Flipkart Shopping Woes: Defective Zenfone 2

[Tenida]

I got the phone from flipkart after waiting for long time. Asus created so much of hype about the phone so after it listed on the flipkart its gets out of stock. Asus Zenfone 2 comes with phone, charger and usb cable and its so unusual that earphone are not included as the price is not that cheap.


In this review I will only mention only about the negative aspect about the phone. As the most of the important aspect has problem in it.
Like:-
*Camera
* Heating Issue
* Video playback
*Gaming

Camera











Camera produces too much of noisy and grainy photographs in daylight as well in low light condition. I know you cannot get the quality like a high zoom cam or DSLR but neither like a Zenfone 2 cam. A 15thousand phone should be equiped with much better camera than this. As per as I know, the ZF2 comes with a Toshiba sensor which is not like a sony one. Anyway when you zoom in a photo, you will see somelthing like a pastel colour drawing .
And the flash is to bright and yellowish in color. It overexpose the subject at great extend. Totally disappointed by the quality.

Heating Issue
Yes, you heard it right. This phone has heating issue. It occurs when you do normal work like browsing, watch a movie or playing a small game. I downloaded Bus simulator from play store and played for 15 minutes and the temperature goes up to 45*Celsius. Wow Intel and Asus great work done. Yeah flagship killer phone.

Music Playback
Did you ever heard that music playback lagging when multitasking? no right. But this phone does. Music playback lagging for 2-3 sec while opening browser or chatting app. And the sound quality is not great either.

Gaming



While downloading games like Asphalt 8 Airborne and GT racing 2 from playstore. I am getting a error 905 and cannot finished the installation. Tried many times but no success.

Video playback

Video and audio are not syncing at same time. Need to select Software mode in MX player to solve the issue. And while forwarding the video it getting shutter for few secs.

 

[furious_driver]

Re: Asus Zenfone 2: The most problamatic phone ever

Except the download problem, there is nothing much that we can do to fix it. My colleagues who are using the very same phone, don't have these issues. Maybe it is one off case, or the chances that you might have got a slightly defective piece or lemon!

For Camera, try downloading the Google's own Camera app, improve the settings and try. This might help a little bit.

Heating, yeah if you game or watch movies any phone tends to heat. Hell my Nexus 5 heat after I watch some 20-25 mins of video! The ambient temperature may also speed this up.

 

[Niku]

Re: Asus Zenfone 2: The most problamatic phone ever

I think you have got a lemon.
Regarding the heating issue, its normal for any phone to heat up while gaming or watching videos. I am using the Samsung A7 and it does tend to heat sometimes while gaming. However, I am not sure about what temperature it attains!
Regarding downloading the game, I was getting Error 904 (or something) that too said "The game cannot be downloaded due to an error". I gave it to Samsung service centre and they replaced the motherboard (for free under warranty) and the problem's solved. You can try this too. Be sure to save your data as this will reset the phone.

For the camera, yes the photos appear a bit grainy. You can try apps like Camera360 that let you tune the details of your camera. You can adjust the exposure, ISO values, and other things in the app. It has great features for editing too.

So my advice would be to get all this corrected at the service centre. Other ZF owners can also help.

 

[Tenida]

Except the download problem, there is nothing much that we can do to fix it. My colleagues who are using the very same phone, don't have these issues. Maybe it is one off case, or the chances that you might have got a slightly defective piece or lemon!

For Camera, try downloading the Google's own Camera app, improve the settings and try. This might help a little bit.

Heating, yeah if you game or watch movies any phone tends to heat. Hell my Nexus 5 heat after I watch some 20-25 mins of video! The ambient temperature may also speed this up.

I know the process to fix the Error 905. What do you think? I didn't tried? Yes, tried
And about the lemon, its my 1st replacement phone. Previous one had exactly same sets of problem. Yes, I tried the google camera as well but same grainy photos. Actually its sensor is not that great. I would have easily lived with the bad cam but what about the heating near earphone port? If you call for long, you could not hold the phone for long time. I already requested them for a refund.

I think you have got a lemon.
Regarding the heating issue, its normal for any phone to heat up while gaming or watching videos. I am using the Samsung A7 and it does tend to heat sometimes while gaming. However, I am not sure about what temperature it attains!
Regarding downloading the game, I was getting Error 904 (or something) that too said "The game cannot be downloaded due to an error". I gave it to Samsung service centre and they replaced the motherboard (for free under warranty) and the problem's solved. You can try this too. Be sure to save your data as this will reset the phone.

For the camera, yes the photos appear a bit grainy. You can try apps like Camera360 that let you tune the details of your camera. You can adjust the exposure, ISO values, and other things in the app. It has great features for editing too.

So my advice would be to get all this corrected at the service centre. Other ZF owners can also help.

A7 has Snapdragon 615 which problem with heating issue like yureka, and mi4i. Btw the heating around earphone port is the problem. It heats up with normal calling. And now I am getting 2nd sim detection problem. Everyday this phone gives new problem. Is saw in Facebook group also that user complying exactly problem like me. No, I cannot use this phone anymore.

 

[generalmax]

Re: Asus Zenfone 2: The most problamatic phone ever

Agree with your issues.Sadly almost all mid budget smart phones go through this problem.Heating,lagging,battery and bad camera. Almost all phones that originate from China excluding High end phones have this issue.Anyway during long term conversation use a hands free.It is not recommended to have your phone near your head.

Reasons for heating while usage .There is a dual/quad/octa core processor which will definitely give out lots of heat.Higher the processor higher the heat. The heat sinking system may not be efficient so there is heat while you use it for video,games or browsing.
There is a way of getting out of this.We can under clock or overclock the system by rooting and using some apps.But in any case that is not good for the mobile as the system will be optimized for some performance.
The other thing to be mentioned is the OS.Some OS may not gel well with the hardware.You phone is using lollipop,I guess ,in that case try to update to the latest as the latest 5.0.2 will have better drivers and better phone management.

 

[Niku]

Re: Asus Zenfone 2: The most problamatic phone ever

A7 has Snapdragon 615 which problem with heating issue like yureka, and mi4i. Btw the heating around earphone port is the problem. It heats up with normal calling. And now I am getting 2nd sim detection problem. Everyday this phone gives new problem. Is saw in Facebook group also that user complying exactly problem like me. No, I cannot use this phone anymore.

Then yours is not a one off case, since other users are reporting the same problem. These are the capabilities of the phone and you would have to live with those, if you plan to use the phone (except the game download error IMO).

You should go and visit the Service Centre as your device is under warranty.

PS My phone doesn't heat much from the earphone area or while calling (even for 30 minutes). It heats up from the back and maybe the screen area also, as heat is felt only at the back while holding it.

 

[Tenida]

Re: Asus Zenfone 2: The most problamatic phone ever

Then yours is not a one off case, since other users are reporting the same problem. These are the capabilities of the phone and you would have to live with those, if you plan to use the phone (except the game download error IMO).

You should go and visit the Service Centre as your device is under warranty.

PS My phone doesn't heat much from the earphone area or while calling (even for 30 minutes). It heats up from the back and maybe the screen area also, as heat is felt only at the back while holding it.

No, those are not the capabilities of the phone dear but problem. I don't want to live with the defective phone

 

[Tenida]

Re: Asus Zenfone 2: The Most Problematic Phone Ever

Now guys an update:
Lately flipkart service center guys ask me to install a app called smartchk. Remote app to check the phone.
Yesterday they called to check the phone as usual they didn't find any problem wow. I mean how they check the phone thoroughly? For this you need to see physically right?
Anyway they asking me to go the Asus Service center wow, then what about the 30days guarantee. Totally frustrated by this. I think I have to sell it on olx/quikr cannot use this phone anymore.
Btw its high time that we switch back to Amazon. Flipkart has imposed this non-sense checking system so that no one can get a replacement or refund.

 

[Niku]

Re: Asus Zenfone 2: The Most Problematic Phone Ever

Anyway they asking me to go the Asus Service center wow, then what about the 30days guarantee. Totally frustrated by this. I think I have to sell it on olx/quikr cannot use this phone anymore.
Btw its high time that we switch back to Amazon. Flipkart has imposed this non-sense checking system so that no one can get a replacement or refund.

It may be possible for the Flipkart guys to check the phone remotely via the app as any software problems detected can be shared via the app. Its weird that they didn't find any problem, now that you have proof also in the pictures.
I think you should visit the service centre before selling the phone. You will lose money on selling the phone, its better to see what the service centre guys have to say. In my case, Samsung service centre guys were really helpful (asking for feedback alternate days for over 2 weeks).

PS. I don't do much online shopping but I feel that Flipkart would be responsible for physical damage to phone and not the software problems. It is the manufacturer, Asus, which provides the warranty and would attend to problems, if any. Even ebay.in is better as the sellers give direct phone numbers and you can threaten them to leave negative reviews if they don't give genuine stuff (happened twice).

 

[Tenida]

Re: Asus Zenfone 2: The Most Problematic Phone Ever

They replied this message:

I would like to inform you that according to our smart check troubleshooting there is no defect in the phone.

Request you to visit to the service centre and in case they find any defect with the device, kindly help us with the job sheet for the further assistance.

Hope this helps!

Will visit the service then. And how they will provide jobsheet if I don't give the phone to them?

 

[Arijitb]

Re: Asus Zenfone 2: The Most Problematic Phone Ever

Where is ASUS service center in Kolkata ?

Rashi ??

Or the ACCEL Frontline ?

 

[Tenida]

Re: Asus Zenfone 2: The Most Problematic Phone Ever

Where is ASUS service center in Kolkata ?

Rashi ??

Or the ACCEL Frontline ?

F1 Info Solutions & Services Private Limited
2-Raja Subodh Mullick Square, 1St Floor Kolkata 700013 (8.8km)
For ZenFone its different service center

 

[Arijitb]

Re: Asus Zenfone 2: The Most Problematic Phone Ever

Oh...that also good location...

Another one is situated chandni too....Found it.

Compuage Infocom Ltd
19 R.N. Mukherjee Road 1St Floor(Main Building) Kolkata-700001

 

[Tenida]

Re: Asus Zenfone 2: The Most Problematic Phone Ever

Oh...that also good location...

Another one is situated chandni too..


Compuage Infocom Ltd
19 R.N. Mukherjee Road 1St Floor(Main Building) Kolkata-700001

But will they give me jobsheet if I don't submit the phone?

 

[Niku]

Re: Asus Zenfone 2: The Most Problematic Phone Ever

Will visit the service then. And how they will provide jobsheet if I don't give the phone to them?

Did they mean that you can give them the jobsheet the service centre guys will provide, if they don't find any problem with the phone, and then Flipkart would assist you further.

I think Flipkart is deterring from being involved in your case. How can they say that the phone hasn't got any problem? You have a picture to prove that there is a problem (Game downloading error). Either their software is not detecting the problems or they are simply not interested to solve your problem.

Try e-mailing the heads of Asus and Flipkart helpdesk (threatening to leave negative reviews and asking about the claims of a 30-day replacement guarantee) for possibilities of a replacement, because even at the service centre, these guys will not be able to solve camera problems you are having, although other things can be corrected.