Asus has released the unlocked ZenFone 2 Laser for users in the United States who are looking for a premium smartphone that features a top-of-the-line camera, dual SIM capabilities, expandable memory and a removable battery.
The ZenFone 2 Laser is the latest addition to the ZenFone 2 lineup of Asus. However, the ZenFone 2 Laser coming to the United States is not the same smartphone that is internationally available.
There are already four variants of the ZenFone 2 Laser that Asus has released in other countries, bearing model numbers ZE500KL, ZE500KG, ZE550KL and ZE601KL. The ZenFone 2 Laser coming to the United States is the all-new ZE551KL.
The device features a 5.5-inch, 1,080p display that is protected by Corning's Gorilla Glass 4 technology. The smartphone also packs an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 605, along with an Adreno 405 GPU and 3 GB of RAM. The ZenFone 2 Laser is powered by Android 5.0 Lollipop out of the box, masked by Asus' proprietary ZenUI.
The name of the smartphone comes from its camera, which is an enhanced PixelMaster 2.0 camera that features laser auto-focus technology for very sharp images. The 13MP rear-facing camera has a wide-angle F/2.0 aperture lens that is composed of 5-elements to take crystal clear pictures, and it is supported by a dual LED real tone flash that allows the device to take pictures that maintain the natural skin tones of subjects, even in low-light situations. The front-facing camera, on the other hand, is a respectable 5MP one.
The ZenFone 2 Laser also has a dual active SIM feature, with users allowed to switch between networks for LTE connectivity. The storage capacity of the smartphone can also be expanded up to 128 GB through a micro SDXC slot, with a removable 3,000 mAh battery.
The ZenFone 2 Laser 16 GB will carry a price tag of $199, while the 32 GB model will be sold for $249. The smartphone is now available through the Asus Store or through retailer Newegg.
It should be noted, however, that the device is only compatible with AT&T, T-Mobile, and mobile virtual network operators running on these two carriers. The ZenFone 2 Laser is not compatible with Verizon, Sprint, US Cellular, and other MVNOs relying on CDMA networks.
