We have already reviewed both Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML and Lenovo K80. Despite being tie in our score cards, there were key features and specifications where the Zenfone 2 came out better than the Chinese brand smartphone Lenovo K80.
Below we take a look at the top five reasons why the Asus Zenfone 2 is a better buy than the Lenovo K80.
Lenovo Vibe UX
Both are running Android 5.0 Lollipop OS of Google. But I personally prefer the Zen UI in the Zenfone 2 over Vibe 2.5 UX in the K80. The experience in the Asus Zenfone 2 is richer and more flexible in terms of UI and customizations.
Our Lenovo K80 unit came without an app launcher in its UX with primary layout of the apps and widgets are only located in its home screen. We are not 100% sure if all variants have these pre-flashed version.
ZEN UI
I know that there are custom ROMs available for rooted devices, but surely only very few people and more knowledgeable users could install these ROMs. So clearly the majority are stuck with the Vibe UX right after the first use.
Based from online sources the Lenovo K80 has a microSD card slot. But upon further checking of the device, we didn’t see any microSD card slot. Only the SIM tray is present on the device. So this makes the Asus Zenfone 2 more flexible than the Lenovo K80 which is a vital feature for some users.
Another flexible feature of the Asus Zenfone 2 is the removable back cover. Users will enjoy changing both the back cover and battery easily. In spite of massive 4000mAh battery of the Lenovo K80, having a user-replaceable battery is still an advantage especially during long flights and road trips.
The tapered back, rear keys and metal-finish design on the back of the Zenfone 2 looks better and makes the device feel more as a flagship phone than Lenovo K80.
Zenfone 2’s 13MP PixelMaster is one of our favorite feature from the phone. Its low light images are brighter and more decent than the underexposed images of the Lenovo K80. Details are much sharper too in the Zenfone 2.
There are wider choices for buyers when buying the Asus Zenfone 2. That includes the options of 16/32/64GB or even 128GB internal storage.
Local and online stores offer several color variants on the Zenfone 2 compared to the three colors of Lenovo K80 which are black, red, and white options only.
We only covered the areas where the Asus Zenfone 2 is better than the Lenovo K80. Of course, there are also features where the Lenovo K80 does better than the Zenfone 2 but we will cover that on another pick.
The two budget flagships still offer value for your money. They have flagship features and price that are hard to match.
Checkout our related posts below for the reviews and comparisons.
So do you think our top five list are justifiable too? Comment down below if you agree or disagree.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4Yuh4oTyAs]
Lenovo K80 specs |
Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML specs |
| 5.5-inch FHD IPS display, 401ppi | 5.5-inch FHD IPS LCD screen, 403 ppi |
| 8.5mm thick, 158g | 10.9mm thick, 170g |
| Scratch-resistant glass | Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Intel Atom 3560 1.8GHz quadcore chipset | Intel Atom 3560 quadcore |
| 2/4GB RAM | 2/4GB RAM |
| 32/64GB internal | 16/32/64GB internal, microSD up to 64GB |
| 13MP camera, HDR, OIS, 1080p video, dual tone LED flash | 13MP camera, HDR, 1080p video, Dual Tone LED flash |
| 5MP selfie camera, 720p video | 5MP selfie camera |
| 4G LTE Single SIM, WiFi ac, Bt 4.0, FM Radio, GPS | Dual SIM, 4G LTE, WiFi ac, Bt 4.0, NFC, FM Radio, GPS |
| Android 5.0 Lollipop | Android 5.0 Lollipop |
| 4000mAh battery | 3000mAh |
| White, Black color | Black, Gold, White, Red, Gray |
| P11,990 as of July 6, 2015 | P9,995 (2GB) as of July 6 |
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Mike says:
K80m latest rom is kitkat, not lollipop