Alcatel OneTouch Idol X - Specifications. Alcatel One Touch Idol X: specifications, reviews, photos. Comparison with competitors Alcatel one touch idol description
Contents of delivery:
- Telephone
- Charger with USB cable
- Instruction
- Wired stereo headset
Positioning
In the summer of 2013, Alcatel made a small breakthrough - they created a model that, in terms of price / quality ratio, became almost ideal, but at the same time offered the maximum performance among all second-tier companies. The Idol X combined a thin body and the presence of a high-quality screen, a 13-megapixel camera, and a fairly capacious battery. The device came out at a price of about 14,000 rubles, which became the most affordable offer in its class. There was a surprising situation, companies with a large volume of sales, such as Fly, were forced to adjust prices down and take Idol X into account.
For six months, the cost of Idol X dropped to 12,000 rubles, which made it even more attractive. But the company decided that it was time to update the flagship, and carried out a number of cosmetic works - the new phone received an eight-core processor, a number of software changes and a price similar to its predecessor at the start. In my opinion, this device will suit those who are looking for productive solutions and understand why they are needed, and most importantly, how they plan to use this power. But there is no big difference from just Idol X, the average consumer should look at the old model - it is cheaper, more profitable and works in almost the same way. The company, realizing this, added quite a lot of additional features to the software. But you can notice this only by deeply studying the device and delving into its settings. At the moment, this device is the flagship of Alcatel.
Design, dimensions, controls
It has already become a tradition for Alcatel to release several versions of the phone - for example, there is a single-symbol device, it has a memory card. A model with 32 GB of internal memory and two SIM cards will be delivered to Russia, there is no slot for memory cards. There is also a 16 GB version for this device, but they refused to launch it in Russia. It was she who was on the review, but this device has no fundamental difference with what will be supplied. The difference in the amount of memory does not affect the characteristics of the device in use.
The first thing that catches your eye is the rejection of the use of matte and multi-colored plastic, as in Idol X. Here we see the usual, glossy plastic, which is unimaginably strongly reminiscent of the Samsung Galaxy S4. Of course, it was necessary to make the design a little different, but it was definitely not worth giving up the successful find of the previous device, which consisted in good, wear-resistant plastic. This is what the device and its back looked like.
The size of the phone is 140.4x69.1x7.9 mm, weight - 130 grams. Slim body fits well in the hand. The case is monolithic, as a result, it is impossible to change the battery. On the left side there is a slot for SIM-card number one, it has a microSIM form factor, as well as the second one. I like the way the connector cover flips out, it's hinged and made of alloy. The design gives the impression of being reliable and durable, but most importantly, it is comfortable in everyday life.
On the right side there is a paired volume rocker. The bottom end is occupied by a microUSB connector, but at the top we see a 3.5mm headset jack, as well as an on/off button.
On the front surface above the screen is a light sensor, right there - the proximity indicator. There are no mechanical buttons, as in previous devices, these are three touch keys. For those who have used Samsung devices in recent years, it will be unusual that the back key is moved to the left, that is, the location is mirrored.
On the back surface is a 13.1-megapixel camera lens, right there is an LED flash that can be used as a flashlight. You can also see the speaker hole at the bottom.
Display
The phone has a 5-inch IPS-matrix with a FullHD resolution of 1080x1920 pixels, which is not yet typical for most second-tier manufacturers. The screen is covered with DragonTrail glass, it also has an oleophobic coating, the prints are not so noticeable.
The viewing angles are maximum, the brightness is excessive, which forces it to be twisted by half, otherwise there is an overexposure of white. There is a light sensor that can adjust the backlight automatically. In the screen settings, you can choose the color gamut, this is a fine adjustment of colors.
In the sun, the screen fades, but not much, remains readable. The screen type is capacitive, up to 5 simultaneous clicks are supported.
Alcatel emphasizes that this model has a very thin bezel around the screen (zero bezel). In fact, the distance is 2.4 mm, which is extremely small, and visually it seems that the screen takes up the entire space from edge to edge.
The screen completely repeats that in Idol X, where there could be no complaints about it, this is a very high-quality matrix, and it remains one of the best in its segment.
Battery
The battery is non-removable, lithium-polymer (Li-Pol), capacity - 2500 mAh. According to the manufacturer, the talk time on average is 12 hours on 3G and 20 hours on 2G, and in standby mode - up to 320 and 240 hours, respectively. Music playback time - 36 hours.
With normal use of the device (an hour of calls, two hours of music, about an hour of social networks, a few photos), it is quite enough for a daylight hours. With less load per day. In the most difficult scenario, he will work with two SIM-cards until 5-6 pm. This is pretty good, since the Galaxy S4 with a larger battery runs down much faster due to the gluttony of the processor, here it is not as powerful, but it lasts longer. Full battery charge time - 2.5 hours (up to 90 percent - 1 hour 45 minutes).
It is curious that the battery capacity has grown from 2000 to 2500 mAh, but it is impossible to notice. In all modes, the operating time remains the same.
Memory and memory card
The smartphone is equipped with 2 GB of RAM, on average about 1 GB is free after the device boots up. The system occupies 3.3 GB of memory. The single-symbol model has a slot for a microSD memory card. The maximum volume is 32 GB.
Performance
It uses a MediaTek MT6592 chipset, an octa-core processor, 2 GHz, ARM Cortex-A7. Mali 450 acts as a graphics accelerator. This is a fairly productive system, but by no means a champion, even in synthetic tests.
On a smartphone, you can run almost any complex toys or applications.
Information from various applications and performance tests:
Camera
The camera interface has been redesigned in favor of simplicity, you can turn on HDR mode, get a panorama, turn off the flash, but that's all. You can take pictures by pressing the screen, focusing occurs at the point of pressing, then the device takes a picture. Second-tier manufacturers don't have such camera modules yet, so it was interesting to compare it to the Galaxy S4. Unfortunately, the miracle did not happen - the quality of the matrix in Idol X + is much worse, which can be seen in the detail of the photos, they often turn out to be blurry even during the day. But when shooting indoors, the camera of this device floats at all, noises appear, when shooting with a flash, the picture is lit, and the focus is mercilessly mistaken, turning the picture into soap. In a word, 13 megapixels here is more of a marketing ploy than reality compared to the Galaxy S4 or Sony Xperia Z - the camera is much weaker. However, look at the examples of pictures from this device.
Video recording is supported in 1080p resolution, up to 30 frames per second.
The final conclusion about the camera is typical for budget devices, there are not enough stars from the sky. Many second-tier manufacturers offer high-quality 8-megapixel modules that shoot very well, here, in pursuit of digital, they risked installing another module, which resulted in not very good photos.
Communication options
The phone works in cellular networks 2G (GSM/GPRS/EDGE, 850/900/1800/1900 MHz) and 3G (850/900/2100 MHz). Available Bluetooth version 4.0 for file and voice transfer. There is wireless Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 b/g/n. The devices, of course, can be used as an access point (Wi-Fi Hotspot) or a modem. USB 2.0 (High-Speed) is used for file transfer and data synchronization. There is a not-too-demanded Wi-Fi Display feature, when you can transmit a signal from your phone to another device via Wi-Fi. Traditionally, there is a Wi-Fi Direct function. There is also a remote Wi-Fi display option.
Software features - Android 4.2.2
In Idol X+, as well as in its predecessor, Alcatel uses its own software shell, which can be perceived by many ambiguously, as people often prefer bare Android and are quite satisfied with its capabilities.
Many functions have been heavily revised, Alcatel has added a number of programs that can be downloaded for free anyway, but the fact that they are preinstalled makes the device more interesting for inexperienced users. Let's start talking about the shell with the lock screen.
Without unlocking the device, you can see the weather forecast for the current day. Scroll the screen to the right, there will be a calendar and a to-do list for the current day (entering tasks or seeing another day will not work). You can also see the status bar, it is also available when the screen is locked if there is no security key or digital code.
The cardinal difference between Alcatel's approach and other shells is that they decided to abandon a separate menu for all applications. On the main screen are the weather widget, several icons. This is the starting point. Scroll the screens to the left, and there will be widgets that you install. We go to the right, and these will be program icons, also some programs have already been removed into folders, this was done by the manufacturer. You get used to such an organization instantly, it is somewhat logical and definitely has the right to life.
The settings menu has its own settings, for example, the super saving mode for the battery. The very appearance of the menu is also redesigned in white, which is quite nice. In our video, I talk about most of the applications that are in the device, and I don’t want to repeat what has changed compared to previous models.
Further, one could dwell on each program, describe it, but I don’t see much point in this. This is a smartphone, and this software is usually known, or I touched on it in the video. So see the screenshots below.
Another part that I want to describe separately is the multimedia capabilities. The device has support for unconverted video, the chipset plays 1080p perfectly, unlike its predecessor. In terms of music formats, there is FLAC support, in addition to regular mp3 and a number of others.
The HiFi Sound mode has appeared, it makes the sound in the headphones more voluminous. I liked him.
Impression
From the point of view of the quality of communication, there are no complaints about the device, the volume of the call is excellent, you can hear it even from the bag. The vibrating alert feels unusual due to the thickness of the case, you often don't notice it. There are no complaints about the quality of voice transmission.
In March, the device will appear in Russia at a price of 14,990 rubles, it does not look extremely low, especially against the backdrop of the cost of the original Idol X, for which they ask for 12,000 rubles. Initially, it was assumed that the cost would be 13,990 rubles, but the growth of the dollar exchange rate mixed all the cards. The device is interesting in that it fixes bugs in multimedia, plays 1080p video well, and plays music more pleasantly. But other than that, you won't notice any dramatic differences.
I did not like the rejection of matte plastic in favor of glossy, and the initial choice of white and black cases is also not encouraging. The disadvantages that may make you think is the lack of a memory card, many may need it, unlike a slot for a second SIM card. Good, high-quality screen, balanced functionality. In terms of price / quality ratio, this device does not really stand out, unlike its predecessor. I would advise you to look at it, and keep this model in mind - it is not so interesting for the vast majority, rather, an object of adoration for geeks.
All the enthusiasm of users about the appearance of Alcatel OneTouch IDOL X has already subsided, now new impressions are needed. They are promptly provided by the Chinese company TCL, which produces devices under the Alcatel brand. In January 2014, it announced the release of a new flagship - Alcatel OneTouch IDOL X +, which received high marks at an exhibition in Los Angeles.
Since this model has not yet appeared in stores in Russia, it is difficult to say exactly what its packaging will be. However, with a high degree of probability, we can assume that it will not differ from the packages of its older brothers: a white box that shows the device and modest inscriptions.
Options, most likely, also will not surprise. But in addition to the standard set, the manufacturers decided to offer a special Boom Band fitness bracelet, which is designed to track the wearer's physical activity and sleep phases. All this (by data transmission via Bluetooth) is analyzed using a special application in the smartphone. In addition, the bracelet will record the removal of the user from the device, as well as report new notifications.
Outwardly, Alcatel One Touch Idol X +, of course, looks like a popular predecessor, but due to the fact that X + has a more capacious battery, its thickness is somewhat larger than that of X. The back cover is glossy, the ends are made of metal.
What body colors will be presented on the Russian market, time will tell, but we can already say that there should be more than 2.
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Operating system |
Android Jelly Bean 4.2 |
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5” Full HD IPS 1080 x 1920 pixels, Black Crystal touch panel, Corning Gorilla glass 2 |
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Front-camera |
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CPU |
8-core MediaTek MT6592, 2 GHz CPU |
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Battery |
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140.4x69.1x8.1mm |
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Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth: 4.0 |
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Official price |
from 11 700 rubles |
The device lies pleasantly in the hand, as its body has a streamlined shape, the corners are rounded. At the bottom there is a micro-USB slot and 2 earpieces, at the top there is a standard 3.5 mm headphone jack and a power button. This device supports 2 SIM-cards, the slot for one of them is on the left, for the second - on the right, in the same place as the volume.
In general, when they saw the smartphone at an exhibition in Los Angeles, everyone noted the absolute similarity of TCL Idol X + and Alcatel One Touch Idol X +. The characteristics of its screen are the same - 5 inches, Full HD IPS. The display occupies almost the entire front panel of the smartphone, the thickness of the frames is only 1.3 mm. It also has an anti-scratch coating, making it easy to remove fingerprints.
Brightness, contrast and viewing angles (over 170 degrees) are as good as any device that has such a display.
Its android nature (Android Jelly Bean 4.2) is visible throughout its interface. 5 desktops that scroll horizontally, just like the application menu; below - 4 main icons; on desktops - the necessary widgets that can be installed at your discretion.
It will be possible to assess how fast applications work very soon, but disappointments can hardly be expected, since at the heart of the device is an 8-core MediaTek processor with a frequency of 2 GHz. Yes, and 2 GB of RAM promise good performance.
The 13 megapixel camera with optical stabilizer is launched through the application menu, there is no separate button to turn it on. Her settings are the same as in Idol X, and the test shots showed how good she is.
It will probably be a little longer to enjoy the process of shooting photos and videos than when using Alcatel One Touch Idol X, simply because the battery capacity of the novelty is 2500 mAh, which is significantly larger than that of the previous model. True, this led to a heavier and thicker device, but these few grams and centimeters are unlikely to be noticed by those whom the phone will truly delight.
Surprisingly, the price of the Alcatel One Touch IDOL X+, whose review shows it shouldn't be cheap, is now around $330 in China. And this is only 12,000 rubles. And if everything is really as the manufacturers promise, then this model will sell like hot cakes!
Information about the make, model, and alternative names of a particular device, if any.
Design
Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Used materials, suggested colors, 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 2.66in |
| 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 5.53in |
| Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units of measurement. | 6.9 mm (millimeters) 0.69 cm (centimeters) 0.02 ft 0.27in |
| The weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement. | 130 g (grams) 0.29 lbs 4.59oz |
| Volume Approximate volume of the device, calculated from 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 |
| Housing materials The materials used to make the body of the device. | 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 technologies and data rates
Communication between devices in mobile networks is carried out through technologies that provide different data transfer rates.
Operating system
The operating system is the system software that manages and coordinates the operation of the hardware components in the device.
SoC (System on a Chip)
System on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device in one chip.
| SoC (System on a Chip) System on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components such as 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 made. The value in nanometers measures half the distance between the elements in the processor. | 28 nm (nanometers) |
| Processor (CPU) The main function of the processor (CPU) of a mobile device is the interpretation and execution of instructions contained in software applications. | ARM Cortex-A7 |
| Processor bit depth The bit depth (bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have higher performance than 32-bit processors, which, in turn, are more productive than 16-bit processors. | 32 bit |
| Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands by which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute. | ARMv7 |
| First level cache (L1) Cache memory is used by the processor to reduce access time to more frequently accessed data and instructions. L1 (level 1) cache is small and 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 them in the L2 cache. With some processors, this search is performed simultaneously in L1 and L2. | 32 kB + 32 kB (kilobytes) |
| Second level cache (L2) L2 (level 2) cache is slower than L1, but in return it has a larger capacity, allowing more data to be cached. 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 RAM. | 1024 KB (kilobytes) 1 MB (megabytes) |
| Number of processor cores The processor core executes program instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing many instructions to be executed in parallel. | 4 |
| Processor 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 used most often by games, consumer interface, video applications, etc. | PowerVR SGX544 MP |
| Number of GPU cores Like the CPU, the GPU is made up of several working parts called cores. They handle the graphical calculations of different applications. | 1 |
| GPU clock speed Speed is the clock speed of the GPU and is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). | 357 MHz (megahertz) |
| The 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 when 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 a built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed amount.
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 image quality of information directly depends. | IPS |
| Diagonal For mobile devices, the screen size is expressed in terms of its diagonal length, measured in inches. | 5 in 127 mm (millimeters) 12.7 cm (centimeters) |
| Width Approximate Screen Width | 2.45in 62.26 mm (millimeters) 6.23 cm (centimeters) |
| Height Approximate Screen Height | 4.36in 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 indicates the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. Higher resolution means sharper 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 shown on the screen in clearer detail. | 441ppi (pixels per inch) 173ppm (pixels per centimeter) |
| Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for the color components in a single pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors the screen can display. | 24 bit 16777216 flowers |
| Screen area Approximate percentage of screen space on the front of the device. | 72.96% (percentage) |
| Other characteristics Information about other functions and features of the screen. | capacitive Multitouch Scratch resistance |
| dragon trail glass Oleophobic (lipophobic) coating |
Sensors
Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that are recognized by the mobile device.
Main camera
The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on the back of the case and is used for taking photos and videos.
| Flash type The most common types of flashes in mobile devices cameras are LED and xenon flashes. LED flashes give a 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 indicates the number of pixels in the horizontal and vertical direction of an image. | 4208 x 3120 pixels 13.13 MP (megapixels) |
| Video resolution Information about the maximum supported resolution for video recording by 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 shooting and video playback speeds are 24p, 25p, 30p, 60p. | 30 fps (frames per second) |
| Characteristics Information about other software and hardware features related to the main camera and improving its functionality. | autofocus Burst shooting digital zoom geo tags panoramic shooting HDR shooting Touch focus Face recognition |
Additional camera
Additional cameras are usually mounted above the screen of the device and are used mainly for video calls, 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 navigation and location technologies supported by the device.
WiFi
Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for short distance data transmission between different devices.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between different types of devices over short distances.
USB
USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to communicate.
Headphone jack
This is an audio connector, which is 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 the 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 they need to function.
| Capacity The capacity of a battery indicates the maximum charge it can store, measured in milliamp-hours. | 2000 mAh (milliamp-hours) |
| Type The type of battery is determined by its structure and, more specifically, by the chemicals used. There are different types of batteries, with lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries being the most commonly used in mobile devices. | Li-Ion (Li-Ion) |
| Talk time 2G Talk time in 2G is the period of time during which the battery is completely discharged during a continuous conversation in a 2G network. | 20 h (hours) 1200 min (minutes) 0.8 days |
| 2G standby time The 2G standby time is the amount of time it takes for the battery to fully discharge 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 Talk time in 3G is the period of time during which the battery is completely discharged during a continuous conversation in a 3G network. | 12 h (hours) 720 min (minutes) 0.5 days |
| 3G standby time The 3G standby time is the amount of time it takes for the battery to fully discharge 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 features of the device's battery. | Fixed |
Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)
SAR levels refer to the amount of electromagnetic radiation absorbed by the human body while using a mobile device.
| Head SAR (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device near the ear in a conversation position. In Europe, the maximum allowable 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 following the 1998 ICNIRP guidelines. | 0.264 W/kg (watt per kilogram) |
| Body SAR (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device at hip level. The maximum allowed SAR value for mobile devices in Europe is 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by CENELEC following the 1998 ICNIRP guidelines and IEC standards. | 0.584 W/kg (watt per kilogram) |
Specifications
- Android 7.1.1
- Display 5.2 inches, 1920x1080 pixels, LTPS IPS, 423 ppi, full lamination, automatic brightness control, protective glass Dragontrail 2.5D
- MediaTek MT6753 Chisette, 8 cores up to 1.3 GHz, MALI T720-MP3 GPU
- 3 GB RAM, 16 GB internal (8 GB available), memory cards up to 128 GB
- Li-Ion 2800 mAh battery, charging time up to 3.5 hours with a complete device
- Rear fingerprint sensor
- Front camera 8 megapixels (native resolution 5 megapixels), fixed focus, f/2.4, 1/5" sensor, 1.12 µm pixel size, LED flash, 84 degree angle
- Main camera 16 megapixels (native resolution 13 megapixels), phase detection autofocus, continuous autofocus (CAF), f/2.0, 1/3" sensor, 1.12 µm dot size, 76.3 degree angle, LED flash - video recording up to 1080p ( 30 fps)
- FM radio
- Equalizer Dirac
- Dual nanoSIM combo slot
- WiFi 802.11 b/g/n (2.4 GHz), bluetooth 4.2, USB 2.0, USB OTG
- LTE cat.4, band 3/7/8/20/28A
- Ambient light sensor, gyroscope, electronic compass, proximity sensor, G-sensor, /
- Size 148x73x7.5 mm, weight 155 grams
Contents of delivery
- Telephone
- Charger with USB cable (5V/1A)
- Wired stereo headset
- Instruction
- SIM card clip
Positioning
In past years, Alcatel positioned IDOL models as flagships, but starting in 2017 this is no longer the case. The A-series comes to the fore, while IDOL has become a secondary proposal that looks like a temporary one and it is possible that the line will be abandoned.
Alcatel releases two similar models, the regular IDOL 5 and IDOL 5s, the second device is positioned higher and costs more, but, like IDOL 4, it has stereo speakers, more internal memory (32 GB versus 16 GB in the younger model), dedicated Now key, both front and rear cameras are better, and all this at a cost of 300 Euros. In Russia, this price would quickly turn into 20 thousand rubles or even higher, which put an end to the model, since the competition in this segment is huge and IDOL 5s has no advantages. That's why the company chose a junior device, which, by coincidence, is very similar in its characteristics to the IDOL 4, even inferior to it in some ways, and wins slightly in some ways.
Interestingly, both IDOL 4 and IDOL 5 will be on the market at the same time, and the choice between them is not as clear-cut as we would like. At a similar cost, in my opinion, the old device has all the advantages, but we'll talk about that at the end of the review.
The internal positioning of the IDOL 5 follows from its position in the line, it is a direct replacement for the IDOL 4, a slightly updated device, but at the same time, many characteristics have been changed formally. For example, the main camera in IDOL 4 is 13-megapixel, in the novelty it is a 16-megapixel camera, but the sensor itself is 13-megapixel and identical to the past, that is, more resolution is achieved by extrapolation. We can say that Alcatel tried to create a solution without much cost.
The real continuation of IDOL 4 is IDOL 5s, this device will not appear in Russia, but we see a transition to USB Type C, two stereo speakers, more internal memory and a different chipset - in fact, this device becomes a continuation of the IDOL line. In the photos, the dark graphite phone is the IDOL 5s.
For a buyer, the choice of IDOL 5 in Russia is far from optimal, in terms of price / quality ratio the model is not the most interesting, it has many competitors, including among models from Alcatel. This device will be chosen under the influence of the seller's advice, as well as focusing on its presence on the shelf. However, let's understand everything in order.
Design, dimensions, controls
I have a strong association of smartphones in metal cases with a fingerprint sensor on the back with models from Huawei, they popularized such devices and this design became widespread. If the previous IDOLs had their own recognition, now the devices are similar to Huawei, as well as a large number of models from other companies, and this has a certain problem, they do not have their own face.
The model is available in two colors, black and silver.
On the upper and lower ends of the antenna inserts, in an aluminum case, they are clearly visible, especially in silver. It somehow reminded me of the unsuccessful gray color in Nokia 8, it's about the same here. This will not touch someone, but someone will scream from the fact that the little esthete inside will suffer from this color mismatch.
The size of the device is 148x73x7.5 mm, weight is 155 grams. Fits well in the hand, not slippery, excellent in the pocket. In some descriptions, I came across the fact that supposedly there are two speakers, but this is a mistake, there are really two holes on the bottom end, on both sides of the microUSB connector (why not USB Type C? Yes, because it is an old familiar IDOL 4 ), but the speaker is only hidden behind the right grille.
On the left side there is a slot for nanoSIM cards and a slot for a memory card, they are combined, that is, either one SIM card and a memory card, or two SIM cards.
But on the right side is a paired volume rocker, as well as an on/off button. The 3.5 mm jack is moved to the upper end, you can also see a second microphone there, the noise reduction system works well.
There are no complaints about the build quality of the device, everything is fine and familiar for this price range. Excellent level, but this is what you expect from such models.
Display
The technical characteristics of the screen are as follows - 5.2 inches, 1920x1080 pixels, LTPS IPS, 423 ppi, full lamination, automatic brightness control, protective glass Dragontrail 2.5D. On paper, everything is fine, in real life the screen lacks brightness and viewing angles. Comparing the screen with the same Alcatel A7, you will see differences in everything, dim and inexpressive in IDOL 5 and bright, clear in A7.
In my opinion, it is the screen in IDOL 5 that becomes the biggest disadvantage of the device, it does not match its price group, and this is sad. There is nothing special to talk about here, other characteristics are secondary, it gets very blind in the sun, especially in the cell.
Battery
The battery capacity is 2800 mAh, it is Li-Ion, charging is 5V / 1A, but even replacing it with fast charging will not work, it is not supported. Charging time 3.5 hours! They obviously saved money on the battery, since when replacing the charger, it could be expected that the charging speed would increase, but this happens only slightly, since at 5V / 2A the charging time is about 3 hours. Which is infinite given the capacity of the battery.
Video playback time at maximum brightness in MX Player (HD video, AVI container) is a little over 6 hours, which is not much.
In a typical usage scenario (an hour of talks, up to two hours in a browser, social networks, 4G, a minimum of music), the device lives up to 7-8 pm from 9 am. This is not much, but given its filling, this is typical behavior.
Memory, chipset, performance
The device has 3 GB of RAM, built-in 16 GB (the system and applications occupy about 8 GB), plus you can install memory cards up to 128 GB. MediaTek MT6753 chipset, 8 cores up to 1.3GHz, GPU MALI T720-MP3. This is not the most productive solution, but you will not notice this in the interface, synthetic tests give such results.
To understand the difference with last year's IDOL 4, which is built on Snapdragon 617, I will give the test results on it. The new model loses last year's, which is, of course, nonsense.
Camera
The front camera has a selfie flash, its resolution is 8 megapixels. As standard for the latest generations of devices, there are skin improvers, facial contours, and similar trifles. They can be turned off. The photo quality is good.
The main camera has a phase detection autofocus, a resolution of 16 megapixels (actual 13 megapixels as in IDOL 4). The quality of images has seriously deteriorated due to extrapolation, in the presence of any movement there is blurring, in the dark the camera shoots poorly. If we compare it with classmates, then the same Alcatel A7 shoots better, as well as Motorola G5s.
Here are some more photos and an example video.
Communication options
The model supports 4G (LTE FDD 3/7/8/20/28A), Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, BT 4.2, USB & BT Modem Tethering – in a word, a standard set of technologies, without any special features.
Software features
Inside is Android 7.1.1, Alcatel refused any add-ons and this is the right decision. You can read about the standard features of Android in a separate article.
The device has a built-in FM radio, you need to connect headphones for it to work, there is a broadcast recording, everything is standard and works as it should.
For music, it is possible to use Dirac equalizers, they change the sound, but there will be nothing radically better, the device sounds normal. The player, unlike many models, has its own here.
Traditionally, Alcatel has an electronic compass, as well as the ability to turn on augmented reality (a picture from the camera is superimposed on the compass).
In the album, you can make collages from several photos, including using animation when creating them.
Since the IDOL line had a hardware Now button, and then it was abandoned, it was replaced with a virtual analogue, you can configure the button to call different applications and functions. But the fact that a translucent key constantly hangs on the screen annoys me a little, so I turned it off immediately.
In the settings, by analogy with Samsung devices, a number of service functions are combined in one utility, this is checking the memory, the state of the battery and other components of the device.
Wow effect achieved!
14.12.2013
Telephone part 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.
Implementation of work with two SIM-cards is standard for the platform: there can be only one active conversation, any of the cards can work both in 3G and 2G modes. In a separate settings section, you can assign default conditions to each of the SIM cards, so that, for example, voice communication is always carried out using the first one, and data transfer - through the second SIM card. In the case of a device officially sold on the Russian market, the first slot is locked to work only with MTS SIM cards, but users have already learned how to bypass this restriction 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, the interlocutor is perfectly audible and he, in turn, hears you perfectly. The speaker volume is sufficient to hear the voice from the handset freely even in a noisy place.
It is also possible to record a conversation out of the box. Both talking parties are recorded, you can listen to the recording of the conversation by clicking on the icon with the image of a magnetic tape right in the call list next to a specific call with time and date - everything is organized extremely conveniently.
The Internet works quickly both when connected via 3G and via Wi-Fi. No crashes or slowdowns while scrolling.
Battery
The battery here is not the largest capacity (alas). Only 2000 mAh power the smartphone with very intensive use for an average of about 8 hours. To be precise, then:
I did not test the device in talk mode, but the manufacturer claims up to 20 hours, depending on the signal strength of the cellular network.
In the "few calls, SMS and twenty minutes of internet via Wi-Fi" mode, he will live for about three days and a screenshot from the screen as proof.
As you can see, not three days, but not much is left, and there is still 27% left.
Navigation
You can safely use your smartphone as a navigator. It finds satellites quickly enough and also quickly clings to them. Literally in 10-15 seconds, 13 satellites were found, and after another 30 - eight of them had already indicated my location to me. This result was obtained on the balcony of the fifth floor.
Leads accurately, communication with satellites is not lost throughout the journey from Moscow to my native Kursk, during which I decided to give him a test. On the road, the device kept in touch with at least ten satellites. And there was an opportunity to observe, since I was not driving.
In general, it was surprising to see such a confident work with GPS on a smartphone with MediaTek, because before it had never done without “dancing with tambourines”.
Camera
The device, as I said at the beginning of the review, has modules of 13 megapixels for the main camera and 2 megapixels for the front. Both cameras cope with their task, I would say, a solid four. Although the front one can be set perfectly, since it is quite enough for video calls and the quality is quite appropriate. And the main camera received 4 due to poor photo processing software, which is to blame for the MediaTek platform. In daylight, there are no complaints and everything is fine (unless, of course, you are fond of alcohol and your hands are not constantly shaking, I'm joking of course), but in poor lighting and photos with a flash, there is a lot of noise. But I want to say that for such a price you should not be so demanding on the smartphone camera. And, of course, examples of photos in daylight:
And in low light:
Of course, the smartphone shoots video. The maximum resolution is 1080p (Full HD) at 30 frames per second. The default container is 3GP, and you can only change it in a third-party camera application. The manufacturer, in turn, promises to expand the functionality of the camera in future firmware.
Sample video from the device's camera:
At night
Happy
The flash can be used as a flashlight and there is a separate app for that.
Outcome
Alcatel's smartphone turned out to be chic, not without its drawbacks, but they are insignificant and forgivable for its cost, and the available pluses. It has a chic and large screen, but is still comfortable to use even with one hand, is made of quality materials and has enough performance for all tasks assigned to it. The disadvantages include, perhaps, a weak video chip that can not 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 it with the volume keys, and the lack of a slot for a memory card is compensated by the presence of OTG support.
For me, the device turned out to be perfect, and for the first time I really experienced that very “wow” when buying it, and even at such a price. There are, of course, negative reviews, but this, perhaps, is due to the marriage that all manufacturers probably have. If we do not take into account the marriage, which, thank God, passed my copy, then I experience only positive emotions from the device. For the existing minuses, I give the Idol a solid nine out of ten possible points.
Thank you for your attention!
