When we reviewed the 5.5″ ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE550KL) smartphone, we noted that it was a divergent model of the original ASUS ZenFone 2. It uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor instead of an Intel Atom processor. It also came with a laser auto-focusing system to complement its 13 MP main camera’s contrast detection system.

For those who prefer a phablet though, ASUS offers the 6″ ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE601KL) [Amazon]. It is more than just a larger device, it comes with a more powerful processor, more memory, a better display and more. Take a look at this comparison of the 5.5″ and 6″ ZenFone 2 Laser models :

Specifications	ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser (6")	ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser (5.5")
Model	ZE601KL	ZE550KL
Operating System	Android 5.0 Lollipop with ASUS ZenUI
Platform	Qualcomm Snapdragon 616	Qualcomm Snapdragon 410
Processor	1.65 GHz ARM Cortex-A53 x 4 cores 1.113 GHz ARM Cortex-A53 x 4 cores	1.2 GHz ARM Cortex-A53 x 4 cores
Graphics Processor	Qualcomm Adreno 405	Qualcomm Adreno 306
Display	6.0" IPS display - 1080 x 1920 resolution - 367 ppi pixel density	5.5" IPS display -720 x 1280 resolution - 268 ppi pixel density
Display Protection	Corning Gorilla Glass 4	Corning Gorilla Glass 4
Primary Camera	13 MP PixelMaster 2.0 camera - Toshiba T4K37 sensor - Laser autofocus (primary) with contrast-detection autofocus (secondary) - f/2.0 Largan lens - dual-tone LED flash
Secondary Camera	5 MP camera - fixed focus, 85° wide-angle f/2.0 lens
Memory	3 GB LPDDR3 SDRAM	2 GB LPDDR3 SDRAM
Internal Storage	16 GB flash storage
Storage Expansion	microSD slot - supports up to 128 GB
SIM Card Slot	Two micro SIM slots - Dual SIM, Dual Standby capability - Both SIM slots support 2G / 3G / 4G	Two micro SIM slots - Dual SIM, Dual Standby capability - Both SIM slots support 2G / 3G / 4G
Connectivity	HSPA+ : 42 / 5.76 Mbps LTE Cat4 : 150 / 50 Mbps HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 WiFi : 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Bluetooth v4.1, A2DP, EDR	HSPA+ : 42 / 5.76 Mbps LTE Cat4 : 150 / 50 Mbps HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 WiFi : 802.11b/g/n Bluetooth v4.0, A2DP, EDR
GPS	Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS
NFC	No
Fingerprint Sensor	No
Radio	No
Sensors	Accelerometer, proximity, compass, light, Hall, gyroscope
Battery	Removable 3,000 mAh Li-Po battery
Fast Charging	Yes, comes with 10 W charger	No, comes with 5 W charger
Dimensions	84.0 mm wide 164.55 mm tall 10.55 mm thick	77.2 mm wide 152.5 mm tall 10.8 mm thick
Weight	190 g	170 g

 

Unboxing The ZE601KL

The 6″ ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE601KL) [Amazon] comes in a really nice two-piece retail box. Its key features are listed on the right and left sides of the box, with the device’s actual specifications listed on a sticker at the bottom. ASUS redesigned the unboxing experience with a plastic tab you can pull to slide out the inner box.

Due to the close fit of the two halves, pulling on the tab may not slide the box right out. Don’t pull too hard or it will actually power up the ZenFone 2 Laser inside the box! This actually happened to us in the video above. [adrotate banner=”4″]Once you remove everything, you will find the following items :

• One ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE601KL) phablet
• One ASUS 10 W fast charger with 3-pin plug adapter
• One micro-USB 2.0 cable
• One ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE601KL) User Guide
• One ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE601KL) warranty card
• One strip of 3 IMEI stickers

In the next page, we are going to take a close look at the ZE601KL and set it up!

Next Page > Close Look, Inside The ZE601KL, Battery & Card Slots, Stereo Speakers

 

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The 6″ ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE601KL)

In this video, we will show you how to quickly unwrap the 6″ ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE601KL) [Amazon] – just slide it out! And we will give you a quick tour of its key features :

ASUS designed the ZE601KL to be ambidextrous. Hence, they placed the Power button at the top, with the Volume rocker switch at the back. This allows for easy handling by both right- and left-handed users. ASUS placed the earphone socket at the top, with the speaker located at the bottom of the back cover.

For selfies, the 6″ ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE601KL) [Amazon] has a 5 MP wide-angle shooter in the front, but for serious photography, there is an 13 MP PixelMaster 2.0 camera at the back. The main camera is supported not just by a dual-tone flash to its right, but also a laser focusing diode and receiver to its left.

The ZE601KL is powered by the octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 616 (MSM8939v2) SoC with 3 GB of LPDDR3 SDRAM, and runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop with ZenUI. Its 6″ IPS display has a resolution of 1080 x 1920, and is protected by Gorilla Glass 4.

 

Inside The ZE601KL

Now, let’s take a look INSIDE the 6″ ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE601KL) [Amazon]. We will show you how to remove the tight back cover to gain access to the two SIM slots, the microSD card and the 3,000 mAh removable battery.

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Battery & Card Slots

The 6″ ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE601KL) [Amazon] comes with two SIM slots, with dual standby capability. This means both SIMs are connected to the network, but only one can be used at any one time. It also comes with a removable 3,000 mAh lithium-ion polymer battery, and a microSD card slot that supports card capacities up to 128 GB.

The SIM1 slot is located on the upper right side of phablet, and can be accessed without removing the battery. The second SIM slot is paired with the microSD card slot above it. To insert a second SIM card or a microSD card, you need to remove the battery first. Make sure you insert the micro SIM card in the bottom slot. The top slot is for the micro SD card.

 

Stereo Speakers

The 6″ ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE601KL) [Amazon] comes with stereo speakers, but they are both located at the lower back of the phablet. The sound emits out the speaker grille near the USB port, so the stereo effect is reduced and only effective with the phablet is used vertically.

Incidentally, you will note that ASUS brought back the premium diamond-cut lines (with a 0.13 mm pitch) on the back cover. The 5.5″ ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE550KL) features a back cover with flat matte finish.

Next Page > Setting Up The ZE601KL, Available Storage & Memory, Camera Capabilities

 

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Setting Up The ZE601KL

This video will show you the initial setup process. It will take you no more than 5 minutes to set it up as a new device.

Once you finish setting it up and it loads the home screen, you will be amazed at how bright and sharp the display is. The display is protected by the latest Corning Gorilla Glass 4. This makes it twice as hard to break in a drop, compared to Gorilla Glass 3 used in the flagship ZenFone 2 model. Gorilla Glass 4 has, so far, been limited to higher-end phablets like the Samsung Galaxy Note5.

 

Available Storage & Memory

Out of the box, the 6″ ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE601KL) [Amazon] runs on Android 5.0.2 and has 10.43 GB of free space, out of its internal 16 GB flash storage. As you can tell – that’s not a lot of storage space. Unless you are a light user, you are going to need to add additional storage via a micro SD card.

The ZE601KL also comes with 3 GB of LPDDR3 memory, which is great at its price point. What’s just as important is the fact that the ZE601KL has relatively little bloat, leaving you with 1.7 GB of free memory to play with. That’s more than enough to run several apps at the same time.

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Camera Capabilities & Options

The 6″ ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE601KL) [Amazon] has a 13 MP PixelMaster camera at the back, and a 5 MP wide-angle camera in the front. Both cameras use a 4:3 ratio for maximum resolution, with small crop sizes available in the settings menu.

The main camera has a dual-tone LED flash to brighten up dark scenes. as well as a laser diode and sensor for faster and more accurate focusing even in the dark. The main camera can record videos in full 1080p resolution, albeit only with electronic video stabilisation turned off.

The main camera also comes with a bunch of built-in software features like a HDR mode and a low light option that extends the camera’s ability to capture poorly-lit scenes by combining light from multiple pixels. You can also apply some filters or convert your pictures into GIF animation.

Next Page > Camera Performance – Photos & Videos

 

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Camera Performance – Photos

The 6″ ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE601KL) [Amazon] uses the same Toshiba T4K37 sensor used in the flagship ASUS ZenFone 2 smartphone. The pictures no longer suffer from the yellow cast we saw in our ZenFone 2 Camera Shootout, but it still exhibits considerable noise. This is not a problem when the pictures are posted online on Facebook, Twitter, etc. but they are obvious when the pictures are blown up on a computer screen.

Take the example of the elevator and the Dala horse. They look perfectly sharp and well-defined. But if you blow it up to 100%, you will see the noise blurring the edges. That said, this has been improved since our ZenFone 2 Camera Shootout.

Thanks to its bright f/2.0 lens, the ZE601KL handles shaded or dim scenes well, and a decent job in bright scenes. The light fixtures and warning signs were both located in shaded areas with relatively low light.

These pictures of various fruits again show the abilities and limitations of the ASUS PixelMaster camera. They appear well-exposed and well-detailed. Only when you blow them up, will you see the edges blur from the sensor noise. This is most evident in areas of high contrast, like the stripes of the bubblegum balls.

Overall, the 6″ ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE601KL) [Amazon] produced well-exposed and sharp pictures that are more than good enough for online use. Its sensor noise is only apparent if you blow up the pictures to 100%, and while you may lose some details in the bright areas of a scene, the most important thing is that the objects in focus are well-exposed.

Next Page > Video Recording Performance, Laser Focusing Performance

 

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Camera Performance – Video Recording

The 6″ ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE601KL) [Amazon] is capable of recording 1080p videos, albeit without any form of image stabilisation. Here are two sample videos we recorded. The first is of a piano performance by Mr. Yang I-Deun, while the second is of skaters at an ice-skating rink.

The 6″ ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE601KL) [Amazon] has some trouble controlling the exposure of the bright areas. They were all overexposed. This is similar, but to a lesser extent, to what we saw with the ASUS ZenPad 7.0 tablet.

We hope ASUS looks into this, because other than this exposure problem, the ZE601KL did a great job of recording both scenes. Mr. Yang and his audience, as well as the skaters, remained properly exposed.

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Laser Focusing Performance

The 6″ ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE601KL)‘s main claim to fame is its laser focusing system. It uses a laser diode to shoot laser beams at near objects to instantly determine their distances. This allows for faster and more accurate focusing than can be achieved using contrast detection or phase detection auto-focusing techniques. We tested its laser focusing capabilities using a neat little app that ships with the ZE601KL – a laser ruler.

The laser focusing system is especially useful in low or poor lighting conditions. However, the laser diode has a low power output, for safety reasons.  You can only use it to measure distances of up to 50 cm. Anything beyond that won’t return a reading. As you can surmise by now, 50 cm is also the range for the ZE601KL’s laser focusing feature. If it fails to detect any object in range, it will fall back to the original contrast detection autofocus method.

Next Page > Work Performance, Battery Life, Battery Recharging Speed

 

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Work Performance : PCMark

We tested the ZE601KL’s performance using PCMark, which simulates work applications like web browing, playing video, writing text and editing photos.

	ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE601KL)	honor 5X	Samsung Galaxy S6
Work Performance Score (Average)	3492	3898	5078
Web Browsing	3351	3756	6788
Video Playback	3773	4325	3091
Writing	3574	4085	5918
Photo Editing	3291	2614	5357

Both the 6″ ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE601KL) [Amazon] and the honor 5X (Amazon) use the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 616 octa-core processor, with some difference in clock speeds.

The ZE601KL has four A53 cores running at 1.65 GHz, with another four A53 cores running at 1.11 GHz. The honor 5X, on the other hand, has four A53 cores running at 1.5 GHz, with the second cluster running at 1.2 GHz. That’s why while they may both use the same processor, they exhibit slightly different performance characteristics.

 

Battery Life : PCMark

We then tested the ZE601KL’s battery performance using PCMark. It basically ran the PCMark work tests until its battery capacity dropped to 20%.

The 6″ ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE601KL) [Amazon] lasted just under 8 hours, which is surprising since the 5.5″ ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE550KL) lasted over 12 hours on the same test. Obviously, the higher resolution screen and octa-core processor take their toll on battery life…

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Battery Recharging Speed

The 6″ ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE601KL) [Amazon] comes with Fast Charging capability that the 5.5″ ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE550KL) lacks. They both use the same 3,000 mAh lithium-ion polymer battery.

As the chart shows, it recharged from 17% to 100% in just 142 minutes (2 hours 22 minutes). It actually hit 90% in just 90 minutes (1 hour 30 minutes). In other words, the 6″ ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE601KL) [Amazon] recharges its battery about 31% faster than the 5.5″ ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE550KL).

Next Page > Overall Performance, Gaming Performance, Our Verdict

 

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Overall Performance : AnTuTu Benchmark

AnTuTu is a nice benchmark for testing various performance aspects of Android devices.

	ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE601KL)	honor 5X	Samsung Galaxy S6
TOTAL SCORE	36961	36983	75222
3D SCORE	2538	2446	20579
– 3D (Garden)	1550	1492	8104
– 3D (Marooned)	988	954	12475
UX SCORE	15220	16269	24065
– UX Data Secure	4483	4673	5507
– UX Data Process	2609	2438	4392
– UX Strategy Games	2169	2698	6948
– UX Image Process	2988	2599	3413
– UX I/O Performance	2971	3861	3805
CPU SCORE	15384	14031	25402
– CPU Mathematics	3296	2968	7823
– CPU Common Use	4891	4696	7585
– CPU Multi-Core	7197	6367	9994
RAM	3819	4237	5176

Other than some minor variations in performance characteristics, the 6″ ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE601KL) [Amazon] was identical in performance to the honor 5X (Amazon) in AnTuTu Benchmark.

 

Gaming Performance : 3DMark

We tested the 6″ ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE601KL)‘s gaming performance using 3DMark, using the Sling Shot (ES 3.0) test.

	ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE601KL)	honor 5X	Samsung Galaxy S6
Gaming Score	156	155	1508
Graphics	125	124	1510
Physics	1097	1149	1501
Graphics Test 1	0.3 fps	0.3 fps	8.6 fps
Graphics Test 2	1.4 fps	1.4 fps	5.3 fps
Physics Section 1	15.7 fps	18.8 fps	29.6 fps
Physics Section 2	11.9 fps	11.9 fps	15.4 fps
Physics Section 3	6.4 fps	6.6 fps	8.2 fps

Sling Shot is a very strenuous test, so it’s not surprising to see both the ZE601KL (Amazon) and the honor 5X (Amazon) flounder compared to the Samsung Galaxy S6. In the real world though, they both have no issues tackling the 3D games we throw at them.

 

Our Verdict

The 6″ ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE601KL) [Amazon] is the phablet of the ZenFone 2 family. Unlike the other ZenFone 2 models, it skips the Intel Atom for a Qualcomm processor. The model we received was powered by the octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 616 processor, which is n par for this price segment.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 616 is slower than the Intel Atom Z3580 / Z3560 processors powering the other ZenFone 2 models, but faster than the low-cost Intel Atom x3-C3230 that powers the ASUS ZenPad 7.0 tablet, or the quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 powering the 5.5″ ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE550KL).

The 6″ ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE601KL) [Amazon] also comes with a full HD IPS display. This is perfect for watching 1080p videos, whether it’s recorded on the ZE601KL itself, or downloaded from the Internet. Of course, all that extra processing power and the higher resolution display come at a cost – reduced battery life. The ZE601KL has a 35% shorter battery life than the 5.5″ ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE550KL) on the same 3,000 mAh battery.

ASUS appears to have improved the 13 MP PixelMaster 2.0 camera used in the ZenFone 2 Laser. It no longer exhibits the yellow cast we saw in the flagship ZenFone 2 model. It has better exposure control – the subject is always well-exposed, although it overexposes bright backgrounds. The overexposure with bright backgrounds is also seen in the videos we recorded. The good news is the subject remains well-exposed. We hope ASUS can address this issue in a future firmware update.

[adrotate banner=”4″]The ASUS ZenFone 2 Laser’s hallmark laser focusing system only works for objects that are less than 50 cm away. It falls back to its contrast detection method for objects that are further away. Even with the range limitation, it’s very useful if your subject is in range… especially if there are subjects nearby that may interfere with the autofocus.

To use it properly, you should enable Touch Shutter so that when you touch on the screen, it will fire the laser, focus on the subject you just selected and take the shot – all in one go. This is especially useful for product shots where you want to focus on a particular part. The laser focusing system will guarantee that the part you want is in focus.

As such, we would recommend the 6″ ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE601KL) [Amazon] to those who do a lot of product or miniature photography. The laser focusing system would be very helpful in this aspect. The small storage capacity is a minor hindrance – one easily solved by adding a microSD card.

The 6″ ZenFone 2 Laser (ZE601KL) [Amazon] is best suited for those who want an affordable phablet with dual SIM, dual-standby capability and do not need a stylus. It offers an ambidextrous design with a large, full HD display protected by Gorilla Glass 4. All for just RM 1,099 (~USD 279). That’s a hard deal to ignore.

 

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