Asus ZenFone 3 Laser ZC551KL Price, Release Date, Specs, Actual Unit Photos

I've been receiving a ton of inquiries about Asus ZenFone 3 Laser since yesterday, when the Taiwanese company formally unveiled this handset via ZenvolutionPH 2016 -- and understandably so.

I mean, priced at only Php 11,995, this upcoming release already offers a major upgrade coming from all the ZenFone Laser models that preceded it. No wonder so many Asus fans are very interested in this new device.

In terms of design and build, it's a clearly on a higher level compared to its predecessors. To be specific, whereas previous ZF Laser handsets had plastic shells, this refresh is already clad in anodized aluminum that looks amazing and feels great to hold. ZenFone 3 Laser definitely exudes an air of luxury and opulence.

Even the the technical specifications - both on the outside and under the hood - saw a considerable boost. The 5.5-inch screen, for instance, now has Full HD resolution compared to ZenFone 2 Laser 5.5 and 5.5 S, which only had 5.5-inch HD displays.

As for imaging capabilities, ZenFone 3 Laser's 13 MegaPixel laser autofocus camera now features a Sony IMX 214 sensor for enhanced low light performance. Users who love to take selfies will surely appreciate the 8 MP front cam of this model, which represents a clear improvement coming from the 5 MP selfie shooter on previous ZF Laser releases.

I got to play with the dual camera of Asus ZenFone 3 Laser during #ZenvolutionPH and I found them to be more than decent considering the price of this smartphone. The rear camera aunches fast and focuses on subjects just as quickly -- thanks to laser autofocus. The selfie cam, on the other hand, is one of the best out there as it greatly benefits from the company's top-notch Beauty Mode software enhancement. More about this in our full review, coming soon.

Underneath the real metal enclosure, Asus ZenFone 3 Laser ZC551KL runs its Zen-UI-flavored Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS with a mid-level 64-Bit Octa Core 1.4 GHz ARM Cortex-A53 and Adreno 505 GPU based Qualcomm MSM8937 Snapdragon 430 chipset, has 4GB of RAM, and comes with 32GB of expandable storage. For me, the 4GB of RAM which allows the handset to multitask or to run multiple apps simultaneously is a real treat in this price echelon.

Powered by a non-removable 3,000 mAh Li-Ion battery pack, ZF3Laser supports LTE Cat4 connectivity and comes with Dual SIM Dual Standby capability. It also has a GPS receiver - that's required for playing PokeMon Go - along with a number of sensors including Gyroscope and Fingerprint Scanner below the camera module, which allows the user to unlock the phone with but a touch of a finger.

Asus ZenFone 3 Laser ZC551KL will be available at all Asus Concept Stores and authorized retail partners nationwide within this month, August 2016. It will be out in two elegant colors, namely, Glacier Silver and Sand Gold.

TechPinas Smartphone Technical Specs Table (TSTST) Name : Asus ZenFone 3 Laser ZC551KL
Type : Slate Form Factor (Full Touchscreen)
Price Category : Midrange
Dimensions : 149 x 76 x 7.9 mm
Weight : 150 grams
Available Colors : Sand Gold, Glacier Silver
Operating System : Android 6.0 Marshmallow with Zen UI
Display : 5.5 inches (~73.6% screen-to-body ratio), 1080 x 1920 pixels (~401 ppi pixel density), IPS, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors, Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Processor : 64-Bit Octa Core 1.4 GHz ARM Cortex-A53, Adreno 505 GPU, Qualcomm MSM8937 Snapdragon 430 chipset
RAM : 4GB RAM options
Internal Storage : 32GB ROM, expandable via microSD card expansion slot supporting up to 256GB
Camera : Back: 13 MegaPixels, Sony IMX214 sensor, f/2.0 aperture, laser autofocus, geo-tagging, touch focus, face detection, panorama, HDR
Front: 8 MegaPixels, f/2.0
Video Capture : Full HD 1080p 30 frames per second for main camera, Full HD for front camera
Audio and Video Playback : MP3, WAV, eAAC+, FLAC, MP4, H.264
Ports : microUSB 2.0, 3.5 mm audio jack
Connectivity : Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth v4.2 with A2DP, EDR, 3G HSPA+; LTE Cat4
GPS : A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS
FM Radio : Yes
Sensors : Accelerometer, Digital Compass, Proximity, Gyroscope, Fingerprint Scanner
Network : 2G bands GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 and SIM 2,
3G HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100
4G bands LTE band 1(2100), 2(1900), 3(1800), 5(850), 6(900), 7(2600), 8(900), 18(800), 19(800), 28(700), 38(2600), 41(2500)
SIM Card Type : Dual microSIM
Battery : Non-removable 3,000 mAh Li-Ion battery
Uptime : TBD
Value-Added Features : Premium Design, Fingerprint Scanner, Laser Autofocus, Zen UI and Experience
Announcement : August 14, 2016 ~ Philippines
Availability : August 2016
Price : Php 11,995