Mobile phones sold under the Alcatel brand have long been familiar to domestic buyers. Recently, quite worthy smartphones have appeared in their lineup that can compete with devices from well-known manufacturers. For example, Alcatel One Touch Idol X.
It's no secret that the Chinese company TCL is engaged in the release of these gadgets. Whether this is an advantage or a disadvantage is debatable. Currently, a lot of smartphones produced in the Middle Kingdom are excellent balanced Android devices. Surprisingly, it is the gadgets of this manufacturer that can easily compete with such brands as HTC, Sony, Samsung.
Alcatel One Touch Idol X has a prototype, which is produced only for the domestic market. The Chinese sell it under their own name - TCL. However, within the framework of this article, the European-style version of the device, which is officially sold in Russia, will be considered.
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 presents a smartphone in a favorable perspective. Above it is the name of the model. Naturally, the manufacturer mentioned belonging to the brand.
When disassembling a set of accessories, the buyer will not find unusual elements. Currently, all manufacturers use approximately the same equipment. Alcatel One Touch Idol X is no exception. Together with the device, a wired stereo headset, a network adapter, a USB cable, and a 2000 mAh battery are sold. Considering these elements, you can pay attention to the fact that they correspond to the entry-level segment. Of course, there is documentation in which the user will find the instruction manual and warranty card.
Those who have already purchased a smartphone noticed that the manufacturer did not include a case in the kit. Alcatel One Touch Idol X has a completely plastic case, so the purchase of protective accessories is quite important. A bonus was the use of impact-resistant glass - Dragontrail. Although it will protect the screen, it is still recommended to use a special film. It is not included in the kit, so you need to purchase it separately. In devices with integrated memory of 8 GB, a slot for a flash drive is provided. However, an external drive is not included 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 slightly 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 in the upper and lower parts, which serve as a place to place important elements. For example, above the screen there is a "peephole" of the front camera, a standard earpiece hole, and sensors. There are three control buttons at the bottom. They are sensory. And most importantly, the developers used a backlight, thanks to which even in the dark the keys are easily recognized.
On the back cover in the upper part flaunts the lens of the main camera. Below it is a single-position LED flash. The output speaker grille is displayed in the lower right corner.
As mentioned above, the body of Alcatel One Touch Idol X is completely made of plastic. Thanks to this, the weight of the gadget turned out to be 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 cable port and microphone are on the bottom, while the headphone or speaker jack is on the top. The audio jack is standard; for most equipment, an adapter is not needed. The lock and volume keys are placed 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 not bad by modern standards. It is based on four cores.
For computing modules, the basic architecture of Cortex-A7 is used. The MT-6589T processor provides high performance, during which the core can be overclocked up 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, launching any resource-intensive applications and games. However, at the moment, the only thing that it cannot do is software that is designed 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 by the device flawlessly.
graphics accelerator
An equally important indicator of the high functionality of the gadget is the video card. In this device, the developers used the Power VR SGX544MP model. 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, at present, the video card allows you to easily solve most problems. The restrictions only apply to games, so you'll have to settle for mid-range apps.
Memory
When reviewing Alcatel One Touch Idol X, it is imperative to pay attention to memory characteristics. Despite the fact that there are several modifications of this model, the developers used the same amount of "RAM" in all. 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 modification with one SIM card, its volume is only 8 GB. The developers have provided in it a slot for a memory card. The device supports 32 GB flash drives. Models that work with two SIM cards have 16 gigabytes of internal memory. In this modification, a slot for an external drive is not provided.
Screen Features
What image will please Alcatel One Touch Idol X? The display is made using modern OGS technology. Thanks to her, 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 at 180 degrees. Currently, such displays are rarely found in mid-range devices, not to mention the budget segment.
The main element of the smartphone is its 5-inch screen. Display resolution is relevant to this day. Even now, there are few smartphones that can boast 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 withstands mechanical loads of different levels. Pleased with the presence of an oleophobic coating. Thanks to him, the 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 comments in matters of optics either. The main chamber was manufactured using modern technologies. It is based on a 13-megapixel sensor. Its manufacturer is a leader in this field. It's about Sony. Most buyers have already dealt with its products, leaving only positive feedback. Additional features such as flash and auto focus have been used to increase the quality. This camera can be used to record movies. The speed per second does not exceed 30 frames. The maximum resolution is 1080p.
To the front camera, buyers did not have much interest, as it is equipped with a 2-megapixel matrix. You can use it mainly only for video calls. For a high-quality selfie, this resolution is no longer enough.
Battery specifications
All of the above characteristics can only be attributed to the benefits. However, it is worth talking about the weaknesses of 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. 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 in 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 will be able to work up to 2 days. If you make the most of all its functionality, then the battery life is enough only for daylight hours. All owners are advised to purchase an external battery. Thanks to him, you can avoid situations when the battery is suddenly completely discharged at the most inopportune moment. It is important to understand that different processes of functionality consume the amount of energy in different ways.
Communications
Smartphone One Touch Idol X is equipped with all the necessary communications. Wi-Fi support is provided to users as a priority method for data exchange. A USB cable is used for wired data transfer. 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 wireless communication. You can also use a special headset with it.
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 Alcatel One Touch Idol X (the front camera is designed for this purpose). 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 for the possibility of connecting a wired speaker system. For this, the gadget has a 3.5 mm port.
Soft
As a platform, the developers used the most common operating system. It's about Android. As for the version, the device runs on a rather outdated version - 4.2. Many users report that this is a bit of an inconvenience as there are restrictions on installing apps. But if we consider that the processor runs on a 32-bit system, then this version is quite enough to ensure the operation of many non-resource-intensive programs. All owners, without exception, can use international social networks, all Google services without exception. And to install additional content, a special Play Market store is intended.
On top of the operating system, the manufacturer used his proprietary shell. It provides the initial set of applications - organizer, calendar, alarm clock, calculator and more. To expand the functionality of the gadget, the user can always download additional software from the Internet.
Problem solving
According to most users, this smartphone model boasts a high level of reliability. If there were breakdowns, they make up a very small percentage. Most often, users experience freezes. In most cases, this is not typical of Alcatel One Touch Idol X. The firmware of the original version, as a rule, works without failures. However, there are isolated cases. To do this, users are advised to contact the service center in order to update their device. The most "advanced" do it themselves. However, you need to understand that changing the firmware on your own can lead to a 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, they can make quite profitable purchases. 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, but the latest version is somewhat inferior in performance and size. Naturally, this is reflected in the price.
A full-fledged model of Idol X started with a cost of about $ 250 (14,000 rubles). For three years, new devices have “pushed” the smartphone to the entry-level segment. However, it's hard to say that Alcatel One Touch Idol X has fallen in price. The price is currently around $125-150 (7000-9000 rubles). Compared to competitors, there are devices in this price category that have the best technical equipment, for example, in the Sony and Xiaomi lines.
TFT IPS- High-quality liquid crystal matrix. It has wide viewing angles, one of the best indicators of color reproduction quality and contrast among all those used in the production of displays for portable equipment.
Super AMOLED- if a conventional AMOLED screen uses several layers, between which there is an air gap, then in Super AMOLED there is only one such touch layer without air gaps. This allows you to achieve greater screen brightness with the same power consumption.
Super AMOLED HD- differs from Super AMOLED in a higher resolution, thanks to which it is possible to achieve a value of 1280x720 pixels on a mobile phone screen.
Super AMOLED plus- this is a new generation of Super AMOLED displays, differs from the previous one by using more sub-pixels in a conventional RGB matrix. The new displays are 18% thinner and 18% brighter than the older PenTile displays.
AMOLED- an improved version of OLED technology. The main advantages of the technology are significantly reduced power consumption, the ability to display a large color gamut, a smaller thickness and the ability of the display to bend a little without the risk of breaking.
retina- display with a high pixel density, designed specifically for Apple technology. The pixel density on Retina displays is such that individual pixels are indistinguishable to the eye at a normal distance from the screen. This provides the highest image detail and greatly improves the overall viewing experience.
Super Retina HD- The display is made using OLED technology. The pixel density is 458 PPI, the contrast ratio reaches 1,000,000:1. The display has an extended color gamut and unrivaled color accuracy. Pixels in the corners of the display are anti-aliased at the sub-pixel level, so borders don't distort and look smooth. Super Retina HD reinforcement layer is 50% thicker. Breaking the screen will be harder.
Super LCD is the next generation of LCD technology and features improved features compared to earlier LCD displays. Screens have not only wide viewing angles and better color reproduction, but also reduced power consumption.
TFT- A common type of liquid crystal displays. With the help of an active matrix, controlled by thin-film transistors, it is possible to significantly increase the speed of the display, as well as the contrast and clarity of the image.
OLED- organic electroluminescent display. Consists of a special thin-film polymer that emits light under the influence of an electric field. This type of display has a large margin of brightness and consumes very little power.
General characteristics
Smartphone type operating system Android OS version at launch 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 mmScreen
Screen type color IPS, 16.78 million colors, touch Touch screen type multitouch, capacitive Diagonal 5 inch. Image size 1920x1080 Number of pixels per inch (PPI) 441 Aspect Ratio 16:9 Automatic screen rotation There is scratch resistant glass There isMultimedia features
Number of main (rear) cameras 1 Resolution of the main (rear) camera 13.10 MP Functions of the main (rear) camera autofocus Video recording There is Max. video resolution 1920x1080 Max. video frame rate 30 fps Front-camera Yes, 2 MP Audio MP3, AAC, FM radioConnection
Standard GSM 900/1800/1900, 3G Interfaces Wi-Fi 802.11n, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 4.0, USB Geopositioning A-GPS, GPS DLNA support yesMemory and processor
Processor 2000 MHz Number of processor cores 8 Built-in memory 16 GB The amount of memory available to the user 12.30 GB RAM 2 GBNutrition
Battery capacity 2500 mAh Talk time 27 h Standby time 650 h Music listening time 36 h Charging connector type micro USBOther features
Control voice dialing, voice control Flight mode yes Light sensors, proximity, compass Flashlight yesAdditional Information
Smartphone, charger, Micro USB cable, headset, manual Announcement date 2014-01-08Before buying, check the characteristics and equipment with the seller.
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!
The brand of smartphones Alcatel (owned by the Chinese company TCL Communication), which was practically oblivious (in our country, for sure), this year started up and introduced a rather extensive line of Android smartphones. All of them are united by the ideology of thin design, bright colors and the OneTouch name. Alcatel OneTouch Idol X is the flagship model in the line. It is thin (6.9 mm), light (120 g), bright and interesting. First of all, it is interesting with a FullHD display with a diagonal of 5 inches and an IPS matrix, and in addition - a 13-megapixel camera, Android 4.2 and a price of about 3200-3500 UAH at the start of sales. The smartphone definitely looks the most desirable among its OneTouch relatives and not only among them - with such and such characteristics and for such and such money. But Alcatel turned out to be the ideal device and whether this device has a chance to become an idol for techno-fans, we will see in this review.
Specifications
With the growth of smartphone diagonals and the ongoing arms race, the need for Full-HD screens has been brewing by itself. By the end of 2013, only the lazy had not released an Android smartphone with a display resolution of 1920x1080 pixels and a pixel density of more than 400 ppi. Among the pioneers were primarily first-tier smartphone manufacturers: Samsung (Galaxy S4), HTC (One), Sony (Xperia Z /), LG (Optimus G Pro), but less famous Huawei (Ascend D2) and Oppo (Find 5), and then other Chinese. And now, by the second half of 2013, we have a good choice and a very large range of prices. If the major players for their flagship devices also chose the most advanced processors available at the time of release (Exynos 5 Octa 5410, Qualcomm Snapdragon 600, Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro), then the companies managed more simply than God sent. Huawei in its Ascend D2 limited itself to the HiSilicon K3V2 processor of its own production. An excellent processor by the standards of 2012, but already rather weak as of today (how rapidly everything is changing in the smartphone segment). And its performance is not the same (for a large FullHD display), and energy efficiency is poor. Alcatel (more precisely TCL Communication) also chose a more budget option for its flagship - a quad-core Mediatek MT6589T with a clock speed of 1.5 GHz and PowerVR SGX544 graphics. In Fly smartphones (namely, in them we first met with this processor), it proved to be quite powerful and energy efficient. And definitely inexpensive. Thus, in the end, Alcatel ended up with an inexpensive smartphone with a gorgeous Full-HD display in an impressively thin body (seriously, even thinner than the Galaxy S4 by a whole millimeter). It remains to be seen how well the Mediatek MT6589T and 2 GB of RAM meet the indiscreet resource needs of a Full-HD screen and how much the battery has enough resources with a frankly modest 2 Ah capacity to work in real conditions, is there any point in paying more for smartphones with cool brands on the nameplate when there are such affordable and attractive solutions Is there life on Mars.
| Specifications Alcatel OneTouch Idol X | |
|---|---|
| operating system | Android 4.2.1 |
| SIM card | microSIM, there is a model for one and two SIM-cards |
| Display | IPS, 5 inches, 1920x1080 pixels, 441 ppi |
| Dimensions and weight | 140x68x6.9mm, 120g |
| CPU | Mediatek MT6589T, 4 cores Cortex-A7, 1.5 GHz |
| Graphic arts | PowerVR SGX544 |
| RAM | 2 GB |
| Flash memory | 8 GB, microSD card support for single SIM version and 16 GB without memory card support for dual sim |
| Camera | 13 MP (4208x3120 pixels), autofocus, flash, HDR mode, 1.3 MP front camera |
| Wireless technologies | Wi-Fi b/g/n (2.4/5 GHz), Wi-Fi-direct, Wi-Fi-dual-band, Bluetooth 4.0 |
| GPS | Yes |
| Battery | 2000 mAh |
Frame
Those who designed this smartphone clearly did a good job and deserved, if not an award, then definitely the right to be especially noted. After all, they immediately broke two records of another "smallest five-inch smartphone" - Samsung Galaxy S4. Alcatel OneTouch Idol X turned out to be a millimeter thinner and 2.3 millimeters already top-end Samsung smartphone in 2013. This slight difference is well felt when the device is in the hands. Although it cannot be said that after the flagship of Alcatel, the Samsung device seems like a huge shovel. They are both compact and both comfortable. I don’t know why, but in OneTouch Idol X, it’s not even annoying that the screen lock button on the device is on the top edge.
In terms of design, the OneTouch Idol X brought nothing new to the smartphone segment. With the screen turned off, the device is equally similar to the Oppo Find 5 and the Huawei Ascend P6. Probably, this is all thanks to the universal black color and touch keys that merge with the body, as well as the perfect assembly and the absence of pronounced design frills in all three devices. However, the OneTouch Idol X is a solid build smartphone. It lies well in the hand and its back cover (non-removable) is made of pleasant plastic. Whether the body of the device is metal or LEDs, it could easily be mistaken for an HTC or Sony smartphone - those few manufacturers that still care about using beautiful and pleasant materials.
Apparently, the slots for a SIM card and a memory card were already placed according to the residual principle. Both are located in unusual places behind the plugs - on the left and right ends, respectively. Under the memory card slot is a volume rocker. It rises slightly, but it is difficult to find it blindly.
Alcatel OneTouch Idol X and its package
In general, the impressions from the assembly of the device are very good, as well as from the ergonomics of the case. OneTouch Idol X is not inferior to the top devices of the first echelon manufacturers, neither in terms of comfort of use, nor in terms of conscientiousness of assembly.
Screen
screen under the sun
Five inches, FullHD, IPS - and all this for quite modest money. Sounds like a fairy tale. Looks too. OneTouch Idol X has an almost reference screen. It is bright, with rich colors, perfect sensitivity, oleophobic coating and good color reproduction. By tactile sensations, the screen resembles those that respond to touch with gloves. I, of course, checked this suspicion. But the screen refused to work with thick winter gloves.
But despite the fact that the screen brightness of Idol X is higher than that of the Samsung Galaxy S4 (see table), under the sun the screen of the Samsung smartphone looks better than Alcatel on both manual and automatic settings. And the brightness auto-adjustment of Alcatel's flagship works strangely. Or even bad. On sunny days, it had to be forcibly turned off and the screen brightness set to maximum, because otherwise nothing could be seen on the screen at all. The same problem was observed in the ZTE Grand S smartphone.
| Device name | Brightness of the white field, cd/m2 | Black field brightness cd/m2 | Contrast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alcatel Idol X | 360,76 | 0,24 | 1503:1 |
| Huawei Ascend D2 | 310,52 | 0.30 | 1037:1 |
| Sony Xperia ZL | 394 | 0.66 | 596:1 |
| Samsung Galaxy S4 | 320 | 0 | ∞ |
| Sony Xperia T | 421 | 0.28 | 1503:1 |
| iPhone 4S | 434 | 0.53 | 818:1 |
The color gamut and color temperature of the Alcatel OneTouch Idol X screen are close to ideal. There are slight color distortions, but they are quite insignificant for a smartphone.
Sound
The OneTouch Idol X smartphone has a strange sound in the player. If you listen to music in headphones, which, in principle, have little bass, then with Alcatel OneTouch Idol X it will not be at all, and the equalizer does not particularly save the situation. In headphones that are fine with low frequencies, the bass will be weak and poorly developed. In general, a person who loves music so much that he listens regularly, but not so much that he lacks the capabilities of a “regular smartphone”, is better to look at any other model in this price category. Most likely, simply everything will sound better. In addition, with this device you can not be afraid to go deaf, its maximum volume is low. Although in the conversation mode, the interlocutor is heard clearly and well.
autonomy
The smartphone received a battery with a capacity of 2 Ah. I am not the most active user, but in my hands Alcatel OneTouch Idol X barely survived until the evening. For the device of 2013, especially the flagship, this is a weak indicator. If you are on the road with a smartphone with constant access to mail, browser and all sorts of social networks, then the battery will evaporate in half a day, or even faster. So, the test of autonomy in web surfing mode (only the browser is used, the screen brightness is in the middle, Wi-Fi is active) showed that the smartphone’s battery is about 80% ready to be discharged in 3.5 hours. Perhaps this is just one of those cases when one could forgive a thicker case for the sake of a higher capacity battery.
Performance and Interface
The smartphone demonstrates performance at the level of last year's flagships in benchmarks, and in life too (gallery with screenshots below). In my opinion, for its price range, it is just fine. The smartphone copes with FullHD-video, a large load in the "working" conditions also does not burden it too much. Although just in the mode of active use and constant switching between tasks, he begins to think and slow down slightly. Approximately the same sensations were from working with Huawei Ascend D2. This is not the performance of a top A-brand smartphone, but it is a very decent performance for a mid-range mobile device.
OneTouch Idol X runs on the Android operating system version 4.2. The smartphone interface is closest to the interface used in top-end Huawei devices. There is no separate application menu, there are only six common desktops. There are few options for personalization. So, desktops can only be added automatically when the space on existing ones runs out. The gallery is securely fixed on the first desktop, transition effects cannot be changed. If the user is used to a large number of widgets, applications that do not fit will have to be hidden in folders. But everything is very nicely drawn. Perhaps too cute for some adult and important uncle. Out of the box, the device received a huge number of applications, including many games and useful (and not so) tools. In my opinion, the OneTouch Idol X interface lacks practicality and seriousness, but it should please lovers of bright colors and beautiful pictures. I suggest looking at the smartphone interface in the screenshots below or in a short video review.
Camera
Smartphone Alcatel OneTouch Idol X is equipped with a 13-megapixel camera. Our experience (one, two, three) has shown that more is not always better. Second-tier smartphone cameras are most often unable to compete with industry giants (the exception, perhaps, is the Huawei Ascend D2, whose image quality is superior to that of the Sony Xperia Z/ZL camera). So Alcatel OneTouch Idol X is not one of the best camera phones of 2013. However, this is not to say that its camera takes downright disgusting pictures. They are good, but if a solid 8-megapixel module were in place of the 13-megapixel module, no one would lose. The camera takes a long time to focus (especially against the background of the Samsung Galaxy S4), and in low light it may not focus at all, it takes a long time to process the picture. In HDR mode, literally the hand can get tired of holding the smartphone. The output in most cases is normal photos, but they are weaker than, in particular, the best camera phone (except for the Galaxy S4 Zoom) of 2013 Galaxy S4, which we just had on our hands and with which we had the opportunity to compare the results . Below are examples of pictures. They can also be seen in a separate gallery on Torba.
The disadvantages of the Alcatel camera include the almost complete lack of settings.
Competitors
Alcatel OneTouch Idol X closest competitors are Huawei Ascend D2, Oppo Find 5 and ZTE Grand. They demonstrate exactly the same autonomy (the only exception is the more tenacious Oppo Find 5) and performance. Everyone got a beautiful IPS display with FullHD resolution. Smartphones (again, all but Oppo) have an almost identical interface. There is a difference in price (Alcatel is cheaper by about 500-1000 UAH), subtleties of the case (again, the advantage is on Alcatel's side). But Huawei has a better camera and waterproof case, while ZTE and Oppo have a Qualcomm S4 Pro processor that's faster than the MTK6589. But in general, all devices produce the same impression: in terms of reliability, build quality, and capabilities. These are all smartphones of the same level. Alcatel, due to its more attractive price tag, looks more interesting than the rest, that's a fact. But let me remind you, he has a rather strange sound in the player. If music is not a fundamental moment for you, then there is a reason not to overpay and stop at a budget solution.
Video review
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In the dry matter
Smartphone Alcatel OneTouch Idol X is not without flaws. On the contrary, it is a device that has plenty of them: mediocre autonomy, not the best camera (in general, compared to the rest of the 13-megapixel cameras, but decent considering the price of a smartphone), and a strange sound in the player. But it's also the most affordable FullHD smartphone today. It is almost impossible to find fault with its screen. Since it is through the screen that the user interacts with the device and through it the attractiveness and convenience of the model is first of all assessed, we can say that Alcatel did a good job of making an affordable and very attractive smartphone. It will satisfy an audience that does not need the most top-end performance, but at the same time wants to get a fairly nimble and efficient gadget. In my opinion, the device honestly works out its money. But if you're looking for a flagship phone with cutting-edge performance, reasonable battery life and a camera that's perfect, then Idol X won't do, you should look at the top A-brands.
4 reasons to buy Alcatel OneTouch Idol X:
- Android 4.2;
- excellent build quality, very thin case;
- practically reference screen;
- tasty price;
3 reasons not to buy Alcatel OneTouch Idol X:
- weak autonomy;
- strange sound in the player;
- performance is lower than most other smartphones with a Full-HD display (but normal for the money).
