The best Alcatel smartphones. The best of the best
A wide range of equipment is presented on the Russian market under the Alcatel brand. Mobile phones and smartphones are just one of the many areas in which the company operates. The joint stock company Compagnie Générale d'Electricité was founded in 1898. Its founder was the Frenchman Pierre Azaria. However, in 2004, more than half of the shares were bought by TCL, and a year later, the rest. Now Chinese engineers are engaged in the production of products under this brand. It was they who released a line of smartphones called Alcatel One Touch. It combines inexpensive gadgets. The characteristics of some of them will be presented in this article.
The lineup
The One Touch model range is divided into series. Currently there are more than seven of them. This proves that the manufacturer is doing its best to gain a foothold in the mobile technology market. The series presents quite different devices. Some of them have bright designs, others have large screens. Let's look at the most popular of them:
- POP. The series combines devices from the budget segment. They are distinguished by a bright youth design.
- PIXI. Excellent functional devices. Children really like them thanks to their colorful bodies. They are simple and straightforward to operate and have entry-level characteristics.
- Scribe Pro and HD. The series was introduced in 2013. It has high sound quality, making it suitable for audiophiles.
- Idol. The manufacturer has combined flagship devices in the line. They are in demand not only in the Middle Kingdom, but also in Russia.
- Fire. The peculiarity of this series is that the phones run Firefox OS.
- Hero. Smartphones are designed for those who prefer large screens. The series includes 6-inch models.
- Star. A distinctive feature of the gadgets is their low cost and support for two SIM cards.
Surprisingly, the lineup includes not only smartphones and tablets. You can also purchase an Alcatel One Touch router. An overview of the brief characteristics of the Y850V0 model will be presented in this material.
Design features of One Touch PIXI 3 (4027D)
Alcatel One Touch PIXI 3 is a smartphone released in 2015. It is a rectangular “brick” with rounded corners. As for the size, the phone looks quite massive. This feeling arises due to the large thickness - 11.7 mm. Note that this is too much, especially considering the weak battery. Buyers consider this decision unjustified. But the width and height are standard – 65.1 and 132.2 mm, respectively. The weight of the gadget is 151 g. The phone feels good in your hands and does not slip thanks to the soft-touch coating. One of the features worth highlighting is the control panel. The designation of the buttons on it is quite large, presented in the form of geometric shapes - triangle, square and circle.
Specifications PIXI 3 (4027D)
Let's look at the technical equipment of the Alcatel One Touch PIXI 3:
- Screen. Display production technology – TFT. The diagonal size is 4.5 inches. Multitouch is designed for two touches. The picture is displayed with a resolution of 854 × 480 px. Low pixel density (218 ppi) does not guarantee high-quality images. It can be rated as acceptable. Viewing angles are narrow. Due to the small brightness range, using the phone in the sun is problematic.
- Net. The device has Bluetooth 4.0 and Wi-Fi wireless modules. Second and third generation networks are supported. There is also a GPS navigation module.
- BY. The smartphone runs on Android 4.4. There is an “Updates” item in the menu, but you shouldn’t count on a new version of the system.
- Cameras. The resolution of the front module corresponds to 0.3 megapixels. Interpolation up to 2 MP is available. The quality of the photos, judging by the reviews, is poor. The rear camera is based on a 5-megapixel sensor. A significant drawback is the lack of autofocus. Getting a high-quality shot is problematic even in good lighting. When shooting close objects, the camera will not be able to focus. Accordingly, this will lead to vagueness and blurriness.
- Autonomy. The device has a 1400 mAh battery. Due to the fact that the phone's equipment is weak, a 100% charge is enough for one day of use. But in game mode you will have to connect it to the outlet after 3-3.5 hours.
- Memory. The amount of system memory is unforgivably small - only 512 MB. Considering the range of applications offered to the user, with such equipment he will be acutely aware of the limitations. The situation with native memory is no better. Its volume is 4 GB.
- Hardware platform. The phone is built on MediaTek MT6572. The processor has two cores that accelerate to 1200 MHz. Video card – Mali-400 MP.
Reviews of One Touch PIXI 3 (4027D)
What do owners think about Alcatel One Touch PIXI 3? Unfortunately, the phone turned out to be insufficiently productive. This was due to the small amount of system memory. Because of this, periodic freezes occur. Other disadvantages include the thickness of the case, weak battery and small integrated storage.
Unfortunately, the advantages of this model are not so significant. The owners liked the presence of a notification indicator, a good display and support for gestures.
Appearance of One Touch POP C7
Alcatel One Touch POP C7 does not differ in any special features in appearance. Buyers are presented with a typical rectangular monoblock with rounded edges. The front panel is protected by glass, which is an indisputable advantage. The owners assure that scratches do not form on it during use. The control panel is standard with three touch keys. There is a backlight, but it is quite dim. There is an indicator of missed events above the screen. It flashes white. All communications and controls are located according to a typical layout. The back cover houses a noise-cancelling microphone, flash and camera. There is also a fairly large speaker hole. The body is completely made of plastic. Slots for memory cards and SIM cards are located under the battery cover.
Specifications
Let's start getting acquainted with the characteristics of the One Touch POP C7 model with the dimensions. The device body is standard: height – 141 mm, width – 71.8 mm, thickness – 9.9 mm. With such dimensions, the phone turned out to be quite heavy - 162 g. The smartphone has a 5-inch screen with a TFT-LCD matrix. The resolution is quite weak - 854 × 480 px. It is worth noting that competitors have devices with characteristics that are an order of magnitude higher. The cameras are also equipped with low-resolution sensors: front – 0.3 MP, rear – 5 MP. To ensure that the phone is not tied to a power outlet, the manufacturer installed a 1900 mAh battery. Thanks to the balanced firmware in the Alcatel One Touch POP C7 and the not very productive “filling”, the device operates on a single charge for about a day. This gadget is running Android 4.2.2. As for the hardware platform, it is built on the MTK6582 processor (4/1300 MHz). The system memory is integrated 512 MB, and the built-in memory is 4 GB. The Mali-400MP2 video card is responsible for the graphics.
Reviews of One Touch POP C7
The main advantage of the Alcatel One Touch POP C7 phone is its cost. At the start of sales it was 5,000 rubles. Users believe that the technical equipment is fully consistent with the budget segment. Unfortunately, the owners of this model found not only advantages, but also disadvantages. Let's look at them.
Advantages:
- The kit includes several different colored caps.
- Not the weakest chipset model.
- The camera allows you to record video in Full HD format.
- Photo quality.
- The RAM size is very small.
- Low volume.
- Primitive external design.
Hero Design Brief (Scribe Pro)
For Alcatel One Touch Hero, the manufacturer chose a classic design style. There are no unusual elements on the body - everything is simple and concise. In the reviews, the owners highlighted the presence of Dragontrail glass, which is resistant to various types of mechanical damage. In addition to standard connectors, the smartphone is equipped with an additional socket for a stylus. SIM cards are installed in slots located on both sides of the case: the first on the right, the second on the left. They open with a special paper clip. On the panels that cover these slots there are designations: SIM 1 and SIM 2. The control panel is located under the screen. Another feature worth noting is that the speaker hole on the back cover is made in such a way that the ringing sound of a phone lying on a hard surface is not muffled. This was achieved through the use of special protrusions on the sides.
Characteristics of Hero (Scribe Pro)
Alcatel One Touch Hero is equipped with a high-quality 6-inch display based on an IPS matrix. There is no air gap, which improves the image. High quality is also indicated by a density of 367 ppi and a resolution of 1920 × 1080 px.
The phone is equipped with two cameras manufactured by Sony. A 13-megapixel sensor is used for the main one, and a 2-megapixel module is located on the front side. Both cameras can record Full HD videos.
The smartphone runs on a MediaTek brand processor (4 cores). Its capabilities are 1500 MHz. Paired with the central chip is a PowerVR SGX 544MP accelerator. Memory volumes fully meet modern requirements: system – 2 GB, built-in – 16 GB. These characteristics are sufficient for smooth operation of the Android 4.2 interface. Autonomy is provided by a 3400 mAh battery.
Alcatel smartphones are compact, ergonomic devices created by a large French-American company. They are distinguished by their bright design and multifunctionality. The brand presents a line of models in different price segments.
The devices support a variety of GSM standards at low and high frequencies, allowing you to make and receive calls anywhere in the world. Thanks to the built-in browser and 3G support, you can install some instant messengers and applications for communicating on social networks. You can also use your phone as a convenient navigator: the devices are equipped with a global positioning system and an advanced energy-intensive A-GPS system.
Upgraded versions of Alcatel smartphones support the LTE Internet communication standard and provide contactless connection of devices and transmission of data from one to another at speeds of up to 173 Mbit/s. A convenient and intuitive interface facilitates the operation of the device. Interesting games and useful applications will make your leisure time more varied.
Alcatel mobile phones are equipped with a high-resolution camera. By expanding the device’s RAM using memory cards such as microSD, microSDHC, you can create an entire archive of impressive photos and videos. The MP3 player has the ability to set your favorite melody as a ringtone.
Thanks to powerful lithium-ion batteries that last a long time, you can have uninterrupted talk time for up to 36 hours. A “smart” energy saving system will ensure proper energy consumption and user comfort.
Russian buyers have long been familiar with Alcatel products. There is a wide range of mobile devices from this company on the market. Unfortunately, they are not sales leaders, but they have their own audience. As part of this article, a review of the Alcatel One Touch Hero phone will be presented. Let's take a closer look at its features and technical characteristics. We will also provide customer reviews about this device.
Equipment
This phone model is packaged in a small white box. The name of the device is presented on its front panel. Under the cover there is a plastic substrate in which the smartphone itself lies. The manufacturer, having chosen a laconic design, wanted to show that this model does not need flashy advertising. Note that this solution is currently used by most manufacturers.
What else is in the box besides the Alcatel One Touch Hero phone? As mentioned above, there is a plastic backing at the top. It ensures safe transportation of the device. The charger is located directly underneath it. It is of a modern format and consists of a power supply (adapter) and a removable USB cable. The manufacturer also provided the buyer with a branded book case and a stereo headset. However, the latter is entry level. In addition to these accessories, the box contains instructions, a certificate and a warranty card.
Appearance
The Alcatel One Touch Hero smartphone is a typical mobile device. Considering that it has a 6-inch screen, the dimensions of the device are accordingly quite large. As for the height of the case, it is almost 159 mm. Thanks to its width of 80.6 mm, the device looks proportional. This model received most positive reviews due to its small thickness. The case is quite narrow - only 8.5 mm. As for the weight of the smartphone, it is in the average range (150 g). The designers of this company, despite its rather large size, were able to create a convenient device, therefore, according to many buyers, they can safely be proud of it. When interacting with the phone, the user does not feel discomfort. The device fits well in the hand. It is convenient to use.
The layout of the controls is standard. On the front panel, in the upper part, there is a front camera, a sensor, and a speaker hole. There are three touch keys below the screen. On the back panel, engineers placed the main camera lens, flash and noise-canceling microphone. All three of these elements are at the top. Below them is the name of the One Touch line. At the bottom there is a large output speaker hole. There is also a magnet that is designed to attach the cover case. At the bottom of the case there is a small recess used for the stylus. On the right side there is a connector for installing micro SIM cards. Below it is the lock key. There is also a rocker for adjusting the volume. Many users paid attention to its location. Due to the fact that it is located under the lock key, out of habit they constantly touch it.
On the left side there is a slot into which memory cards are installed. A standard port for connecting audio devices is located on the top end of the case. On the opposite side there is a microUSB connector.
Please note that the manufacturer used matte plastic. Thanks to him, the body turned out to be non-marking. It does not slip in your hands, so the risk of accidental falls is reduced to a minimum.
Screen Specifications
Most of the positive reviews were addressed to the screen characteristics of the Alcatel One Touch Hero. It is ideal for those users who prefer smartphones with large displays. This model has a 6-inch screen with a fairly high Full HD resolution. It is based on a high-quality IPS matrix. It is worth noting that the manufacturer outperformed competing companies in this model, since such characteristics were still new for mid-level devices.
The designers also worried about protecting the display. It is covered with DragonTrail glass. Due to the fact that it is coated with a special oleophobic coating, users will not have problems with the accumulation of fingerprints.
The IPS matrix provides wide viewing angles. There are no problems with brightness. The smartphone is convenient to use both in a dark room and outdoors in bright sunshine. If necessary, in the settings you can select brightness adjustment in automatic mode. There is a multi-touch function, which is designed for 5 touches made simultaneously.
A huge advantage for this phone model is the thin screen frame. Its width is about 2 mm. This gives the impression that the screen completely occupies the entire space of the front panel.
Autonomy
The Alcatel One Touch Hero phone also has decent results in terms of battery life. The manufacturer used a lithium polymer battery with a capacity of 3400 milliamps per hour. It is worth noting that such a battery provides at least 18 hours of talk time. For those who like to listen to music, this device is perfect, since the battery in this state will last for 24 hours. If you put your smartphone in standby mode, you can count on approximately 500 hours of operation.
In their reviews, users 100% agree with the characteristics presented by the manufacturer. If the device is used in combined mode, then it will need to be charged no more than once every two days. If you reduce the load, you can achieve an increase in time by 24 hours or even more. In order to restore the battery life, it will take about 3.5 hours.
Performance
The “heart” of the Alcatel One Touch Hero is the Chinese MediaTek processor. Model MT6589 operates at a frequency of 1500 megahertz. Thanks to this indicator, this chipset well deserves the Turbo title. It is based on four computing modules. The type of each is Cortex-A7. The main processor is paired with a PowerVR SGX544 MP graphics accelerator.
Users noticed that there are no impossible tasks for this smartphone. It copes well with all resource-intensive applications, and also easily runs “heavy” games. This result was achieved due to the fact that the manufacturer integrated 2 GB of RAM. The system takes up about half. The rest is for the user's needs. Considering that there are two modifications on sale, the amount of integrated memory will be different. The device, which only works with one SIM, has 8 GB installed. But a dual-SIM device has twice as much memory.
Camera
The manufacturer used a 13-megapixel sensor as the main optics module of the Alcatel One Touch Hero. There is a flash and autofocus. However, as users have noticed, the quality of the images is not up to the stated level. This shows up in poor detail. It is impossible to achieve better quality even during the day, in good lighting.
The front module also did not please users. Unfortunately, the selfie camera uses a 2 megapixel sensor. There is no need to talk about the quality of these pictures. Naturally, noise, blur, and poor color rendition are clearly visible in the frame.
Software and basic settings
Android version 4.2 is installed on board this device. Naturally, at present this operating system is already considered very outdated. But do not forget that in Russia this model went on sale at the end of 2013. At that time, such equipment was considered relevant. The main advantage of this device is that the manufacturer used its own software shell on top of the operating system. It is quite convenient and has a beautiful interface.
When you turn on Alcatel One Touch for the first time, settings can be made through a special application. It's called the Setup Wizard. Here you are asked to select a language, activate the keyboard, set the current date and time, and, if desired, set up a Google account. After this, a window appears on the main screen in which “Ready!” will be written in large letters. After confirmation, the device is completely ready for use. For those who have already dealt with the new shell from Alcatel, you can skip this step and configure the phone manually.
Alcatel One Touch: reviews
What conclusions arise after studying the characteristics of this phone model? Note that users did not have any serious comments about this device. The following features were noted as positive:
- excellent connection quality;
- high speaker volume;
- excellent vibration alert;
- speech transmission without distortion.
As for performance, it also did not disappoint. The device copes well with all modern tasks. Many laudatory comments were made about the screen. Its characteristics are undeniably impressive.
However, not only the benefits were found by users. Like many other models, the One Touch Hero is not without its drawbacks. These include:
- quite high cost (at the start of sales about 16,000 rubles);
- low camera resolution.
Perhaps these are the most significant disadvantages of this model.
ALCATEL ONE TOUCH Idol Mini is a compact smartphone from the Idol line. It is not devoid of the company's corporate style, which makes it look great. Unfortunately, there were some simplifications; they affected the processor and RAM. Let's see what this smartphone is capable of.
ALCATEL ONE TOUCH Idol Mini is made in a similar style to other ALCATEL ONE TOUCH Idol models and that’s good. The design of the smartphone is recognizable and original. The case is non-separable, perfectly assembled and very thin, by the way, the thickness is only 7.9 mm. The length of the smartphone is 127.1 mm, width 62 mm, and weight 97 grams. With these parameters, the smartphone is practically not felt in your pants pocket.
The location of the keys and interfaces is as follows: at the top of the front panel there is a light sensor, proximity sensor, voice speaker, 0.3 MP front camera and an indicator of missed events. At the bottom of the front panel there are three backlit hardware touch keys. At the ends of the smartphone there is a power button and a 3.5 mm jack (top), microUSB and the main microphone (bottom), a slot for micro-SIM and microSD (right) and a volume rocker on the left (left). On the back cover there is a camera lens, it protrudes slightly above the surface of the body and has a silver rim, a flash, a second microphone, a manufacturer’s logo and a multimedia speaker. The back cover is made of plastic simulating metal. Fingerprints on the lid are only visible from a certain angle and are easily erased.
In general, there are no critical comments about the ergonomics of the smartphone. The connector plugs fit securely and tightly. It is convenient to use the smartphone with one hand, even despite the location of the power button on the top end. Mechanical keys have a tight, but clearly distinguishable stroke. Thanks to the thin body, low weight and pleasant materials, the device is pleasant to use.
Operating system and shell
The smartphone runs on the Android 4.2.2 operating system using its own interface. The proprietary shell is pleasant to look at and is to some extent a symbiosis of MIUI and Android Jelly Bean.
The interface is almost completely the same as that of older models. The lock screen can accommodate up to nine widgets, from which you can switch to full-screen mode. In addition to widgets, the lock screen has four icons (dialing, messages, camera and unlock), which are enclosed in a circle. Selecting icons and unlocking the smartphone is done using a small circle. It also changes its location relative to the tilt of the body thanks to the built-in accelerometer. This feature looks interesting and funny. By the way, during charging, the charge level is indicated in the middle of the circle. Without unlocking your smartphone, you can go to the notification panel and mode switches. It is impossible to change or move mode switching icons.
After unlocking, we find ourselves on one of five desktops, where widgets and program icons are located. For older models this is the main menu, but for Idol MINI it is just a desktop with widgets and program shortcuts. You can create folders on your desktop by dragging and dropping application shortcuts. When you long press on a widget, sliders appear that you can use to change the size of the widget.
By clicking on the icon located in the lower right corner, we get to the application menu. The application menu has three tabs: general programs, downloaded programs and widgets. Despite the refusal of some manufacturers to remove more pre-installed programs, ALCATEL ONE TOUCH did not follow this path and installed a large number of programs, fortunately, they can be easily removed. Among the preinstalled programs you can find an antivirus, an office application, a large number of social services and almost all services from Google. It is possible to block notifications from selected programs, as well as select the memory where applications will be installed.
The interface works well, twitching occurs rarely, but in cases of launching a heavy application and then exiting it, the desktop shortcuts are redrawn.
SwiftKey is installed as the standard keyboard. The browser loads pages quickly and its performance is flawless.
I would like to note that some standard applications have been redrawn in accordance with the general design style. Among them are a compass, calculator, flashlight and radio.
Hardware platform
It is worth noting that the smartphone can be presented in two versions: 6012X and 6012D. The first version with the index 6012X is distinguished by the presence of one SIM card, a microSD slot, and 4 GB of internal memory. The version with the index 6012D already has two slots for SIM cards, 8 GB of internal memory, but no microSD slot.
ALCATEL ONE TOUCH Idol Mini is powered by the budget SoC MT6572 from MediaTek. This processor is built using a 28 nm process technology and has two Cortex A7 cores with a frequency of 1.3 GHz. The well-known Mali 400 MP acts as a video accelerator. Although this SoC is considered budget, it shows good results in synthetic tests. The amount of RAM is modest by the standards of the end of 2013, amounting to 512 MB. During normal use, there was no more than 140MB of RAM remaining. The built-in storage capacity is 4 GB, of which about 2 GB is available to the user.
Playing video files
| Codec/Name | FinalDestination5.mp4 | Neudergimie.2.mkv | s.t.a.l.k.e.r.avi | Spartacus.mkv | ParallelUniverse.avi |
| Video | MPEG4 Video (H264) 1920×798 29.99fps | MPEG4 Video (H264) 1920×816 23.98fps | Xvid 712×400 25.00fps 1779kbps | MPEG4 Video (H264) 1280×720 29.97fps | MPEG4 Video (H264) 1280×536 24.00fps 2726kbps |
| Audio | AAC 48000Hz stereo 96kbps | MPEG Audio Layer 3 44100Hz stereo | MPEG Audio Layer 3 48000Hz stereo 128kbps | Dolby AC3 44100Hz stereo | MPEG Audio Layer 3 44100Hz stereo 256kbps |
This smartphone is not positioned as a gaming smartphone, but, nevertheless, the performance will be sufficient for undemanding games.
The volume and sound quality from the speakers is good. Thanks to the thoughtful placement of the speaker, it will be difficult to miss a call, since even when the phone is lying on the table, the speaker is not blocked. The microphone transmits speech qualitatively. The sound in the headphones is good.
During most tasks, the smartphone body did not heat up. Working on the Wi-Fi network did not raise any issues; everything worked quickly and without interruptions in the connection. Searching for satellites is slightly faster than on other devices with MediaTek chipsets.
Autonomy
ALCATEL ONE TOUCH Idol Mini shows average battery life results. A 1700mAh battery is hidden inside the thin body. Under average loads such as: about an hour of calls, with data transfer always on, the smartphone can last a day. If the device is used more actively, then it is likely that it will not last until the end of the working day. There is an energy saving mode. The results of autonomy tests can be found below.
| Operating time indicators | ||||
| Mode\Model | ALCATEL ONE TOUCH Idol Mini | Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 | ALCATEL OT SCRIBE HD | Fly IQ444 Diamond 2 |
| Music | 5% | 6% | 2% | 6% |
| Reading | 22% | 15% | 23% | 25% |
| Navigation | 27% | 22% | 26% | 33% |
| Watch HD video | 24% | 28% | 27% | 20% |
| Watching HD videos from Youtube | 25% | 30% | 30% | 21% |
| Antutu Tester (points) | 689 | 655 | 644 | 906 |
To listen to music, we used a standard player, volume at 12 out of 15 possible, MP3 files with a bitrate of 320 Kbps. In reading mode, all wireless communications are disabled, including data transmission on the mobile network, and the display brightness is set to 50%. Navigation includes getting directions in the Google Navigation app. The brightness is set to 50%, all data communication modules are disabled. When playing a video, the display brightness is set to 50%, the sound volume in the headphones is at level 12 out of a possible 15. The video file format is MKV, resolution 1024x432 pixels, frame rate 24. When playing a video from Youtube, the display brightness is set to 50%, the sound volume in the headphones is at 12 out of 15 possible levels.
Display and cameras
Nowadays, even budget smartphones have begun to be equipped with IPS displays. ALCATEL ONE TOUCH Idol Mini boasts a 4.3-inch IPS display with a resolution of 854x480 pixels and an automatic brightness control sensor. The display accepts up to five simultaneous presses. The viewing angles of the screen are close to maximum, the colors are rich, and the brightness is high. The display fades in the sun, but the information remains readable. The maximum brightness is 394 cd/m², the average brightness is 199 cd/m², and the minimum is 43 cd/m². An overestimated minimum value negatively affects the use of the device at night. The smartphone screen displays shades of gray that are slightly darker than they should be. The color gamut is only slightly larger than sRGB. But if you don’t find fault, the smartphone is equipped with an excellent display for its price category.
ALCATEL ONE TOUCH Idol Mini has two cameras of 5 MP and 0.3 MP. As mentioned above, you can call the camera from the lock screen. The camera interface is simple and intuitive. The video is recorded at 720p resolution.
The camera has HDR, panorama and night modes. In addition, in the settings you can change the flash mode, turn on the timer and select the photo size. Examples of photos can be found below.
Examples of photos taken with the ALCATEL ONE TOUCH Idol Mini smartphone
Examples of HDR photos taken with the ALCATEL ONE TOUCH Idol Mini smartphone
The camcorder settings are even simpler. They only have a choice of quality and flash mode.
Results
ALCATEL ONE TOUCH Idol Mini is a pleasant smartphone, which primarily differs from its competitors in its attractive design, high-quality display, good build and beautiful visual shell. The disadvantages include the small amount of RAM.
According to TCT Mobile, in Ukraine the smartphone will be sold in a version with two SIM cards. The recommended retail price will be 1399 UAH, and the start of sales is scheduled for December 2013.
Liked
+ Assembly
+ Design
+ Screen
Did not like
- Small amount of RAM
The product was provided for testing by TCT Mobile Europe S.A.S. in Ukraine, www.alcatelonetouch.com.ua
Specifications
Salon consultants have a great trick that allows them to sell Alcatel smartphones like hot cakes: they simply tell customers that Alcatel is a French company, therefore, their gadgets are French. This argument works very well with those clients who frown in disgust at the word “ China».
In fact, there is nothing French about Alcatel smartphones. Back in 2004, the Alcatel division engaged in the production of mobile equipment merged with the Chinese company TCL - all the “smart” devices that came out after that moment came from the Middle Kingdom. TCL turned out to be the main one in the pair, and only the trademark remained from Alcatel - well-known and successful from a marketing point of view.
The fact that Alcatel smartphones are made in China should not confuse the buyer - on the contrary, this is precisely why the gadgets have reasonable prices. This article will tell you about the current Alcatel lines and the most notable of the company’s smartphones.
Which Alcatel smartphone lines are active in 2017?
Alcatel is a real record holder for the number of smartphone lines; the company has as many as 6 of them:
- A. This is the latest line - the first A-series devices appeared only in 2017. Now the line includes completely different smartphones, but most of them still have a common feature - huge displays with a diagonal of 5.5-6 inches.
- U- a line for people who cannot imagine life without.
- Shine. There is only one Shine smartphone so far - the Lite model. The key feature is the premium glass and metal design at a low price.
- Idol– the most advanced and functional Alcatel smartphones. This line should be considered the flagship. Alcatel Idol devices, as a rule, have very thin bodies and amazing contrast quality.
- Pop- intended mainly for teenage audiences. A characteristic feature of the design of the devices in the line is rounded corners.
- Pixi– a line of ultra-budget devices with functionality corresponding to the price. Note that the line between the Pop and Pixi lines has begun to blur: the most expensive Pixi now costs almost 6 thousand rubles - while a Pop smartphone can be bought for 4 thousand.
We will present the most notable Alcatel smartphones in more detail.
The most affordable
Alcatel Pixi 4 4034D
- Chipset: 4-core MediaTek MT6580M, 1300 MHz.
- Screen: 4 inches, resolution 800x480.
- Battery: 1500 mAh
- RAM: 512 MB
- Built-in storage: 4 GB
Price: from 2,368 rubles
There are few smartphones on the market costing up to 2,500 rubles - and there are only a few models that can also boast Android version 6.0 out of the box. One of these is Alcatel Pixi 4 4034D.
There is no need to talk about the advantages of Pixi for a long time - it is clear that the most fastidious users can pass by. In addition to the minimum price, the advantages of the gadget include an unexpectedly powerful processor. The 4-core Pixi “stone” from MTK is capable of overclocking to 1300 MHz. Exactly the same clock frequency is listed in the characteristics of most Alcatel devices - even those that cost 10 thousand rubles.
Advantages:
- Many color options.
- Minimum cost.
- Supports 2 SIM cards.
- Not a bad chipset for an ultra-budget device.
Flaws:
- A small screen with a resolution that is ridiculous in today's times.
- Boring and banal design.
Other inexpensive smartphones: One Touch Pop (5070D), Pixi 4 (5) (5045D), U5 (4047D), U3, Pixi 3 (4) (4013D).
For selfie lovers
Alcatel U5 HD
- Chipset: 4-core MediaTek MT6737M, 1300 MHz.
- Screen: 5 inches, HD resolution.
- Battery: 2200 mAh
- RAM: 1 GB
- Built-in storage:
Price: from 4,690 rubles
Alcatel has awarded the budget model U5 HD with excellent cameras - 13-megapixel rear and 8-megapixel front. The front camera is equipped with a flash - you can take pictures of yourself even in low light conditions. Young users will certainly be pleased with the presence of many photo effects - for example, the popular “ Mask", which allows you to transform into a pirate, a bear, or a zombie.
Alas, with the exception of the U5 HD cameras, there is really nothing else to brag about - in all other characteristics, this is a rather primitive budget gadget.
The HD model is worth buying. The simple U5 may be a little cheaper, but its screen is no good.
Advantages:
- Decent selfie camera with lots of filters and effects.
- 4G support.
- Supports 2 SIM cards.
Flaws:
- Mediocre autonomy.
- Small amount of user memory.
- Overpriced - for the same money you can buy a gadget with better characteristics.
Other selfie smartphones: A7, A3, A3 XL, Idol 4S.
Modest "cute"
Alcatel Shine Lite
- Chipset: 4-core MediaTek MT6737, 1300 MHz.
- Screen: 5 inches, HD resolution.
- Battery: 2460 mAh
- RAM: 2 GB
- Built-in storage: 16 GB
Price: from 7,990 rubles
The Alcatel Shine Lite model was presented at IFA 2016, where it was definitely a success. The smartphone fully corresponds to the epithet assigned by the manufacturer (“shining”) and looks absolutely fantastic. Visitors to the exhibition opened their mouths in amazement when they were informed that this gadget was budget.
The secret of Shine Lite's design lies in the fact that the smartphone body does not contain an ounce of plastic. Both the front and back edges of the device are covered with durable 2.5D Dragontrail glass; there is also an oleophobic coating on the front. The frame of the case is made of metal.
Due to the fact that the smartphone is made exclusively from premium materials, it has a significant weight - more than 150 grams. However, you must agree: this sacrifice was worth making for such an amazing design!
Advantages:
Flaws:
- The chipset is not the most productive - in terms of processor characteristics, the gadget is not far behind the Pixi 4.
- The device supports only 1 SIM.
Biggest
Alcatel A7 XL
- Chipset: 8-core MediaTek MT6750S, 1500 MHz.
- Screen: 6 inches, FullHD resolution.
- Battery: 4000 mAh
- RAM: 3 GB
- Built-in storage: 32 GB
Price: from 13,000 rubles
If the Shine Lite model became an exhibit at IFA 2016, then Alcatel presented A7 gadgets at the same exhibition a year later. The simple A7 wasn’t really memorable, but the A7 XL was impressive – it’s really huge!
The smartphone is equipped with a laminated 6-inch IPS display covered with Dragontrail glass. The screen resolution is 1920x1080 pixels (FullHD), and this is a big improvement compared to the A3 XL, a device that was nicknamed the “eye killer” for its display of a similar diagonal with HD resolution. Despite its large dimensions, the A7 XL is very easy to use - and in addition, it is attractive and pleasant to the touch. The device has a classic metal design that will obviously never go out of style.
Advantages:
Flaws:
- Impressive weight - 175 grams.
- Significant thickness - 9 mm. An even more capacious battery could be placed in such a case.
- Mediocre rear camera. A 12 megapixel resolution will not help if you are using a budget sensor - as is the case with the A7 XL.
Other smartphones with large screens: A2 XL, A3 XL, POP 4 (6), Pixi 4 (6).
Most musical
Alcatel Idol 4S 6070K
- Chipset: 8-core
- Screen: 5.5 inches, QuadHD resolution
- Battery: 3000 mAh
- RAM: 3 GB
- Built-in storage: 32 GB
Price: from 14,489 rubles
Such luminaries as JBL and Waves worked on the sound of Idol 4S - so it is completely logical that this smartphone is one of the most “musical” on the modern market. The device from Alcatel is equipped with two speakers, as well as Waves professional audio technology, making it sound much louder and clearer than most other mobile devices.
An interesting feature of the device is the so-called reversibility; Whichever way you turn the device, the right audio channel will remain on the right, and the left on the left. Everything here is for the glory of symmetry. For example, the speakers are located on both the front and back edges, so if you place the Idol 4S on the screen, the music will not sound muffled. Microphones are located in the upper and lower parts of the body - as a result, you can talk on an Alcatel smartphone even if you hold it upside down.
Advantages:
- High-quality headset from JBL included.
- Availability of Waves MaxxAudio music manager, which allows you to customize the sound for specific headphones.
- VR headset support.
- Large amount of memory. In this parameter, Idol 4S compares favorably with the Idol 4 model, which has half the ROM capacity.
Flaws:
- There is no fingerprint sensor.
- The autonomy of the smartphone leaves much to be desired.
The best of the best
Alcatel Idol 5
- Chipset: 8-core MediaTek MT6753, 1300 MHz.
- Screen: 5.2 inches, FullHD resolution.
- Battery: 2800 mAh
- RAM: 3 GB
- Built-in storage: 16 GB
Price: from 11,693 rubles
Paradoxically, we recognize Idol 5 as the best smartphone from Alcatel - a gadget that balances on the line separating the budget and mid-price segments. The device does not contain any sensational technologies, but it boasts a very high-quality build and an attractive design. The case is cast, made of aluminum, the battery cannot be removed. Thanks to its minimal thickness (only 7.5 mm) and 2.5D Dragontrail glass with oleophobic coating, the smartphone looks modern and will not “get lost” even if it ends up on the same shelf as the dazzlingly bright Shine Lite.
Advantages:
- Premium appearance.
- The presence of a fingerprint sensor.
- Supports Dirac digital audio optimization technology.
- The presence of a unique Now key, the function of which the user can determine himself.
- Support function " Duplication of applications”, thanks to which the user can “log in” to messengers on the device under two accounts at the same time.
Flaws:
- Autonomy is mediocre.
- The camera, despite the resolution of 16 megapixels, does not take the best pictures.
- The SIM card slot is combined - you will have to choose between SIM 2 and a flash drive.
The Idol 5S smartphone deserves to be called the best, as it sounds better and has more user memory. However, at the end of 2017, this device is not sold either in Russian retail or in the official Alcatel online store.
Conclusion
There is not a single expensive device in Alcatel’s 2017 smartphone catalog – apparently, the manufacturer is desperate to compete for a “place in the sun” in the premium segment. But Alcatel's position in the budget segment is very strong - the Pop and Pixi lines will probably soon become legendary.
Alcatel has a good chance of success in the mid-price segment. The company offers users bright smartphones with a unique design at low prices - which is what distinguishes them from many Chinese manufacturers who are only capable of churning out boring and trivial ones.