While professional photographers were figuring out which is better - Nikon or Canon - the world turned upside down. The most popular device for shooting has become a smartphone. Many have abandoned the camera long ago, since the camera in the phone successfully solves all typical tasks. True, the most advanced technologies first of all fall into top-end devices, which many simply cannot afford, and those who want an inexpensive device with one pronounced function have a very modest choice. And from this point of view, ASUS is doing everything right. For fans of huge screens, there is the Zenfone 3 Ultra. For those who believe that there is nothing more important than a capacious battery, there is Zenfone 3 Max. Well, ASUS Zenfone 3 Laser is an affordable phone for those who value a high-quality camera.
Of course, there can be no talk of the most advanced module in a budget smartphone, but in general the parameters of the Zenfone 3 Laser camera look decent. A little later, we will talk in detail about how laser focusing works and why it is needed at all. In the meantime, it's worth taking a look at the main parameters of the model.
Specifications
| ASUS Zenfone 3 Laser (ZC551KL) | ASUS Zenfone 2 Laser (ZE551KL) | Sony Xperia XA Ultra | Huawei Honor 5X | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | 5.5 inches, IPS, 1920 × 1080 pixels, 501 ppi, capacitive multitouch |
5.5 inches, IPS, |
6.0 inches, IPS, 1920 × 1080 pixels, 367 ppi, capacitive multitouch |
5.5 inches, IPS, 1920 × 1080 pixels, 401 ppi, capacitive multitouch |
| Protective glass | Corning Gorilla Glass 3, with oleophobic coating and polarizing filter | Yes, the manufacturer is unknown | There is no data | |
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 MSM8937: eight cores (8 × 1.4 GHz) ARM Cortex-A53 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 MSM8939: eight cores (4 × 1.7 GHz, 4 × 1.0 GHz) ARM Cortex-A53 | Mediatek MT6755 Helio P10 (four ARM Cortex-A53, 1.2 GHz + four ARM Cortex-A53, 2 GHz) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 MSM8939v2: eight cores (4 × 1.2 GHz, 4 × 1.5 GHz) ARM Cortex-A53 |
| Graphic controller | Adreno 505, 450 MHz | Qualcomm Adreno 405, 550 MHz | ARM Mali-T860 MP2, 700MHz | Adreno 405, 550 MHz |
| Operational memory | 2/4 GB | 3 GB | 3 GB | 2 GB |
| Flash memory | 32/64 GB | 16/32 GB | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| Connectors | 1 micro-USB | 1 micro-USB | 1 microUSB; | 1 micro-USB 2.0 |
| 1 x 3.5mm headset | 1 x 3.5mm headset | 1 x 3.5mm headset | ||
| 1 micro-SIM | 2 nanoSIM | 2 micro-SIM | ||
| 1 nano-SIM / microSD (universal) | 1 microSD | 1 micro-SIM / microSD (universal) | ||
| Cellular 2G | GSM / GPRS / EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz | GSM / GPRS / EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz | GSM / GPRS / EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz | |
| Cellular connection 3G | DC-HSPA 850/900/1900/2100 MHz | DC-HSPA 850/900/1900/2100 MHz | UMTS / HSPA + 900/2100 MHz | |
| Cellular 4G | LTE Cat. 4 (150 Mbps, 50 Mbps), ranges 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 18, 19, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41 | LTE Cat. 7 (300 Mbps, 150 Mbps), ranges 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 18, 19, 26, 28, 38, 40, 41 | LTE Cat. 7 (300 Mbps, 150 Mbps), ranges 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 17, 18, 19, 20, 28, 29, 38, 39, 40, 41 | |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11 / b / g / n / 2.4 GHz | 802.11 / b / g / n / 2.4 GHz | 802.11a / b / g / n / ac 2.4 / 5 GHz | 802.11b / g / n 2.4GHz |
| Bluetooth | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.1 |
| NFC | Not | Not | there is | Not |
| Navigation | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS |
| Sensors | Illumination, proximity, accelerometer / gyroscope, magnetometer (digital compass) | Illumination, proximity, accelerometer / gyroscope, magnetometer (digital compass) | Illumination, proximity, accelerometer / gyroscope, magnetometer (digital compass) | |
| The fingerprint scanner | there is | there is | Not | there is |
| Main camera | 13 megapixels, f / 2.0, laser autofocus, dual LED flash | 13 megapixels, f/ 2.0, laser autofocus, dual LED flash | 21.2 MP, hybrid autofocus, LED flash | 13 megapixels, f/ 2.0, autofocus, LED flash |
| Front-camera | 8 MP, no autofocus, no flash | 5 MP, no autofocus, no flash | 16 MP, autofocus | 5 MP, f / 2.4, fixed focus |
| Food | Removable battery: 11.4 Wh (3000 mAh, 3.8 V) | Removable battery: 11.4 Wh (3000 mAh, 3.8 V) | Removable battery: 10.2 Wh (2700 mAh, 3.8 V) | Non-removable battery 11.7 W * h (3000 mA * h, 3.9 V) |
| The size | 149 x 76 x 7.9 mm | 152.4 x 77.2 x 10.9 mm | 164 x 79 x 8.4 mm | 151.3 x 76.3 x 8.2 mm |
| Weight | 150 g | 170 g | 202 g | 158 g |
| Water and dust resistant | Not | Not | Not | Not |
| Operating system | Android 6.0 Marshmallow, shell ASUS ZenUI | Android 5.0 Lollipop, shell ASUS ZenUI | Android 6.0 Marshmallow, shell Sony Xperia | Android 5.1 Lollipop, EMUI shell |
| Actual price | 16 990 rubles | 12,000 rubles | 27,990 rubles | 14,990 rubles |
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Design, ergonomics, software
Design assessment can be approached from two sides: either praise the stylistic unity of the entire Zenfone 3 series, or criticize ASUS for not wanting to add individuality to each smartphone. However, now all smartphones are somehow similar - the standards set ten years ago hardly change, only the display diagonals increase, and the thickness decreases.
The smartphone is offered in only two colors: silver and gold. The second option looks more interesting, although here, of course, for an amateur. Here, the color is not as saturated as, for example, in the iPhone, but still I would like more choice: where is black, dark gray, but at least pink?
The front panel is completely covered with tempered glass with a fashionable 2.5D effect. The edges are slightly rounded around the perimeter, which contributes to a smoother transition to the side edge. You will hardly notice this by eye, but holding the smartphone will be a little more comfortable. Above the display are the front camera lens, voice speaker and proximity sensor, and below the screen - touch buttons management. The ASUS Zenfone 3 Max, if you remember, did not have such buttons - only on-screen keys were used, which reduced the effective display area.
On the bottom, there is only a microphone under a pretty grille and a microUSB connector. However, it should be noted here that the lower and upper parts of the case on the rear panel are not metal, like its main part, but plastic. I do not think that a potential smartphone buyer will be happy to learn about this feature, but ASUS has an excuse - such inserts contribute to better work wireless modules. And indeed, with this the smartphone is in complete order. Besides, the plastic does not give itself out in any way - it is painted in the same color and has the same texture as the metal base of the case.
On the left side there is traditionally a tray for SIM-cards, on the right side there is a power key and a double volume control button. It is also used to release the shutter in shooting mode. It's nice that these elements are located in the upper third of the side edge - so it is convenient to press them with your thumb. Sony's recent experiments with the volume button at the bottom still make you wonder where to place the volume control. In my opinion, the ASUS variant is more convenient.
On the back of the body are the flash, the protruding camera lens (which seems to be easy to scratch), the laser window and the rectangular, elongated fingerprint reader. In my opinion, this location of the fingerprint scanner is slightly less convenient than on Home button or the power key, but these are trifles. The shape seemed to me a little uncomfortable - it was more comfortable to operate with the square ASUS Zenfone 3 Max scanner.
The dimensions of the device are too big (149 × 76 × 7.9 mm), but you can hold it with one hand, it does not cause discomfort. You may not be able to reach the top areas of the screen with your thumb, but typing on the go is quite possible. It is worth noting that even among the 5.5-inch smartphones, ASUS Zenfone 3 Laser remains one of the most compact, no comparison with the iPhone 7 Plus.
Now more than ever before, there is an opportunity to spend $ 400 and even less on a smartphone, which is not much inferior to devices twice as expensive. This is great news for buyers looking for a quality device at an affordable price, but it also means that manufacturers have to push themselves and create different models. With so much competition in the smartphone market, this is not easy to achieve.
The company is no stranger to the market, becoming one of its leaders in 2015 with the introduction of the ZenFone 2. Although it had a rather dull design, there was hope for its further development.
In 2016, Asus introduced many varieties of ZenFone 3 smartphones, one of the cheapest options being the ZenFone 3 Laser. The last word hints at the presence of laser autofocus in the camera, but there are many other advantages.
The ZenFone 3 Laser retails for less than $ 200, making it a direct competitor to the Moto G4. Should you give preference to the Asus model?
Contents of delivery
- Asus ZenFone 3 Laser Smartphone
- MicroUSB cable
- SIM eject tool
- Warranty and Safety Information
Design
The Asus ZenFone 3 Laser is a big step up in build quality over the ZenFone 2 by ditching plastic in favor of aluminum. Replacing the material is a great solution as aluminum gives the smartphone a premium look and feel in the hand. The back surface is smooth and pleasant to touch, it is located under the camera protrusion, allowing you to quickly and conveniently unlock the device. The thickness of the body of this smartphone is only 7.9 mm, it weighs 150 g, that is, it is very thin and light. Rounded corners make it more comfortable to hold in your hand.
Despite the aluminum body, appearance the smartphone is pretty standard. A great variety of similar devices have already been released both in the budget and in the premium segment, so the developers do not offer us anything new here.
Screen
The LCD screen has a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, 5.5 inches diagonal. There is nothing remarkable about it, but there is nothing to complain about. The text is crisp, the colors are bright, and the viewing angles are wide enough. For a smartphone in this price range, you can't ask for more.
Interface and functionality
An operating theater is preinstalled on the device. Android system 6.0.1 Marshmallow, with a shell from Asus installed on top of it. Over the years, the quality has gradually improved, so that compared to the version on the ZenFone 2, it has become noticeably more attractive. Despite this, its appearance remains somewhat cartoonish, although this is a matter of taste.
Apart from the appearance, Asus has made quite a few useful improvements to the system, the built-in bootloader can be flexibly configured, there is a high-quality theme engine, the screen understands a lot of gestures.
Processor and performance
ZenFone 3 Laser is powered by a processor with 2GB of RAM. The processor has eight processing cores with a frequency of 1.4 GHz. It is intended for devices in the lower and middle price categories, which can be seen from the performance of this model.
The smartphone copes with most of the basic tasks without problems. These include browsing, using, and even games like Asphalt 8: Airborne. A small amount of RAM leads to the fact that when many applications are opened, inactive ones are quickly removed from memory and must be reloaded.
This should be expected from a $ 199 smartphone, so this device is not for those who prefer to open many programs at the same time.
Communication
The smartphone has two slots for SIM-cards, you can use different tariffs for voice communication and mobile internet... Instead of one SIM-card, you can install, which will expand the built-in amount of flash memory to 32 GB. There is support Wi-Fi networks 802.11 b / g / n and Bluetooth 4.2.
The downside is the microUSB 2.0 connector for synchronization and recharging instead of the more modern USB type C.
Cameras
Cameras on budget smartphones usually suffer from savings more than other components. The ZenFone 3 Laser camera is also not great, but for most users, its capabilities will be enough.
Asus has opted for a dual camera module, opting instead for one with 13MP at the rear and 8MP at the front. The main camera of the smartphone, as the name implies, has laser autofocus. You usually don't see this on cheap smartphones, so it's a pleasant surprise.
Photo quality and video recording
The photos are of sufficient quality to be displayed on social networks, but one should bear in mind their shortcomings. Outdoor photography looks good, but the less light, the lower the quality. When there is often a problem with focus and the detail of images drops. 1080p video recording also produces decent images, but the lack of image stabilization means it will shake.
As mentioned above, the screen on this smartphone is bright and multicolored, it is pleasant to watch videos and play games on it. Unfortunately, the quality of working with multimedia content is significantly degraded by the speaker.
The main disadvantage is the low speaker volume. Even at maximum volume, it can be difficult to hear sound, especially in noisy environments. In this case, at maximum volume, the purity of the sound is distorted.
The good news is there is a 3.5mm analog headphone jack, no adapters or wireless headphone not required.
Call quality
Modern smartphones have no problems with incoming and outgoing calls, and the Asus ZenFone 3 Laser does not have them either. The sound quality at both ends of the line is good, the rounded corners of the screen make it comfortable to hold the device in the hand.
Autonomous work
The smartphone offers decent battery life. If you actively check email on two accounts, work with numerous social media, watch videos on YouTube at Full HD resolution, listen to music via Bluetooth headphones, the device will last about a day and a half.
The battery capacity is 3000 mAh. The device was turned on at 8:00 am and discharged the next day at 14:45. As for the tests with the always on screen, the smartphone lasted 5 hours and 13 minutes.
The downside of the battery is the long charging time. It took 3 hours 25 minutes to charge from zero to 100%.
Conclusion
Asus has done an impressive job and has come up with a smartphone that packs a plethora of merits at a price one-third the price of its flagship models. Although its design is quite typical, the quality of the materials makes it look no worse than more expensive devices.
The smartphone also offers a high-quality screen, a relatively fast processor, fast autofocus and a good duration. autonomous work... Relatively weak points are the shell of the operating system, the speaker is of poor quality and the long charging time, otherwise the smartphone is quite good. At $ 200, it will be difficult to find a more attractive option instead.
pros
- Build quality
- Slim and lightweight
- Large, bright and multi-color screen
- Fast laser autofocus
- Good battery life
- Value for money
Minuses
- Navigation buttons without illumination
- Bad speaker
- Recharge time
Mobile phone ASUS ZenFone 3 Laser ZC551KL 32GB (gold)
BEAUTIFUL METAL CASEASUS ZenFone 3 Laser reflects the highest craftsmanship and impeccable taste. The metal case with a carefully polished surface, well-thought-out ergonomics, two premium colors (silver and gold) are a masterpiece of modern design and innovative technologies that you won't want to let go of your hands.
BRIGHT AND CLEAR IMAGE
ASUS ZenFone 3 Laser features a superb 5.5-inch Full HD display with 500 cd / m2 brightness for a stunning picture, even on the sunniest day. The screen is covered with durable protective glass with rounded edges. Thanks to its ultra-thin bezel (2.58 mm) and large area (more than 77% of the front panel size), it does not affect the compactness of the smartphone in any way.
EXCELLENT SPEED AND REALISTIC SHOTS
PixelMaster 3.0 technology takes ZenFone 3 Laser's photo capabilities far beyond what is available on conventional smartphones. To capture the unique beauty of the world around it in its unmistakable splendor, this model is equipped with a sensor with a resolution of 13 megapixels, a fast f / 2.0 lens and a high-precision laser autofocus system that fires in just 0.03 seconds. Add to this the effective electronic image stabilization system and color correction sensor, you can be sure that you can get clear pictures and videos with accurate saturated colors with just one touch. PixelMaster 3.0 is a real revolution in mobile photography.
PHOTOS THAT LIKE THE REAL WORLD
A special technology for manufacturing a light-registering matrix with deep pixel isolation, which blocks the flow of light photons between adjacent cells, improves the overall image quality. Thanks to the color correction sensor, which detects objects with unusual lighting in the frame, it becomes possible to take pictures with the most natural color reproduction. These features work well with advanced shooting modes such as Super 4X and High Dynamic Range (HDR) with real-time display of the result - even before you press the shutter.
8MP FRONT CAMERA
ZenFone 3 Laser is equipped with an 8-megapixel front-facing camera, and the portrait enhancement function allows you to automatically beautify selfies in real time: remove skin imperfections, correct facial features.
MULTI-FUNCTIONAL FINGERPRINT SCANNER
The rear-mounted fingerprint reader not only instantly unlocks your smartphone, but also supports several other useful features. For example, swiping from top to bottom, you activate the front camera to take a selfie, then take a picture by touching the same scanner, which in this case will act as a duplicate shutter button. Double tapping the scanner allows you to receive incoming calls, and the launch of your favorite applications (up to five!) Can be tied to touches with different fingers.
SPEAKER WITH 5 MAGNETS
Featuring a 5-magnet speaker and a metal-fired voice coil, ASUS ZenFone 3 Laser delivers rich, clear sound. To configure it, use the AudioWizard utility, which offers you to choose one of several modes, each of which is ideal for a certain type of application (movies, games, music, etc.).
IMPROVED USER INTERFACE
The ZenFone 3 line of smartphones features ZenUI designed specifically for ASUS mobile devices, offering an enhanced design, increased performance and many additional features over the standard interface. Convenient and functional, ZenUI 3.0 is not just a user interface, it is a reliable assistant that is always at hand!
Information about the brand, model and alternative names of a specific device, if any.
Design
Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Materials used, offered colors, certificates.
| Width Width information - refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 76 mm (millimeters) 7.6 cm (centimeters) 0.25 ft (feet) 2.99 in (inches) |
| Height Height information - refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 149 mm (millimeters) 14.9 cm (centimeters) 0.49 ft (feet) 5.87 in (inches) |
| Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units measurements. | 7.9 mm (millimeters) 0.79 cm (centimeters) 0.03 ft (feet) 0.31 in (inches) |
| Weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement. | 150 g (grams) 0.33 lbs (pounds) 5.29 oz (ounces) |
| Volume The approximate volume of the device, calculated based on the dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with a rectangular parallelepiped shape. | 89.46 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 5.43 in³ (cubic inches) |
| Colors Information about the colors in which this device is offered for sale. | Golden Silver |
SIM card
The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.
Mobile networks
A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.
| GSM GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) is designed to replace the analog mobile network (1G). For this reason, GSM is often referred to as a 2G mobile network. It is enhanced by the addition of GPRS (General Packet Radio Services) and later EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) technologies. | GSM 850 MHz GSM 900 MHz GSM 1800 MHz GSM 1900 MHz |
| UMTS UMTS stands for Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. It is based on the GSM standard and refers to 3G mobile networks. Developed by 3GPP and its biggest advantage is to provide more speed and spectral efficiency thanks to W-CDMA technology. | UMTS 800 MHz UMTS 850 MHz UMTS 900 MHz UMTS 1900 MHz UMTS 2100 MHz |
| LTE LTE (Long Term Evolution) is defined as a fourth generation (4G) technology. It is developed by 3GPP based on GSM / EDGE and UMTS / HSPA with the aim of increasing the capacity and speed of wireless mobile networks. The subsequent development of technologies is called LTE Advanced. | LTE 800 MHz LTE 850 MHz LTE 900 MHz LTE 1800 MHz LTE 1900 MHz LTE 2100 MHz LTE 2600 MHz LTE-TDD 2500 MHz (B41) LTE-TDD 2600 MHz (B38) LTE 800 MHz (B18) LTE 800 MHz (B19) LTE 700 MHz (B28) |
Mobile technology and data rates
Communication between devices in mobile networks is carried out using technologies that provide different data rates.
Operating system
An operating system is the system software that controls and coordinates the operation of the hardware components on a device.
SoC (System on a Chip)
A system on a chip (SoC) integrates all the major hardware components of a mobile device into a single chip.
| SoC (System on a Chip) A system on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components such as a processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software required for their operation. | Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 MSM8937 |
| Technological process Information about the technological process by which the chip is manufactured. The value in nanometers is half the distance between the elements in the processor. | 28 nm (nanometers) |
| Processor (CPU) The main function of the processor (CPU) of a mobile device is to interpret and execute instructions contained in software applications. | 4x 1.4 GHz ARM Cortex-A53, 4x 1.1 GHz ARM Cortex-A53 |
| Processor size The bit size of the processor is determined by the size (in bits) of registers, address buses and data buses. 64-bit processors offer better performance than 32-bit processors, which in turn are more efficient than 16-bit processors. | 64 bit |
| Instruction set architecture Instructions are commands with which the software sets / controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute. | ARMv8 |
| Number of processor cores The processor core executes program instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing multiple instructions to execute in parallel. | 8 |
| CPU clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). | 1400 MHz (megahertz) |
| Graphics processing unit (GPU) A graphics processing unit (GPU) handles computation for a variety of 2D / 3D graphics applications. In mobile devices, it is most commonly used by games, consumer interfaces, video applications, and more. | Qualcomm Adreno 505 |
| The amount of random access memory (RAM) Random access memory (RAM) is used by the operating system and all installed applications. The data that is saved in the RAM is lost after the device is turned off or restarted. | 2 GB (gigabytes) 4 GB (gigabytes) |
| Memory type (RAM) Information about the type of random access memory (RAM) used by the device. | LPDDR3 |
| Number of RAM channels Information about the number of RAM channels that are integrated into the SoC. More channels means more high speeds data transmission. | Single channel |
| RAM frequency The frequency of the RAM determines its speed of operation, more specifically, the speed of reading / writing data. | 800 MHz (megahertz) |
Built-in memory
Each mobile device has built-in (non-removable) fixed memory.
Memory cards
Memory cards are used in mobile devices to increase the storage space for data.
Screen
The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.
| Type / technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the image quality of information directly depends. | IPS |
| Diagonal On mobile devices, screen size is expressed in terms of the length of its diagonal, measured in inches. | 5.5 in (inches) 139.7 mm (millimeters) 13.97 cm (centimeters) |
| Width Approximate screen width | 2.7 in (inches) 68.49 mm (millimeters) 6.85 cm (centimeters) |
| Height Approximate screen height | 4.79 in (inches) 121.76 mm (millimeters) 12.18 cm (centimeters) |
| Aspect ratio The aspect ratio of the long side of the screen to its short side | 1.778:1 16:9 |
| Resolution Screen resolution indicates the number of pixels horizontally and vertically on the screen. Higher resolution means sharper image detail. | 1080 x 1920 pixels |
| Pixel density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be shown on the screen in clearer detail. | 401 ppi (pixels per inch) 157 ppcm (pixels per centimeter) |
| Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for color components in one pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors that the screen can display. | 24 bit 16777216 flowers |
| Screen footprint The approximate percentage of the display area on the front of the device. | 73.88% (percent) |
| Other characteristics Information about other functions and features of the screen. | Capacitive Multitouch Scratch resistant |
| Corning Gorilla Glass 3 2.5D curved glass screen 500 cd / m² Viewing angle - 178 ° |
Sensors
Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical metrics into signals that can be recognized by the mobile device.
Rear camera
The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on its rear panel and can be combined with one or more additional cameras.
| Sensor model Information about the make and model of the sensor used by the camera. | Sony IMX214 Exmor RS |
| Sensor type Information about the type of camera sensor. Some of the most widely used types of sensors in mobile cameras are CMOS, BSI, ISOCELL, and others. | CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) |
| Sensor size Information about the dimensions of the photosensor used in the device. Typically, cameras with a larger sensor and lower pixel density offer more high quality images despite the lower resolution. | 4.69 x 3.52 mm (millimeters) 0.23 in (inches) |
| Pixel size Pixels are usually measured in microns. Larger pixels are capable of capturing more light and therefore provide better low-light performance and a wider dynamic range than smaller pixels. On the other hand, smaller pixels allow for higher resolution while maintaining the same sensor size. | 1.127 μm (micrometers) 0.001127 mm (millimeters) |
| Crop factor The crop factor is the ratio between the size of a full-frame sensor (36 x 24 mm, equivalent to a frame of standard 35 mm film) and the size of the device's photo sensor. The number shown is the ratio of the diagonals of a full-frame sensor (43.3 mm) to that of a particular device's photo sensor. | 7.38 |
| Light-strength | f / 2 |
| 5 | |
| Flash type The rear (rear) cameras of mobile devices mainly use LED flashes. They can be configured with one, two or more light sources and vary in shape. | Dual LED |
| Image Resolution | 4160 x 3120 pixels 12.98 MP (megapixels) |
| Video resolution | 1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels) |
| 30 frames / sec (frames per second) | |
| Characteristics Information about additional software and hardware features of the rear (rear) camera. | Autofocus Burst shooting Digital zoom Digital image stabilization Geographic tags Panoramic shooting HDR shooting Touch focus Face recognition Adjusting the white balance ISO setting Exposure compensation Self-timer Scene selection mode Laser autofocus (LAF) |
Front-camera
Smartphones have one or more front cameras of different designs - pop-up camera, PTZ camera, notch or hole in the display, camera under the display.
| Light-strength Aperture (also known as aperture, aperture, or f-number) is a measure of the size of the lens aperture, which determines the amount of light entering the sensor. The lower the f-number, the larger the aperture and the more light reaches the sensor. Usually, the f-number is indicated, which corresponds to the maximum aperture of the aperture. | f / 2 |
| Number of optical elements (lenses) Information about the number of optical elements (lenses) of the camera. | 4 |
| Image Resolution Resolution is one of the main characteristics of cameras. It represents the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in the image. For convenience, smartphone manufacturers often quote resolutions in megapixels, indicating the approximate number of pixels in millions. | 3264 x 2448 pixels 7.99 MP (megapixels) |
| Video resolution Information about the maximum video resolution that the camera can record. | 1280 x 720 pixels 0.92 MP (megapixels) |
| Video recording rate (frame rate) Information about the maximum recording rate (frames per second, fps) supported by the camera at maximum resolution. Some of the most basic video recording speeds are 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, 60 fps. | 30 frames / sec (frames per second) |
Audio
Information about the type of speakers and audio technology supported by the device.
Radio
The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.
Locating
Information about the navigation and positioning technologies supported by the device.
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi is a technology that enables wireless communication for transferring data over short distances between various devices.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless transfer of data between different types of devices over short distances.
USB
USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to exchange data.
Headphone jack
This is an audio connector, which is also called an audio connector. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.
Connecting devices
Information about other important connection technologies supported by the device.
Browser
A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.
| Browser Information about some of the main features and standards supported by the device browser. | Html HTML5 CSS 3 |
Audio file formats / codecs
Mobile devices support different audio file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode / decode digital audio data.
Video file formats / codecs
Mobile devices support different video file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode / decode digital video data.
Battery
Mobile device batteries differ in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge required for their function.
| Capacity Battery capacity indicates the maximum charge it can store, measured in milliampere-hours. | 3000 mAh (milliampere-hours) |
| A type The type of battery is determined by its structure and, more precisely, by the chemicals used. There are different types of batteries, with lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries most commonly used in mobile devices. | Li-polymer |
| Adapter output power Information about the strength of the electric current (measured in amperes) and the electric voltage (measured in volts) supplied by the Charger(output power). Higher power output provides faster battery charging. | 5 V (volts) / 1 A (amps) |
| Characteristics Information about some additional characteristics of the device's battery. | Non-removable |
Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)
SAR levels refer to the amount of electromagnetic radiation absorbed by the human body when using a mobile device.
| Head SAR (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device near the ear in a talking position. In Europe, the maximum SAR value for mobile devices is limited to 2 W / kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard established by the CENELEC committee in accordance with IEC standards, following the ICNIRP guidelines of 1998. | 0.43 W / kg (Watts per kilogram) |
| Body SAR (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to if the mobile device is held at hip level. The highest SAR value for mobile devices in Europe is 2 W / kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard was established by the CENELEC committee in accordance with ICNIRP guidelines from 1998 and IEC standards. | 0.898 W / kg (Watts per kilogram) |
| Head SAR (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to if the mobile device is held close to the ear. The maximum value used in the United States is 1.6 W / kg per gram of human tissue. US mobile devices are controlled by CTIA and the FCC conducts tests and sets their SAR values. | 0.62 W / kg (Watts per kilogram) |
| Body SAR (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to if the mobile device is held at hip level. The highest SAR value in the United States is 1.6 W / kg per gram of human tissue. This value is set by the FCC and CTIA monitors mobile devices for compliance with this standard. | 1.09 W / kg (Watts per kilogram) |
Characteristics
- Body materials: metal, plastic and Corning Gorilla Glass 3
- Operating system: Google android 7.1.1
- Network: GSM / GPRS / EDGE, FDD-LTE CAT 4 (Bands 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20), two sim cards (nan + micro)
- Processor: 8 cores, 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 1.4 GHz
- RAM: 2GB LPDDR3
- Storage memory: 32GB eMMC + memory card up to 128GB
- Interfaces: Wi-Fi b / g / n, Bluetooth 4.2, microUSB (USB 2.0) connector for charge / synchronization, 3.5 mm for a headset
- Screen: capacitive, IPS OGS 5.5 "" with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels
- Camera: 13 MP (f = 2.0) PixelMaster 3.0 with 1.12 micron pixel size, 1/3 inch Sony IMX214 sensor size, Dual-LED real tone flash; 8 MP (f = 2.0) PixelMaster 3.0, 84 degree viewing angle
- Navigation: GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDSS
- Optional: accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, light sensor, fingerprint scanner, FM radio
- Battery: non-removable, Li-Polymer (Li-Pol) 3000 mAh
- Dimensions: 150x76x7.9 mm
- Weight: 150g
Contents of delivery
- Smartphone
- Network adapter
- USB cable
- Clip
- Warranty card and waste paper
Introduction
I'll start right away with the fact that the ZenFone 3 Laser is not new, it has been sold and available in our market for a long time. However on this moment the cost of this smartphone has dropped to 10,600 - 11,000 rubles (yes, if you wish, you can find it for this price), and the version software updated to Android 7.1.1! That is, the "life" of the device lasted for at least one more year, since, for example, the share Android Nougat 7.0 is about 9%, and 7.1.1 is a measly 0.6% (data for June).
Besides new version system, the ZenUI shell has also been updated. It has become much nicer with translucent menus and submenus, the settings have taken on the look of a clean system. The overall performance has also improved, the battery life has increased slightly. All this, of course, is not very noticeable, but compared to the OS in ZenFone 3 Laser at the beginning of the year - "heaven and earth".
The model itself is notable for the fact that it uses laser autofocus, which is necessary for accurate and fast focusing. In addition to the laser, there is a color correction sensor that helps the software to correctly determine the white balance.
The price of ASUS ZenFone 3 Laser starts at 10,600 rubles for the official device (I still prefer to call them PCT - short and clear).
Design, dimensions, controls
ASUS Smartphone ZenFone 3 Laser has a common concept with the novelties of this year, that is, the design of the devices is recognizable: I can't say that personally I especially like the look of the Laser, but you can't call it gaudy either - it's simple, but practical.
The front panel is protected by the third generation Corning Gorilla Glass with a high-quality oleophobic coating. The corners are a bit sloping, it is fashionable to call them 2.5D glass - a convenient implementation for swipe movements. The display bezels are visually small, it looks nice.
The corners are smoothed, the side edges are made in the same way, so the phone fits well in the hand, does not slip out. The back panel smoothly transitions to the right and left sides. The cover is made of metal. I found it somewhat primitive, most likely due to a certain alloy: the lid is too thin and feels like a raw sheet of aluminum. Scratches appear quickly enough.
Above and below on the back of the gadget, you can see two plastic inserts - they serve for signal transmission. This once again suggests that the device is in the mid-price category, as the flagships are equipped with an all-metal case.
Laser is sold in two colors: silver and gold.
In general, the design is quite ergonomic, the phone is easy to use and pleasant to use.
At the top of the front panel there are a selfie camera, a light and proximity sensor (no complaints - they work correctly and quickly), an indicator of missed events (flashing brightly, visible from any angle), and an earpiece. It is loud, you can hear the interlocutor well.
Below the screen are typical Android touch buttons without backlighting.
Below are located: microphone, microUSB and speakerphone.
The metal power button and volume rocker are on the right, and on the left is a combined slot for nanoSIM + microSIM or microSD + microSIM.
Upstairs there is a 3.5mm audio output and a second microphone with NoiseZero Talk Technology.
On the back side: laser focusing system, vertically extended fingerprint scanner, color correction sensor with dual LED flash of cold and warm light, main camera lens with a metal frame protruding 1.5 mm above the body.
ASUS ZenFone 3 Laser and ZenFone 3 Zoom
ASUS ZenFone 3 Laser and HTC U Play
ASUS ZenFone 3 Laser and Apple iPhone 5
Display
The ASUS ZenFone 3 Laser has a 5.5-inch screen. Physical size - 68x121 mm. The frames are relatively narrow: at the top - 13 mm, at the bottom - 14 mm, and on the right and left - 3.5 mm each. Of course, there is an effective anti-reflective coating.
The matrix of this smartphone is made using IPS OGS technology, that is, there is no air gap, so the colors are more saturated, and the picture seems to lie on the surface of the screen. The display resolution is FullHD, that is, 1080x1920 pixels, the pixelation is completely invisible, since the density is 400 ppi.
The brightness of the backlight changes depending on the level of illumination even when the sensor is off: indoors - 250 units, good lighting - 300 units, in the sun - about 350 units. Contrast up to 1500: 1 - that's such a great indicator!
The viewing angles are maximum, and, most importantly, there are no purple and yellow shades, that is, signs of a cheap IPS matrix.
Calibrator data
When the brightness of the backlight is increased, the glow increases sharply, and the gamma becomes smaller. The picture will look unnatural: at minimum brightness, the black depth is large, but details are lost in bright areas, and at maximum brightness, the picture becomes too bright - details are lost in dark areas.
In the settings, you can not only select the color mode, but also adjust the color and saturation separately.
Behavior in the light
Behavior in the shade
Sun behavior
Viewing angles
Flare
Battery
IN this device uses a built-in 3000 mAh lithium polymer (Li-Pol) battery.
Our tests have shown that the ASUS Zenfone 3 "lasts" about 15 hours from a single battery charge. At the same time, Wi-Fi is always on, mail is synchronized, WhatsApp, Skype and other applications are working. The brightness of the matrix backlight is set to the maximum value, the speaker volume is also set. During the day, calls are made with a total duration of up to an hour.
In a more gentle mode, the device can work up to 2 days. With toys you can count on time up to 5 hours, with videos - up to about 8 hours.
In the settings of the device there are power saving modes: maximum performance, balance, smart power saving mode and power saving mode. Each of them is customizable to the needs of the user. In addition, you can restrict the autostart of all applications, which will reduce energy consumption.
Communication capabilities
The device works not only in 2G / 3G networks (GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, WCDMA 850/900/1900/2100 MHz), but also in 4G CAT 4 (both SIM cards), which is supported by all operators in Russia - Bands 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20.
Present Wi-Fi standards b / g / n, Bluetooth version 4.2, there is GPS, Glonass and BDSS. I can't single out anything special.
Memory
Random access memory ZenFone 3 Laser 2GB LPDDR3 (single-channel) is not much, because there is a slight shortage - many applications are restarted again. Built-in memory 32 GB eMMC: read speed - 270 MB / s, write speed - 127 MB / s - decent! You can install a memory card up to 128 GB.
Cameras
The ZenFone 3 Laser smartphone is equipped with two camera modules: the main 13 MP with an aperture of F2.0 (the lens consists of five elements), a Sony IMX214 sensor with a 1/3 "sensor; a front 8 MP with an aperture of F2.0. In order to evenly and accurately reproduce skin tones in low light conditions, ASUS equipped the device with a dual LED flash with different LED glow temperatures.
There is a laser autofocus (helps to focus not only in good lighting, but also in almost zero) and a color correction sensor.
The smartphone copes very well with backlighting, exposure and white balance are excellent, focus is fast, but not always accurate, especially when macro photography against light. The colors are pleasant, natural. Detail is slightly above average, there is minimal blurring in the corners. Oddly enough, the frames look even a little duller on the device's screen than on the PC monitor. Apparently, the ZenFone 3 Laser display matrix cannot reproduce all the colors and details.
Selfies look good, but you should keep your arm outstretched, since the focus is set from about 45 cm. Detail is also slightly above average.
The smartphone writes video in FullHD resolution. I didn't like the quality: the exposure adjusts in jerky ways, the detail is average, the picture has a narrow dynamic range. Video is clearly not the ZenFone 3 Laser's strong point. Selfie videos are nothing like that.
The device has many settings: from completely manual (shutter speed from 32 s to 1/50000 s, ISO 50 - 3200) to super-resolution (goofy trick), low lighting, GIF animation and so on. I will not list everything, in the reviews of others ASUS described everything in detail.
Sample photos