home > Internet > Alcatel OneTouch Idol X - Specifications. First look at Alcatel One Touch Idol (6030a) and Idol Ultra (6033) Information about the navigation and location technologies supported by the device

Alcatel OneTouch Idol X - Specifications. First look at Alcatel One Touch Idol (6030a) and Idol Ultra (6033) Information about the navigation and location technologies supported by the device

In the mid-price category, you rarely see a device with a record performance in any sense. But the Alcatel One Touch Ultra at the time of release was the thinnest smartphone: its thickness is some six and a half millimeters, which is less than that of the Apple iPhone 5. At the same time, in domestic stores it costs about 2,700 hryvnia (10,800 rubles).

Specifications Alcatel One Touch Idol Ultra

Alcatel One Touch Idol Ultra
operating system	Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)
Display	720x1280 pixels, 4.65 inches (~316 ppi), AMOLED, 7-finger multi-touch, Dragon Trail Glass protection
CPU	dual-core Cortex-A9 1.2 GHz, MTK 6577 chipset, PowerVR SXG531T graphics
RAM	1 GB
Storage device	16 GB, external cards memory not supported
Camera	main: 8 MP, 3264x2448 pixels, autofocus, LED flash, geotagging, push-to-focus, 720p video, front: 1.3 MP
Wireless technologies	Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 A2DP
Battery	lithium-ion, 1800 mAh, non-removable
Dimensions and weight	134.4x68.5x6.5 mm, 115 grams

Design and Construction

The thickness is really comfortable: the smartphone easily fits into a tight pocket of women’s jeans and doesn’t stick out much from there. In the same way, it can be located in the pocket of a light summer T-shirt or shirt: with the exception of the main camera module that rises somewhat above the surface, the phone is really very elegant.

And thanks to this, it looks more beautiful than the average Android “remnant”. Although here everything depends on taste. Compared to the huge devices with screen diagonals of 5.5 and higher that flooded our editorial office this summer (that is, most likely the market too), OneTouch looks small. It fits perfectly in a woman's hand, and the second hand is not necessary to control basic actions.

Although, say, reaching the power button located on the top edge is not so easy with my type of grip. However, “my type” was developed over a year of working with the iPhone 4s, which is still much smaller in thickness and height.

The back of the device is made of dark gray plastic; the Android buttons are visible only when the screen is active, surrounded by a medium-thick frame.

The cover is non-removable; the SIM card slot (micro format) can be found under a tight plug on the right side. On the left there is a volume rocker, and on top, next to the power key, there is a microUSB connector also hidden under a flap.

“Where is the audio jack?” - you will probably ask. But he is not here. I suspect that the smartphone also comes with a headset that is connected to the device via an audio output adapter, but I can’t confirm this: we received an engineering sample for testing. Most likely, the presence of a light stripe visible at the junction of the screen with the body is connected with the “pre-sale”; it is unlikely that such a specific decoration will appear in the versions for sale. But there won’t be a slot for a memory card: you’ll have to be content with the 16 gigabytes that the manufacturer gave the OneTouch Ultra.

The assembly of the smartphone is normal, the only thing I didn’t like was this dubious line of light, and also the small gap between the screen and the top edge, and also the inconvenient plugs. However, with a high degree of probability these may be shortcomings of a specific industrial design. In general, the gadget seems monolithic, and its thinness gives it a certain beauty.

Display

The display here is on par, I must say. It is made using Super Amoled technology and has wide viewing angles. On the street on a sunny day you can’t see it very well, but you can see something at maximum brightness, fortunately, it’s high here.

Contrast measurements showed near-ideal blacks, resulting in a very good 10394:1. Not infinity, like some new Samsung devices, but within a certain approximation, not far from it.

Measurements also showed that the color gamut of the screen is adequate, the screen produces good green color, but not the best calibrated. The resolution of 720x1280 pixels for a 4.65-inch screen is a clear picture with a high pixel density (315 ppi). The colors feel very rich, but somewhat unnatural. But, thanks to the contrast, text information looks good on the display. Yes and bright picture interesting, many users will like it.

System and performance

MTK6577 Cortex-A9 1.2 GHz with two cores was average a year ago, but today it is, if not yet a budget processor, then close to it in speed. Equipped with gigabyte random access memory, the smartphone, as expected, lacks stars: the results of performance measurements are very average. Let's say Dead Trigger and Real Racing 3 slow down. So those who like to play 3D games on smartphones should take a closer look at other solutions. True, casual players may well be satisfied: angry birds in contrasting, bright and sufficiently big screen with deep blacks they look very attractive, and their flight is not hampered by the weakness of the processor. The Android 4.1.1 interface is somehow in no hurry. More precisely, it does not slow down, but it does not fly either. The interface here, by the way, is standard in terms of capabilities, but slightly different in appearance. They slightly reminded me of the rendering of iOS, Meego and modern non-smartphone Nokias at the same time. Overall, a nice drawing, pleasant. I was surprised by the main screen: you can open the smartphone from the main desktop, but for some reason the camera is drawn (it’s not clear without trying!), or you can immediately launch the call menu, SMS or camera.

Moreover, the smartphone supports gestures. Which? And here they are, as in the screenshots below.

The device is also not ideal as a multimedia combiner. The first reason is the lack of a normal headphone jack. Secondly, the smartphone can’t handle movies in HD quality. However, this is the case; it is unlikely that anyone will lose much if they compress the videos to an acceptable format. Finally, the third reason is the 13 GB available to the user from the 16 GB storage. For those who are used to carrying a lot of information on their smartphone, this will not be enough. By the way One Touch The Ultra is equipped with a radio, but due to the lack of a headset, we were not able to check its operation. For the same reason, it is difficult to say what the built-in player sounds like. Using an external speaker is tolerable for such a thin device, but who will listen to music on an external speaker?

Camera

An eight-megapixel camera clearly requires ideal lighting. The slightest deviation from it - and the photographs turn out very grainy. The color rendition here is pleasant, and the module copes well with macro photography (in good lighting, of course). Focusing is fast, and you can select the part of the picture on which, in fact, the camera will focus attention. But overall - average.

An example of video shooting with a built-in camera

And another example of video shooting (in the evening)

Autonomy and heating

With an average smartphone load (20 minutes telephone conversations, SMS, periodic Internet) was enough just until the evening, but if you watch videos and play more often, the 1800 mAh battery discharged a little faster. However, for the “very thin” class it is quite normal.

The phone gets quite noticeably warm at the top, especially when running tests or playing games. At rest it is quite cool.

Competitors

Among the competitors we can name several “old guys” who are still on the move. For example, Sony Xperia S or Huawei Ascend P1, Samsung Galaxy Nexus. And also the expected new product, also distinguished by a very thin frame. But it will be more expensive, at least at the start of sales.

Bottom line

I doubt that Alcatel managed to create an idol in the face of this smartphone, despite its name. However, for the user who cares about thinness and attractive design combined with good screen Alcatel One Touch Idol Ultra might be to your liking. You should, of course, keep in mind its average performance and the absence of a memory card slot and (a real shame!) a minijack.

3 reasons to buy Alcatel One Touch Idol Ultra:

Very thin and light body;
good screen;
nice design.

3 reasons not to buy Alcatel One Touch Idol Ultra:

No audio output;
mediocre hardware;
lack of memory card slot.

General characteristics

Type smartphone operating system Android OS version at the start of sales Android 4.2 Case type classic Number of SIM cards 2 SIM card type micro SIM Multi-SIM mode variable Weight 125 g Dimensions (WxHxD) 69.1x140.4x8.1 mm

Screen

Screen type color IPS, 16.78 million colors, touch Touch screen type multi-touch, capacitive Diagonal 5 inches. Image Size 1920x1080 Pixels per inch (PPI) 441 Aspect Ratio 16:9 Automatic screen rotation There is Scratch-resistant glass There is

Multimedia capabilities

Number of main (rear) cameras 1 Main (rear) camera resolution 13.10 MP Rear flash, LED Functions of the main (rear) camera autofocus Recording videos There is Max. video resolution 1920x1080 Max. video frame rate 30fps Front-camera yes, 2 MP Audio MP3, AAC, FM radio

Connection

Standard GSM 900/1800/1900, 3G Interfaces Wi-Fi 802.11n, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 4.0, USB Geopositioning A-GPS, GPS DLNA support yes

Memory and processor

Processor 2000 MHz Number of processor cores 8 Built-in memory capacity 16 GB Volume accessible to the user memory 12.30 GB RAM capacity 2 GB

Nutrition

Battery capacity 2500 mAh Talk time 27 hours Standby time 650 h Operating time while listening to music 36 h Charging connector type micro-USB

Other features

Control voice dialing, voice control Flight mode yes Light sensors, proximity sensors, compass Flashlight yes

Additional Information

Smartphone set, Charger, cable Micro USB, headset, instructions Announcement date 2014-01-08

Before purchasing, check the specifications and equipment with the seller.

Introduction

At the international exhibition Mobile World Congress (MWC) in 2013, Alcatel, which produces products in China under the TCL Communication brand, presented two original smartphones: Alcatel One Touch Idol and Alcatel One Touch Idol Ultra. The originality lies in the fact that they have a very thin body and light weight. For example, the thickness of the younger Idol model is 7.9 mm, and the older one is only 6.45 mm, which makes Idol Ultra the thinnest smartphone in the world. Both gadgets weigh less than 110 grams, provided that the diagonal size is more than 4.5 inches.

As for the technical characteristics, they, from my point of view, are this moment quite ordinary: equipped with a dual-core processor and MediaTek MT6577 chipset, Idol and Idol Ultra each have one gigabyte of RAM; Both devices have 8 MP cameras and two microphones. The significant difference is that in the Ultra the screen is made using SuperAMOLED technology and the resolution is 720x1280 pixels (HD), while in the simplified version it is IPS and the screen resolution is 540x960 pixels (qHD).

The cost of the devices is already known. Smartphone Alcatel Idol will be sold for 10,000 rubles, Alcatel Idol Ultra for 13,000 rubles. They will go on sale at the end of the first quarter of this year.

Since I had non-commercial models on my hands, this text I decided to write in the style of a first acquaintance. As soon as I have the opportunity to take commercial samples and have more time for research, then I will try to write a full review.

Design, dimensions, control elements

Both devices are made of different types of plastic. For example, the edging and back side of the Idol are made of semi-gloss plastic (in my case, gray), and the Idol Ultra has a thin chrome edge around the perimeter of the front panel, the side edges and back are made of plastic (in my case, black), coated with “software.” -tach".

Dimensions "idol" - 133x67.5x7.9 mm, weight - 109 grams. The dimensions of the “Idol Ultra” are 134.4 x 68.5 x 6.45 mm, the weight, unfortunately, is not indicated, but it feels about the same as in the Idol. The devices fit equally well in the hand; the difference in thickness, frankly speaking, is leveled out. The screens are probably protected by glass, since not a single scratch appeared after a couple of days of active use.

Since the housings of the gadgets are monolithic and the assembly is good, there are no backlashes or creaks. The rear panels do not bend down to the battery.

On the top of the front panel: front cameras, light and proximity sensors, speakers. Below the screens are touch buttons. While they are barely noticeable on the Idol, they are not visible on the Idol Ultra. Next, I will describe the arrangement of the elements separately, because it is different in each device.

Alcatel Idol. At the bottom there is a microUSB and a microphone, at the top there is a standard 3.5 mm audio output and an on/off button almost recessed into the body. On the left, under the retractable flap, there is a slot for a microSD memory card; on the right, there is a connector of the same type for a micro-SIM card and a thin volume rocker key. On the back side there is a slightly raised camera module, framed by a chrome ring, a second microphone and a flash.

Idol and iPhone 4s

Idol and Samsung S III

Alcatel Idol Ultra. The microphone is on the bottom, on the top there is a button to turn the phone on/off and a microUSM under a plastic cap. A thin and long rocker key is on the left, and on the right is the same type of micro-SIM card slot as on Idol. Camera module, microphone and LED lights are located on the back of the smartphone.

Idol and Idol Ultra (left)

Displays

The Alcatel Idol smartphone has a 4.7-inch screen diagonal, resolution is 540x960 pixels, density is 234 pixels per inch. The matrix is made using IPS technology and is capable of displaying 16 million shades of color. The quality of the screen, in my opinion, is very good: large viewing angles, no purple and yellow tints at certain display angles. At angles, the brightness of the picture decreases slightly. The touch layer is capacitive and supports multi-touch up to 5 simultaneous touches.

The Alcatel Idol Ultra device uses a higher quality screen: diagonal – 4.65 inches, resolution 720x1280 (HD), density – 315 pixels per inch. If the first Idol has an IPS matrix, then the Ultra has SuperAMOLED with the notorious PenTile.

Matrix Idol Ultra

Naturally, such a matrix gives the maximum black color, but slightly distorts other colors due to higher saturation, which cannot be set here, unlike smartphones from Samsung. As a fan of SuperAMOLED, I would choose Idol Ultra. The touch layer is also capacitive, but supports 6 simultaneous touches.

Idol Screen Viewing Angles

Idol Ultra Screen Viewing Angles

Battery

Both devices have the same lithium-ion (Li-Ion) battery with a capacity of 1820 mAh. It is worth paying tribute to the developers who were able to fit such batteries into a case thickness of 7.9 and 6.45 mm.

The official figures are as follows:

Idol – 7 hours talk time, 415 hours standby time, 45 hours music and 2.5 hours charging
Idol Ultra – 16 hours talk time, 700 hours standby time, 20 hours music and 4 hours charging

I wonder where Ultra got such good results? Is it really such a power-hungry SuperAMOLED screen? Unfortunately, I couldn’t test it, but I received data from Idol: video (HD at maximum brightness and maximum volume in headphones) - about 3 hours, music - a little over 30 hours. The average time is typical for most Android smartphones – about 9 – 10 hours.

Communication capabilities

Phones work 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. Present wireless connection Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 b/g/n. The devices, of course, can be used as an access point (Wi-Fi Hotspot) or modem. USB 2.0 (High-Speed) is used for file transfer and data synchronization.

Settings

Memory and memory card

Both the older and younger models have 1 GB of RAM (previously it was said that Idol has 512 MB of RAM). About 600 MB free. Since Idol Ultra does not have a memory card slot, it uses a 16 GB flash, with about 13 GB available. From my point of view, for this class of devices, 16 GB should be enough for most purposes. Idol has a 4 GB flash drive, 2.5 GB free, plus a slot for microSDHC.

Cameras

Both smartphones are equipped with two camera modules: 8 MP main and front – 2 MP for Idol and 1.3 MP for Idol Ultra. The quality of the cameras is the same: good detail, natural colors, fairly wide dynamic range, relatively fast focus. In the light the photos look great, but in the room the camera’s small matrix makes itself felt – colored noise comes out. In the dark outside, the camera copes even better than indoors with lighting. By the way, the lens aperture in both gadgets is f2.2!

Smartphones record video mediocrely - almost like all devices based on MTK6577: low detail, poor sound.

Examples of photos on Idol:

Sample photos on Idol Ultra:

Performance

When I found out that these new products contain the already outdated MediaTek MT6577 chipset, I was overcome with sadness... There is no point in talking about it in detail, since every second review on our website for the last six months has been devoted to smartphones based on this particular chip. I refer you to the following texts:

Mobile phones sold under the Alcatel brand have long been familiar to domestic buyers. Recently, their lineup has included quite decent smartphones, which can compete with devices from well-known manufacturers. For example, Alcatel One Touch Idol X.

It's no secret that these gadgets are produced by the Chinese company TCL. Whether this is an advantage or a disadvantage is a moot point. Currently, many smartphones produced in the Middle Kingdom are excellent, balanced devices running Android. Surprisingly, it is the gadgets of this manufacturer that can easily compete with brands such as HTC, Sony, Samsung.

Alcatel One Touch Idol X has a prototype that is being produced only for the domestic market. The Chinese sell it under their own name - TCL. However, within the framework of this article, we will consider the European version of the device, which is officially sold in Russia.

Equipment

The first impression of a gadget is formed by its packaging. Here the manufacturer did not skimp on advertising. The front panel of the box shows the smartphone from a favorable angle. Above it is the model name. Naturally, the manufacturer mentioned the brand affiliation.

When disassembling a set of accessories, the buyer will not encounter any unusual elements. Currently, all manufacturers use approximately the same configuration. Alcatel One Touch Idol X is no exception. Along with the device, a wired stereo headset, an AC adapter, a USB cable, and a 2000 mAh battery are sold. Looking at these elements, you can notice that they correspond to the segment entry level. Of course, there is documentation in which the user will find an instruction manual and a warranty card.

Those who have already purchased a smartphone noticed that the manufacturer did not include a case. Alcatel One Touch Idol X has a completely plastic body, so purchasing protective accessories is quite important. The use of impact-resistant glass - Dragontrail - was a bonus. Although it will protect the screen, it is still recommended to use a special film. It is not included in the kit, so you must purchase it additionally. Devices with integrated memory of 8 GB have a slot for a flash drive. However, the external storage does not come with the phone.

Design Features

Externally, the Alcatel One Touch Idol X smartphone looks solid and presentable. Its body consists of straight, clear lines with barely rounded corners. 80% of the front panel is occupied by the screen. The frame around it is quite narrow - 2.4 mm. The only thing is that there are black stripes at the top and bottom, which serve as a place to place important elements. For example, above the screen there is a front camera “eye”, a standard earpiece hole, and sensors. There are three control buttons at the bottom. They are sensory. And most importantly, the developers used backlighting, thanks to which the keys can be easily recognized even in the dark.

On back cover The main camera lens flaunts at the top. Below it there is a single-position LED flash. The output speaker grille is located in the lower right corner.

As mentioned above, the body of the Alcatel One Touch Idol X is entirely made of plastic. Thanks to this, the weight of the gadget is only 130 g with dimensions of 141 × 68 × 6.9 mm.

As for the connectors and mechanical buttons, they are located on the side faces and ends. The USB port and microphone are on the bottom, and the headphone/speaker jack is on the top. The audio jack is standard; most equipment does not require an adapter. The lock and volume keys are located on the right side.

Hardware "stuffing"

What do most buyers pay attention to when buying Alcatel One Touch Idol X? Processor characteristics. This criterion is quite important, since the phone is a kind of mini-computer. The device is equipped with a MediaTek brand chipset that is quite good by modern standards. It is based on four cores.

The computing modules use the basic Cortex-A7 architecture. The MT-6589T processor provides high performance, during which the core can be overclocked to 1500 MHz. At the moment, in this segment, such indicators are considered quite high.

Considering that the gadget was released in 2013, it easily coped with the most complex tasks, running any resource-intensive applications and games. However, at the moment, the only thing it cannot do is software that is developed for 64-bit platforms. In this smartphone, the chipset is configured only for 32-bit computing. If the buyer sets tasks such as high-quality video display, music playback, surfing the Internet, then all of them are performed flawlessly by the device.

Graphics accelerator

An equally important indicator of the high functionality of a gadget is the video card. IN this device the developers used the Power VR SGX544MP model. Just three years ago she could cope with any task. But when it comes to modern games that require high performance, the graphics accelerator is simply not enough to run them. According to many users, nowadays a video card allows you to easily solve most tasks. The restrictions only apply to games, so you will have to be content with mid-level applications.

Memory

Conducting Alcatel review One Touch Idol X, you definitely need to pay attention to the memory characteristics. Despite the fact that there are several modifications of this model, the developers used the same amount of RAM in all of them. It is 2 GB. Initially system processes occupy about 700 MB. The rest of the storage can be used to work with additional software.

As for the integrated memory, in the version with one SIM card its volume is only 8 GB. The developers have included a slot for a memory card. The device supports 32 GB flash drives. Models that work with two SIM cards have 16 gigabytes of built-in memory. In this modification there is a slot for external storage not provided.

Screen Features

What kind of image will Alcatel One Touch Idol X please? The display is made using modern OGS technology. Thanks to it, the picture is displayed on the screen in maximum quality. There are no complaints about the viewing angles, since the image is practically not distorted when tilted 180 degrees. Currently, such displays can rarely be found in mid-range devices, not to mention the budget segment.

The main element of the smartphone is its 5-inch screen. The display resolution is still relevant today. Even now there are few smartphones that can boast of 1920x1080 px.

To protect the screen, the manufacturer used an analogue of Gorilla Glass - Dragontrail. This is a protective glass that is not afraid of impacts and can withstand mechanical loads of various levels. You will also be pleased with the presence of an oleophobic coating. Thanks to it, owners will not have to constantly deal with fingerprints.

Alcatel One Touch Idol X: camera specifications

The Idol X gadget from Alcatel does not deserve any comments in matters with optics. The main chamber was manufactured using modern technologies. It is based on a 13-megapixel sensor. Its manufacturer is a leader in this field. This is about Sony. Most buyers have already dealt with its products, leaving only positive reviews. Additional features such as flash and autofocus have been used to increase quality. This camera can be used to record videos. The speed per second does not exceed 30 frames. The maximum resolution is 1080p.

Buyers did not have much interest in the front camera, since it is equipped with a 2-megapixel matrix. It can be used mainly only for video calls. For a high-quality selfie, this resolution is no longer enough.

Battery Specifications

All the characteristics described above can only be considered advantages. However, it is worth talking about weaknesses Alcatel One Touch Idol X. The battery installed by the developers will not please the owners. Its capacity is scanty according to modern requirements - only 2000 mAh. It is based on lithium-ion technology. If you study the battery indicators declared by the manufacturer, then according to them, when working with second-generation networks, the device will be discharged after 320 hours, and when connected to 3G, the time will decrease by 80 hours.

Users in their reviews claim that with maximum savings, the gadget can work for up to 2 days. If you use all its functionality to the maximum, then the battery life will only last for daylight hours. All owners are recommended to purchase external battery. Thanks to it, you can avoid situations where the battery suddenly runs out completely at the most inopportune moment. It is important to understand that different functionality processes consume different amounts of energy.

Communications

The One Touch Idol X smartphone is equipped with all the necessary communications. Users are provided with Wi-Fi support as a priority method for sharing data. Used for wired information transmission USB cable. The device has a connector, thanks to which you can not only charge the device, but also connect to computers, laptops and other equipment. Bluetooth is provided for using wireless data exchange methods. You can also use it with a special headset.

3G support provides not only making calls and sending messages, but also connecting to the Internet. In this case mobile operators provide high-quality speed, thanks to which you can make video calls on the Alcatel One Touch Idol X (the front camera is designed for these purposes). The device also supports the GSM standard. It is designed to quickly determine the location of the device. And of course, the developers have provided the ability to connect a wired speaker system. For this purpose, the gadget has a 3.5 mm port.

Software

The developers used the most common operating system as a platform. We're talking about Android. As for the version, the device runs on a rather outdated version - 4.2. Many users say that this causes some inconvenience, since there are restrictions on installing applications. But if we take into account that the processor runs on a 32-bit system, then this version is quite sufficient to ensure the operation of many non-resource-intensive programs. All owners, without exception, can use international social networks, everyone without exception Google services. And for installing additional content there is a special Play Market store.

The manufacturer used its proprietary shell on top of the operating system. It provides an initial set of applications - an organizer, calendar, alarm clock, calculator, etc. To expand the functionality of the gadget, the user can always download additional software from the Internet.

Problem solving

According to most users, this model The smartphone boasts a high level of reliability. If there were any breakdowns, they constitute a very small percentage. Most often, users encounter freezes. In most cases, this is not typical for the Alcatel One Touch Idol X. The firmware of the original version, as a rule, works without failures. However, isolated cases still occur. To do this, users are advised to contact service center in order to update your device. The most “advanced” do it themselves. However, you need to understand that changing the firmware yourself can lead to complete failure of the gadget. Therefore, such actions are done at your own peril and risk.

Briefly about the price

Due to the fact that this phone model has already been discontinued, it can only be purchased from stock. As a rule, users choose online stores for this. Undoubtedly, you can make some pretty good purchases there. However, buyers are advised to be very careful as the Idol X is very similar to the Alcatel One Touch Idol X Mini. They have the same design, however latest version somewhat inferior in characteristics and size. Naturally, this is reflected in the price.

The full-fledged Idol X model started at a cost of about $250 (RUB 14,000). In three years, new devices have “pushed” the smartphone to the entry-level segment. However, it’s hard to say that the Alcatel One Touch Idol X has dropped significantly in price. The price is currently around $125-150 (RUB 7,000-9,000). When compared with competitors, there are devices in this price category that have better technical equipment, for example Sony lines and Xiaomi.

In 2004, the French telecommunications company Alcatel-Lucent, or rather its subdivision, which dealt with mobile devices, merged with a similar division of the Chinese company TCL Communication, creating the joint venture TCL & Alcatel Mobile Phones Limited (TAMP), where 55% of the shares belonged to TCL and 45% to 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. Manufacturer on official page indicates Corning Gorilla Glass 2 / NEG, but there is also a mention of Asahi DragonTrail on the Internet. 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 there appear to be stereo speakers. However, there is only one speaker, and it is hidden under the left grille, while the main microphone is located under the right one.

Connectors 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 rear end the previous model (ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL X) was made of 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 on almost everything 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.

Activation of the Hi-Fi mode is only possible when headphones are connected and using the installed application Music. The latter has a number useful settings, including 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 with very good conditions shooting), 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 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 is very simple and concise 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 is installed branded shell, 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. On the left of home screen- 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 others are no longer available free space. 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 preview, just waving from bottom to top on the corresponding program is enough.

It should be noted a large number of pre-installed applications and games. For more experienced users who are used 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 of it using the standard method. unnecessary programs and games.

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 standard 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 possibility of activating 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 channel. 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 increased clock frequency 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 on maximum settings work 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. Call quality is at high level: There are no interruptions or independent drops, and voice transmission is clear, although it depends on the user’s location.

Kit communication capabilities 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. Operation of modules wireless networks pretty 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 non-replaceable lithium ion battery quite 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 is capable of operating in music player(headset) 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). Game simulation using the Epic Citadel app (Guided Tour mode) with display brightness at 100% and Wi-Fi modules and GPS until the battery was exhausted repeated for almost 3 hours. 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 USB port with a base current of 1 A is 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 quality sound (which was made possible thanks to the use of a progressive Hi-Fi decoder ES9018 and a Maxim9720 headphone amplifier with support for playback in SACD 24 bit/192 kHz mode), good battery life (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;