Features Capacitive touch screen, Corning Gorilla Glass 4, Glove friendly screen
Power & Battery
Battery Type Lithium Polymer (Li-Pol)
Battery Capacity 3000 mAh
Removable Battery Yes
Wireless Charging No
Fast Charging No
Video Playback Time Unknown
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Unknown
Internet Use (Cellular) Unknown
Talk Time Unknown
Standby Time Unknown
Mixed Usage
Physical Characteristics
Design Type Bar
Material Plastic
Colors Silver, Black, Red
Dimensions [H x W x D] 15.2 x 7.6 x 0.5 cm (6 x 3 x 0.2 in)
Weight 181 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof Unknown
Rugged design No
IP Rating No
Headset Jack 3.5mm
External Speakers Yes
Input / Navigation
Sleep / Wake Key Yes
Home Key Yes
Input / Keyboard Type Touchscreen
Navigation Type Touchscreen
External Volume Control Yes
Fingerprint Sensor No
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Additional Information Other Names (AKA):
Related Links Manual (PDF)
Asus ZenFone 2 Laser Reviews
Where to buy Asus ZenFone 2 Laser
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