Asus will soon launch Zenfone 2 variants in India on 23rd April and before the first batch goes on sale, we got our hands on the high end 4 GB RAM model, The Zenfone 2 ZE551ML, which will be the pricier of the lot, but not by a wide margin. Before our full blown review, here are some answers to popular Zenfone 2 questions and answers.
Asus Zenfone 2 Quick Specs
- Display Size: 5.5 Inch with, 1920 x 1080 Full HD resolution, Gorilla Glass 3 protection
- Processor: 64 bit Quad Core Intel Atom Z3580 processor running at 2.3GHz with PowerVR G6430 GPU
- RAM: 4GB
- Software Version: Android 5.0 Lollipop based ZenUI
- Primary Camera: 13 MP AF camera with Dual Tone LED flash, F 2.0 Wide angle lens
- Secondary Camera: 5 MP, With f2.0 Lens
- Internal Storage: 32 GB
- External Storage: MicroSD support upto 64 GB
- Battery: 3000 mAh battery Lithium Ion
- Connectivity: 3G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP, aGPS, 3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio
- Others: OTG Support – Yes, Dual SIM – Yes
Recommended: Asus Zenfone 2 Hands on, Photo Gallery and Video
Question – Does Asus Zenfone 2 have Corning Gorilla Glass Protection?
Answer – Yes, Asus Zenfone 2 comes with Gorilla Glass 3 protection on top.
Question – How is the Display of Zenfone 2?
Answer – The Zenfone 2 has a very good quality display. Full HD resolution makes it very crisp and sharp. Viewing angles are excellent too. In our initial testing colors and contrast looks accurate too. Zen UI allows you to set Color temperature in different modes (balance, reading, vivid) or you can set a customize hue and saturation according to your taste. Outdoor visibility is good.
Question – How is the Build Quality?
Answer – Zenfone 2 has a curved back and feels a lot like LG high end smartphones, even without taking the rear key volume rocker into account. Shifting volume rocker and power key from the sides as allowed for very slim edges, which combined with brushed metal back, makes it a little slippery. Zenfone 2 looks great and the weight is also well balanced and manageable.
Question – Are the Capacitive navigation buttons backlit?
Answer – No, the capacitive buttons are not backlit.
Question – Does the odd button placement affect usage experience?
Answer – The power key has been shifted to the top, but since you can unlock and also lock, the phone by double tapping the display or home button, this is manageable. The rear volume rocker takes some getting used to, and is slightly irritating while operating in landscape mode.
Question – Is there any heating issue in Zenfone 2?
Answer – So far, we haven’t experience any inconsistent heating in Zenfone 2 in day to day usage. Zenfone 2 heats up from around the camera, and though you feel more heat, temperature remains under control. The maximum we recorded was 36 degree Celsius.
Question – What comes inside the Box?
Answer – 2 Ampere wall charger, Documentation and USB Cable. We didn’t get headphones with our review unit.
Question – What size SIM card is supported? How is the call quality?
Answer – Both SIM cards accept Micro SIM and only one SIM supports 4G/ 3G. Call quality has been very good so far. Cellular video calling is not supported.
Question – Can you record calls on Zenfone 2?
Answer – Yes, call recording is supported.
Question – Does it have LED notification light?
Answer – Yes, LED notification light is there.
Question – How much is Free Storage?
Answer – Out of 32 GB, 25.53 GB is available at use end, you can move apps and games to SD card as well.
Question – Does it support USB OTG?
Answer – Yes, USB OTG is supported in Zenfone 2.
Question – How is the Camera Quality?
Answer – The 13 MP camera can record full HD videos and allows you to toggle with ISO, White balance and exposure. The rear camera quality seems pretty good so far, though we need to spend some more time with before we give our final verdict. The 5 MP selfie camera is again a very decent performer.
Camera Samples
Question – How is the performance ? How much did it score on Antutu and Nenamarks?
Answer – Zenfone 2 scored 46,647 on Antutu and 59.7 fps on Nenamarks 2. Performance has been smooth so far even with high end gaming.
Question – Are all apps compatible with Intel chipset in Zenfone 2?
Answer – So far, we haven’t encountered any app which didn’t run on Zenfone 2 and we have tried a mixture of popular and fairly unknown apps. But yes, theoretically there must be few apps not compatible with the platform. All popular apps will be supported.
Question – How much RAM is free on First Boot?
Answer – Out of 4 GB, more than 2 GB RAM is available. There won’t be any RAM shortage on the device.
Question – How many sensors does Zenfone 2 have?
Answer – You can see the full list in the image below.
Question – How is GPS Locking?
Answer – GPS locking is good on Zenfone 2 for both indoors and outdoors.
Question – How loud is Loudspeaker on Zenfone 2?
Answer – The Zenfone 2 loudspeaker is loud enough for media consumption. Because of the curved rear design, sound doesn’t get muffled, even when the phone is resting on its back.
Question – Can Zenfone 2 play Full HD 1080p Videos?
Answer – Yes, the handset can play Full HD 1080p and HD 720p videos of several formats smoothly without any issues.
Question – Can Zenfone 2 be connected to Bluetooth headsets?
Answer – Yes, you can connect it to Bluetooth headset
Question – Is WiFi Display supported?
Answer – Yes, Zenfone 2 supports WiFi Display.
Question – How is the battery backup?
Answer – Battery backup seems above average so far. Antutu Battery Tester score is 8940. A battery saver mode is also present which also has a customized mode for some very basic customization. While playing HD videos for 10 minutes, Battery dropped by 3 percent. The battery supports rapid charging and from the wall charger the phone charged from 15 percent to 60 percent in 30 minutes.
10 minutes of gaming depleted battery by 4 percent and when we played an HD video Lab501 battery life test, Battery reduced by 3 percent in 15 minutes with auto brightness on. When we played a camera shot full HD video in loop for 30 minutes, battery reduced by 7 percent.
Asus Zenfone 2 4Gb RAM ZE551ML India Unboxing, Review, Expected Price and Overview [Video]
Conclusion
Zenfone 2 improves over last generation Zenfones in design and functionality. The new Zenfone 2 scores high in almost all departments. While it is still too early for us to give our final verdict, things look good for Asus. Meanwhile, you can ask any Zenfone 2 related question in the comment section below.
