Asus has introduced last Monday a new Zenfone 2 phone variant that's only available in the United States. It is called the Zenfone 2 Laser and it has a debut price of $199.

Zenfone 2 Laser has been available in international countries for some time now, under different model numbers, GSMArena reports.

However, the latest U.S.-exclusive Laser bears no similarities to the existing models and carries a different model number.

The device with model number ZE551KL has been given improvements and new features that can't be found in international Laser variants.

On the outside, Zenfone 2 Laser appears to be the exact same phone as the current models — from plastic casing, metal textures and phone dimensions — that one would find it difficult to distinguish which is which, Android Central noted.

The most notable difference found in ZE551KL is the power button that now sits atop the device and the volume keys now located at the back for easier control, Android Central's review added.

As for the specs, the phone features a 5.5-inch screen with 1080-pixel resolution. It has a 13-megapixel main camera equipped with laser autofocus and a 5-megapixel front shooter.

The laser camera is a new feature for Zenfone 2 Laser and it allows to focus on a subject in just 0.2 seconds.

Inside, the device is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 SoC processor with 3 GB RAM and an internal storage capacity of 16 GB or 32 GB.

Other features include a 4G-LTE compatibility, dual-SIM, a 3,000-mAh battery, and an Android 5.0 Lollipop for its operating system.

Overall, most reviews agree that the Zenfone 2 Laser is a lower version of Zenfone 2. Although the two are the same in most aspects, the difference can be found in specs with the former having a decreased performance

The 16 GB phone variant is sold for $199, while the 32 GB variant costs $249 and can be bought from Asus online store and Newegg.