Smartphone ASUS ZenFone 2 ZE550ML: description, features and reviews.

At the very beginning of 2015, Asus presented a line of its second generation devices, united by the name ZenFone. I would like to note that it immediately included three smartphones, the difference between them is not only in the indexes (Asus ZenFone 2 ZE550ML, ZE551ML and ZE500CL), but also in the technical parameters of each. However, outwardly the changes are not so significant - all three devices have a similar design and similar constituent materials, of which the body is made.

In this article, we will consider one of the phones that was presented by the company in the framework of the CES 2015 conference, and it will be the ZE550ML model.

To begin with, we learn what the device is characterized by, that it itself is on the scale of Asus products and how it can attract the buyer.

general characteristics

Smartphone Asus ZenFone 2 ZE550ML (16Gb) is presented in the form of a budget, stylish, multifunctional phone, performed at a high quality level. Its cost is three hundred dollars. At the same time he has 2 GB of RAM, a powerful battery and camera, a colorful display and an attractive appearance.

Analyzing the advantages of the device, it can be considered that the smartphone successfully tries to be acceptable at once in several criteria in order to win as much as possible a share of the market.

Is the phone in question really good? Let's learn it together!

Equipment

The device is offered in a simple but cute box of solid cardboard, painted in white. On top of the image of the phone, as well as the company logo of the developer and a number of technical parameters.

In the package with the smartphone, the manufacturer offered an original headset for talking "without hands" 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 technology QuickCharge. What this means and what is its peculiarity, we will draw a little further. Also, in addition to the above, we in the box with the phone managed to find instructions on how to work with it and, of course, the device itself.

Appearance

The design of all smartphones in the ZenFone 2 line is identical. The back cover of the device covers most of the area of the phone; In its form it has smoothed corners, and it is made of soft matte plastic, or, alternatively, of plastic, stylized for metal. The buyer can try both options, since the covers on the phone are easily replaced and, in addition, are on sale in a wide range.

The front of the phone is represented by a wide screen, occupying about 72 percent of the area, which is bounded by a thin border on the sides. The upper and lower frames are wider. On the first there was a place for a logo of the company-manufacturer and the front camera, and on the second there is a decorative iridescent plate. Directly above it are the touch system keys.

The original manufacturer approached the placement of the navigation elements devaysa. So, Asus ZenFone 2 ZE550ML (16-gigabyte version) has a "swing" volume, which is not on the side edge (as is the case with many developers), but on the back cover. This solution users call either a failure or megadach, depending on their own preferences.

The dimensions of the device seem more compact due to its curved shape. As a result of its application at the edges of the smartphone looks thinner than in its central part.

Screen

The Asus ZenFone 2 ZE550ML features a 5.5-inch display capable of displaying FullHD images. The resolution (and, as a result, the density of the image) is not the highest here - it is 1280 by 720 pixels. In the reviews, customers testify that it's very easy to notice the graininess of the screen.

In other parameters, the display Asus ZenFone 2 ZE550ML (the review has proved it to us) does not lag behind - there is a good oleophobic coating that makes the glass smoother, so that it does not leave any fingerprints. Do not forget the developers and protection by putting on a smartphone Gorilla Glass 3, which makes it possible to talk about the stability of the gadget to the factors of physical impact. The brightness of the phone's display allows you to comfortably interact with it even in sunny weather, without worrying about the lighted picture.

Another factor is the viewing angles, and they also deserve every kind of praise. In practice, it looks like this: regardless of how to turn the device, the picture retains its colors.

operating system

At the time of the release of Asus ZenFone 2 ZE550ML, the current version was Android 5.0, also called Lollipop. Now, probably, the user is available "air" update to a new modification (at the time of writing this review is 6.0). However, visually from the native OS on the phone there is not much: the model operates under the control of the individually developed ZenUI graphical shell. The difference from the simple Android is that some graphics elements have been reworked 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 is able to get used quickly enough, and the user simply creates a habit of how everything is located.

The speed of the system, according to some tests, is quite high - the smartphone reacts smartly to any touch.

CPU

The Asus ZenFone 2 ZE550ML has a quad-core Intel Atom Z3560 core with a core clock speed of 1.8 GHz. It works in conjunction with the graphics engine PowerVR G6403. There is also a RAM of 2 GB.

If you do not say anything about the speed of the smartphone's performance, let's say it's simpler: in practice, the phone has high performance. As the tests showed, it can be used to launch cumbersome (in terms of graphics) games without delays and braking. After reviewing the dedicated Asus ZenFone 2 ZE550ML reviews, you can draw the same conclusion.

Memory

Speaking of physical memory, it should be noted the manufacturer's choice between 16, 32 and 64 GB smartphones. Of course, the latest version is the most expensive. At the same time, each of them has a memory card slot that allows to expand the disk space for loading additional data.

Asus, in addition to the map and internal space, also gives an opportunity to use its cloud storage. To do this, you will need to log in to a special service using the primary account. After the user will be available 5 GB of memory.

Camera

On the smartphone Asus ZenFone 2 ZE550ML installed two cameras - a resolution of 13 and 5 megapixels. To create images using the main, back, camera, the phone has a dual flash. Also, the image quality is adjusted by a special system add-on called PixelMaster. This option, which, 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 a minimum of options for customization and, accordingly, greater interference "in the selection of parameters of the image from the side of the smartphone. The second allows the user to choose which options he wants to connect when creating a photo.

If you are guided in what parameters should be selected in those or other conditions of illumination, then, playing with them, you can find the ideal ratio for the most successful picture.

To improve the quality of photos on the Asus ZenFone 2 ZE550ML (16Gb) there is HDR technology. It involves creating a series of pictures that, as a result of processing, are glued together into one by selecting the most successful section of the photo. As a rule, thus it is possible to achieve better illumination of separate zones of a photo.

Battery

The device has a relatively high autonomy due to a large battery with a capacity of 3000 mAh. In addition, the charger that comes with Quickcharge technology deserves special attention. It implies a charge recovery from 0% to 60% in just 39 minutes of network connection. This is useful if, for example, you are in a hurry on the road or on some kind of event, where you will not be able to charge your device.

True, the disadvantage of such a large battery is its large weight, which is added to the device and makes it less comfortable to handle.

Connectivity

The phone supports work with two SIM cards, the slots under which are located under the back cover. Removing it and rearranging the cards is easy enough. For help in this, you do not need to resort to additional tools like needles, nails and other things that so often goes into action.

Smartphone Asus ZenFone 2 ZE550ML 16Gb has all the possible communication options. Of course, first of all this is the GSM module for working in 2G / 3G / LTE networks. Another device is capable of supporting navigation using GPS, A-GPS and GLONASS satellite systems.

Bluetooth, WiFi and NFC systems are also used for data transfer. With the latter you can charge your smartphone without using a classic adapter with a cord, and also pay in special terminals without contact.

Accessories

In addition to the characteristics of the device, I would also like to mention a number of specialized accessories that were released specifically for the presentation of the model. These include a portable charger, a stand for a smartphone and an original case-case.

Portable charging (ZenPower) is a battery with a capacity of 10 thousand mAh, capable of replenishing the battery of the smartphone three times. The case of the device is made of a pleasant metal. It also looks attractive enough, thanks to its surface "bronze metallic" and rounded edges. The form of the accessory is rectangular, and due to the compactness it will fit easily into the pocket of the bag.

Another manufacturer introduced a special stand that allows you to lock 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 as it charges the battery, which will be convenient for operation.

The case is also designed specifically for the Asus ZenFone 2 ZE550ML. The testimonies indicate that it is made of coarse material, which has a comfortable surface for holding in hands. There is a round hole on the cover of the cover, through which all system information from the device's display is visible. Behind the case for Asus ZenFone 2 ZE550ML (ZE551ML) has the same hole for the camera. He looks pretty enough.

Of course, Asus has other accessories that are not included in the presentation. For example, this is an additional flash, making pictures in low light more vivid and saturated. It is attached the same way as iBlazr, into the charging hole.

Reviews

The recommendations of buyers regarding the Asus ZenFone 2 ZE550ML (16 GB) are mostly positive. People who purchased the device and have experience with it, note that the gadget is really good in everything - it has an attractive appearance, a quality assembly, a powerful battery. Separately, we can note the availability of a wide range of original and available add-ons for the model, which can also be purchased at Asus stores. But there are some disadvantages.

In particular, they include the quality of the images. According to some buyers, they are not performed at such a high level, as one might expect when studying the technical features of the device. Another example of a shortcoming is the unusual placement of navigation. As already noted, the volume key is located on the back cover. In addition, the lock screen button is on the top of the Asus ZenFone 2 ZE550ML. Its black color can be seen on photos of the dark version of the device. People note that it is not always convenient to reach it, especially taking into account the dimensions of the screen of the model.

There are still complaints about the power consumption of the device. Like, if you do not adjust the charge, the phone will consume too much, because of what the battery sits in a matter of hours. The problem is solved by deepening the settings and selecting the right options.

Undoubtedly, there are other negative characteristics of the phone, including feedback that the device periodically disconnects, the external speaker may fail or, for example, a low-quality case for Asus ZenFone 2 ZE550ML will fall. All this, of course, can happen both because of factory marriage, and by an unhappy accident, so blame the design of the model, perhaps, is not worth it. Yes, and such testimonials are not so massive that they can be seriously talked about.

conclusions

What about the model that we described in detail in today's review? Initially, at its cost, it is positioned by the developer as a budgetary one. With such a price, the phone can indeed find demand from 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 (because of the course), then talk about its availability is not necessary.

In general, this is a device worthy of praise. He can not provoke any serious criticism and criticism, and on the whole it can be noted that he is endowed with quite solid characteristics and capabilities. If you are looking for a similar device and do not experience any discomfort due to the location of the buttons, ZenFone 2 will be an excellent choice.