ASUS has introduced a new variant of the ZenFone 2, The Laser variant is largely the same as the original ZenFone 2 smartphone, but with some small differences, not the least of which is the laser-assisted auto-focus from which the variant gets its name.

Hardware:
As with the ZenFone 2, the ZenFone 2 Laser features a rounded back panel with a brushed metal-esque design, as well as a volume rocker positioned beneath the rear camera. The changes start with the hardware that lies under the hood. Rather than sporting the Intel processors found in the ZenFone 2, the ZenFone 2 Laser has a 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 octa-core processor complemented with 3GB of RAM and 16GB/32GB storage options.

Camera
The variant’s biggest difference over the original ZenFone 2 is the laser-assisted auto-focus, which is aimed at helping eliminate those soft images and unwanted blurs too common with mobile photos. The camera produces nice images, and is quick to readjust to the ideal settings. Transitioning from a shot in the dark to a shot of a bright noon sky is done so rapidly as to nearly be instant.

Performance:
the ZenFone 2 Laser is somewhat less powerful than the ZenFone 2, though the differences are relatively minimal and, for casual users, likely to go unnoticed in most occasions. The decrease in performance does come with a smaller price tag, however, which is for some users a preferred tradeoff.

Battery:
Battery life, meanwhile, is very good when it comes to standby, as the screenshot below shows. The phone will go for several days without charge when in standby, a time that is cut down to several hours or more with usage. How long you ultimately get when using the device depends on what you’re doing and things like screen brightness and whether networks are enabled. There is a power saver mode for conserving battery life, with various preset modes and a customization mode being offered.