I was using a Zenfone 2 Laser for the past few years and liked it except for the audio quality. Then someone stepped on it while it was in my coat pocket. This Zenfone 5 was twice the price but to me it was worth every penny. The audio recording and playback are way better and most other features are improved as well. There has been a learning curve getting used to different features but I was surprised at how much data was transferred automatically from my old phone. I have always been very happy with all Asus products.