Examples of photos from the front camera

For the first time, the second generation of ZenFone was presented at CES 2015; in March, the smartphone already began to be sold in various countries, and by mid-May it finally reached Russia. The official presentation of the new product took place literally today, but we have already prepared for you a detailed review of this device.

Characteristics

• Class: flagship
• Form factor: monoblock
• Case material: plastic
• Operating system: Android 5.0 + ZenUI
• Network: two SIM cards, two radio modules, GSM/EDGE, WCDMA, LTE (microSIM) supported
• Platform: Intel Atom Z3560/Intel Atom Z3580
• Processor: quad-core, 1.8/2.33 GHz
• RAM: 2/4 GB
• Storage memory: 32 GB, microSD memory card slot (128 GB cards supported)
• Interfaces: Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n/ac), dual-band, Bluetooth 4.0 (A2DP, EDR), microUSB connector (USB 2.0) for charging/synchronization, 3.5 mm for headset,
• Screen: 5.5’’, capacitive, IPS matrix, 1280x720 (HD)/1920x1080 pixels (FHD), automatic backlight level adjustment, has an oleophobic coating.
• Camera: 13 MP, video recording in 1080p (1920x1080 pixels), dual-tone LED flash
• Front camera: 5 MP
• Navigation: GPS/GLONASS (A-GPS support)
• Sensors: accelerometer, position sensor, gyroscope, light sensor
• Battery: non-removable, Li-Pol, capacity 3000 mAh, QuickCharge function supported (60% in 40 minutes).

Equipment

• Smartphone
• Charger
• PC cable (also part of the charger)
• Wired headset
• Documentation

The smartphone comes with a good wired headset and a charger that supports the QuickCharge function.

Appearance, materials, control elements, assembly

On the one hand, from a design point of view, we have a regular candy bar with rounded corners, on the other hand, Asus was able to emphasize that this device belongs to the Zen line. Pay attention to the bottom of the smartphone, the power button and the volume rocker; they are made with a special iridescent pattern, characteristic of all Zen series devices.

In addition, the back cover itself plays beautifully in the light, sometimes you even get the mistaken impression that it is made of metal, but no, the usual slightly glossy plastic is used here. Please note that the pattern on the cover plays not only a design, but also a practical role, thanks to it the device does not slip in the hand.

Most of the front side is occupied by a 5.5-inch display; above it there is a speaker mesh, a front camera eye, light/proximity sensors, and an indicator light.

Below the screen you can see three touch buttons - “Back”, “Home” and “Recent applications”. Holding the center key brings up Google Now.

At the top end there is a power button, a microphone hole and a 3.5 mm headphone jack, and at the bottom there is another microphone and a microUSB port. The button has a short press with a characteristic click.

Turning the smartphone over, we see the peephole of the main camera, a dual LED flash, a volume rocker, and just below - the main speaker of the device. The decision to place the rocker on the back side of Asus was clearly taken from LG. However, if in LG devices this is done in order to reduce the thickness of the ends, then in Asus this is more likely simply due to the designer’s intention. Personally, I could not get used to this button location, despite the fact that when holding the smartphone with one hand, your index finger rests directly on it. The fact is that when you take ZenFone 2 at night and want to reduce/increase the volume, then intuitively your fingers still reach for the ends, and not the back cover.

The volume of the main speaker is very good, and it sounds clear even at maximum volume. By the way, if you put the device on a table with the screen facing up, the speaker will still not be muffled, this is due to the sloping edges of the ZenFone 2.

The back cover is removable, hidden underneath are two slots for microSIM SIM cards (one supporting LTE, the other 2G Only), a memory card slot (cards up to 128 GB are supported) and a non-removable lithium-polymer battery. To remove it, you need to pry off a special groove in the lower left corner. By the way, the lid is very difficult to remove.

Despite the removable cover, the device is perfectly assembled, largely thanks to the huge number of latches on it. There are no backlashes, squeaks or other assembly problems.

Dimensions

	Height (mm)	Width (mm)	Thickness (mm)	Weight (gram)
	152.5	77.2	10.9	170
Samsung Galaxy Note 4	153.5	78.6	8.5	176
Huawei Honor 6 Plus	150.5	75.7	7.5	165
Meizu M1 Note	150.7	75.2	8.9	145
Apple iPhone 6 Plus	158.1	77.8	7.1	172

I haven’t tested phablets for a long time, and at first ZenFone 2 seemed just huge, healthy, too big. However, comparing its dimensions with the most popular competitors, you can see that the dimensions of this smartphone are comparable to most phablets, only its greater thickness stands out.

You can hold the ZenFone 2, but using it with one hand in standard mode is quite awkward.

And here the one-handed control mode comes to our aid; something similar has long been implemented in the Note line from Samsung. However, Asus is shrinking not just individual applications, but the display itself in principle; this is convenient if you use a third-party dialer, keyboard, etc.

Screen

In terms of characteristics, we have a typical phablet in the mid-price segment, but the devil, as we know, is in the details, so we’ll talk about them.

According to my feelings, in ZenFone 2 there is an air gap between the display and glass, because of this the image is inferior to reference screens (iPhone 6 Plus, Note 4, HTC One M8). When working with the device indoors, its maximum brightness is enough for the eyes, but outdoors sometimes you want to turn it up even more, but there’s nowhere else to go. The same applies to the minimum - in a dark room you want to reduce it a little more, but the minimum has already been reached.

Viewing angles are close to maximum; with a strong deviation, the brightness of the picture only slightly deteriorates.

As for the image quality, it is expectedly good: a clear (thanks to high resolution) picture, natural colors - all these advantages are inherent in high-quality IPS matrices. I didn’t like the automatic brightness adjustment; it sets an uncomfortably low brightness level, but adjusting it manually is quite convenient thanks to the slider in the notification shade.

In the sun, the screen becomes almost completely blind, but the information can still be made out.

If you wish, you can independently adjust the color scheme of your smartphone or enable a special “reading mode” that makes the colors warmer.

In addition, ZenFone 2 has a separate mode for working with gloves; I had no complaints about it.

Wanting to somehow compensate for the ease of use with a large diagonal, the manufacturer added the ability to turn the smartphone on and off by double tapping on the screen. And if there are no problems with turning it on, then the device does not always turn off the first time; here it is important to tap on an empty space. In addition to this feature, in the ZenMotion settings you can assign the launch of a particular program to various gestures.

To summarize: ZenFone 2 has a good display for its price category, but it is still slightly inferior to the screens in flagship devices.

operating system

The smartphone runs Android 5.0.2 and the new version of ZenUI. In fact, there aren’t that many changes in appearance, but there are some, so let’s discuss each of them in a little more detail. Those interested in reading a detailed review of ZenUI can follow the link below. I’ll tell you about the innovations that I noticed during three weeks of using the device.

Firstly, the lock screen has been optimized to work with Android 5.0. Pop-up notifications fit harmoniously into the good old Lockscreen with three shortcuts and a weather forecast.

For example, in the "important alerts only" mode, you can configure whether or not to notify about new messages, as well as whose calls you can accept. In addition, it is possible to enable dialing after the second call. I like this feature, I've been using its analogue on iPhone for a long time and I'm very pleased that it has now appeared in ZenUI.

For do not disturb mode, you can enable/disable alarm notifications.

A separate “autorun manager” has appeared, its task is to block the background launch of applications to increase battery life.

The notification shade has also changed a bit, now you have to pull it down twice to bring up the toggles. Let me remind you that the location of the switches is customizable.

On desktops, swiping up brings up the menu for working with the launcher. In it you can customize scrolling effects, and also select one of several pre-installed themes or download any theme from the Play Store. In addition, you can change the font type.

In addition to the innovations I described, ZenUI has a huge number of different functions and settings, so once again I recommend that you read my detailed review of this shell.

Performance

One of the most important features of the device is the presence of 4 GB of RAM. To be honest, this figure looks very impressive, but in fact you will not notice any global difference in performance. Yes, the device can run the most powerful games and switch between them without the slightest problem, but otherwise the performance of ZenFone 2 is not much higher than that of the original ZenFone 5. The device works quickly with both built-in (launcher, settings, browser) and third-party ( any games, instant messengers, etc.) applications.

However, it is important to understand that the Z3580 chipset is still inferior in performance to top solutions from Qualcomm, so some games (like Asphalt 8) will not run at maximum settings.

I would also like to comment on the double numbers in the description of the characteristics. The fact is that there are two versions of ZenFone 2 - “simpler” and “more expensive”. At the time of writing this review, it is unknown whether the budget version will be sold here. This section will be updated after the official announcement.

Autonomous operation

The device shows good results in our battery life tests, but I would like to talk about everyday use. I had one day when the smartphone was used to the limit of its capabilities (LTE, maximum brightness, navigation, synchronization with mail, connected ZenWatch). So, in this mode you can count on 2.5 hours of screen activity. It is important to understand that this is the maximum load mode and your performance will most likely be significantly higher. Actually, the operating time in video mode confirms this.

The smartphone supports QuickCharge technology; it charges 60% in 40 minutes when using a proprietary charger. I have not previously tested devices with QC support, so this technology was a discovery for me. It is very convenient to recharge the device, I specifically checked that in 40 minutes it charges to the promised 60%.

Camera

The smartphone has a 13 MP main camera and a 5 MP front camera. Below are examples of photography in various modes.

	Apple iPhone 6

“Super resolution” mode, increasing the detail of objects. On the left are regular photographs, on the right are those using “super resolution”.

Ordinary	Super resolution mode

“Night” mode, which increases the brightness of the photo.

An example of “blurring” the background.

I asked Roman Belykh to evaluate the quality of the smartphone’s photographs, and below is his comment:

Positive points of the camera:

• High-aperture optics with F2.0 aperture.
• Beautifully blurs the background, especially in macro shots.
• There is a high resolution function. Yes, it is based on interpolation, but with the help of special algorithms for removing noise and increasing contour contrast, the photographs are actually better compared to frames taken without the VR function.
• Accurate focusing.
• Almost always accurate white balance.

Negative points of the camera:

• Doesn't handle backlight well. Any glare towards the camera is perceived with hostility by the optics: the frame becomes overexposed and contrast is lost.
• Not the highest level of detail. Even compared to 8 MP frames on the iPhone 6.

Wireless interfaces

An interesting feature of this device is two separate radio modules. That is, when making calls to one SIM card, the second one still remains available. I specifically tested this function, it works great, with two simultaneous calls you can switch between them without any problems. Perhaps the only drawback of using two SIM cards is that only one of them supports LTE. Otherwise, everything is done at the highest level: buttons for calling from different SIM cards in the dialer and SMS application, detailed settings, signal display.

Conclusion

There are no complaints about the quality of speech transmission; you and your interlocutor can hear each other perfectly.

There will be three different versions of the smartphone on sale, the first is the ZE550ML with 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of internal memory, Intel Atom Z3560 chipset and HD resolution. It will cost 15,000 rubles.

The second version is ZE551ML, it also has 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of internal memory, but uses the Intel Atom Z3580 chipset and has a higher (FHD) display resolution. This model will cost 18,000 rubles.

The third version of the smartphone has the best characteristics: 4 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal memory, Intel Atom Z3580 chipset and FHD resolution. Its cost will be 20,000 rubles.

In my opinion, there is no particular point in taking the lower version; you should immediately look towards the top version with 4 GB of RAM. The difference of 2,000 rubles compared to the average configuration is worth the overpayment.

As a result, for 20,000 rubles you get a phablet with a good (albeit inferior to flagships) display, a high-quality and fast shell, 4 GB of RAM, support for two SIM cards (one of them with LTE) and average battery life.

By the way, Asus announced that from May 21 to July 21, users have the opportunity to return the ZenFone 2 you don’t like with a 100% money back guarantee.

For this money you get a phablet with a good (albeit inferior to flagships) display, a high-quality and fast shell, 2 GB of RAM, support for two SIM cards (one of them with LTE) and average battery life. Some might quibble with the display's two hours of battery life at maximum load, but in reality, under similar usage scenarios, most competitors would drain at the same rate. Since we remembered our competitors, let’s talk about them in a little more detail.

Meizu M1 Note. A device with similar characteristics, much better dimensions, but weak LTE support and the absence of a memory card slot. But it also costs less.

Huawei Honor 6 Plus. Another smartphone with similar characteristics, but a higher price (26,000 rubles). Among the advantages, Artem Lutfullin highlighted two radio modules with LTE support and two cameras that allow you to take beautiful shots with blur.

In fact, when choosing between these three models, you should focus on your budget. If you want to save maximum money, take the M1 Note. If you are looking for a balance between price and performance characteristics, look towards ZenFone 2. And if you really want two radio modules and both with LTE support, then you should take Honor 6 Plus.

In 2014, Asus opened a new line of Zenfone smartphones, which were distinguished by an affordable price. Judging by the demand for such devices, the idea turned out to be successful, and the line received a logical continuation: Zenfone 2 ZE551ML, released in 2015, is “living” proof of this. The smartphone boasts decent characteristics, good design, and an attractive price: the younger version can be purchased for 187 USD. But for the older version they will ask for up to 390 USD. It all depends on the configuration (and how the store is built). The prices indicated are approximate and current at the time of creation of the review.

The design of the device is attractive and at the same time recognizable. On the front part under the screen there is a plate with a gradient pattern. The back cover is removable, slightly curved for easier grip, and has a metal-like pattern. There are several lid colors available to choose from: black, white, grey, red and gold. There is not a single button on the side edges: the volume rocker is on the back side, and the power button is on the top edge. Case dimensions: 77.20 x 152.50 x 10.90 mm. Weight: 170 g.

Specifications Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML

Thanks to the ability to choose the hardware configuration, everyone can choose the appropriate option based on their needs and financial capabilities.

Processor and memory

The smartphone is sold in two main variations. The differences between them are the processor, the amount of main and RAM. Any configuration is equipped with a Power VR G6430 graphics chip, as well as the ability to expand memory using MicroSD (up to 64 GB).

A simpler version of Asus Zenfone 2 received a prefix called ZE550ML. The smartphone has an Intel Atom Z3560 processor (4 cores, 1.8 GHz). The RAM capacity is 2 GB and ROM is 16 GB.

The older model with the ZE551ML prefix is ​​equipped with a 4-core Intel Atom Z3580 processor with a frequency of 2.33 GHz. The RAM capacity is increased to 4 GB, and the built-in storage can be 32 or 64 GB.

The difference in performance is quite difficult to notice with the naked eye. Both devices work very quickly, except that in the version with 4 GB of RAM you will notice a higher speed of switching between applications. However, Intel Atom Z3560/Z3580 processors do not reach the title of top-end, so the most demanding games on hardware resources will run without a drop in FPS only at reduced graphics settings.

Autonomous operation

The battery capacity is 3000 mAh. Despite the opening lid, the battery is not removable. The manufacturer managed to successfully combine battery capacity with powerful but energy-efficient hardware, as well as optimize the software. In total, all this made it possible for the device to operate uninterruptedly for 24 hours, with a moderately active load. In practice, this means 2 light days of operation without recharging. The parameters include a customizable energy saving mode, including the ability to select an ultra-economical mode, which allows you to extend battery life by several more hours.

Camera

The 13 megapixel main camera is equipped with a dual flash with cold and warm glow, as well as laser autofocus. The camera app interface is quite simple but functional. The settings include adjustment of manual shooting parameters, such as exposure, white balance, ISO. There is image stabilization, but at the software level. The high-aperture matrix allows you to get good pictures in low light conditions. A decent result is also obtained in the daytime, but the photographs are inferior in detail to photographs taken with top-end flagships from A-brands released in 2015. The camera can blur the background and focuses quickly.

Videos can be recorded at a maximum resolution of 1080p (1920x1080). The video quality is acceptable, however, the stabilization does not cope with its task in the best way: the image still shakes quite noticeably when shooting while walking.

The 5 MP front camera takes very good photos: it’s ideal for taking self-portraits.

Display

The 5.5-inch display with an IPS matrix and FullHD resolution (1920x1080) is covered with protective glass Gorilla Glass 3. The oleophobic layer is really high quality, fingerprints hardly appear and are easily erased. The brightness margin is high; in sunlight, image visibility is acceptable. Color rendition and image contrast are good, viewing angles are maximum. You can individually adjust the color mode, including image contrast and saturation, or select one of the preset modes.

Networking capabilities

Under the cover of the smartphone there are 2 slots for SIM cards, one of them can work in 3G and 4G LTE networks, the second - in 2G networks. But the most interesting thing is that Asus Zenfone 2 has two radio modules built in at once! Those who actively use two SIM cards will be able to easily switch between them during a telephone conversation. That is, while you are talking to relatives on your personal number, you can easily receive a call from a client or boss on your work number. The smartphone has an NFC module. GPS navigation works quickly and flawlessly.

Sound

The main speaker is loud, even very loud, the sound quality is relatively good. The same can be said about the sound in headphones. The speaker will please the owner with the opportunity to hear the interlocutor’s loud and clear voice.

Software part

The operating system used is Android 5.1, with Asus ZenUI shell. The shell interface allows you to fine-tune desktops, widgets, sort applications into folders or hide them. But at the same time, the launcher looks beautiful and minimalistic, works quickly, and is not overloaded with unnecessary elements. Among the many features of Asus ZenUI, we can note the presence of a built-in autorun application manager, which will help prevent the independent launch of individual software in the background, and thereby extend battery life.

Pros and cons of Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML

Advantages:

• decent battery life;
• two full-fledged radio modules;
• there is an event indicator;
• good camera;
• acceptable price.

Flaws:

• not very convenient location of the power button;
• The video quality is not the best.

Our review of the Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML smartphone

Previously, the segment of affordable flagships featured lesser-known brands from China. Asus has taken over this initiative and seems to be doing a good job. If this continues and the company does not follow the path of greed, its smartphones will become very popular. The Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML is an excellent phablet at a reasonable price, balanced in almost everything. Of course, it has more affordable Chinese counterparts, however, none of them can boast of Dual SIM Active.

From the front, the Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML is identical to last year's Zenfone 5. And at the back it resembles an HTC or LG G3 smartphone.

The dimensions of the device measured by us: 152.5 × 77.2 × 11.1 mm, the thickness slightly exceeded that specified by the manufacturer (10.9 mm), weight about 175 grams. The smartphone can be called heavy for its diagonal. Samsung Galaxy Note 4 weighs about the same - 176 grams, despite the fact that it is 0.2 inches larger. There’s also nothing flattering to say about the thickness—like many public sector employees. At the same time, Asus Zenfone 2 is convex in shape - thinner at the edges and thicker towards the center.

The Asus Zenfone 2 case is collapsible, the cover can be removed after a little effort. Underneath you can see the non-removable battery. The build quality is good, but under the cover you can see a small gap, into which a little dust has accumulated over two weeks. During the tests, the smartphone almost did not lose its presentation and was only slightly worn out.

Comfortable use of one hand is out of the question; you will often have to use both hands. The power key has been moved to the top - it’s uncomfortable to reach with your finger. However, the display can be unlocked by double-tapping on the screen. But turning off the screen is still inconvenient. The volume keys on the back are reminiscent of LG smartphones, for example, but the company logos on the backs will prevent them from being confused.

The Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML 4GB smartphone can be purchased in black, white, silver, red and gold colors.

Screen - 4.8

The Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML smartphone has a high-quality display with a diagonal of 5.5 inches. It has an IPS matrix and Full HD resolution (1920×1080 pixels), Gorilla Glass 3 protective glass, a very effective oleophobic coating and glove mode. The pixel density is 401 per inch, the image is clear, individual pixels are visible only if you look closely at the screen. Viewing angles are average for an IPS matrix. The ratio of the display area to the surface area of ​​the smartphone is about 70%, which is not that large due to the wide side frames for a flagship. Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML has a glove mode, it is very sensitive.

The maximum brightness we measured was 311 cd/m2, the display is far from the brightest. The minimum luminosity of a white background is 24 cd/m2, which is uncomfortable for reading in the dark. The auto-brightness function works adequately for lighting conditions. On a sunny day, it’s difficult to read anything from the display, but it’s still possible. At the same time, if you shoot something on the street, absolutely nothing is visible on the display, it is unclear what exactly will be included in the frame and what will not. Separately, we note the ability to customize color rendering in the Splendid application.

Camera

Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML is equipped with average quality cameras for its resolution. The main 13 MP takes pictures well only in normal lighting, and the front 5 MP is suitable for selfie lovers.

The maximum photo resolution is 4128 × 3096 pixels, the arsenal includes autofocus, dual flash, HDR mode, image stabilization and panorama shooting. Like most smartphones, there is a face detection mode, white balance settings, ISO (up to 800) and exposure. The camera is equipped with modes for shooting in low light, shooting GIF animations, miniatures, and so on.

As for the photo quality, it does not reach the flagship level in terms of detail. Autofocus does not always work the first time; you will have to either press the screen or take several photos at once. Good pictures can be taken in bright light, but as soon as the lighting deteriorates, noise appears in the photo and the frames are no longer pleasing to the eye.

The maximum video resolution is 1920x1080 pixels, the shooting speed is 30 frames per second. There is simultaneous shooting of photos and videos, video stabilization, but if you turn it on, the video resolution is cut to 1280x720 pixels. We did not find tracking autofocus during shooting; focusing occurs only by pressing the display.

The front camera takes photos with a resolution of 2560×1920 pixels. You can take panoramic selfies or use HDR mode. “Portrait enhancement” has received advanced settings: adding blush, adjusting the “softness” of the skin, brightening it, separately enlarging the eyes and the ability to make the cheeks thinner. As a result, the photograph turns out to be an alien or a character from a horror movie.

Photo from camera Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML - 2.9

Photos from the front camera of Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML - 2.9

Working with text - 5.0

The Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML comes pre-installed with a convenient proprietary keyboard with Swype support, additional character layout and a number of other features. You can switch between languages ​​using a separate key, set up a personal dictionary, or enable word prediction. There is an option to adjust the keyboard height or even the stroke thickness for handwriting input.

Internet - 4.0

In addition to Chrome, the smartphone comes pre-installed with the proprietary ASUS Browser with a bunch of convenient features. You can work with at least 20 open tabs thanks to 4 GB of RAM. Chrome has the ability to sync tabs and history with the desktop version of the browser. Asus Browser has a separate mode for reading, saving and printing pages.

Communications - 5.0

Zenfone 2 ZE551ML is the owner of a flagship set of wireless interfaces. Two SIM card slots (with two separate radio modules), LTE, dual-band Wi-Fi, NFC chip, GPS with GLONASS support. Even the USB connector is not simple: with OTG support for connecting peripherals. The dual-SIM Zenfone 2 has its own peculiarity - data transfer over the network only works from the first SIM card.

Multimedia - 3.0

Zenfone 2 ZE551ML supports most common audio and video formats. For music, the device refused to play FLAC and AC-3 files. Videos of TS, WMV, MOV and MPG formats were not launched from the video. At the same time, the smartphone coped with 2K and 4K video. The built-in video player is not very functional. Often he has problems even just rewinding the video. But the audio player offers an equalizer with several presets and manual settings for different frequencies. When listening with headphones, you can turn on bass boost and surround sound. In general, we can call the sound quality in the headphones included in the set average.

Battery - 2.9

Zenfone 2 failed to please us with top-end battery life during testing. In the video test, the smartphone lasted 8 hours 20 minutes, which is not bad and comparable to Huawei Honor 6 or Sony Xperia Z3. But the device failed several tests in player mode, discharging on average in 27 hours. And it's not just this mode. The battery was often not enough for one day of active use. Especially if you keep Wi-Fi on all the time and do not disable the constant search for networks.

At the same time, in the energy settings there is a choice between optimized mode, energy saving mode and custom mode. The manufacturer claims that with fast charging technology, Asus Boost Master Zenfone 2 charges up to 60% in 39 minutes. In our test, the smartphone charged to 60% in 43 minutes, a little longer, but still impressive.

Performance - 3.9

Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML 4 GB is powerful enough for all tasks that smartphones face. The device is equipped with a quad-core 64-bit Intel Atom Z3580 processor and 4 GB of RAM. Any applications, demanding games - he can handle everything. In daily use it works quickly.

It is worth keeping in mind that the model has a version with 2 GB of RAM and a slightly weaker processor. But you won't lose much by purchasing a simpler model. The only difference we noticed is that heavy games load a few seconds faster, and 4 GB at once allows you to store several games or surf the Internet calmly with 20 open tabs in different browsers.

At the same time, no matter how many applications or tabs you open, the system always tries to keep at least 0.7-1 GB of RAM free. If this threshold is exceeded, some applications are thrown out of RAM and loaded again when accessed again. In general, this is a common thing, but there is a feeling that the last gigabyte of RAM is needed for show or characteristics. The Asus Zenfone 2 easily handled any games we put on it, from Minion Rush with My Little Pony to NOVA 3 and Asphalt 8. At the same time, the back of the smartphone heats up to 42.8 degrees.

As for benchmarks, the results are comparable to top smartphones - 46211 in AnTuTu and 15842 points in Ice Storm Unlimited from 3DMark. In GeekBench 3, Zenfone 2 received about 2900 points, comparable to the results.

Memory - 5.0

The Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML smartphone has several different modifications: with , , or GB of permanent memory for data storage. We tested a copy with 32 GB, of which only 25.5 GB was available to the user. This volume is sufficient for most cases. At the same time, it is expandable using a microSD card up to 64 GB. The phone supports hot swapping. Many applications can be installed or transferred from the phone memory to the SD card.

Peculiarities

Zenfone 2 ZE551ML runs Android 5.0 Lollipop OS and its own ZenUI interface. The smartphone is dual-SIM and equipped with two radio modules. We would especially like to mention the price-quality ratio; the device claims to be a flagship, but costs like a mid-level model.

The device has many unusual functions and a large number of applications pre-installed. Such an abundance of everything at once can make an inexperienced user's head spin. Among the interesting things we can mention is the Splendid utility for adjusting the color rendering of an image, an application for transferring data from an old smartphone, for backing up the system, and a separate one for creating collages from several images. Everything else is pretty much a standard set of software, most of which you are unlikely to ever use.

Among the special functions is a one-handed control mode, turning on the display by double-clicking on it. Like Huawei Honor 4X and 4C, touch gestures work on the smartphone. When the screen is off, you can draw one of 6 letters with your finger: W, S, E, C, Z or V to launch an application. You can find out which ones in the settings or assign them yourself.

Zenfone 2 is a relatively inexpensive flagship smartphone from Asus with a very good interface. The user may have only one complaint about the large display with a diagonal of 5.5 inches and Full HD resolution - it has a low maximum brightness. Therefore, in bright sunlight, the screen fades quite a lot and the image is difficult to distinguish. Otherwise, it meets expectations from a gadget of this price.

Intel Atom hardware platform

The smartphone runs on the Intel Z3580 hardware platform. There is no need to worry about the performance of Atom chips, especially the latest models with a new microarchitecture - the test results and experience of “live” use speak for themselves. The presence of the Power VR Rogue video accelerator makes the smartphone even faster in mobile games, which the integrated Intel graphics could not always cope with. The smartphone is quite weighty for a reason (its thickness is 10.9 mm) - it has a 3000 mAh battery. Usually its resource is enough for a day of active work with a smartphone.

Branded user interface

Most of all I would like to praise the smartphone for its user interface. The Asus development team managed to create an extremely “light” launcher, well optimized and fast running on almost any hardware platform, and at the same time, stuff it with all sorts of additional functions. Thus, it improves work with a locked smartphone, which can be awakened from sleep by double tapping on the screen or - what is even more interesting - by drawing certain symbols on the locked screen to launch specified applications. This way you save time without bothering yourself with searching for the desired program across all desktops or the list of applications. The interface in the camera is also good - there are many shooting modes, starting from selfie, in which the program will help you take a self-portrait with the main camera, and ending with a special mode for night photography and creating GIF animations.

8 MP camera

The highlight of Asus Zenfone 2 is fast and smooth operation, which is ensured by a combination of a powerful platform and a well-optimized interface. The only thing that can upset the user a little is that the camera here is 8 megapixels and either the optics are not the best, or the image processor is mediocre, but the photos often turn out desaturated and not very sharp. So for Instagram posts you will have to use filters to increase sharpness and contrast.

Android 5.0 platform
- RAM 2/4 GB
- Built-in memory 8/16/32 GB
- Display 5-5.5″, HD/Full HD

Description ZenFone 2 2015 (second generation)

Modifications

Three modifications of the second generation ZenFone are presented:

• ZenFone 2 ZE551ML - Full HD screen 5.5 inches, Intel Atom Z3580 with a frequency of 2.3 GHz or Intel Atom Z3560 with a frequency of 1.8 GHz;
• ZenFone 2 ZE550ML - 5.5-inch HD screen and Intel Atom Z3560 processor with a frequency of 1.8 GHz;
• ZenFone 2 ZE500CL - 5-inch HD screen, Intel Atom Z2560 with a frequency of 1.6 GHz;

Appearance

Zenfone 2 features a striking, all-new design that combines signature ASUS elements that convey the style of the Zen family with a luxurious brushed metal finish and expressive concentric circle details. The elegant curved design is just 3.9mm thin at the edges, making the design even more attractive. Rounded edges improve usability, and intuitive use has been enhanced by a rear-mounted volume control, ideally positioned for index finger use.

It is worth noting that the ZE500CL model, in addition to its size, differs visually in the location of the flash.

Zenfone 2 is equipped with a 5.5 (5) inch Full HD (for the top model ZE551ML) IPS screen with very clear and bright images. The resolution is 430ppi, and the viewing angle of 178 degrees improves viewing photos and videos and working with applications. Asus TruVivid technology makes colors even more vibrant and rich. The display features an ultra-thin 3.3mm bezel, increasing the screen-to-body ratio to an impressive 72%, and Corning Gorilla Glass 3 provides superior protection against damage and fingerprints.

The operating time on a single charge has significantly increased thanks to a high-capacity 3000mAh (2500mAh) battery, which provides operation on a single charge for more than one day. Fast charging technology allows you to recharge the battery to 60% in just 39 minutes.

ZenUI interface

Zen UI has also evolved with a sleek new design that makes better use of available space and puts information front and center for easier work. Zenfone 2 is the world's first smartphone that gives the user the ability to completely customize the settings to their preferences, including changing the launcher, themes, fonts, icons, etc.

ZenUI includes a number of new features such as ZenMotion, SnapView, Trend Micro and ZenUI Instant Updates that improve usability and enhance privacy protection.

Characteristics of ZenFone 2 2015 (second generation)

Platform
CPU	64-bit 4 cores Intel Atom Z3580 2.3GHz, graph. PowerVR G6430 processor, supporting OpenGL 3.0 or 64-bit 4 cores Intel Atom Quad Core Z3560 1.8GHz, graph. PowerVR G6430 processor, supporting OpenGL 3.0
Display	5.5 inches, 1920 x 1080 (Full HD), pixel density 403 PPI Gorilla Glass 3
Built-in memory	16 / 32 / 64 GB microSD slot (cards up to 64 GB)
RAM	2 / 4 GB LPDDR3
Camera
Number of SIM cards	2 Micro SIM
Battery	3000 mAh Li-pol, non-removable
Access to the Internet	GPRS, EDGE, 3G, 4G (LTE)
Navigation
Video
Wireless connection
Sensors	G-Sensor/E-Compass/Gyroscope/Proximity/Ambient Light Sensor
Color	grey, black, red, white, golden
Dimensions	152.5 x 77.2 x 3.9-10.9 mm
Weight	170 g

Platform	Android 5.0 Lollipop with updated ASUS ZenUI shell
CPU	64-bit 4 cores Intel Atom Quad Core Z3560 1.8GHz, graph. PowerVR G6430 processor, supporting OpenGL 3.0
Display	5.5 inches, 1280×720 (HD), Gorilla Glass 3
Built-in memory
RAM	2GB LPDDR3
Camera	5-megapixel front, 13-megapixel main
Number of SIM cards	2 Micro SIM
Battery	3000 mAh Li-pol, non-removable
Access to the Internet	GPRS, EDGE, 3G, 4G (LTE)
Navigation	GPS, A-GPS / GLONASS / QZSS / SBAS / BDS
Video	Video file format: mpeg4, 3gp
Wireless connection	WLAN 802.11a/b/g/n/ac USB Bluetooth V4.0
Sensors	G-Sensor / E-Compass / Proximity / Ambient Light Sensor
Color	black, red, white
Dimensions	152.5 x 77.2 x 3.9-10.9 mm
Weight	170 g

Platform	Android 5.0 Lollipop with updated ASUS ZenUI shell
CPU	Intel Atom Z2560 1.6GHz
Display	5 inches, 1280×720 (HD), Gorilla Glass 3
Built-in memory	16GB microSD slot (cards up to 64GB)
RAM	2GB LPDDR2
Camera	2 MP front, 8 MP main
Number of SIM cards	1 micro SIM
Battery	2500 mAh Li-pol, non-removable
Access to the Internet	GPRS, EDGE, 3G, 4G (LTE)
Navigation	GPS/GLONASS/AGPS
Video	Video file format: mpeg4, 3gp
Wireless connection	WLAN 802.11 b/g/n USB 2.0 Bluetooth V4.0+EDR +A2DP
Sensors	Accelerator / E-Compass / Proximity / Light Sensor
Color	black, red, white
Dimensions	148.1 x 71.5 x 3.9-10.9 mm
Weight	155 g

Review of ASUS ZenFone 2 2015 (second generation)