Gadget Review: 10 Reasons Why I Like the ASUS Zenfone 2 ZE500KL Laser

All of us look for certain features before we can truly say we prefer a particular smartphone. I've been using the ASUS Zenfone 2 ZE500KL Laser for the past two weeks and I found so many things I like about it. Here's sharing 10 reasons:

1. Right size. The first thing I look for in a mobile phone is pocketability. I want a main communication gadget that I can easily put in my bag or pocket. This is quite difficult to do with a phablet or tablet. I also appreciate the ergonomic arc design, with its curved back and thin edge measuring just 3.9mm, this phone comfortably fits my palm for ultimate comfort without sacrificing style.

the ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser can be comfortably held by one hand

2. Pleasing to the eye and with very functional design. The ASUS Zenfone 2 Laser has a beautiful and striking back cover. I have the red one and it is really attractive. What I found quite unique is that the volume keys are found at the back, not on the side of the phone. This makes it easy for the index finger to adjust sound volume or use the rear key for other functions like take a selfie.

3. Great display. The 5.0-inch HD (720x1280p) IPS display offers vibrant colors, good brightness levels, and wide viewing angels. Outdoors, the readability is okay even under sunlight. The 72% screen to body ratio is definitely 10% better than that of the first generation ZenFone 5.

comparisons between Zenfone 5 and Zenfone 2 Laser 5.0

4. Superb screen protection. This phone's tough Corning Gorilla Glass 4, that effectively protects against scratches and accidental damages, makes Zenfone 2 Laser the only smartphone to date with the best screen protection at its price range. My unit doesn't have any external/additional screen protector and I have no plans of buying one. Compared to Gorilla Glass 3, this new model offers 2x the drop-damage resistance of its predecessor, a 2.5x increase in retained strength, and is 85% less likely to break with daily use. Know more by watching this informative video from the Corning Gorilla Glass website.

5. Responsive touch experience. Most Android phones have 80 to 100 millisecond response time. Zenfone 2 Laser has a record-breaking touch response time of just 60ms, providing users with no lag feeling when clicking on icons and doing swiping motions. The screen also remains responsive and works normally even when the screen becomes a bit wet, which usually happens when I just got out of the shower or finished washing dishes and my phone suddenly rings. 

night shot using the ZenFone 2 Laser

5. Instant laser-auto focus camera at 0.03 seconds. The first in its price range, the Zenfone 2 Laser's 8-megapixel back camera is guided with a laser auto-focus that has a dual-LED real tone flash and a 5-megapixel front camera. I do find it amazing how Zenfone 2 Laser manages to capture images instantly, at 2x faster speed, without the usual delays I've experienced before with other smartphones.

6. Lots of camera shot options. When you turn on the Zenfone 2 Laser's camera, you get to choose how to shoot your photo -- auto, manual, HDR, beautification, super resolution, low light, night, depth of field, effect, selfie, GIF animation, panorama, miniature, time rewind, smart remove, all smiles, slow motion, and time lapse. It's comforting to know that I can get the best possible shots because of these many choices. I've yet to fully explore some of them but I am quite satisfied with the ones I've already tried.

 first mirror selfie using the Zenfone 2 Laser

7. Cool ZenMotion touch gesture. I am one of those smartphone users who worry that repeatedly pressing movable parts may result to faster wear and tear. Imagine my delight when I found out that I don't need to keep pressing the power button located on the top of the phone to wake up my gadget. I simply have to double tap the screen and it will already light up!

8. Outstanding performance. The Zenfone 2 Laser is a great productivity companion. With it, I can do a lot of stuff related to work. I attribute those smooth transitions from task to task to the 64 bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 cortex A53 MSM8916 quad core processor coupled with Adreno 306 GPU clockspeed @ 400MHz. In addition, this smartphone is equipped with 2GB of ddr3 RAM and 16GB internal storage and can support MicroSD cards of up to 128GB. 

available colors

9. Efficient connectivity. It's nice to make and receive calls using the ZenFone 2 Laser because of its clear call quality thanks to the built-in dual microphone. Likewise, the enhanced ASUS Noise Zero Talk Technology helps eliminate background echo, reducing noise for crystal call speech. I often use postpaid data to go online when I'm out of the house and, so far, it works great for me. I no longer have to bring a pocket wifi just to connect to the Internet. For those who own two phones, you'll be glad to know that the Zenfone 2 Laser has dual sim slots, which will eliminate the hassle of having to switch between two gadgets all the time.

10. Convenient customization. Many of us want our phone screens to look as personalized as possible and the ZenUI Launcher makes that really easy. You just simply swipe up on the home screen to access the easy customization tools. With it, I am able to choose my preferred wallpaper, pick my icons, and place my frequently used apps in locations and folders that I can easily find.

easy to customize!

There are many features yet of the Zenfone 2 Laser that I have yet to truly discover when I have more time to do so. For now, I can honestly say that I'd recommend it to friends who are in the market for an affordable, good-looking, and very efficient phone. The Zenfone 2 Laser is priced at P7,295.00.

* Disclosure: The smartphone unit was sent to me by ASUS to review.