[ZenFone 2 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] N3o21:
Hi guys,

I want to buy a new phone. I discovered this amazing Zenfone 2 device (model ZE551ML, 4GB RAM, 64 GB FLASH storage), which looks it suits my needs, and I like its look too. But is this 1,5 year smarphone still worth buying in 2016? I mean, is it's performance good enough for modern apps and for future?

My demands on phone are:

- Basic smarthone functions, like messaging (I am heavy IM user), calendar, notes, ...

- Good enough performance to play some game (probably Heartstone and like this, I dont like to play GTA on my phone, I prefer play it on my gaming console instead) and to test some VR apps (probably for movies, maybe one or two games, with some cheap chinese VR headsed, I dont believe VR is ready for normal use, but I would like to try it)

- microSD card slot. It is always good to have option to extend my storage for multimedia content. Plus when I had android before, I really liked option to backup my phone to SD card before reinstalling ROM.

- I like when I am able to replace dead battery (after two years, or just when it is dead) at home. I dont mind some screwing, but I really hate "the glue-made phone" (you know, when you need to heat phone, then pry glass out, it will never be the same after putting together again - not even if authorized service will do this).

- I just hate glass-made back on phones. Just another weak spot. And it looks so ugly, because so many fingerprints on it... I like metal back case, or some resistant polycarbonate.

- It is good when phone has good support here on XDA. There is good chance I will be able to install newer version of android (AOSP or else), when manufacturer drops support (which is in many cases right after device is sold :D )

On the other hand, I dont care about:

- camera - I really dont need it at all. It is good there is some to photograph something instead write down a note. But if phone has no camera, I dont care. I have much better option for taking photos then my phone is.

- LTE - I dont use it. It just drains my battery. GPRS speed is good enough for IM messaging and to recieve e-mail (and no, I am not sending pictures or videos in them). And there is WiFi almost everywhere (any pub, coffee shop, workplace, everyone at home has a Wifi) if I want to stream something from Internet (oh, there is even Wifi in BUS, if I take a long journey across half my country). So no need to drain my battery at all.

- Display size - I am okay with almost everything. Just be between 4" na 7" and I am OK with it.

Will be Zenfone 2 good for these my needs? I am worried mainly about it's performance now and in the future.

Originally I had OnePlus 3 in mind (even though it has no SD card slot). But then I discovered this Zenfone, which does have SD card slot and is also nearly half the price comparing to OnePlus 3.

I looked at some antutu bechmark results for these two phones. There is tremendous difference between these two. So these are my options:

Phone | Antutu Result | Price (including taxes)

Zenfone 2 | 47 300 | 6500 CZK (approx 250 USD)

OnePlus 3 | 143 000 | 11 000 CZK (approx 430 USD), probably more for updated 3T model, 3 model is sold out

Will be this difference in synthetic test be noticalbe in real-life experience?

I hasitate if buy Zenfone 2 and be happy with it. Or waste more money (almost twice, maybe more after 3T will be announced) on OnePlus and have more performance for the future?