Yevon asks, “Which should I buy: Zenfone 3 (5.5-inch variant) or Zenfone 3 Laser?“
This match will be a battle between two ASUS Zenfone smartphones. Without further ado, let’s begin.
The ASUS Zenfone 3 ZE552KL was released in May 2016. It has a 5.5” FHD Super IPS display with 1920 x 1080 resolution. a Snapdragon 625 chipset, a 64GB internal storage, 4GB RAM, 16MP rear camera with Laser, Phase Detection Auto-Focus, Optical Image Stabilization, and a dual-LED flash, 8MP front camera, and 3000mAh battery to power up the smartphone.
The ASUS Zenfone 3 Laser was released in July 2016. It has a 5.5” IPC LCD display with 1920 x 1080 resolution, a Snapdragon 430 chipset, 32GB internal storage, 4GB RAM, 13MP Sony IMX214 sensor Laser Auto-Focus rear camera with dual-tone LED flash rear camera, 8MP front camera, and 3000mAh battery.
Here are the detailed specs of each smartphone:
| ASUS Zenfone 3 ZE552KL | ASUS Zenfone 3 Laser | |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 5.5-inch Full HD Super IPS @ 1920 x 1080, 401ppi | 5.5-inch IPS LCD @ 1920 x 1080, 401ppi |
| CPU | 2.0GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 octa-core | 1.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 octa-core |
| GPU | Adreno 506 | Adreno 505 |
| Memory | – 64GB internal storage – 4GB RAM | – 32GB internal storage – 4GB RAM |
| Camera | – 16MP rear camera w/ Laser & PDAF AF, 4-axis OIS, dual-LED flash – 8MP front camera | – 13MP Sony IMX214 sensor Laser AF rear camera w/ dual-tone LED flash – 8MP front camera |
| Battery | 3000mAh battery | 3000mAh Battery |
| OS | Android 6.0.1 w/ ZenUI 3.0 (Marshmallow) upgradeable to Android 7.0 | Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) upgradeable to Android 7.1.1 |
Here are the advantages of each smartphone:
ASUS Zenfone 3 ZE552KL
+ Better display quality
+ Better CPU performance
+ Larger internal memory
+ Higher rear camera megapixel value, OIS
+ USB Type-C
ASUS Zenfone 3 Laser
+ OS upgradeable up to Android 7.1.1
+ Expandable up to 256GB microSD
+ Cheaper price
Looking at their advantages, we can already see which smartphone performs better and that is the ASUS Zenfone 3 ZE552KL. The ASUS Zenfone 3 ZE552KL could have a double-edged sword when it comes with its USB port since it has a Type-C port. The main issue will be the availability and accessibility of USB Type-C cables since microUSB is still widely used in the Philippines. ASUS Zenfone 3 Laser can be upgraded to Android 7.1.1 while the Zenfone 3 ZE552KL can only be upgraded to Android 7.0. In terms of camera quality, you can out check our reviews on both smartphones linked above to see which one is better. Looking at their prices, Zenfone 3 ZE552KL is priced at Php 14,690 at Lazada (see price listing here) while Zenfone 3 Laser is priced at Php 11,995 at Lazada (see price listing here). ASUS Zenfone 3 ZE552KL clearly wins this match although you could also consider buying Zenfone 3 Laser if you are short on money.
Thanks for your consern