ZenUI Android 9 Port for Asus Zenfone Lite L1/Live L1: Is It Daily Driver Ready? | Reviewing the “Big Button” Update: ZenUI Pie Beta on Asus Zenfone Lite L1
Hey everyone, this is Kali from TechFanciers. Today, we are taking a deep dive into the latest ZenUI Android Pie Beta Port for the Asus Zenfone Lite L1 (ZA550KL).
This review isn’t just for the Lite L1; the developers have merged the builds, so this ROM applies to the Asus Zenfone Live L1 and Live L2 as well. If you have been waiting to move on from Oreo, this 8.0 to 9.0 upgrade brings some distinct visual changes and feature updates.
I’ve been testing this Beta build to see if the “Big Buttons” and new features are worth the upgrade, or if the bugs make it a skip. Let’s get started.
What’s New? Top Features in ZenUI Pie The jump from Android 8.0 to 9.0 on this device brings several welcome additions:
- Navigation & UI: You finally get the Quick Switch navigation bar and gesture switching options.
- Night Light Mode: A major missing feature in Oreo was the Night Light (blue light filter). It is present here and includes automatic scheduling.
- Improved Face Unlock: Compared to the stock Oreo ROM, the Face Unlock on this Pie beta is noticeably faster and works like a charm.
- Audio Quality: There is a slight improvement in audio output—it sounds louder and crisper than previous builds.
- Asus Ecosystem: It includes the Asus Data Transfer tool and ZenMotion features (Double Tap to Wake is working perfectly).
The “Unified” Build A technical note for the flashers out there: The developers have merged the kernel and vendor files. This means there is a single kernel/vendor setup that supports the Lite L1, Live L1, and Live L2 simultaneously. This is great for development continuity across these devices.
The Bugs: What’s Broken? Since this is a Beta build, it is not flawless. Here are the issues I encountered during my review:
- The “Messy” Status Bar: The date and time text often overlaps with the brightness slider. The UI scaling feels off (hence the “Big Buttons” title of this review), and the rounded corners can look glitchy.
- Aggressive RAM Management: Multitasking is a struggle. The system struggles to keep even two apps open in the background.
- Broken Permissions: This is a big one. The Permission Control is broken by default. You will need to manually go into settings and enable permissions for every app you install, or they might not work.
- Gaming Performance: I tested PUBG Mobile Lite, and the experience was laggy and glitchy. I cannot recommend this ROM for gamers.
- Missing Digital Wellbeing: Despite being Android Pie, Digital Wellbeing features are either missing or barely functional.
Final Verdict Is the ZenUI Pie Beta worth installing on your Asus Zenfone Lite L1?
If you are looking for a fresh look, louder audio, and Night Light mode, it is a decent upgrade. It is surprisingly stable for a Beta and can be used as a daily driver—provided you aren’t a gamer and you have the patience to manually set app permissions.
For those interested in the installation process, check out the tutorial video linked above or click the “i” button on our YouTube channel.
Happy Flashing!
Useful Links :
Update Android PIE Beta: https://tinyurl.com/y3vgfy8r
Credits & Sources: ASUS Zenfone Lite L1 : https://tinyurl.com/yxhv5h3x
Telegram Group : https://t.me/zenfone_lite_l1
ASUS Zenfone Lite L1 Playlist : https://tinyurl.com/y6gmxmcr NCS: https://goo.gl/2zrPCv