The Asus Zenfone 2 Laser was a budget darling back in its day, offering impressive specs for its price. Now, let's see how it stacks up against the modern Samsung Galaxy A54, a phone packed with contemporary features and a significantly more powerful processor. This comparison will help you understand the vast difference in technology over the years.
🏆 Quick Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy A54 is the clear winner. While the Zenfone 2 Laser was a great value in 2015, the A54's superior performance, camera, display, and battery life make it a far more compelling choice for today's users. It's a generational upgrade in almost every aspect.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 - Global | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20 - Global | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 66 - International |
| 5G bands | - | 1, 3, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat4 150/50 Mbps | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| | 1, 3, 38, 40, 41 - India | 25, 41, 66, 71 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2015, August. Released 2015, August | 2023, March 15 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2023, March 24 |
| Body |
|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 4), plastic back, plastic frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frame |
| Dimensions | 143.7 x 71.5 x 10.5 mm (5.66 x 2.81 x 0.41 in) | 158.2 x 76.7 x 8.2 mm (6.23 x 3.02 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | Dual SIM (Micro-SIM, dual stand-by) | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 140 g (4.94 oz) | 202 g (7.13 oz) |
| | - | IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min) |
| Display |
|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 4 | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 720 x 1280 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~294 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density) |
| Size | 5.0 inches, 68.9 cm2 (~67.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.4 inches, 100.5 cm2 (~82.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | TFT | Super AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM) |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | Quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A53 | Octa-core (4x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm MSM8916 Snapdragon 410 (28 nm) | Exynos 1380 (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 306 | Mali-G68 MP5 |
| OS | Android 5.0 (Lollipop), upgradable to 6.0 (Marshmallow), ZenUI | Android 13, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 7 |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 8GB 2GB RAM, 16GB 2GB RAM | 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| | eMMC 4.5 | - |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Features | Laser AF, Dual-LED dual-tone flash, panorama, HDR | LED flash, panorama, HDR |
| Single | 13 MP, f/2.0 | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm |
| Triple | - | 50 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS
12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.X", 1.12µm
5 MP (macro) |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 720p@480fps, gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Single | 5 MP, f/2.0, AF | 32 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm |
| Video | - | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 4.0, A2DP, EDR | 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | No | Yes (market/region dependent) |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS |
| Radio | FM radio | No |
| USB | microUSB 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features |
|---|
| Sensors | Accelerometer, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass, barometer (USA only) |
| | - | Virtual proximity sensing |
| Battery |
|---|
| Charging | - | 25W wired |
| Type | Li-Po 2400 mAh, removable | 5000 mAh |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Black/Ceramic White/Silver/Purple/Aqua Blue/Sheer Gold/Glamour Red | Lime, Graphite, Violet, White |
| Models | Z00ED | SM-A546V, SM-A546U, SM-A546U1, SM-A546B, SM-A546B/DS, SM-A546E, SM-A546E/DS, SM-A5460, SM-A546M, SM-A546M/DS, SM-A546W |
| Price | About 210 EUR | € 210.00 / $ 119.11 / £ 169.95 / ₹ 28,999 |
| SAR | - | 0.81 W/kg (head) 0.67 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.69 W/kg (head) 1.34 W/kg (body) |
| Tests |
|---|
| Battery life | - |
Endurance rating 119h
|
| Camera | - |
Photo / Video |
| Display | - |
Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - |
-26.6 LUFS (Good)
|
| Performance | - |
AnTuTu: 506678 (v9)
GeekBench: 2703 (v5.1), 2797 (v6)
GFXBench: 25fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
| OUR TESTS |
|---|
| Battery | - | Active use score 11:15h |
| Battery (old) | - | Endurance rating 119h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | 980 nits max brightness (measured) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -26.6 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 506678 (v9)
GeekBench: 2703 (v5.1), 2797 (v6)
GFXBench: 25fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Asus Zenfone 2 Laser ZE500KL
- Affordable (when new)
- Decent screen for its time
- Expandable storage
- Outdated processor
- Poor camera
- Short battery life by today's standards
- Slow charging
- Limited software updates
Samsung Galaxy A54
- Excellent performance
- Great camera
- Long battery life
- Bright and vibrant display
- Modern design
- Regular software updates
- Charging speed could be faster
- Plastic build (though durable)
Display Comparison
The Samsung Galaxy A54 boasts a significantly brighter and more vibrant display with a peak brightness of 980 nits and an infinite contrast ratio. The Zenfone 2 Laser's display, while adequate for its time, simply can't compete with the A54's modern panel. The A54 also likely has better color accuracy and viewing angles.
Camera Comparison
The Galaxy A54's camera system is a major upgrade. While specific megapixel counts aren't the only factor, the A54's modern image processing and larger sensor will deliver significantly better photos and videos, especially in low light. The Zenfone 2 Laser's camera is outdated and produces noticeably inferior results.
Performance
The Exynos 1380 in the Galaxy A54 is a powerhouse compared to the Snapdragon 410 in the Zenfone 2 Laser. The A54's octa-core processor and 5nm architecture offer vastly superior speed and efficiency. Expect smoother multitasking, faster app loading times, and better gaming performance on the A54. The Zenfone 2 Laser will struggle with modern apps and demanding tasks.
Battery Life
The Galaxy A54 excels in battery life, offering an endurance rating of 119 hours and active use lasting 11:15 hours. The Zenfone 2 Laser's battery life was decent for its time, but it pales in comparison to the A54's optimized power management and larger battery capacity.
Buying Guide
Who should buy the Asus Zenfone 2 Laser ZE500KL? Likely no one. It's an aging device. Who should buy the Samsung Galaxy A54? Anyone looking for a reliable, mid-range Android phone with a great camera, long battery life, and a vibrant display – especially those prioritizing value for money.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Is the Zenfone 2 Laser still usable in 2024?
While technically usable, the Zenfone 2 Laser is significantly outdated. It will struggle with modern apps and security updates, making it less secure and enjoyable to use.
❓ What's the biggest difference between these two phones?
The biggest difference is the generational leap in technology. The Galaxy A54 has a vastly superior processor, camera, display, and battery life compared to the Zenfone 2 Laser, reflecting the advancements in smartphone technology over the past decade.
