Alcatel 1x smartphone (2019) - budget novelty

Last year was marked by the birth of one of the cheapest phones of the Alcatel brand, which has a full-screen and face unlock function - Alcatel 1 X. The smartphone at a budget price with the currently minimal characteristics has gained popularity among users due to the optimal cost-performance ratio.

In January 2019, the company announced the release of an improved version of Alcatel 1 X. The new device with an upgraded display and main camera has more autonomy. The version of Android Oreo, which has found application in the predecessor of the announced device, also takes place in the presented device. A more detailed overview of the newcomer characteristics is presented in this article.

Appearance

The sleek 2019 Alcatel 1 X is available in two colors:

• Pebble Black;

• Pebble Blue.

Overall dimensions of the product are:

• width - 68.8 mm;
• height - 146.4;
• thickness - 8.3 mm.

The front panel of the device is mainly occupied by the display, which is characterized by an aspect ratio of 18 to 9 and occupies 77.5% of its area.

The full-screen smartphone makes a favorable initial impression thanks to its modern design and comfortable position in the hand, which is ensured by the comfortable dimensions of the classic case and the low weight of the device of 130 g.

Specifications

Display

The smartphone is equipped with a 5.5 '' display with a resolution of 1440 × 720 pixels, which is somewhat different from the version of 2018, which has a diagonal of 5.3 inches with a resolution of 960 × 480.
The indicator of 1440 × 720 dpi is optimal for smartphones belonging to the entry and middle price range. By using this resolution, you can reduce power consumption, provide unloading of the processor and reduce the final cost of the device.

IPS matrix provides excellent color rendering (as you know, monitors for professional photographers and designers are made on this type of matrix), moreover, these screens are adapted to provide a fixed level of autonomy when working with text and watching video content. IPS matrices are distinguished by their affordable price and durability.

Thanks to the use of a full-screen display, it was possible to fit a large enough display into a compact body. Considering the aspect ratio of two to one, the display is able to provide comfortable display of graphic, text and video information.

Platform

The device is equipped with the Android 8.1 Oreo operating system, which is designed to provide energy savings, improve the performance of compatible devices and provide a safe web browsing experience.

The MediaTek MT6739 processor, designed for budget phones, has 4 Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.5 GHz.It supports 18: 9 displays and a wide range of LTE frequencies to ensure good quality and speed of mobile internet.

Equipped with PowerVR GE8100 video accelerator, the main advantage of which is support for widescreen 18: 9 screens with a resolution of up to 1440 × 720 pixels. The GPU runs at 570 MHz.

The 4G chip provides support for camera sensors up to 13MP and the ability to shoot 1080p @ 30fps video. Its ISP implements good quality. MediaTek's entry-level chipset supports VolTE per SIM, Bluetooth 4.2, and Pump Express 2.0 fast charging.

Memory

Random access memory (RAM) is 2GB. Built-in memory (ROM) is characterized by a volume of 16 GB.

The amount of memory provided by the manufacturer may not be enough for installing heavy gaming applications, storing large files. In this case, it can be expanded up to 128 GB using microSD: the slot for a memory card provided in the device creates new possibilities for its operation.

Cameras

The main camera is dual and is characterized by resolutions of 13MP and 2MP: the main sensor is able to cover a maximum of space, and the second one is capable of detailing the picture, increasing the viewing angle, and providing magnification for portrait shots. The rear camera is equipped with autofocus, LED flash, HDR shooting, a wide range of settings and scene selection options.

The presence of a dual rear camera also distinguishes the new version from last year's devices with the usual 13MP main camera.

Front - characterized by a resolution of 5 megapixels. With the help of an additional camera, you can create good quality selfies and videos of a fairly high resolution 720p.

Network and connections

The device has two options for equipping nano sim cards:

• option for operating a single SIM card (single sim);
• use of two slots for telephone cards, the work of which is organized in dual sim stand-by mode (alternate work): when talking on one of them, the second is deactivated.

The second option makes it possible to differentiate calls related to personal needs and work, use optimal travel rates, and connect to the Internet anywhere.
Interfaces:

• It is possible to connect to a wireless Wi-Fi network with a mode of operation that provides an optimal indicator of the data transfer rate 802.11 b / g / n.
• Data exchange at small distances between devices is realized using Bluetooth (version 4.2).
• Information transfer from one electronic device to another and battery charging are carried out via USB.

With GPS A-GPS navigation, you can get information about your current location on the globe at any time.

There is an FM radio and a headphone jack.

Autonomy

The battery capacity is 3000 mAh: in comparison with the similar indicator of 2760 mAh of the previous versions of this model, it is slightly increased.

Such a battery will hold a charge for 2-3 days if you use the phone in a sparing mode (standard phone calls, to view short video content or text information). Under active load (for games, watching movies), the phone will have to be charged daily, and possibly twice a day.

Additional features

Biometric technologies are inherent in most modern smartphones. There is a fingerprint scanner in the presented model. It is traditionally located on the back of the device.

There are proximity and illumination sensors necessary to ensure autonomous adjustment of the screen brightness. With the help of the first, a signal is sent to the device, the reaction of which is to turn off the reflection. The second catches the photon flux and adjusts the brightness of the display backlight, taking into account the illumination, which saves battery power.

The possibility in the form of an accelerometer, habitual in the operation of smartphones, is present in the presented model.With its help, auto-rotate of the screen is provided: for those who are fond of active games, when the process is regulated by the rotation of the device, this function is of particular importance.

The implementation of the flight mode turns off the cellular communication of the device and the wireless functions: WiFi, Bluetooth.

The model does not provide for the currently popular NFC chip - an assistant in the implementation of contactless purchases and payments.

The cost

The announced price of the model is 120 EUR. At the current exchange rate in January 2019, this is about 9,200 rubles.

Advantages and disadvantages

After examining the technical characteristics of the Alcatel 1 X 2019, the following pros and cons of the newcomer can be noted.

• attractive appearance, comfortable placement in the hand;
• Android 8.1 Oreo OS version allows you to economically use available memory resources;
• both cameras provide good quality photos and videos;
• optimal ratio of cost and performance.

• screen resolution level;
• average level of autonomy.