Alcatel Van Touch X Plus. First look at Alcatel One Touch Idol (6030a) and Idol Ultra (6033)

In 2004, the French telecommunications company Alcatel-Lucent, or rather its division that dealt with mobile devices, merged with a similar division of the Chinese company TCL Communication, creating a common enterprise TCL & Alcatel Mobile Phones Limited (TAMP), where 55% of the shares belonged to TCL and 45 % - Alcatel-Lucent. All phone manufacturing factories were moved to China. And already in 2005, TCL completely bought out the shares of TAMP and renamed the company TCT Mobile, concluding a licensing agreement that allows it to produce phones under the Alcatel brand. The company is currently developing smartphones under the TCL and ALCATEL ONETOUCH brands for the markets of Asia, Latin America, Europe and other regions. It actively cooperates with large operators and distributors. TCL Communication is one of the top ten fastest growing mobile phone manufacturing companies.

We are testing a smartphone that rightfully bears the title of flagship and meets all the canons of the market. The new product boasts the latest MediaTek MT6592 platform, a 5-inch Full HD IPS display, a progressive Hi-Fi ES9018 audio decoder and a number of other equally interesting features, which we will consider in detail below. We suggest starting the review of the new product with technical characteristics:

Manufacturer	TCL Communication

Type, form factor	Smartphone, monoblock
Communication standards			850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz
			900 / 2100 MHz

High speed data transfer	GPRS (32-48 Kbps), EDGE (236 Kbps), HSDPA+ (up to 21.6 Mbps), HSUPA (up to 5.76 Mbps)
SIM card type
CPU	MediaTek MT6592: 8 cores ARM Cortex-A7, up to 2 GHz, 1 MB L2 cache
Graphics adapter	ARM Mali-450MP, up to 700 MHz
	IPS, 5", 1920 x 1080 pixels (440 ppi), touch, capacitive, multi-touch up to 10 touches, protective glass
RAM
Persistent memory
Card reader
Interfaces	1 x 3.5mm mini-jack audio jack
Multimedia	Acoustics
	Audio processing	Hi-Fi decoder ES9018 and headphone amplifier Maxim9720
	Microphone

	Main	13 MP, autofocus, electronic stabilization, face detection, LED flash, video recording in 1080p format (30 FPS)
	Frontal	2 MP, video recording in 1080p format
Communication capabilities		802.11 b/g/n (Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Hotspot, Wi-Fi Display)





	Proximity sensor, Light sensor, LED indicator, G-sensor
Battery	Li-ion: 2500 mAh
Charger	Input: 100~240V AC eg at 50/60 Hz Output: 5 VDC e.g. 1 A
	Electronic compass (E-compass)
	140.4 x 69.1 x 7.9 mm


operating system	Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean
Official guarantee	12 months
Products webpage

Appearance, arrangement of elements

Generally speaking, the ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL X+ smartphone has a rather pleasant, well-remembered appearance. First of all, this impression is due to the extremely small frames around the display, the size of which is less than 2 mm on the sides and 14 mm on the top and bottom. In fact, they are a little thicker, given the black frame, which is only visible when the screen is active, but this still does not change the essence. The smartphone is dominated by angular shapes with curves at the extreme points.

A visual complement to the strict style is a solid plastic edging “metal-like” (the lower half is chrome-plated, the upper half is polished), encircling the body along the contour and thereby adding sophistication to the new product. The concentric pattern on the back side, diverging from the camera module, looks no less interesting.

In addition, the smartphone came out quite thin (7.9 mm) and quite light (only 125 g), although slightly longer than the LG Nexus 5. Therefore, despite the rather large diagonal of the display, it fits well in the average hand and does not feel bulky at all. The new product is available in black and white color variations.

The entire front part of the smartphone is covered with tempered glass. The manufacturer on the official page indicates Corning Gorilla Glass 2 / NEG, but on the Internet there is also a mention of Asahi DragonTrail. Along its contour there is a thin frame matching the color of the case, slightly rising above the glass.

Above the display are: a speaker grid, a round LED event indicator, proximity/light sensors and a front camera. Below the display are three touch buttons, which are mirrored relative to the “stock” Android design: Back, Home (holding opens Google Now) and Menu (holding opens the Running Application Manager). They have a uniform white backlight and are displayed only when the screen is active. There is no way to adjust the brightness or duration of the backlight, but you can turn it off.

At the top end there is a power/lock button and a universal audio jack (mini-jack 3.5 mm). The bottom edge contains a micro-USB connector and two rather large perforated areas, under which it would seem that stereo speakers are located. However, there is only one speaker, and it is hidden under the left grille, while the main microphone is located under the right one.

On the side edges there are symmetrically located slots for Micro-SIM cards, covered with metal plugs. They are fixed using magnets and are quite reliable. To open the plug, you need to click on the area with a special rounded bulge. On the right side, next to the SIM card slot, there is a double volume rocker, easy to find blindly.

By the way, the smartphone is available in two versions: with one SIM card and support for microSD memory cards (model index 6043) and with two SIM cards, but without support for memory cards (model index 6043D). In addition, the differences lie in the amount of internal memory: 16 GB for the first option and 32 GB for the second. Note that we received an engineering sample for testing, so the memory in it, despite supporting two SIM cards, is only 16 GB.

On the rear non-separable side there are: a peephole for the main camera, which barely rises above the body and has a chrome-plated edging; single-section LED flash (flashlight software is present) and a mirrored ALCATEL ONETOUCH logo. The rest of the place is empty. Only at the bottom there are subtle technical and certification logos (white on a white background).

It should be noted that the back of the previous model (ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL X) was made of a matte plastic that is resistant to fingerprints and scratches and is more pleasant to the touch. The new product is made of a less practical and somewhat slippery gloss, which actively collects fingerprints and abrasions during active use (in the white model this is not as noticeable as in the black one).

In general, the smartphone has a pleasant appearance and fits well in the hand, but the location of the power/lock button on the top end is somewhat inconvenient with such a diagonal display. It would be more successful, in our opinion, to place it on the right side, and the volume rockers on the left. And so every time you have to reach for this button or use another hand.

In general, ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL X+ is assembled very well: without any gaps or backlash. And thanks to the non-separable body, the new product feels monolithic, does not bend or change its geometry under moderate torsion. Smudges appear on the display, but to do this you need to press quite hard on the glass.

The ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL X+ smartphone is equipped with an IPS touch matrix (manufactured by Sharp), made using OGS technology (without an air gap between the components), thanks to which the image appears to be on the surface itself. The display is protected by tempered glass, which has a relatively good oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating. Additionally, this ensures fairly good and easy sliding of fingers and no accumulation of fingerprints, and those that appear are easily removed.

The resolution of the 5-inch screen is 1920 × 1080 (Full HD). At the same time, the pixel density is 440 ppi, which is more than enough to display very smooth fonts and produce a fairly detailed image overall. It is hardly possible to examine individual pixels, even with a strong desire.

The display brightness can be adjusted manually, or automatic adjustment can be enabled. The proximity sensor locks the screen when you bring the smartphone to your ear. Multi-touch technology here allows you to process up to 10 simultaneous touches. In general, it shows very good sensitivity even to light touches (it does not respond to pressure with gloves).

In general, the ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL X+ display is very bright, quite contrasty, with maximum viewing angles and pleasant color reproduction. It should be noted that in the settings you can adjust the color temperature and saturation according to personal tastes. The maximum brightness is more than enough to view information on a bright sunny day, and the minimum brightness is enough for comfortable work in the dark, although the latter is somewhat higher than we would like. To summarize all of the above, we note that the display leaves a very pleasant impression and is an indisputable advantage of the new product.

As already mentioned, the smartphone is equipped with only one speaker, which is located at the bottom end. Thanks to this placement, the sound is not muffled if the gadget lies on a horizontal surface.

The multimedia speaker is quite loud and produces clear sound over almost the entire frequency range. Only when approaching maximum volume is there a slight distortion of the sound. In general, its capabilities are quite sufficient for games, watching videos, calls and notifications. In principle, it is enough for listening to music. However, it is much more pleasant to do this with headphones. The fact is that the use of a progressive Hi-Fi decoder ES9018 and a headphone amplifier Maxim9720 with support for playback in SACD 24 bit/192 kHz mode significantly improves the sound.

Hi-Fi mode can only be activated by connecting headphones and using the pre-installed Music application. The latter has a number of useful settings, including an equalizer. The playback experience really gets better: the sound of compositions (of any genre) becomes more voluminous and rich, and the detail of individual instruments in the sound part improves.

The smartphone has a built-in radio module that allows you to listen to and record FM radio stations operating in the frequency range from 87.5 to 108 MHz. Traditionally, to turn on the radio, you must connect a headset, which is used as an antenna. A standard voice recorder is useful not only for creating audio notes, but can also record telephone conversations.

By the way, the retail version of the smartphone comes with a pretty good JBL stereo headset with in-ear headphones.

The new product supports connecting wireless audio systems via Wi-Fi, which is quite convenient and eliminates the need to get tangled in wires.

During testing of the earpiece speaker, no shortcomings were found: the quality of speech transmission is clear, moderately loud (depending on the operator and the interlocutor’s phone) and with a fairly pleasant sound transmission.

Camera

ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL X+, as befits a flagship, is equipped with two digital cameras. The front module has a 2 MP sensor (Sony IMX132) and a lens with an F2.2 aperture. It is capable of creating photos and videos with a resolution of 1792 × 1008 and Full HD, respectively. However, you cannot take photos while shooting video here.

The camera produces images of fairly high quality, which is useful for self-portraits and video calls, but its main drawback is the lack of autofocus (it is fixed here). The image detail is quite good. The viewing angle is quite sufficient and does not cause complaints. The modes include Auto Retouch, Collage (makes one from 4 photos, like in Photo Booths) and a set of filters.

The main camera received a 13-megapixel module (Sony IMX135) and a fairly fast lens with an F2.0 aperture. Also available is a single-section flash, autofocus, face detection, geotagging and HDR (Dynamic mode). When shooting EIS video, digital image stabilization is activated. Photos have a resolution of 4096 × 2304. Videos are shot at 1920 × 1080 (30 FPS) and are in 3gp format.

In general, the quality of the photo is pleasantly pleasing. Good detail (although sometimes slight blurring appears even under very good shooting conditions), natural color rendition, correct white balance. However, night and evening photographs without using a flash come out dark and with a fairly high amount of noise: the camera’s automatic system simply does not raise the ISO above 1096 units. In manual mode, you can set the ISO value to 1600 units, but then there is a greater likelihood of getting a blurry frame, since the smartphone processes the image from the camera with a slight delay.

As for video recording, under favorable conditions it can boast of very good quality, both in terms of detail and color reproduction. However, it’s hardly possible to shoot something acceptable in low light without using backlighting, and you can’t manually raise the ISO when shooting video. In general, the video quality is sufficient and does not cause any particular complaints: focusing is fast; details at an average level; stereo sound. However, the camera is somewhat lacking in dynamic range.

The camera software is proprietary and has a very simple and laconic appearance, made in the same style as the entire OS shell. There are few functions compared to A-brand smartphones. But the application itself works quite quickly.

Examples of photography

Video examples

Example of daytime shooting from the ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL X+ smartphone at 1080p resolution with basic settings

User interface

ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL X+ comes with a pre-installed Android Jelly Bean 4.2.2 operating system, on top of which a proprietary shell is installed, which has not yet received its own name. Visually, it is very pleasant, and thanks to the use of rather stylish translucent graphic elements under “frosted glass” it brings a certain lightness to the interface. Unfortunately, nothing is known for sure about future OS updates to version 4.4 or at least 4.3.

It should be noted that not only the visual component has undergone significant changes, but also a certain number of functions. So, on the lock screen, in addition to quickly calling up the camera and direct unlocking, you can view the weather. The solution with dividing desktops also looks quite interesting. To the left of the home screen is a desktop for widgets, equipped with vertical scrolling and making it possible to place quite a lot of elements (in principle, they can be moved to other screens, but the free space there is fixed and there is no scrolling). To the right of the start screen are program icons, some of which have been carefully placed into folders by the manufacturer. The leftmost desktop is reserved for the Gallery, where pictures and photographs are displayed. New desktops are added automatically when there is no more free space on others. When you swipe up from the bottom on the initial desktop and desktops with applications, a menu opens with icons of all applications installed on the smartphone.

As we already wrote at the beginning of the review, to call the Running Application Manager, you use the Menu button, not the Home button. It can be a little confusing at first, but over time you get used to it. To close running applications that have a preview, just swipe up from the bottom on the corresponding program.

It should be noted that there are a large number of pre-installed applications and games. For more experienced users who are accustomed to installing everything they need on their own, this is a rather controversial decision. But for beginners and novices who are just getting acquainted with the Android OS, this is an advantage. In any case, you can easily remove most unnecessary programs and games using the standard method.

The settings menu has a sufficient number of intuitive items. We can’t help but rejoice at the updated and more pleasant white design, which should appeal to most users. So, in the SIM Management item, you can assign a SIM card that will be used for the Internet, calls or SMS. It is possible to customize the type and volume of various types of signals: from input signals to alert signals, turning on and blocking the smartphone, which is much more than in the “stock” version of the OS.

Note that the new product recognizes gesture controls quite well. In the standard Music application, you can switch tracks by simply shaking off your smartphone, and to mute the input signal, just turn it face down. Rotating the ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL X+ also snoozes the alarm.

Once again, we note the ability to activate the Hi-Fi mode only in headphones and when using the Music application, as well as support for connecting a smartphone to wireless speakers via Wi-Fi. Additionally, there is the possibility of over-the-air software updates (FOTA) and updates from USB drives, fortunately there is support for the OTG specification.

Overall, the user interface is subjectively pleasant and colorful. It works quite quickly and quite smoothly.

Hardware platform and performance

ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL X+ is based on a powerful 8-core MediaTek MT6592 processor, created on the basis of a 28-nm HPM process using ARM Cortex-A7 design. The maximum clock speed of its processor cores is 2 GHz, and the L2 cache reaches 1 MB. The ARM Mali-450MP solution is used as integrated graphics - four clusters (cores) with a maximum clock frequency of 700 MHz. It received support for OpenGL ES 2.0 and OpenVG 1.1.

The amount of RAM is 2 GB, and the permanent memory is 16 GB (this is only true for the test sample, since the retail version with two SIM cards will have 32 GB of internal memory). It is noticeable that 12.3 GB of them are available to the user. And in the retail version with 32 GB of memory, the user has access to as much as 26.3 GB, which in both cases is one of the largest values among Android smartphones. This platform supports OTG mode, which makes it possible to connect an external USB drive, keyboard and mouse when using the appropriate adapter.

Thanks to the increased clock speed of the processor cores (2.0 GHz versus 1.7 GHz), the new product was able to outperform the recently tested Impression ImSmart 2.50, built on an identical platform. Moreover, it is very close to last year’s flagships, created based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800. Note that this is only possible in applications optimized for multi-threading. In other cases, the higher-performing ARM Cortex-A9 and Cortex-A15 cores show a noticeable lead. Taking into account all of the above, we can safely say that this smartphone is one of the fastest solutions on the MediaTek MT6592 platform.

In general, its performance is more than enough for almost all mobile tasks, including quite demanding resource-intensive applications and games. Dead Trigger 2 and Asphalt 8: Airborne run at maximum settings without any complaints.

Note that with prolonged active use, unpleasant heating of the case becomes noticeable, although according to subjective sensations it cannot be called critical.

Communications

The smartphone works in modern mobile networks GSM, WCDMA / HSPA+ (LTE is not available in this MediaTek platform). Work with two SIM cards is implemented according to the Dual SIM Dual Standby standard. There is only one radio module, so when talking from one SIM card, the second one will be temporarily unavailable. It should be noted that both SIM card slots are equivalent and can work in 3G networks, but not simultaneously. That is, when one SIM card works in 3G, the other is transferred to 2G. The quality of calls is at a high level: there are no interruptions or independent drops, and voice transmission is clear, although it depends on the user’s location.

The range of communication capabilities is represented by Bluetooth 4.0 and Wi-Fi modules. The latter has support for 802.11 b/g/n protocols and Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Hotspot and Wi-Fi Display functions, but is only capable of operating in the 2.4 GHz band. There is also DLNA support.

The data transfer speed via Wi-Fi (wired connection 100 Mbit/s, router supporting the 802.11 n standard) reaches 50 Mbit/s for receiving and up to 47 Mbit/s for sending. The operation of the wireless network modules is quite standard: everything connects quickly and holds the connection well.

The smartphone has a GPS module with A-GPS support. The quality of its work is not satisfactory: in an open area it quickly identifies about 9 satellites, or even more. Connecting to them takes a little more than half a minute, and the connection is stable with most of them.

Autonomous operation

ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL X+ is powered by a non-replaceable lithium-ion battery of fairly good capacity - 2500 mAh. At an average load, such a charge should be enough for a day or a day and a half of work without recharging. According to the manufacturer, the smartphone can operate in music player (headset) mode for up to 36 hours. And the talk time is up to 20 hours on a 2G network and up to 12 hours on 3G.

As a result of watching HD video using the MX Player (50% display brightness, Wi-Fi and GPS modules turned on), the device was discharged in a little more than 5.5 hours (to be precise, in 5 hours and 38 minutes). A gaming simulation using the Epic Citadel application (Guided Tour mode) with 100% display brightness and Wi-Fi and GPS modules turned on was repeated for almost 3 hours until the battery charge was exhausted. The estimated operating time of the smartphone according to the GFXBench benchmark is 171 minutes, that is, almost 3 hours.

The charging time of the battery from the supplied power supply is unknown (since our test unit arrived without the delivery kit). Charging from a USB port with a base current of 1 A takes about 2.5 hours.

emerged as a classic representative of the “top” segment with a pleasant and sophisticated appearance combined with high build quality. The new product can offer an excellent Full HD IPS display with maximum viewing angles and natural color reproduction, high sound quality (made possible thanks to the use of a progressive Hi-Fi decoder ES9018 and a Maxim9720 headphone amplifier with support for playback in SACD mode 24 bit/192 kHz ), good autonomy (considering the platform used), as well as a bright and quite functional proprietary OS shell. In addition, as befits a flagship, the new product boasts a fairly powerful 8-core MediaTek MT6592 processor and 2 GB of RAM. Thanks to this, the smartphone is one of the fastest on this platform and in terms of performance is very close to last year’s flagships based on Qualcomm Snapdragon 800. We should not forget about the support for two SIM cards in Dual SIM Dual Standby mode and the USB OTG specification, which makes it possible to connect an external flash drive, keyboard and mouse.

With all this, you will have to put up with the use of glossy plastic in the case with its inherent disadvantages and not the latest version of the Android OS. In addition, this smartphone is not cheap, which should be noted, but for fans of the brand and true geeks this will not be an obstacle.

Advantages:

interesting and stylish design;
high-quality body assembly;
excellent Full HD IPS display with narrow side frames, protective glass and oleophobic coating;
productive hardware platform;
pretty good autonomy;

the ability to choose a model with one or two SIM cards;
high-quality sound subsystem;
USB OTG specification support;

bright and quite functional proprietary OS shell.

Flaws:

easily soiled glossy body;
lack of microSD support in the version with two SIM cards;
not the newest version of Android OS.

We would like to thank TCL Communication for providing us with a smartphone for testing.

All prices for ALCATEL+One+Touch+Idol+X%2B+6043D+Bluish

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Alcatel One Touch Idol X+ - Review of another nice eight-core smartphone

22.04.2014

Lyrical introduction

A smartphone in which as many as eight processor cores do nothing very quickly? It’s no longer news, it’s nothing unusual, it’s already commonplace - thanks to the well-known company MediaTek.

Competitors

Well, first of all, for 15 thousand you can buy a “gray” Galaxy S4... Will we continue to look for competitors?

Okay, let's continue. What else do we have that is similar? Same screen and same chipset.

My tests, all sorts of trivial actions such as opening pages or launching programs.

Sensors - all the main ones are there. Unfortunately, there are no frills - thermometers and barometers. But the gyroscope, accelerometer and compass are in place. Not to mention the light and proximity sensors.

Communication with the outside world

3G Internet is present and works fine. 4G (LTE), alas, no. We are looking forward to when MediaTek finally starts churning out inexpensive LTE chips.

Wi-Fi - yes, of course. The sensitivity is good, the speed is also good, it can handle 35 Mbit/s without problems. There are mentions that it is dual-band. But something is doubtful to me. Unfortunately, I can’t check it myself; I haven’t started the dual-band router yet.

Of course, there is Bluetooth, where would we be without it? But there is no NFC.

Connecting to a computer via USB is only in MTP mode. There is no ideologically correct Mass Storage.

There is no ability to connect external devices (USB-OTG).

There is also no option to output the signal via wire to a TV or monitor (MHL or HDMI). But there is a “Wireless Screen”, that is, Miracast - i.e. you can output the signal to the TV wirelessly (if, of course, the TV supports this technology).

Screen

Five-inch IPS screen with a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels (i.e. FullHD).

The screen deserves exceptionally warm words. Very high quality, very slippery, excellent viewing angles, oleophobic coating, decent behavior in the sun. They weren’t greedy, what can I say.

The sensor is also completely problem-free and clear. For ten simultaneous touches.

Maximum brightness is under 400 cd/m2 with a contrast ratio of 770:1. Excellent result. Sometimes I came across screens that were brighter (Huawei Honor 3) and more contrasting (Sony Xperia Z Ultra), but not often, not at all often.

It is possible to adjust the white point in the range from 6100K to 7000K (British scientists consider 6700K ideal). It is possible to adjust color saturation. What's funny is that the photograph, which is used to judge how colors change with such adjustments, shows something suspiciously reminiscent of an orange long-eared Cossack.

Color gamut - 98% sRGB.

Operating system and other software

The smartphone runs Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean operating system, on top of which Alcatel has piled its proprietary shell. It turned out beautifully, but a little strange in places. For example, the leftmost screen - what is it? Picture viewer? Why does he need a separate screen? It doesn't seem to be good for anything other than pictures.

Second screen. Also unusual. "Widget Wall" There may be only widgets. Those. widgets can be on any screen at all, but on the second screen they can be and only them; application shortcuts cannot be there. For what??? Mysterious Chinese soul. Fortunately, the first two screens can be easily hidden so as not to get in the way. You can admire the first and second screens in the video “Demonstration of work”.

Otherwise, the branded shell is quite ordinary. Labels, folders, etc. The review on Mobile-Review says that there is no general list of all applications. At the same time, they have a specific icon (lower right, four by four squares) in the screenshots. So here it is. I have it too. And behind it lives a complete list of all applications.

Well, so - Android and Android. Nothing unusual.

A mountain of pre-installed third-party applications. Fortunately, almost everything can be removed without problems. With the exception of Deezer, Facebook and Flashlight. For some reason, these three received the status of untouchables.

Battery

The battery capacity, although not a record, is not bad - 2500 mAh. On average, according to my numerous battery tests - 125% of the Galaxy S4 results. Very worthy.

Full charging time with an average charger (5V, 1A) is slightly less than three hours.

The device can shoot video in “full HD”, 30 frames per second. The quality is reasonable, examples are in front of you.

Information about the make, model, and alternative names of the specific device, if available.

Design

Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Materials used, colors offered, certificates.

Width Width information - refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	67.5 mm (millimeters) 6.75 cm (centimeters) 0.22 ft (feet) 2.66 in (inches)
Height Height information - refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use.	140.4 mm (millimeters) 14.04 cm (centimeters) 0.46 ft (feet) 5.53 in (inches)
Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units of measurement.	6.9 mm (millimeters) 0.69 cm (centimeters) 0.02 ft (feet) 0.27 in (inches)
Weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement.	130 g (grams) 0.29 lbs 4.59 oz (ounces)
Volume The approximate volume of the device, calculated based on the dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped.	65.39 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 3.97 in³ (cubic inches)
Colors Information about the colors in which this device is offered for sale.	Black Yellow Red
Materials for making the case Materials used to make the device body.	Plastic

SIM card

The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.

Mobile networks

A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.

Mobile communication technologies and data transfer speeds

Communication between devices on mobile networks is carried out using technologies that provide different data transfer rates.

Operating system

An operating system is a system software that manages and coordinates the operation of hardware components in a device.

SoC (System on Chip)

A system on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device on one chip.

SoC (System on Chip) A system on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components, such as a processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation.	MediaTek MT6589T
Technological process Information about the technological process by which the chip is manufactured. Nanometers measure half the distance between elements in the processor.	28 nm (nanometers)
Processor (CPU) The primary function of a mobile device's processor (CPU) is to interpret and execute instructions contained in software applications.	ARM Cortex-A7
Processor size The size (in bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of the registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have higher performance compared to 32-bit processors, which in turn are more powerful than 16-bit processors.	32 bit
Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands with which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute.	ARMv7
Level 1 cache (L1) Cache memory is used by the processor to reduce access time to more frequently used data and instructions. L1 (level 1) cache is small in size and works much faster than both system memory and other cache levels. If the processor does not find the requested data in L1, it continues to look for it in the L2 cache. On some processors, this search is performed simultaneously in L1 and L2.	32 kB + 32 kB (kilobytes)
Level 2 cache (L2) L2 (level 2) cache is slower than L1 cache, but in return it has a higher capacity, allowing it to cache more data. It, like L1, is much faster than system memory (RAM). If the processor does not find the requested data in L2, it continues to look for it in the L3 cache (if available) or in RAM memory.	1024 kB (kilobytes) 1 MB (megabytes)
Number of processor cores The processor core executes software instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing multiple instructions to be executed in parallel.	4
CPU clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).	1500 MHz (megahertz)
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) The Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphics applications. In mobile devices, it is most often used by games, consumer interfaces, video applications, etc.	PowerVR SGX544 MP
Number of GPU cores Like a CPU, a GPU is made up of several working parts called cores. They handle graphics calculations for various applications.	1
GPU clock speed Running speed is the clock speed of the GPU, measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz).	357 MHz (megahertz)
Amount of random access memory (RAM) Random access memory (RAM) is used by the operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost after the device is turned off or restarted.	2 GB (gigabytes)
Type of random access memory (RAM) Information about the type of random access memory (RAM) used by the device.	LPDDR2

Built-in memory

Each mobile device has built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed capacity.

Memory cards

Memory cards are used in mobile devices to increase the storage capacity for storing data.

Screen

The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.

Type/technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the quality of the information image directly depends.	IPS
Diagonal For mobile devices, screen size is expressed by the length of its diagonal, measured in inches.	5 in (inches) 127 mm (millimeters) 12.7 cm (centimeters)
Width Approximate screen width	2.45 in (inches) 62.26 mm (millimeters) 6.23 cm (centimeters)
Height Approximate screen height	4.36 in (inches) 110.69 mm (millimeters) 11.07 cm (centimeters)
Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side	1.778:1 16:9
Permission Screen resolution shows the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. Higher resolution means clearer image detail.	1080 x 1920 pixels
Pixel Density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be displayed on the screen with clearer detail.	441 ppi (pixels per inch) 173 ppcm (pixels per centimeter)
Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for color components in one pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors that the screen can display.	24 bit 16777216 flowers
Screen area Approximate percentage of screen area occupied by the screen on the front of the device.	72.96% (percent)
Other characteristics Information about other screen features and characteristics.	Capacitive Multi-touch Scratch resistance
	Dragontrail glass Oleophobic (lipophobic) coating

Sensors

Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that a mobile device can recognize.

Main camera

The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on the back of the body and is used for taking photos and videos.

Flash type The most common types of flashes in mobile device cameras are LED and xenon flashes. LED flashes produce softer light and, unlike brighter xenon flashes, are also used for video shooting.	LED
Image Resolution One of the main characteristics of mobile device cameras is their resolution, which shows the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in the image.	4208 x 3120 pixels 13.13 MP (megapixels)
Video resolution Information about the maximum supported resolution when shooting video with the device.	1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels)
Video - frame rate/frames per second. Information about the maximum number of frames per second (fps) supported by the device when shooting video at the maximum resolution. Some of the main standard video shooting and playback speeds are 24p, 25p, 30p, 60p.	30fps (frames per second)
Characteristics Information about other software and hardware features related to the main camera and improving its functionality.	Autofocus Continuous shooting Digital zoom Geographical tags Panoramic photography HDR shooting Touch Focus Face recognition

Additional camera

Additional cameras are usually mounted above the device screen and are used mainly for video conversations, gesture recognition, etc.

Audio

Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.

Radio

The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.

Location determination

Information about the navigation and location technologies supported by your device.

WiFi

Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for transmitting data over close distances between various devices.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between various devices of different types over short distances.

USB

USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to exchange data.

Headphone jack

This is an audio connector, also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.

Connecting devices

Information about other important connection technologies supported by your device.

Browser

A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.

Battery

Mobile device batteries differ from each other in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge necessary for their functioning.

Capacity A battery's capacity indicates the maximum charge it can hold, measured in milliamp-hours.	2000 mAh (milliamp-hours)
Type The type of battery is determined by its structure and, more precisely, the chemicals used. There are different types of batteries, with lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries being the most commonly used batteries in mobile devices.	Li-Ion (Lithium-ion)
2G talk time 2G talk time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged during a continuous conversation on a 2G network.	20 h (hours) 1200 min (minutes) 0.8 days
2G latency 2G standby time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 2G network.	320 h (hours) 19200 min (minutes) 13.3 days
3G talk time 3G talk time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged during a continuous conversation on a 3G network.	12 h (hours) 720 min (minutes) 0.5 days
3G latency 3G standby time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 3G network.	240 h (hours) 14400 min (minutes) 10 days
Characteristics Information about some additional characteristics of the device's battery.	Fixed

Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)

The SAR level refers to the amount of electromagnetic radiation absorbed by the human body while using a mobile device.

Head SAR level (EU)

The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device close to the ear in a conversation position. In Europe, the maximum permissible SAR value for mobile devices is limited to 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by CENELEC in accordance with IEC standards, subject to the guidelines of ICNIRP 1998.

0.264 W/kg (Watt per kilogram)

Body SAR level (EU)

The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation to which the human body is exposed when holding a mobile device at hip level. The maximum permissible SAR value for mobile devices in Europe is 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by the CENELEC Committee in compliance with the ICNIRP 1998 guidelines and IEC standards.

0.584 W/kg (Watt per kilogram)

The smartphone is an interesting solution from a design point of view, has not the most advanced characteristics and an excellent camera. However, it is difficult to talk briefly about this device, since the manufacturer found something to surprise its buyer. When I first saw the packaging of the Alcatel One Touch Idol Alpha 6032X, I couldn’t help but exclaim: “Well, wow!” When I picked up the device itself, the pleasant surprise was repeated. However, later my head started going, “Hey, wait a minute!” and “It can’t be!”, and these were by no means positive exclamations. We read about all this and something else in our review today.

The name of the smartphone is so big that I didn’t even dare to add anything of my own to the title of this article. Here there is “one touch”, and “idol”, and “alpha” and even the letter “X”, which, as is customary, means something special. In my opinion, there are too many pretentious words for one title. However, the manufacturer did not stop at one name. Let's start with the configuration, fortunately there is something to talk about and show too.

Device kit

Idol Alpha's packaging is radically different from anything we've seen before. Usually, the manufacturer tries to save money on the box, trying to reduce its costs and, thereby, make the price of the device more attractive. Sasmung, for example, produces boxes for its devices from recycled materials. LG uses printing inks made from soy. Using the example of the latter, we see that here the manufacturer still has a chance to get into some fashionable rating of environmentally friendly companies. In the eyes of consumers, this is a definite plus. This is especially true for European countries, where the attitude towards ecology is of a slightly different order.

So, Idol Alpha crosses out all the principles outlined above and comes in a metal tube with appropriate markings. Down with savings and environmentally friendly production! But, you must admit, it looks cool! This “pipe” contains a special stand made of black velvet, in which the smartphone itself rests peacefully. The unpacking system is quite tricky, because all the components are hidden in a special compartment of this holder.

The device includes the following: microUSB cable, charger, headset with call control button, 3.5 mm adapter! (more on this later) and a device for removing the SIM card.

The special clip for opening the SIM card tray is surprisingly reminiscent of the one from the iPhone. In general, the device itself clearly shows many similarities. It's clear where the designers drew inspiration from when developing the 6032X.

Design, materials and use

The appearance is even more impressive. The first thing that catches your eye is the transparent plastic inserts on the top and bottom. Smooth, pleasant to the touch, rounded plastic does not provide any additional functionality. This is just an external “decoration” that looks really cool. In addition, the inserts are illuminated by moonlight with any notification. This illumination looks especially impressive in the dark.

The logos of the system control keys are cut out on the bottom plastic. The first thing I did was try to click on them, but nothing happened. These are just symbols, and the touch keys themselves are located on a dark strip under the screen. The buttons are not marked in any way, so you have to press them somewhere here. There is no other way to express it. Unfortunately, the manufacturer did not bother to somehow allocate touch areas for the keys. Subsequently, I repeatedly caught myself trying to press these labels printed on the plastic. It turns out that the lower part of the smartphone looks very decent, but the ergonomics are not fully thought out.

Along the entire contour of the device there is a metal edging, painted in the color of the body. Obviously, the manufacturer killed two birds with one stone: he brought the antenna to the external circuit, thereby saving on internal space, and made it one of the main features of the device’s appearance. This antenna implementation looks very good, but the idea is far from new. The style and performance are painfully familiar to us. If you haven't guessed it yet, everything will fall into place after a direct comparison of Idol Alpha and iPhone 5.

The screen is covered with protective glass with an oleophobic coating. Thanks to the special design, the body appears to be two-level: as if a small black smartphone is enclosed in a metal ring. An interesting solution from all points of view. Above the display is a speaker grille, to the left of which is the front camera eye. To the right of the speaker there is a proximity sensor and a light sensor. The latter, by the way, works correctly, but with some delay: the change in the screen backlight returns to normal with the ambient light after about 5 seconds.

There are absolutely no elements on the top and bottom ends.

On the right side of the smartphone there are metal volume buttons and below is the power key. The button travel is clear and moderately soft.

The left side contains a tray for the operator’s card, which, by the way, is made of a slightly different material and this is noticeable against the background of the monochromatic edge of the phone. At the very bottom there is a microUSB port. And then I couldn’t believe my eyes. I twirled my smartphone again and it turned out to be true.

Alcatel One Touch Idol Alpha 6032X does not have a 3.5 mm hole for connecting headphones!

It was a shock for me. In my memory, it’s been about 5 years since almost everyone (even Sony a little later) abandoned their proprietary ports and began to build an audio output into their devices for connecting third-party headphones. And now, in 2014, when all devices have a certain gentlemanly set of options (own shell over the OS, microUSB input, USB-Host, 3.5 mm jack for connecting third-party headsets), Alcatel releases to the market one of its best devices, which turns out to be without one leg.

For the sake of at least some convenience, the company included an adapter from microUSB to a 3.5 mm jack in the kit. Thank you, of course, but this crutch is far from the same as the initially available ability to connect any headphones. The adapter can be forgotten, broken, lost, and so on. And buying a replacement is now relatively difficult, since even budget models have a standard audio output. No demand - no supply. Is it possible to order through Ebay.com and wait about a month for the parcel, involuntarily giving up listening to music on your phone for this period.

By the way, not a single flash drive could be connected to the smartphone, since he thought that an audio headset had been inserted into it.

From here the conclusion arises that OTG mode is not supported.

And this, by the way, is one of the main advantages of the entire Android system. In general, the developers have done something clever here.

Since we are talking about the shortcomings of the device, it is worth mentioning that the main speaker is located on the back cover. If the Idol Alpha 6032X is lying on a flat surface with the screen facing up, the sound is noticeably muffled. If you hold the device in your hand, the sound is muffled. If the smartphone is in your bag or in the front pocket of your trousers, then forget about any audibility of the ringtone or other notification. Of course, the arrangement of the components of any device in the case that the designers have drawn is a very complex engineering task. And any user should understand this. Probably, someday the day will come when manufacturing companies will try their best to meet their consumers halfway and put the convenience and experience of using their products at the forefront. We all already know an example of a company where such an ideology rules everything.

The transparent insert with control button emblems has a recess for the first microphone. The second is located on the back, not far from the rear camera eye and LED flash.

Alcatel One Touch Idol Alpha 6032X is a very thin (7.5 mm), light (117 g) and ergonomic smartphone. Using the device is a pleasure. All controls are in convenient places and you don’t need to grab the phone to reach any button. In a trouser or jeans pocket it is almost invisible.

Coupled with its excellent appearance, interesting colors (two options are available: dark blue and beige), and well-proven ergonomics, the Idol Alpha 6032X really makes a very positive impression.

Yes, there are shortcomings, but there is no ideal, especially for a price of 13,990 rubles.

At the end of this section, I propose to compare the dimensions of the Idol Alpha 6032X with its closest competitors.

	Length	Width	Thickness	Weight
Alcatel One Touch Idol Alpha 6032X	138	66,6	7,5	117,4
Samsung GALAXY S4 mini	124,6	61,3	8,9	107
Sony Xperia Compact Z1	127	64,9	9,5	137
Fly IQ4410 Quad	135,8	68,4	8	123

Display

The display reproduces colors perfectly thanks to the IPS matrix used on its basis. With a diagonal of 4.7 inches and a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels, viewing angles remain maximum. I propose to compare the color rendition of the smartphone with the iPhone 5 (the one on top) in the photographs below.

If there are no issues with the image display display, then with regards to sensitivity, everything is not so simple. Up to 10 simultaneous touches are supported, that is, a full-fledged Multitouch. During use, it turned out that the screen sensor does not always respond to touches. This is especially noticeable when surfing the Internet, when you need to click on some small link. For example, the hero of our previous review, LG G Flex, has a display with very good sensitivity: at times it is not even clear whether you touched the surface or not, but the smartphone has already reacted. You shouldn't expect such sensitivity from the Idol Alpha 6032X, and this can be attributed to its disadvantages.

In addition, the corners of the picture display are not beveled, despite the fact that the phone itself has a rather rounded shape. Again, let's return to the iOS interface, where there are no right angles - everything adheres to the general concept. The example below shows what we are talking about. And although most users will not notice this, there are still bores like me who will pay attention to this.

Specifications and performance

MediaTek MT6589 processor (4 cores) with a frequency of 1.2 GHz
PowerVR SGX 544MP video chip
RAM 1 GB
16 GB data storage memory (12.64 GB actually available)
display 4.7" IPS screen with a resolution of 1280×720 pixels
camera 13.1 megapixels (main) with LED flash, 1.3 megapixels (front)
Sensors: proximity sensor, light sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetic compass
supported music formats WAV, MP3, MP2, AMR, MIDI, Vorbis, APE, AAC, AAC+, FLAC, WMA
FM radio
battery 2,000 mAh
operating system Android Jelly Bean 4.2.2

Networks and connections:

quad-band GSM (850/900/1800/1900), UMTS 900/2100 (6032X)
HSPA: DC-HSPA+
Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n), Wi-Fi direct, Wi-Fi Display, DLNABluetooth 4.0
GPS with A-GPS technology
Micro USB 2.0
microSIM standard

As you can see, the smartphone is equipped with a processor from MediaTek, which provides sufficient performance for most tasks.

However, the proprietary shell sometimes has twitches and barely noticeable stutters.

There is no 100% smoothness of any interface animation here. It's difficult to say why this happens. Perhaps the proprietary shell is not well optimized, or perhaps the processor’s performance leaves much to be desired.

For clarity, here are the test results in the AnTuTu program:

However, the smartphone easily coped with FullHD video playback. Most modern games are also supported, but, of course, at medium graphics settings.

A 13.1 megapixel matrix is used as the main module for photographs. The output photos have a resolution of 4224×3168 pixels. Of course, there is autofocus, which quickly grasps the subject and almost never misses.

There are very few additional shooting scenarios: there is support for HDR, the ability to create a horizontal panorama, sports mode and night photography. For the front camera, the developers have added special settings that are suitable for selfie lovers - this is, first of all, automatic skin retouching and the creation of collages. In my opinion, this is the right approach when the manufacturer does not load the camera interface with many different add-ons. Almost no one uses all this anyway. Those who need additional functionality can always download third-party photo applications from Google Play.

Let's take a look at some sample photos.

Obviously, the Alcatel One Touch Idol Alpha 6032X camera is one of the device’s strongest points. Detailing, color rendition - everything is at a very decent level. Sometimes your smartphone gets the exposure wrong, so it’s always worth taking a few shots. In such cases, the HDR mode can also come to the rescue, but in order not to blur the picture, you need to hold the device with iron hands for quite a long time - about 3 seconds.

For some reason, the manufacturer did not provide the ability to go directly to the footage from the camera interface. But we have all been accustomed to such functionality for a long time, since the days of 1.3 Mpixel modules.

As for video shooting, the smartphone is capable of shooting video in a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels at 30 frames per second.

During video recording, the tracking focus is clearly visible, which instantly refocuses on any desired object. The output file format is the good old 3GP (codecs H.263, MPEG4, H.264 depending on the quality preset in the settings). What to say when you can see everything with your own eyes.

Sound and video

As mentioned earlier, the speaker in the Idol Alpha 6032X is located on the back cover of the device. The sound through the speaker is quite quiet and, if we compare the volume with the iPhone 5, the latter sounds about twice as loud as a smartphone from Alcatel. On a noisy street or in the subway, it is impossible to hear a call from the device. Even the pre-installed relatively shrill notification tones do not save the situation.

The quality of music playback through headphones leaves an extremely positive impression.

We are talking about using third-party headphones. The entire sound spectrum, including bass, is clearly audible. For those who do not have enough standard sound, there is an equalizer with a lot of pre-installed add-ons, as well as many other effects, among other things. The Idol Alpha 6032X is also perfect as a music player because it supports many popular audio formats: WAV, MP3, MP2, AMR, MIDI, Vorbis, APE, AAC, AAC+, FLAC, WMA. If it were possible to connect your own headphones without any adapters, that would be very good.

The included headset does not pull out low frequencies at all, although it allows you to control playback and calls. For an undemanding user, it is quite suitable as the main headphones.

There is one more unpleasant feature. For some reason, the player stretches out all the song covers and, accordingly, it looks sloppy.

There is also an FM radio that operates via a headset that acts as an antenna. You can listen to the radio without headphones, but in this case no one guarantees the stability of the signal.

Video playback does not raise any questions, except perhaps that the player itself is very ascetic: there is not even the ability to view information about the file.

Input method

In the phone settings, you can configure input methods in detail using several preset keyboards to choose from. A learning mode and two ways of typing words are available: for fast typers and for those who prefer accuracy.

According to the manufacturer, Idol Alpha 6032X can last 24 hours on a single charge in music player mode. A non-removable battery with a capacity of 2,000 mAh allows the device to stay afloat for one day during active use. The smartphone can last a day and a half without connecting to a power source only under a fairly moderate load (20 minutes of calls per day, 10 pictures per camera, an hour of Internet surfing via Wi-Fi). It looks like a standard for an Android smartphone.

Bottom line

Yes, Alcatel decided to save money on the processor and not install a top-end chip from Qualcomm. Still, the price of 13,990 rubles per device in federal networks dictates its own rules. However, the smartphone is not positioned as a top-end device. The buyer has the right to count on the image component, a nice screen and a good camera - and believe me, all this is already a lot. Yes, there are certain inconveniences: you can’t just connect any headphones and there is no support for OTG mode. Before purchasing, you should definitely consider these points.

Can Alcatel Idol Alpha 6032X be considered as a purchase?

Yes, if not needed high performance, a second SIM card and a passion for a fashion device, but the iPhone for one reason or another is not suitable.

The "Wow" effect has been achieved!

14.12.2013

Telephone and communications

The smartphone works as standard in modern 2G GSM and 3G WCDMA networks and copes with it with a bang; there is no support for fourth generation networks (LTE). You can organize a wireless point via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth channels; there is a Wi-Fi Direct mode; NFC and MHL are absent.

The implementation of working with two SIM cards is standard for the platform: there can be only one active conversation, any of the cards can work in both 3G and 2G modes. In a separate settings section, you can assign default conditions to each SIM card so that, for example, voice communication is always carried out using the first one, and data transmission is always carried out through the second SIM card. In the case of the device officially sold on the Russian market, the first slot is locked to work only with MTS SIM cards, but users have already learned to bypass this limitation at the software level.

On the very first version of the firmware, clicks were detected that the interlocutor heard, but after the update on October 10, the clicks disappeared. Now during a conversation you can hear your interlocutor perfectly and he, in turn, hears you perfectly. The volume of the speaker is sufficient to freely hear the voice from the handset even in a noisy place.

It is also possible to record a conversation out of the box. Both talking parties are recorded, the recording of the conversation can be listened to by clicking on the icon with the image of a magnetic tape right in the call list opposite a specific call with time and date - everything is organized extremely conveniently.

The Internet works quickly both when connected via 3G and Wi-Fi. No crashes or slowdowns when scrolling.

Battery

The battery here is not of the highest capacity (alas). A total of 2000 mAh powers the smartphone with very intensive use for an average of about 8 hours. To be precise:

A smartphone can play a movie from 4.5 to 8 hours depending on the video resolution;

You can listen to music for about a day, unless, of course, your screen is constantly on. The manufacturer claims more than 30 hours, but I give my data. Why about a day, but because the device did not reach a full day by a little more than an hour;

In games, the smartphone lasts about 4 hours, depending on the game running on it.

I did not test the device in talk mode, but the manufacturer claims up to 20 hours depending on the signal level of the cellular network.

In the “a few calls, SMS and twenty minutes a day Internet via Wi-Fi” mode, it will live for about three days and there is a screenshot from the screen as proof.

As you can see, it’s not three days, but there’s not much left, and there’s still 27% left.

Navigation

You can safely use your smartphone as a navigator. Finds satellites quickly enough and also quickly clings to them. In just 10-15 seconds, 13 satellites were found, and after another 30, eight of them already showed me my location. This was the result on the fifth floor balcony.

It leads accurately, it has not lost contact with satellites throughout the entire journey from Moscow to my native Kursk, during which I decided to give it a test. On the road, the device maintained contact with at least ten satellites. But it was possible to observe, since I was not driving.

In general, it was surprising to see such confident work with GPS on a smartphone with MediaTek, because before we had never done without “dancing with tambourines.”

Camera

The device, as I said at the beginning of the review, has a 13 MP main camera and a 2 MP front camera. Both cameras cope with their task, I would say, a solid four. Although the front one can be installed perfectly, since it is quite sufficient for video calls and the quality is quite appropriate. But the main camera received a 4 due to poor software photo processing, for which the MediaTek platform is to blame. In daylight there are no complaints and everything is fine (unless, of course, you are addicted to alcohol and your hands are not constantly shaking, I’m kidding of course), but in poor lighting and photography with flash there is a lot of noise. But I want to say that for such a price you shouldn’t be so demanding of your smartphone camera. And, of course, examples of photos in daylight:

And in poor lighting:

Of course, the smartphone shoots video. Maximum resolution 1080p (Full HD) at 30 frames per second. The default container is 3GP and can only be changed in a third-party camera application. The manufacturer, in turn, promises to expand the functionality of the camera in future firmware.

Example video from the device camera:

At night

During the day

The flash can be used as a flashlight, and there is a separate application for this.

Bottom line

Alcatel's smartphone turned out to be gorgeous, not without its drawbacks, but they are insignificant and forgivable given its cost and available advantages. It has a gorgeous and large screen, but is still easy to use even with one hand, is made of quality materials and has enough performance for all the tasks you throw at it. The disadvantages include, perhaps, a weak video chip that cannot cope with Full HD in games and only in games, and even then in very rare cases, as well as a low-capacity battery for such a screen. The location of the power button is compensated by the ability to unlock with the volume keys, and the lack of a memory card slot is compensated by the presence of OTG support.

For me, the device turned out to be ideal, and for the first time I really experienced that “wow” when purchasing it, and even at such a price. There are, of course, negative reviews, but this is probably due to defects that probably exist in all manufacturers. If we do not take into account the defect, which, thank God, my copy avoided, then I experience only positive emotions from the device. For the existing disadvantages, I give Idol a solid nine out of ten possible points.

Thank you for your attention!

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