Alcatel 1x 2019
Alcatel is investing a little more in the entry-level market with the new iteration of its 1x. At about 120$, the phone stands out only by its original coating, and that's a shame.
Positive Points
- The rear hull of good quality
- The headphone jack almost excellent
- Autonomy more than correct
Negative points
- A dated ergonomics
- Bad performance
- Part photo to forget
Alcatel 1x 2019 review
After an Alcatel 1x launched in 2018, the French company offers the cover with a 1x edition 2019. It keeps more or less the same data sheet as its predecessor, but wins an additional camera sensor in the back. Proposed around 120$, it does not have much recent competition except the Nokia 2.1, unless turning to 2016 models like the Echo Star.
Design
For less than 200$, do not expect high quality finishes. However, the mobile surprises with a back shell that denotes what is usually proposed. The hull is made of plastic and has a finish that makes it look like a pebble that would have been polished by the ocean. The smartphone is so soft and does not really catch fingerprints - but when it holds them, they are stubborn. Finally, this chassis houses two small photo modules placed in the center.
Far from having succumbed to the fashion of the notch, this Alcatel 1x 2019 has a large forehead and a thick chin. Only the borders are rather contained. To end this tour of the owner, we find on the right side the usual keys start and volume control. On the opposite edge, there is the slot for two SIM cards or a SIM card + a microSD card. A 3.5mm mini jack is on the top edge and on the bottom we have a micro-USB port and two speakers.
Screen
The 5.5-inch screen is IPS in 1440 x 720 px and 18: 9 format. It's not of the best quality, but it's not doing so badly. Its color is fairly well controlled, displaying a Delta E of 2.8. Some colors (especially the brightest) drift over a Delta E of 3, but only a seasoned eye will notice.
On the other hand, the color temperature recorded (8,268 Kelvin) is too high compared to the video standard (6,500 K). It will be enough because it is impossible to approach this reference value via the settings.
The maximum brightness (556 cd / m²) is excellent and the slab absorbs reflections very well. In contrast, the minimum brightness does not drop below 20 cd / m² and is not comfortable for night reading. Finally, the contrast ratio of 1424: 1 is not exceptional for an LCD panel, as the touch delay (72 ms) and afterglow (16 ms).
Performance and System
The Alcatel 1x 2019 is equipped with a Mediatek MT6739 processor, a low-cost chip that is not youthful. It is coupled with 2 GB of RAM. The user experience is not the best, the phone warms up pretty quickly. We also lose fluidity when too many applications are open.
For games, PowerVR GE8100 takes over. Far from being powerful, this GPU does not allow a perfectly fluid display or even a lot of details in the graphics.
The mobile is running Android 8.1 Oreo and its latest security update is January 5, 2019. It offers a version close to the stock Android, that is to say without overlay too visible. However, there are Alcatel's in-house apps that are in the phone, like Enjoy.now which offers to find all the services of the brand within a single application. You will find tutorials to learn how to use the smartphone, news about the brand and its products or contests to win gifts.
Photo
This mobile offers two modules of 13 and 2 Mpx, the latter used in particular for the depth of field. For the front camera, Alcatel has awarded the 1x a 5 Mpx sensor. We will not go through four ways, the results are really not good, but the 1x can still argue that it is better than the Nokia 2.1.
Note that the phone offers to capture images in 16 Mpx back and 8 Mpx in the front by interpolation. The treatment is software, it does not fundamentally change the rendering of photos. Alcatel apparently benefits from this to automatically change the exposure.
By day, the image is cold and is blue. The details of the shot are very smoothed by the processing of the software, especially visible on the faces located in the left corner of the scene. However, the whole is rather clean, in any case much more than his opponent of the day. In night conditions, the result of the shot is by no means suitable. Numerous noise appears all over the surface, which is sorely lacking in sharpness. The photo is illegible.
The front sensor of 5 MP is not much better. It offers a look that gives a pallid complexion, which can still be ugly if you use the tool for smoothing facial features.
For video, the camera has no trouble recording movies in Full HD, even if the quality is still not at the rendezvous. The smartphone has an electronic stabilizer (EIS) that works well, but that will not work if your hand shakes a lot.
Connectivity and Sound
As often on entry-level smartphones, the 3.5mm mini-jack is present. She is really not powerful and will not be the best ally of gourmet helmets. But for the rest, she is excellent. The distortion and dynamics are very well controlled and the stereo reproduction is almost perfect. The two speakers on the bottom of the mobile are good, but not excellent, and will mainly be used to watch videos on YouTube or listen to a few songs at low volume.
Autonomy
The Alcatel 1x 2019 smartphone comes with a 3000 mAh battery. After undergoing our test on SmartViser, he managed with an honorable score of 16 h 56 min. Which, in practice, guarantees about 2 days of use. To recharge, it takes about 3 hours with the power supply delivered in the box.
Conclusion
Good only in autonomy and audio, it is difficult to recommend this phone that could have been released two or three years ago. It is however a little better than its direct competitor, the Nokia 2.1. In short, a smartphone really dated and that makes too many concessions to deserve your attention.
Alcatel 1x 2019 Smartphone
