At the very beginning of 2015, Asus introduced a line of its second-generation devices, united under the name ZenFone. I would like to note that it immediately included three smartphones, the difference between which is not only in the indices (Asus ZenFone 2 ZE550ML, ZE551ML and ZE500CL), but also in the technical parameters of each. However, externally, the changes are not so significant - all three devices have a similar design and similar component materials from which the case is made.
In this article, we will look at one of the phones that was presented by the company at the CES 2015 conference, and it will be the ZE550ML model.
First, let's find out what the device is characterized by, what it is on the scale of Asus products and how it can attract a buyer.
General characteristics
Smartphone Asus ZenFone 2 ZE550ML (16Gb) is presented as a budget, stylish, multifunctional phone, made at a high quality level. Its cost is three hundred dollars. At the same time, it has 2 GB of RAM, a powerful battery and camera, a colorful display and an attractive appearance.
Analyzing the advantages of the device, you canconsider that a smartphone successfully tries to be pleasing in several criteria at once in order to gain as much market share as possible.
Is the phone in question really that good? Let's find out together!
Package
The device comes in a simple but attractive white-painted cardboard box. An image of the phone is applied on top, as well as the corporate logo of the developer company and a number of technical parameters.
In a package with a smartphone, the manufacturer offered an original headset for hands-free talking and listening to audio, as well as a charger consisting of a cord for connecting to a PC and an adapter. It works on the basis of QuickCharge technology. What this means and what is its peculiarity, we will describe a little further. Also, in addition to the above, in the box with the phone we managed to find instructions for working with it and, of course, the device itself.
Appearance
The design of all ZenFone 2 smartphones is identical. The back cover of the device covers most of the area of the phone; in its form it has smoothed corners, and in texture it is made of soft matte plastic, or, alternatively, of plastic stylized as metal. The buyer can try both options, since phone covers are easily replaced and, in addition, are on sale in a wide range.
The front of the phone is represented by a wide screen, which occupies about 72 percent of the area, which is limited by thin bezels on the sides. Upperand the bottom bezel is wider. On the first one there was a place for the logo of the manufacturer and the front camera, and on the second there is a decorative iridescent plate. Directly above it are touch system keys.
The original manufacturer approached the placement of the navigation elements of the device. So, Asus ZenFone 2 ZE550ML (16 GB version) has a volume rocker, which is not on the side (as is customary for many developers), but on the back cover. Users call this decision either a failure or a mega-success, depending on their own preferences.
The dimensions of the device seem more compact due to its curved shape. As a result of its application, the smartphone looks thinner at the edges than in its central part.
Screen
The Asus ZenFone 2 ZE550ML features a 5.5-inch FullHD display. The resolution (and, as a result, the image density) is not the highest here - it is 1280 by 720 pixels. Customer reviews indicate that screen grain is very easy to spot.
In other parameters, the Asus ZenFone 2 ZE550ML display (the review proved it to us) is not far behind - there is a good oleophobic coating that makes the glass smoother, so that no fingerprints remain on it. The developers did not forget about protection either, putting Gorilla Glass 3 on the smartphone, which makes it possible to talk about the resistance of the gadget to physical impact factors. Display Brightnessphone allows you to comfortably interact with it even in sunny weather, without worrying about the overexposed picture.
Viewing angles are another factor, and they also deserve all the praise. In practice, it looks like this: no matter how you turn the device, the picture retains its colors.
Operating system
At the time the Asus ZenFone 2 ZE550ML was released, Android 5.0, also called Lollipop, was considered the current version. Now, probably, an “air” update to a new modification is available to the user (at the time of writing this review, this is 6.0). However, visually little is left of the native OS on the phone: the model operates under the control of an individually designed ZenUI graphical shell. Its difference from simple Android is that some graphics elements are redesigned here, although everything is done in the same Flat Design style, where bright colors and flat images prevail. However, this is not so important - as practice shows, any interface can become familiar quickly enough, and the user simply gets used to how everything is located.
The speed of the system, according to some tests, is quite high - the smartphone responds quickly to any touch.
Processor
The Asus ZenFone 2 ZE550ML has a quad-core Intel Atom Z3560 core clocked at 1.8 GHz. It works in tandem with the PowerVR G6403 graphics engine. It also has 2 GB of RAM.
If you have nothingthey don’t talk about the speed of the smartphone, its technical indicators, let’s put it simply: in practice, the phone has high performance. As tests have shown, it can run bulky (in terms of graphics) games without delays and braking. After reviewing the Asus ZenFone 2 ZE550ML reviews, we can draw the same conclusion.
Memory
Speaking of physical memory, we should note the choice provided by the manufacturer between smartphones with 16, 32 and 64 GB. Of course, the latest version is the most expensive. However, each of them has a slot for a memory card, allowing you to expand the disk space to download more data.
Asus, in addition to the map and internal space, also gives you the opportunity to use its cloud storage. To do this, you will need to log in to a special service using the main account. After that, 5 GB of memory will be available to the user.
Camera
The Asus ZenFone 2 ZE550ML smartphone has two cameras - with a resolution of 13 and 5 megapixels. To take pictures using the main, rear, camera, the phone has a dual flash. Also, the image quality is adjusted by a special system add-on called PixelMaster. This is an option that, according to the developers, significantly improves the accuracy of the image.
You can create a photo in two modes - “Auto” and “Pro”. The first provides for a minimum of options for customization and, accordingly, more intervention in the selectionpicture settings from the smartphone side. The second allows the user to choose which options he wants to enable when creating a photo.
If you are familiar with what parameters should be selected in certain lighting conditions, then by playing with them you can find the perfect ratio for the most successful shot.
To improve the quality of photos on Asus ZenFone 2 ZE550ML (16Gb) there is HDR technology. It involves the creation of a series of images, which, as a result of processing, are glued into one by selecting the most successful section of the photo. As a rule, in this case, it is possible to achieve better illumination of certain areas of the photo.
Battery
The device has a relatively high autonomy due to a large battery with a capacity of 3000 mAh. In addition, the charger included in the kit, which uses Quickcharge technology, deserves special attention. It implies the restoration of the charge from 0% to 60% in just 39 minutes of connecting to the network. This is useful if, for example, you are in a hurry to travel or to some event where you will not be able to additionally charge your device.
However, the disadvantage of such a large battery is its large weight, which is added to the device and makes it less comfortable to use.
Communication
The phone supports two SIM cards, the slots for which are located under the back cover. Taking it off and rearranging the cards is easy enough. You won't need help with this.turn to additional tools like a needle, nails and other things that are so often used.
Smartphone Asus ZenFone 2 ZE550ML 16Gb has all possible communication options. Of course, first of all, this is a GSM module for working in networks of 2G/3G/LTE formats. The device is also capable of supporting navigation using GPS, A-GPS and GLONASS satellite systems.
Also, Bluetooth, WiFi and NFC systems are used for data transfer. Using the latter, you can charge your smartphone without using a classic adapter with a cord, as well as pay contactlessly at special terminals.
Accessories
In addition to the characteristics of the device, I would also like to note a number of specialized accessories released specifically for the presentation of the model. These include a portable charger, smartphone stand and original case.
Portable charger (ZenPower) is a 10,000 mAh battery that can recharge your smartphone battery three times. The case of the device is made of pleasant to the touch metal. It also looks quite attractive, thanks to its “bronze metallic” surface and rounded edges. The accessory has a rectangular shape, and due to its compactness it can easily fit in a bag pocket.
The manufacturer also introduced a special stand that allows you to fix the phone while charging. It consists of two parts (“halves”), which are held together by a magnet. With their help, the phone can be installed in any position that will be convenient for work as the battery charges.
Case alsodesigned specifically for Asus ZenFone 2 ZE550ML. Reviews indicate that it is made of rough material, which has a surface that is comfortable to hold in your hands. There is a rounded hole on the cover of the case through which all system information from the display of the device is visible. The rear case for Asus ZenFone 2 ZE550ML (ZE551ML) has the same hole for the camera. His appearance is quite cute.
Of course, Asus has other accessories that are not included in the presentation. For example, this is an optional flash that makes pictures in low light brighter and more saturated. It attaches just like the iBlazr to the charging hole.
Reviews
Asus ZenFone 2 ZE550ML (16GB) customer reviews are mostly positive. People who have purchased the device and have experience with it note that the gadget is really good in everything - it has an attractive appearance, high-quality assembly, and a powerful battery. Separately, we can note the presence of a wide range of original and affordable add-ons for the model, which can also be purchased at Asus stores. But there are also some disadvantages.
In particular, these include the quality of images. According to some buyers, they are not made at such a high level as one might expect when studying the technical features of the device. Another example of a disadvantage is the unusual placement of the navigation. As already noted, the volume key is located on the back cover. In addition, the screen lock button is located on the top edge of the Asus ZenFone 2 ZE550ML. Its black color can be seen in the photos of the dark version of the device. People note that reaching for it is not always convenient, especially given the dimensions of the model's screen.
There are still complaints about the power consumption of the device. Like, if you do not adjust the charge consumption, the phone will consume too much, because of which the battery will sit down in a matter of hours. The problem is solved by going deeper into the settings and choosing the right options.
Of course, there are other negative characteristics of the phone, including reviews that the device periodically loses connection, an external speaker may fail, or, for example, a low-quality case for Asus ZenFone 2 ZE550ML will come across. All this, of course, can happen both because of a factory defect and by an unfortunate accident, so it’s probably not worth blaming the design of the model for this. Yes, and such reviews are not so massive as to seriously talk about them.
Conclusions
What can we say about the model that we have described in detail in today's review? Initially, at its cost, it is positioned by the developer as a budget one. With such a price, the phone can really find demand among a wide audience of buyers, but, unfortunately, not in Russia. If we have a model in the maximum configuration will cost about 21 thousand rubles (due to the course), then we can’t talk about its availability.
In general, this is a device worthy of praise. It cannot cause any serious complaints and criticism, and in general it can be noted thatit is endowed with quite solid characteristics and capabilities. If you're looking for a similar device and don't mind the placement of the buttons, then the ZenFone 2 is a great choice.
