Alcatel OneTouch Idol Mini - Specifications. Alcatel OneTouch Idol Mini - Specifications Display and Cameras
"Does Idol mini look like its big brother Idol X?" - you ask. I will answer: "Yes, but not in everything." And here it is not even about the size of the case. The manufacturer has a radically different look at the "baby", leaving him from the flagship "X" only the same number and arrangement of functional elements. However, in this regard, some changes were noticed. But more on that later!
When I first looked at the Idol mini, the back panel caught my eye. The manufacturer has so successfully used plastic imitating metal in it that you can only tactilely feel what material you are dealing with.
The stylish design of the smartphone is given by the front panel with protective glass, as well as metal-like power and volume buttons, a slot for the earpiece and a rim of the main camera's eye.
What certainly will not go unnoticed in the appearance of Idol mini is its compact size. Due to them, the device looks very neat. Moreover, with such dimensions (127.1x62x7.9 mm, weight - 96 grams) it will be convenient for everyone to control it with the fingers, regardless of the size of the palms.
The body is assembled very well, all the elements fit tightly - nothing creaks, does not "crunch" or play.
The smartphone is available in three colors - black, silver, and for the fairer sex there is also a pink version.
Ergonomics of functional elements
The right side face is given for the slots for micro-SIM cards and, and the left for the volume rockers.
On the top there is a 3.5 mm audio jack and a power button, and on the bottom there is a microphone and a micro- connector.
The back panel was "divided" by the speakerphone in the lower right corner, the inscription "Onetouch" in the center, as well as the peephole of the main 5MP camera at the top.
I would like to note, as with all previously tested Alcatel smartphones, it protrudes slightly above the body. On the right side of it is a noise canceling microphone, and on the left is an LED flash.
On the front panel, above the 4.3-inch display, there is a slot for the earpiece, a peephole for the front-camera, and proximity / lighting sensors. Under the screen, when you turn on the smartphone and touch it, the touch control buttons are highlighted.
Brief technical characteristics
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Communication standard | 850/900/1800/1900 MHz; 900/2100 MHz |
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Dimensions (edit) | 127.1x62x7.9 mm |
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The weight | 96 g |
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Operating system | Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean |
Display
4.3-inch IPS screen Idol mini with a resolution of 480x854 pixels and 16 million colors, in my opinion, is the best solution among smartphones in this price segment.
The high-quality IPS-matrix provided wide viewing angles both vertically and horizontally. Its merit is also in the bright and saturated colors of the picture reproduced on the screen. At the same time, in bright sunny weather, it is still impossible to do without a certain extinction of the displayed data on the display.
It is protected from scratches and other types of damage by a protective glass, which product is in question, the manufacturer does not specify. In any case, his presence is already a big plus, besides, in practice, it has confirmed its value. As, however, the oleophobic coating applied to it significantly reduced the number of fingerprints that could be left with each interaction with the smartphone.
The brightness of the display can be adjusted either manually or automatically. The sensor recognizes up to 5 simultaneous clicks, it is sensitive and reacts "smartly" to touch.
Equipment performance
The "driving force" of the Idol mini is a 2-core MediaTek MT6572 processor with a clock frequency of 1.3 GHz and Mali 400 graphics. The amount of RAM is 512 MB.
The smartphone is running the Android 4.2.2 operating system out of the box.
According to the benchmark results, it turned out to be quite a decent "average" in terms of performance.
In practice, he had no problems with video playback and not very demanding games. But in the case of the first, it will be necessary to acquire
microSD card, since 4 GB of declared internal memory, of which only about 2 GB is available to the user, will clearly not be enough to download video. The maximum amount of external storage is 32 GB.
But in the dual-SIM version of the smartphone, the user memory is twice as much - 8 GB. But there is no way to expand it. "Operatives" are the same as in the single-symbol model.
Wireless Modules
Idol mini "has" such wireless communications as 802.11 b / g / n with an access point function, Wi-Fi Direct technology, and 4.0, with a VPN function.
Autonomy
The battery capacity of the smartphone is 1700 mAh. This is what the statistics on the consumption of 100% of the battery charge says: video playback - 2 hours, audio listening - 3.5 hours, plus 3 hours of surfing the Web.
And this is taking into account the fact that during the test I received a sample, though not badly modified, and not a commercial version of the pipe.
You can reduce power consumption by using the provided power saving mode.
Camera
Idol mini has two cameras. The main module has a resolution of 5MP, and the front one - 0.3MP.
Despite the absence of a dedicated camera quick launch button on the smartphone body, you can activate it quickly enough from the lock screen.
The quality of the picture displayed on the front was quite enough for comfortable communication.
The quality of the photos taken with the main camera, complemented by autofocus and LED flash, frankly, did not cause delight. Although in good lighting conditions and the use of the settings provided for photography, although there were not many of them, I managed to take quite good shots.
Test photos
The video is recorded at a maximum resolution of 720p. In addition to choosing the quality of shooting and turning on / off the flash in the recording mode, nothing is provided by the camera settings. With such a poor arsenal, the video, shot even in the dark, in my opinion, came out worthy as for a 5MP module. Of course, it was not without noise, and it is also clearly visible how the picture twitches in the case of autofocus.
Test video
Loudspeakers
There are two dynamics - conversational and speakerphone.
Communication even in a noisy street near the road provided me with quite comfortable communication with the interlocutor on the other end of the tube.
Although the smartphone is “mini”, in terms of the power of the speakerphone, it, as they say, can “give heat” to many larger devices. It is especially pleasant that even at maximum volume values, it does not emit extraneous noises unpleasant to the ear.
But its location can hardly be called too successful, but getting used to it, so as not to cover it with your hand, is quite real.
The sound reproduced through the headphones is good.
Software
Idol mini "out of the box" runs on the Android 4.2.2 operating system. The software is similar to that previously discussed in. Therefore, further only illustrative illustrations.
The unlock screen provides quick access to the camera application and the phone application.
You can use gestures to control some functions of your smartphone. So, for example, to switch the music track, just shake the device, turn off the sound incoming call, you can turn the device over.
conclusions
As a result, I will say that the Alcatel Onetouch Idol mini smartphone turned out to be very interesting as a mini-version of the Idol X flagship. It is attractive in addition to its compact size with a nice design, a bright IPS-display with good viewing angles, high-quality speakers and good camera capabilities for its price of 1399 UAH.
I remember the device with good indicators of autonomy, and as for its performance, it is not indicative, but at the same time, the price tag of the device fully justifies.
pros
Compact dimensions
- IPS display with good viewing angles
- Good speakers
- Decent performance for its price segment
- Android 4.2.2 out of the box
- Ability to control movements
- Decent indicators of autonomy
- Adequate price
Minuses
Not very convenient location of the speaker of the loudspeaker
Estimated cost: 1399 UAH
Product provided by TCT Mobile Europe S.A.S.
Alena Lazauskas
Additional Information
Package contents: phone, power adapter, USB cable, headsetGeneral characteristics
Type: smartphone Weight: 96 g Control: touch buttons Case material: plastic Operating system: Android 4.2 Case type: classic Number of SIM cards: 1 Dimensions (WxHxT): 62x127.1x7.9 mm SAR level: 0.566Screen
Screen type: color IPS, 16.78 million colors, touch Type of touch screen: multitouch, capacitive Diagonal: 4.3 inches. Image size: 854x480 Pixels Per Inch (PPI): 228Multimedia capabilities
Camera: 5 million pixels, built-in flash Camera functions: autofocus Video recording: yes Max. video resolution: 1280x720 Front camera: yes, 0.3 million pixels. Audio: MP3, FM radio Max. video frame rate: 30 frames / s Recognition: facesConnection
Interfaces: Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 4.0, USB Standard: GSM 900/1800/1900, 3G Satellite navigation: GPS A-GPS system: yesMemory and processor
Processor: 1300 MHz Number of processor cores: 2 Internal memory: 4 GB RAM: 512 MB Support for memory cards: microSD (TransFlash), up to 32 GB Amount of memory available to the user: 2 GB Slot for memory cards: yes, up to 32 GBOther functions
Controls: voice dialing, voice control Sensors: lighting, proximity, compass Flight mode: yes Profile A2DP: yesInexpensive 4G model
When mentioning the Chinese company TCL and its Alcatel trademark, this year we first of all recalled the very noticeable top model of the TCL Idol X + smartphone, which is based on the latest Mediatek platform with a maximum frequency of eight processor cores. However, the company was not limited to the release of one flagship model in the new season: at the beginning of the year, during the MWC 2014 exhibition in Barcelona, TCL presented a whole line of new mid-range smartphones, including the Alcatel OneTouch Idol 2 and OneTouch Idol 2S and their various modifications. In accordance with the tradition that has arisen on the mobile market, the company could not help but release a version of the smartphone with the word “mini” in the title.
Such a device for the company has become a smaller smartphone from the aforementioned line, which has received a rather long and inconvenient name for pronouncing: Alcatel OneTouch Idol 2 mini S. as well as its "full-size" brothers in the line mentioned above. The domestic operator Beeline, for example, a few days ago presented the Alcatel OneTouch Idol 2 mini S to the market as an exclusive offer: the smartphone itself is offered in the operator's salons at a "tasty" price of 7990 rubles, and in addition to it, three months of free mobile internet... However, the buyer will have to sacrifice something: the Alcatel OneTouch Idol 2 mini S model bought in Beeline stores is locked to work only with SIM-cards of this operator and will not fully function with any other cards. In addition, the phone is stuffed to the brim with additional proprietary applications of Beeline, as is usually the case, but this issue can be completely solved by standard methods. But in order to make such a device work with SIM-cards of other operators, it will be necessary to seek unconventional means - if someone is interested in such an option at all. Be that as it may, it is the modification of the smartphone offered by Beeline (6036Y) that is the maximum and best configuration of this model - it even has support for LTE networks, which at such a low price makes the Idol 2 mini S one of the most inexpensive devices with 4G on our market. In any case, the described smartphone seemed to us a device interesting enough and worthy to make a full review on it.
Key features of Alcatel OneTouch Idol 2 mini S (model 6036Y)
| Alcatel Idol 2 mini S | Huawei Ascend G6 | Asus Padfone E | LG G2 mini | |
| Screen | 4.5 ″, IPS | 4.5 ″, IPS | 4.7 ″, IPS | 4.7 ″, IPS |
| Permission | 960 × 540, 245 ppi | 960 × 540, 245 ppi | 1280 × 720, 312 ppi | 960 × 540, 234 ppi |
| SoC | Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 (4x ARM Cortex-A7) @ 1.2GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 (4x ARM Cortex-A7) @ 1.4GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 (4x ARM Cortex-A7) @ 1.2GHz | |
| GPU | Adreno 305 | Adreno 305 | Adreno 305 | Adreno 305 |
| RAM | 1 GB | 1 GB | 1 GB | 1 GB |
| Flash memory | 8 GB | 4 GB | 16 GB | 8 GB |
| Memory card support | microSD | microSD | microSD | microSD |
| Operating system | Google Android 4.3 | Google Android 4.3 | Google Android 4.3 | Google Android 4.4 |
| Battery | non-removable, 2000 mAh | non-removable, 2000 mAh | non-removable, 1820 mAh | removable, 2440 mAh |
| Cameras | rear (8 Mp; video - 1080p), front (2 Mp) | rear (8 Mp; video - 720p), front (5 Mp) | rear (13 Mp; video - 1080p), front (1.2 Mp) | rear (8 Mp; video - 1080p), front (1.3 Mp) |
| Dimensions (edit) | 130 x 64 x 8.5 mm, 116 g | 130 x 65 x 7.5 mm, 115 g | 140 x 70 x 9.1 mm, 126 g | 130 x 66 x 9.9 mm, 121 g |
| average price | T-10724720 | T-10724716 | T-10686990 | T-10833941 |
| Alcatel OneTouch Idol 2 mini S offers | L-10724720-10 | |||
- SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 (MSM8226), 1.2 GHz, 4 ARM Cortex-A7 cores
- GPU Adreno 305
- Operating system Android 4.3
- Touch display IPS, 4.5 ″, 960 × 540, 245 ppi
- Random access memory (RAM) 1 GB, internal memory 8 GB
- Support for microSD memory cards up to 32 GB
- Communication GSM 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz
- Communication 3G 850, 900, 2100 MHz
- Max 4G LTE data rate up to 150Mbps
- Bluetooth 4.0
- Wi-Fi 802.11b / g / n, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Display, Wi-Fi hotspot
- GPS / A-GPS, Glonass
- Camera 8 MP, autofocus, LED flash
- Camera 2 MP (front)
- Battery 2000 mAh
- Dimensions 129.5 x 63.5 x 8.5mm
- Weight 116 g
Contents of delivery
In our case, we received a test copy of the Alcatel OneTouch Idol 2 mini S without packaging and, accordingly, a set of accessories, so we can only judge the richness of the smartphone package by the description on the company's website. It states that the box with the smartphone contains a universal compact charger, a Micro-USB connection cable, in-ear headphones and a user manual.
Of the additional accessories purchased separately, we can note a case-book with a kind of built-in event indicator, made in the form of perforated illuminated icons - it looks nice and probably not too energy-consuming. Without opening the covers, the user can receive information about incoming SMS messages, mail, incoming calls, etc.
Appearance and usability
In design and shape, the Alcatel OneTouch Idol 2 mini S smartphone resembles previous products of the Idol series, most of all it resembles the first flagship Idol X, which users liked so much at one time. To a lesser extent, it is similar to the updated Idol X +, although common design features can be traced here.
The smartphone received a rather medium-sized, elegant and thin body, which fits perfectly into the average hand. The device has rather slippery glossy side edges, however, due to the matte non-slip back surface, as well as small dimensions and weight, the smartphone is comfortably held in the palm of your hand. In terms of dimensions, the device is slightly larger than the Apple iPhone - it is more similar to another compact modern model, the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact.
The entire body of the Alcatel OneTouch Idol 2 mini S is entirely made of plastic, there is no metal here. The case has a monoblock structure, the back cover has a slight bend and a matte non-marking surface, which favorably affects both the ergonomics and the neat overall appearance of the device. The side faces are made to look like chrome-plated metal, but this is not real metal, but just a sputtering on the same plastic. The edges of the case have practically no bevels, they are wide enough and slippery to the touch.
The corresponding way of installing the SIM-card follows from this structure of the case: the card, just like in the previous models of the Idol series, is inserted into the side slot, which is covered from above with an unusual cover. This cover does not need to be removed with a special needle-clip, it opens in the manner of a hinged door. To open it, you need to press on one end of the lid, push it inward. In principle, this method of opening was quite convenient for the full-size representatives of the Idol series, however, in the smaller model, all these elements also turned out to be reduced in size, which made it not very convenient to manipulate these miniature lids. In this case, you have to use something sharp to press in one end of the lid. You have to act in the same way with the card itself - the usual length of the nail is not enough to drown the SIM-card to the depth necessary for capture.
The adjacent slot for installing a memory card has exactly the same structure - microSD cards up to 32 GB are supported. Both caps have short leashes, they can be pulled out quite a bit so that they do not interfere with the installation of cards. In general, the whole process is quite uncomfortable, the method of installing cards in the Alcatel OneTouch Idol 2 mini S is far from the most convenient.
On the back of the smartphone, all the elements are familiar and are arranged in the traditional order: on top - the camera and LED flash eyes, on the bottom - a row of holes for sound out of the ringing speaker.
The speaker grill is covered by the surface of the table, which partially muffles the sound of a lying smartphone. The one-section LED flash comes with pre-installed software to control it like a flashlight.
On the front surface, almost the entire front panel is covered with a flat protective glass without rims, a hole is cut in it for a large shiny chrome grille of the earpiece, eyes are visible nearby front camera and sensors.
Below the screen, there is space for hardware buttons to control the system and applications. These buttons are touch-sensitive, have a whitish backlight of medium brightness, for which there was no item in the menu to adjust.
There are only two mechanical hardware keys on the sides of the device, and both of them are located on one - the right side, one next to the other. The volume and lock keys have a fairly short stroke, are small in size and stick out quite a bit outside the body. In general, the implementation of the controls is not the best, but you can get used to it.
The Micro-USB connector is located here at the bottom - next to the microphone hole. The headphone-out is realized on the top; not far away you can see the hole of the second, auxiliary microphone.
The connectors of the smartphone are not covered with any plugs and covers, because the device is not protected from water and dust. Not found on the case and a hook for attaching a strap.
The product traditionally goes on sale in several color options at once: there are options for light gray and dark gray shades, as well as options for pink and chocolate. In different versions, the front panel under the glass of the smartphone also turns out to be of different colors: for example, in the chocolate version it is black, while in the others it is white.
Screen
The Alcatel OneTouch Idol 2 mini S smartphone is equipped with an IPS sensor matrix. The physical dimensions of the display are 56 × 99 mm, the diagonal is 4.5 inches. The screen resolution in dots is 960 × 540, the density of dots per inch reaches 245 ppi.
The brightness of the display has both manual and automatic adjustment, the latter is based on the operation of the light sensor. The smartphone also has a proximity sensor that locks the screen when you bring the smartphone to your ear. Multi-touch technology allows you to handle 5 simultaneous touches.
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Alexey Kudryavtsev, editor of the "Monitors" and "Projectors and TV" sections, carried out a detailed examination using measuring devices. Here is his expert opinion on the screen of the test sample.
The front surface of the screen is made in the form of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface, resistant to scratches. Judging by the reflection of objects, the anti-glare properties of the screen are no worse than those of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) (hereinafter simply Nexus 7). For clarity, here is a photo in which a white surface is reflected in the turned off screens (on the left - Nexus 7, on the right - Alcatel Idol 2 Mini S, then they can be distinguished by their size):
The screen of the Alcatel Idol 2 Mini S is even slightly darker (brightness in the photos is 84 versus 92 for the Nexus 7). The doubling of reflected objects in the Alcatel Idol 2 Mini S screen is very weak, which indicates that there is no air gap between the layers of the screen (more specifically, between the outer glass and the surface of the LCD matrix) (OGS type screen - One Glass Solution). Due to the smaller number of boundaries (such as glass-to-air) with greatly different refractive indices, such screens look better in conditions of strong external illumination, but their repair in case of cracked outer glass is much more expensive, since the entire screen has to be changed. On the outer surface of the screen there is a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating (very effective, similar to that of the Nexus 7), so fingerprints are much easier to remove, and appear at a slower rate than in the case of ordinary glass.
With manual brightness control and with the display of the white field on the whole screen, the maximum brightness value was about 500 cd / m², the minimum - 42 cd / m². The maximum brightness is very high and, given the excellent anti-glare properties, readability even on a sunny day outdoors will be at a high level. In complete darkness, the brightness can be lowered to a comfortable value. In the presence of automatic brightness control by the light sensor (located in the upper left corner on the front panel). In automatic mode, when the ambient light conditions change, the screen brightness both increases and decreases. In complete darkness in automatic mode, the brightness is reduced to 42 cd / m² (acceptable), in an office lit with artificial light (about 400 lux), the brightness is set to about 500 cd / m² (this is maximum and excessively bright), in a brightly lit environment (corresponds to outdoor illumination on a clear day, but without direct sunlight - 20,000 lux or slightly more) - rises to the same 500 cd / m². As a result, the automatic brightness control function does not work adequately for external conditions, and the whole point is in the software implementation, since the light sensor itself shows quite plausible results. At any brightness level, there is practically no backlight modulation, so there is no screen flickering either.
This smartphone uses an IPS-type matrix. The micrographs show the typical IPS subpixel structure:
For comparison, you can see the gallery of photomicrographs of screens used in mobile technology.
The screen has good viewing angles without a significant shift in colors even with large gaze deviations from the perpendicular to the screen and without inverting (except for the darkest when looking to the right) shades. For comparison, we present photographs in which the same images are displayed on the screens of Alcatel Idol 2 Mini S and Nexus 7, while the brightness of the screens was initially set to about 200 cd / m2 (across the white field on the whole screen), and the color balance on the camera was forcedly switched to 6500 K. Perpendicular to the screens white field:
Note the good uniformity of brightness and color tone of the white field. And the test picture:
Color reproduction is good and colors are saturated on both screens. Now at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the plane and to the side of the screen:
It can be seen that the image quality at this angle for the Alcatel Idol 2 Mini S screen has noticeably deteriorated. And white box:
The brightness at the angle of the screens decreased (at least 6 times, based on the difference in exposure), but the Alcatel Idol 2 Mini S screen is noticeably darker. When deviated diagonally, the black field is lightened to a medium degree and takes on a purple tint. The photos below demonstrate this (the brightness of the white areas in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the screens is about the same!):
And from a different angle:
When viewed from a perpendicular view, the uniformity of the black field is average, since there are areas with increased black brightness along the edge of the screen:
The contrast (approximately in the center of the screen) is not the highest - about 680: 1. The response time for the transition black-white-black is 24 ms (13 ms on + 11 ms off). The transition between gray tones of 25% and 75% (by the numerical value of the color) and back takes 38.5 ms in total. The gamma curve, plotted using 32 points at equal intervals in terms of the numerical value of the shade of gray, did not reveal a blockage in either the highlights or the shadows. The exponent of the approximating power function is 1.86, which is lower than the standard value of 2.2. In this case, the real gamma curve strongly deviates from the power dependence:
Such a deviation is usually a sign of the presence of a dynamic adjustment of the backlight brightness in accordance with the nature of the displayed image (since the measurements were carried out with sequential display of gray shades on almost the entire screen), but we did not receive additional evidence of its existence. But just in case, we carried out a series of tests - determining the contrast and response time, comparing the black illumination at angles - when displaying special templates with invariably average brightness, and not single-color fields across the entire screen.
The color gamut is close to sRGB:
The spectra show that the matrix filters mix the components together to a moderate extent:
As a result, the colors visually have a natural saturation. The balance of shades on the gray scale does not cause much enthusiasm, since the color temperature is noticeably higher than the standard 6500 K, the deviation from the spectrum of an absolute black body (ΔE) is less than 10, which is considered a good indicator for a consumer device, however, ΔE changes significantly from shade to shade - this negatively affects the visual assessment of the color balance. (The darkest areas of the gray scale can be ignored, since the color balance there is not very important, and the error in measuring color characteristics at low brightness is large.)
To summarize: the screen has a high maximum brightness and has good anti-reflective properties, so the device can be used outdoors without any problems even on a sunny summer day. In complete darkness, the brightness can be lowered to a comfortable level. The mode with automatic brightness adjustment is practically useless, since already in a lit room it increases the brightness to the maximum, which, of course, leads to unnecessary energy consumption. The significant advantages of the screen include an effective oleophobic coating, no air gap in the layers of the screen and no flicker, as well as sRGB color gamut. The rest of the characteristics are not outstanding, but not a failure either. In general, taking into account the importance of characteristics for this particular class of devices, the screen quality can be considered high.
Sound
In terms of sound, the smartphone is nothing special. Both speakers emit reasonably clear, but no discernible presence low frequencies the sound is also not loud enough. However, this does not really affect the perception of sound during a conversation - the voice of a familiar interlocutor, timbre and intonation remain recognizable. From the settings - the standard features of the equalizer with preset values and some additional effects.
The device is able to use the built-in tools to record a conversation from the line, while both talking parties are recorded, and the recorded files are automatically added to the appropriate folder. Equipped with a smartphone and built-in FM radio, which traditionally works only with headphones connected as an external antenna.
The main rear camera here has an 8-megapixel module and shoots with a maximum resolution of 3264 × 1836. The quality of the images is average, most often the photos come out overexposed and slightly blurry. The settings are clearly arranged and conveniently arranged, but the possibilities laid down here are quite modest.
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The video camera can shoot at a maximum resolution of 1080p (30 fps), examples of test clips are presented below.
- Movie # 1 (35 MB, 1920 × 1080, in daylight)
- Movie # 2 (33 MB, 1920 × 1080, indoors)
- Movie # 3 (18 MB, 1920 × 1080, at night)
Examples of photos with our comments are presented below.
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The sharpness in the distant shots is not bad. |
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The camera cannot fully resolve the foliage, but overall it works well. |
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Sharpness across the frame is fairly uniform. |
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In the background, foliage practically does not merge. |
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The noise in the shadows is not that strong, and, apparently, is well processed. |
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The camera behaves relatively well indoors. |
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Even when shooting at night, the camera does not show such a bad result. |
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The camera copes well with macro photography. |
Before us is exactly what can be safely called a balanced camera. Let's start with the fact that the camera simply does not have any significant drawbacks. With its 8 megapixels, it copes, perhaps not perfectly, but very well. The camera got a good sensor, good optics and moderate software processing. It is all these three parameters in symbiosis that give the camera that very balance. The sensor does a good job in the shadows, so the noise reduction does not need to be processed. The optics work well for the image in the field of the frame and in the plans, so there is practically no sharpening in the pictures. Oddly enough, the camera's merits are not limited to this: it works very well in low light. The camera resorts to sensitivity values above ISO 100 only when urgently needed, but even a night shot (ISO 232, 1/17 second) demonstrates relatively good performance.
As already mentioned, the camera is good and balanced and will be fine for most scenes.
Telephone part and communications
The smartphone works as standard in modern 2G GSM and 3G WCDMA networks, and there is also support for fourth-generation (4G) networks used in Russia. With a SIM-card of the domestic operator Megafon, a smartphone in practice confidently finds and works with LTE network... The data transfer rate, respectively, in theory can reach up to 150 Mbps of incoming traffic. Support is available from additional network capabilities. Unfortunately, the mode of connecting external devices to the USB port (USB Host, OTG) is not supported here, so flash drives connected via the OTG adapter will not be recognized. The navigation module supports both GPS and domestic Glonass and works very clearly and quickly, there are no problems with this.
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Spontaneous reboots / shutdowns during testing were not observed, as well as slowdowns or freezes of the system. The LED warning sensor here modestly shines with a small whitish dot in the upper left corner of the front panel, unobtrusively signaling various incoming events. The light sensor adjusts the brightness level in automatic mode, but it does not quite correctly.
Drawing letters and numbers virtual keyboards small enough and not too comfortable to operate. The layout and arrangement of the keys is standard: here you can switch languages by pressing a special button with a globe, there is no separate row with numbers - you need to switch the layout every time. The phone application supports Smart Dial, that is, while dialing phone number the search in contacts is carried out immediately.
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OS and software
Alcatel OneTouch Idol 2 mini S is currently running on the Google Android software platform, not the most recent version 4.3. The proprietary shell, stretched over the standard Android interface, here has a rather heavily redesigned and expanded functionality: sections have been added to the settings menu, there are rudiments of gesture support, even such an opportunity as unlocking the screen by tapping has appeared. In general, everything is very familiar from the previous models of the Idol series. The application menu is present in this user interface, most of the already preinstalled applications are carefully arranged in thematic folders by the developers themselves. Creation of folders / groups is supported on desktops.
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As mentioned above, a modification of the smartphone, branded specifically for the Beeline operator, with all the ensuing consequences, visited our test laboratory. The interface of the smartphone has not only special themes with the familiar black and yellow coloring, but also crammed with a mass of all kinds of proprietary applications, which, in general, are not of particular interest. However, it is not difficult to return the interface to its original, more relaxed appearance. In our case, to test all the capabilities of the device, it was also unlocked, and after that it worked perfectly with SIM-cards of other operators, and even registered in LTE networks.
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Performance
The Alcatel OneTouch Idol 2 mini S hardware platform is based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 SoC (MSM8226). The central processor here has 4 ARM Cortex-A7 cores operating at a frequency of 1.2 GHz, although the maximum possible frequency is provided here up to 1.6 GHz (SoC production technology is 28 nm). The device has 1 GB of RAM, and the storage available to the user to upload their own files is about 5 GB out of the nominally designated 8 GB - the rest went to the system itself and applications. The memory can be expanded with microSD cards up to 32 GB. Unfortunately, you won't be able to connect a flash drive via an OTG adapter - the device does not support this mode.
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To get an idea of the performance of the tested smartphone platform, let's run a standard set of tests. We have already tested devices based on SoC MSM8226: a recent and most recent example is the LG G2 mini, which is based on exactly the same platform. For comparison, let's take the results of the same platform, but with a slightly faster core frequency (1.4 GHz, model Asus Padfone E), and also add the results of another similar platform from Qualcomm - Snapdragon 200, which has exactly the same cores and their number the same, but the SoC itself is made using 45 nm technology. This relatively fresh budget platform is called the Snapdragon 200 (MSM8212), and we tested it on the example of the Huawei Ascend G6 smartphone, which is now being advertised on TV with might and main, and the review of which is also already being prepared for release.
All the results obtained by us when testing the smartphone in the latest versions of popular benchmarks, we have summarized in tables for convenience. Several other devices from different segments are usually added to the table, also tested on similar latest versions of benchmarks (this is done only for a visual assessment of the obtained dry numbers). Unfortunately, within the framework of one comparison, it is impossible to present the results from different versions of benchmarks, therefore, many worthy and relevant models remain behind the scenes - due to the fact that they once passed their "obstacle courses" on previous versions of test programs.
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According to the test results, it can be seen that the SoC Snapdragon 400 MSM8226, made using the 28 nm process technology, turned out to be slightly faster in all respects than the SoC Snapdragon 200 MSM8212, which manipulates the same cores, but made using the 45 nm process technology (Huawei G6 platform). The results of the LG G2 mini turned out to be identical, which is logical, because their platforms are the same, and the slightly faster cores of the Asus Padfone E showed a slight superiority, which is also quite logical and meets our expectations.
In general, according to the results of all tests, the Alcatel OneTouch Idol 2 mini S smartphone can be safely attributed to the category of devices with an average, or even slightly above average performance. At the moment, the hardware performance of this smartphone should be enough to perform most of the tasks that any games or other applications from the Google Play Store can deliver.
Test results in MobileXPRT, as well as the latest versions of AnTuTu 4.x and GeekBench 3:
When testing the graphics subsystem in the 3DMark cross-platform test for the most productive smartphones, it is now possible to run 3DMark in Unlimited mode, where the rendering resolution is fixed at 720p and VSync is disabled (due to which the speed can rise above 60 fps).
The results of testing the graphics subsystem in the gaming test Epic Citadel, as well as Basemark X and Bonsai Benchmark:
| Alcatel Idol 2 mini S |
Huawei g6 (Qualcomm Snapdragon 200, 4 ARM cores [email protected], 2 GHz) |
Asus Padfone E (Qualcomm Snapdragon 400, 4 ARM cores [email protected], 4 GHz) |
LG G2 mini (Qualcomm Snapdragon 400, 4 ARM cores [email protected], 2 GHz) |
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| Epic Citadel, High Quality | 57.7 fps | 54.4 fps | 56.8 fps | 57.1 fps |
| Epic Citadel, Ultra High Quality | 47.3 fps | 34.8 fps | 33.0 fps | 48.7 fps |
| Bonsai benchmark | 30 fps / 2139 | 16 fps / 1115 | 25 fps / 1779 | 31 fps / 2197 |
| Basemark X, Medium Quality | 4561 | 3488 | 4579 | 4323 |
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Video playback
To test the "omnivorous" video playback (including support for various codecs, containers and special features, such as subtitles), we used the most common formats that make up the bulk of the content available on the Web. Note that for mobile devices it is important to have support for hardware video decoding at the chip level, since it is often impossible to process modern versions at the expense of processor cores alone. Also, do not expect a mobile device to decode everything, since the leadership in flexibility belongs to the PC, and no one is going to challenge it. All results are summarized in a single table.
According to the test results, the Alcatel OneTouch Idol 2 mini S was not equipped with all the necessary decoders, in this case sound ones, which are necessary for full playback of most of the most common files on the network. To play them successfully, you will have to resort to using a third-party player - for example, MX Player. True, in it, you will first have to change the settings, switching from hardware decoding to software or to a new mode called Hardware +(not supported by all smartphones), only then the sound will appear. All results are summarized in a single table.
| Format | Container, video, sound | MX Video Player | Native video player |
| DVDRip | AVI, XviD 720 × 400 2200 Kbps, MP3 + AC3 | reproduced normally | reproduced normally |
| Web-DL SD | AVI, XviD 720 × 400 1400 Kbps, MP3 + AC3 | reproduced normally | reproduced normally |
| Web-DL HD | MKV, H.264 1280 × 720 3000Kbps, AC3 | Hardware + | |
| BDRip 720p | MKV, H.264 1280 × 720 4000 Kbps, AC3 | plays fine with decoder Hardware + | video plays fine, no sound¹ |
| BDRip 1080p | MKV, H.264 1920 × 1080 8000Kbps, AC3 | plays fine with decoder Hardware + | video plays fine, no sound¹ |
¹ the sound in MX Video Player was only played after switching to software decoding or to a new mode Hardware +; the standard player does not have such a setting
We did not find the MHL interface, as well as Mobility DisplayPort, in this smartphone, so we had to limit ourselves to testing the display of video files on the screen of the device itself. To do this, we used a set of test files with an arrow and a rectangle moving one division per frame (see "Testing techniques for video playback and display devices. Version 1 (for mobile devices)"). Screenshots with an exposure of 1 s helped to determine the nature of the frame output of video files with different parameters: the resolution varied (1280 by 720 (720p) and 1920 by 1080 (1080p) pixels) and the frame rate (24, 25, 30, 50 and 60 frames / with). In our tests we used the MX Player video player in the "Hardware +" mode. The test results are summarized in the table:
Note: If both columns Uniformity and Skips green ratings are set, this means that, most likely, when watching movies, artifacts caused by uneven alternation and skipping of frames will either not be visible at all, or their number and visibility will not affect the viewing comfort. Red marks indicate possible problems with the playback of the respective files.
In general, according to the criterion for outputting frames, the quality of video files playback on the screen of the smartphone itself is good, since frames (or groups of frames) can be displayed with more or less uniform intervals of intervals and, with rare exceptions, without frame drops. When playing 720p and 1080p video files with an aspect ratio of 16: 9, the image of the video file itself is displayed exactly at the edge of the screen. The brightness range displayed on the screen corresponds to the standard range of 16-235 - all shades are displayed in the shadows and highlights.
Battery life
The capacity of the lithium-ion battery installed in the Alcatel OneTouch Idol 2 mini S is small for a modern smartphone 2000 mAh. However, according to the test results, the subject did not hit his face in the dirt, demonstrating a very decent battery life in various standard use cases. The device even bypassed most direct competitors in this matter, except for mini-models Samsung and LG - Korean modern smartphones have recently demonstrated the best optimization in terms of energy consumption.
Continuous reading in the FBReader program (with a standard, light theme) at the minimum comfortable brightness level (the brightness was set to 100 cd / m²) lasted almost 16 hours until the battery was completely discharged. When you continuously watch high quality (HQ) YouTube videos at the same brightness level over your home Wi-Fi network the device lasted about 9 hours, and in 3D games mode - about 4 hours. The smartphone charges quickly enough: it takes less than 2 hours to fully charge.
Outcome
As for the cost of the Alcatel OneTouch Idol 2 mini S - or rather, the best configuration of this device (6036Y), with LTE and NFC support, which we tested, it is offered on the domestic market only as a branded device of the domestic operator Beeline. Such a smartphone costs 7,990 rubles, which is a couple of thousand more expensive than the previous mini-model of the Alcatel Idol series, which was recently advertised on television by actor Konstantin Khabensky. And nevertheless, even this price seems to be quite acceptable for such a nice, compact, but powerful enough and technically advanced solid mid-range device. For small money by the standards of the domestic market, the user receives a very high-quality product with solid materials of manufacture, indisputable assembly, productive hardware filling, a well-thought-out screen for its level, which allows the device itself to remain within a comfortable hand framework. Finally, we can state that not only among the "shovels" have begun to appear very solid mobile devices that meet most modern technical requirements, such as the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact or even more affordable hero of today's review - the Alcatel OneTouch Idol 2 mini S smartphone.
Contents of delivery:
- Telephone
- Charger with USB cable
- Wired stereo headset
- Instructions
Positioning
Alcatel has always tried to present models for those who are smart about choosing a phone - that is, they are not ready to overpay for a big name, but require good body materials, performance and standard features. Not the cheapest devices, but optimal in terms of price / quality ratio. Therefore, having presented the Idol line, the company gradually expanded it from Idol Ultra to a very sophisticated Idol X (in fact, an analogue of the S4 in terms of characteristics, but not at all in terms of cost), and also presented a simplified version of the device - Idol Mini. It is quite typical for manufacturers to copy names and techniques that they have learned from each other, so the Mini prefix has settled in relation to many devices on the market, from various vendors.
In my opinion, the Idol Mini has an undoubted advantage in its price segment - it is the quality of the body materials, it looks much more expensive than it actually is. It can be easily compared with models that cost twice as much. And this is the most important point that this phone will sell.
For those looking for a small smartphone for calls, games and applications that fits well in the hand, it costs quite a bit, this device offers everything you could think of. A balanced solution that fits in the hand and captivates with just that. The model needs to be touched in real life to understand her charm.
It is perfect for girls, as well as young people - those who, in fact, are careful about their spending. For schoolchildren, the model will also be good, but we can say for sure that its capabilities, maybe even excessive. While it's common to see first-graders with iPhones today, every school has its own fashions and parenting choices for their kids. In short, speaking about the Idol Mini, one must bear in mind that it is basically a youth device - bright, balanced, and reasonable in cost.
Design, dimensions, controls
First you need to figure out the versions of the device, since there are several of them. In the 6012X variant, this is a single-SIM device with a microSD slot, the built-in memory is 4 GB. The 6012D already has two SIM cards, 8 GB of internal memory and no microSD slot. It is possible that the presence of two SIM-cards for many is seen as an advantage, but with one radio module it is not so important. For me, the presence of memory cards is more important.
The phone measures 127x62x8 mm and weighs 96 grams. Slim body, fits well in the hand. The back of the apparatus is made of soft plastic, while three colors are available - black with a silver back, black with a pink back, black with a dark blue back.
The case is monolithic, as a result, the battery cannot be changed. On the right side there is a slot for SIM-card number one; it has a microSIM form-factor, just like the second one. Unlike the older models, the covers are not made of alloy, they are plastic and are attached to the body.
Comparison with Alcatel Idol S
Comparison with Alcatel Idol X
Comparison with Samsung Galaxy Ace 3
There is a paired volume rocker on the left side. The bottom end is occupied by a microUSB connector, while at the top we see a 3.5 headset connector and an on / off button.
On the front surface above the screen there is a light sensor and a proximity indicator. There are no mechanical buttons, as in the previous devices, these are three touch-sensitive keys. For those who have used Samsung devices in recent years, it will be unusual that the return key is moved to the left, that is, the location is mirrored.
On the back there is a 5-megapixel camera lens, right there is an LED flash that can be used as a flashlight. You can also see the speaker hole at the bottom.
I would also like to dwell on the fact that the materials that the engineers used for this device deserve a separate reminder. This plastic with a high level of wear resistance, Alcatel adores it - phones retain their appearance for a long time.
Display
The phone is equipped with a 4.3-inch IPS-matrix with a resolution of 480x854 pixels, which is typical for many models in this price range. But, as a rule, the quality of such screens is much worse, they are inferior in brightness and color rendering.
There is a light sensor that can adjust the backlight automatically.
The screen fades in the sun, but not much, remains readable. The screen type is capacitive, up to 5 simultaneous clicks are supported.
In general, the quality of the screen is excellent for its price segment, there are no complaints.
Battery
The battery is non-removable, lithium-polymer (Li-Pol), capacity - 1700 mAh. According to the manufacturer, in the talk mode the device works on average 12 hours in 3G and 20 hours in 2G, and in standby mode - up to 540 hours, respectively (2G). Music playing time - 36 hours.
During normal use of the device (one hour of calls, two hours of music, about an hour social networks, a few photos) it is quite enough for daylight hours. With a lesser load - for a day. In the most difficult scenario, he will work with two SIM cards until 5-6 pm. Time to fully charge the battery is 2 hours (up to 90 percent - 1 hour 30 minutes).
Memory and memory card
The smartphone is equipped with 512 MB of RAM, with an average of about 300 MB free after the device is loaded. 4 GB is allocated for data storage in the single-SIM version, but about 2 GB is available (in the dual-SIM version, 8 GB in total, 5.6 GB is available). The single-symbol model has a slot for a microSD memory card. The maximum size is 32 GB.
Performance
It uses a MediaTek MT6572 chipset, a dual-core 1.3 GHz processor. The Mali MP400 acts as a graphics accelerator.
You can run almost any complex toys or applications on your smartphone.
Information from various applications and performance tests:
Camera
The camera interface has been redesigned in favor of simplification, you can enable HDR mode, get a panorama, turn off the flash, but that's all. You can take pictures by pressing the screen, focusing occurs at the point of pressing, then the device takes a picture. The maximum image resolution is 5 megapixels.
Video recording is supported in 720p resolution, up to 30 frames per second.
The final conclusion about the camera is typical for budget devices, there are not enough stars from the sky. Many second-tier manufacturers offer high-quality 8-megapixel modules, which shoot very well, everything is quite simple and ordinary here.
Communication capabilities
The phones operate in 2G (GSM / GPRS / EDGE, 850/900/1800/1900 MHz) and 3G (900/2100 MHz) cellular networks. Available Bluetooth version 4.0 for file and voice transmission. 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. There is a not very popular WiFi Display function, when you can transmit a signal from your phone to another device over Wi-Fi. Traditionally, there is a Wi-Fi Direct function.
Software Features - Android 4.2.2
In Idol X, Alcatel introduces its software shell for the first time, which may be perceived ambiguously by many, as people often prefer "naked" Android and are quite satisfied with its capabilities. This device is completely similar to Idol X in terms of software and add-ons over Android.
Without unlocking the device, you can view the weather forecast for the current day by pulling down to see the forecast for three days. The icons are pretty cute. Scroll the screen to the right, there will be a calendar and a to-do list for the current day (you won't be able to enter tasks or look at another day). You can also see the status line, it is also available when the screen is locked, if there is no security key or digital code.
The fundamental difference between Alcatel's approach and other shells is that they decided to abandon a separate menu for all applications. The main screen contains a weather widget and several icons. This is the starting point. Scroll the screens to the left, and there will be widgets that you install. We go to the right, and these will be program icons, also some programs have already been removed to folders, this was done by the manufacturer. You get used to such an organization instantly, it is somewhat logical and definitely has the right to life.
The settings menu now has its own settings, for example, the super-saving mode for the battery. The menu itself is also redesigned in white, which is pretty nice. In our video I am talking about most of the applications in the device and what has changed in comparison with the previous models, I don’t want to repeat myself.
Then I could dwell on each program, describe it, but I don't see much sense in this, this is a smartphone, and this software is usually known or I touched on it in the video. So see the screenshots below.
Another part that I want to describe separately is the multimedia capabilities. The device supports unconverted video, but the chipset does not handle 1080p well, often there is out-of-sync audio or none at all. In terms of music formats, there is FLAC support in addition to regular mp3 and a number of others.
A good screen, but the shortcomings of the chipset do not make it possible to watch any files, in this aspect the Galaxy S4 Mini is more omnivorous and can handle a larger number of formats and files. On the other hand, these are still models of different price ranges.
Impressions
From the point of view of the connection quality, there are no complaints about the device, the ringtone volume is excellent, it can be heard even from the bag. Due to the thickness of the case, the vibration alert feels unusual, you often don't notice it. There are no complaints about the quality of speech transmission.
The price for the version with one SIM-card is about 6,000 rubles, with two - about 7,000 rubles. This looks like a fairly sensible proposal, since even though there are similar models in this price segment, their appearance, body materials look much worse, inferior to Idol Mini.
I really liked this device for many reasons - it is smart for its class, despite the small amount of memory, it is quite well thought-out, it is convenient to use it. This is a solution for those who want to get a smartphone out of the box and start using it without thinking about additional options that are there, but which you usually don't get to.
Launching younger versions of flagship smartphone models has long been a sign of good taste among most representatives of the mobile industry. The first to come to mind are Samsung, HTC and even Apple, with their sometimes obsessive attitude towards positioning their own products in the market. The list can be continued, but the essence will remain unchanged - the release of a smaller copy of the flagship gadget is nothing more than a signal to buyers: "Look, we offer an advanced product with many advantages, but for less money!" This step allows you to attract more potential buyers and cover new market segments. But the main thing is that over time, attracted users who want to reach a new level may turn their attention to more expensive branded products.
In our case, we are talking about TCL Communication. This Chinese industrial giant, after the complete buyout in 2005 of the mobile business of the famous French manufacturer Alcatel-Lucent, began to confidently conquer the European mobile market. Using the experience of its direct competitors, and clearly following the prevailing conjuncture, already at the end of 2013, following its first flagship model ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL, its youngest copy - compact, designed in the same style - was successfully presented on the market.
How good is the product? What compromises did the engineers have to make when creating the scaled-down version? Is it worth saving and how will this affect the quality and productivity in the end? We have to answer all these and other questions in the review of ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI.
Specifications
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Manufacturer |
TCL Communication |
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ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI (6012D) |
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Type, form factor |
Smartphone, candy bar |
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Communication standards |
850/900/1800/1900 MHz |
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900/2100 MHz |
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High speed data transfer |
GPRS (32-48 Kbps), EDGE (236 Kbps), HSDPA (up to 42.2 Mbps), HSUPA (up to 5.76 Mbps) |
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SIM card type |
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CPU |
MediaTek MT6572: 2 cores (ARM Cortex-A7), up to 1.3 GHz, 256 KB L2 cache, 28 nm process technology |
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Graphics adapter |
ARM Mali-400 MP1: up to 500 MHz, support for OpenGL ES 2.0, OpenVG 1.1 |
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4.3 ", 854 x 480 pixels (228 ppi), IPS, touch (capacitive), multi-touch up to 5 touches, protective glass, oleophobic coating |
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RAM |
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4 GB (one SIM card 6012X), 8 GB (two SIM cards 6012D) |
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Card reader |
microSD up to 32 GB (6012X only) |
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1 or 2 x Micro-SIM 1 x 3.5mm audio mini-jack |
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Multimedia |
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Microphone |
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Additionally |
Wideband Audio (HD Voice) |
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The main |
5 MP, HDR support, f / 2.8 aperture, autofocus, face detection, single LED flash, 720p 30fps video recording |
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Frontal |
0.3 MP, f / 3.0 aperture, 480p 30fps video recording |
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Communication capabilities |
802.11 b / g / n (2.4 GHz) (Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Hotspot) |
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Navigation |
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Accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, light sensor, digital compass |
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Battery |
Lithium-ion, non-removable: 1700 mAh |
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Charger |
Input: 100 ~ 240 VAC ex. at 50/60 Hz Output: DC 5V e.g. 1.3 A |
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127.1 x 62 x 7.9 mm |
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Gray, silver, pink |
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Operating system |
Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean + proprietary shell |
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Official guarantee |
12 months |
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Products webpage |
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Delivery and packaging
The ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI smartphone came to us for testing in the form of an engineering sample, so there is no need to talk about the quality of the package contents and possible accessories. But if you turn to the manufacturer's website for help, you can find out the following useful information. On sale on store shelves in a box with a smartphone should be:
- Charger;
- USB cable;
- wired headset;
- quick user guide.
As we can see, no frills, everything is pretty standard. This is quite natural, considering which price segment this model belongs to.
Appearance, arrangement of elements
Externally, ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI looks pretty nice. The smartphone is a classic candy bar and has a rectangular shape with slightly rounded edges.
The case is made in a non-separable form, and visually it can be divided into two parts: the front side with the display and the back cover, which includes the sides. The front side is completely black. There are no emblems, names or other tinsel here. This gives the design austerity and looks pretty nice. The display is safely hidden behind a protective glass, which is framed by a thin and elegant glossy edging, which slightly rises above the screen.
At the top is the earpiece mesh and the front camera lens. An event indicator was found near them, as well as proximity and lighting sensors.
Three touch-sensitive buttons are located under the display: "Menu", "Home" and "Back". When the screen is locked, they are not visible, and "wake up" only after the start of use. They use low brightness white backlighting, which is not annoying or distracting when working at night.
In production models of the smartphone, an oleophobic coating is applied to the screen, but it was not found in our engineering sample. Therefore, the display got quite dirty and often had to be wiped clean.
On the top of the device are: the power button and a 3.5 mm audio jack for a headset. It is worth noting that the above-mentioned button is located in the right place and allows you to operate the power-on process by holding the smartphone with one hand.
The volume rocker is located on the left side edge.
On the right, under tight rubber-band caps, there are two slots for SIM-cards.
A micro-USB port and a microphone hole found their place on the bottom edge of the smartphone.
The back of the ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI case is made of high quality plastic. It has a brushed metal texture and is very pleasant to the touch. The rear panel is painted in a complex semi-gloss gray-blue color, the hue of which depends on the lighting. In terms of design, it looks pretty good. It should also be noted that the device is sold on the market in several colors of the rear panel. We are offered a choice: gray, silver and pink colors. In our opinion, such a solution will appeal not only to men, but also to the fair half.
At the very top of the rear side of the body is the main camera lens, framed by a chrome-plated metal rim. Nearby is a one-piece LED flash and a noise canceling microphone. In the center is part of the name of the smartphone model - "ONETOUCH". In the lower right corner, you can see the speaker grill, above which part of the brand name - "ALCATEL" is applied.
However, in the course of testing, we found a very unpleasant moment. The design of the main camera protrudes unnecessarily, so its chrome bezel is highly susceptible to mechanical stress.
The good distinguishing side of the smartphone is its low weight (96 g) and very modest dimensions (127.1 x 62 x 7.9 mm). Compared to the flagship ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL (size - 133 x 67.5 x 7.9 mm and weight - 110 g), this makes it easy to hold the device in one hand, almost not feeling it. The size of the screen also contributes to this. As you know, the 4.3-inch diagonal has long been recognized among manufacturers as a kind of reference option. So to speak, the right compromise between size and convenience, which positively affects the overall ergonomics when using the device.
On sale ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI is available in two versions. In the first case, this is a model with one SIM-card and 4 GB of internal memory (6012X), which has support for microSD cards. In the other - a version with two SIM-cards and 8 GB of internal memory (6012D), but without a slot for memory cards. We got an engineering sample for testing, the distinctive side of which was the presence of only 4 GB of memory, despite the support of two SIM-cards.
As for the build quality, it is at a pretty decent level. The body has good rigidity, and nothing squeaks in it. The only thing that upset us a little was the small gaps, especially between the front glass and its edging, where dust accumulates over time.
Summing up the intermediate results, we can say that ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI is a rather convenient device to use. The gadget has a good design, which is a classic of the genre, as well as good ergonomics. Yes, it cannot boast of advanced stylistic solutions, but overall the smartphone leaves a pleasant impression.
The ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI model is equipped with a 4.3-inch IPS-screen with a resolution of 480 x 854 pixels. At the same time, the pixel density is 228 ppi, which is a good indicator, which provides a fairly good image detail. Yes, if you look closely, you can distinguish between individual pixels, but this state of affairs can be seen not in all display modes. The only serious complaint from our side is the low definition of the fonts, which sometimes look a little blurry.
But otherwise, we have a good and high-quality IPS-display. Matrices of this type are traditionally characterized by excellent viewing angles, high contrast and pleasant color rendering. Our case was no exception, although the color temperature noticeably goes towards cold shades. The backlight of the display should be noted separately. It has a good dimming range and high brightness, which allows you to work even outdoors on a sunny day. But the minimum level is slightly higher than what is required by comfortable work in the dark. There are no additional screen backlight settings.
The display unit of the smartphone is made using OGS technology, that is, there is no air gap between the glass and the screen. This makes the picture more detailed and the colors brighter. The absence of any obstacles between the finger and the display creates the effect that the image can be actually touched. But it will not be superfluous to warn potential buyers that if such a screen fails or the glass is damaged, repairing a smartphone will cost much more, since the entire display unit must be replaced.
The built-in multi-touch sensor handles up to five simultaneous screen taps. The display is very sensitive and responds even to light touches, but there is no support for working with gloves.
It is worth noting the very good response time, which will not be superfluous in games. Despite the lack of an oleophobic coating in our test device, the sliding of fingers on the protective glass is quite pleasant and does not cause discomfort. In general, there are no serious complaints about the display of the ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI smartphone: everything is done at a good level.
The device is equipped with a single multimedia speaker located on the back of the device. It is loud enough and delivers quite good sound in almost the entire available range. Only when the sound level approaches the maximum value, slight distortions appear in the sound stream.
This state of affairs allows you to use your smartphone for games, watching videos on the Internet, making calls and notifications without using any additional devices. For real music lovers, we recommend buying good headphones or an external media system.
ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI has a built-in radio module that allows you to listen to FM radio stations operating in the frequency range from 87.5 to 108 MHz. Traditionally, to turn on the radio, it is necessary to connect a headset, which is used as an antenna.
There are no complaints about the conversational dynamics. He copes well with his direct responsibilities. The sound is good and moderately loud (considering the quality of the operator and the state of the interlocutor's phone), which ensures a pleasant voice transmission.
Camera
The presence of several digital cameras in the current smartphone has long been a surprise. The ability to take beautiful pictures of a beautiful landscape on vacation or a newfangled selfie in the bathroom are already standard requirements for modern gadgets.
The tested ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI is also equipped with two digital cameras - the main one and the front one.
The main one has a 5-megapixel module with an f / 2.8 aperture. It is equipped with a one-section LED flash, autofocus and face recognition, and is also capable of shooting video up to 720p at 30 fps. Truth, high quality the captured video cannot boast. Also, the camera can work in widescreen mode, but the matrix resolution is reduced to 3.7 megapixels.
The quality of the resulting photos is average, but if you delve into the settings and choose the optimal lighting conditions, you can get quite good copies. In other cases, one cannot count on really high-quality images. Despite the seemingly good indicators of the matrix resolution, the image detail is at an average level. The camera noticeably distorts the color rendition, and the white balance strives to go into cold shades. There is also a lack of dynamic range, and even the presence of an HDR shooting mode does not save the situation.
The only advantage of the smartphone's front camera is the fact that it is present in this unit. Otherwise, this is a weak 0.3-megapixel module with an aperture of f / 3.0, fixed focus and the ability to record video in 480p format.
The software that is responsible for controlling the operation of the cameras is of a good level of performance and an intuitive interface. The menu is made in the same style as the entire proprietary shell of the operating system. It has a simple and concise design, as well as easy access to settings, the location of which is remembered after the first use. Unfortunately, there is a small set of functions available in the menu. But if we take into account the level of the device, then the situation, in our opinion, is quite justified.
Examples of photography
Examples of filming
An example of daytime shooting from a smartphone ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI in 720p resolution with basic settings
User interface
ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI comes to the shelves of stores with a pre-installed operating Android system 4.2.2 Jelly Bean.
The interface, already familiar to many, is complemented by a slightly stripped-down proprietary shell, which has not yet received its own name. Visually, it looks very attractive, but in terms of functionality it differs little from pure Android, except for a small number of additional functions. These include the device's power saving mode and support for some gestures for handling incoming calls, an alarm clock and a music player.
If the smartphone is locked, you can see the time, weather and calendar on the display. This information is invoked by swiping to the side. You can unlock the device using the context menu in the form of a circle, which allows you to get not only to the main screen, but also to launch the digital camera mode, as well as to access messages and phone book.
Quite an interesting solution is the idea of dividing the available smartphone desktops into specific tasks. So, to the left of the initial screen is a table for widgets (there is no vertical scrolling), and to the right is with application icons, some of which are already distributed into folders. However, the user has the ability to sort the content at his own discretion. When you swipe up from the bottom of the Home screen and desktops with applications, a menu opens with shortcuts to all programs installed on the device.
In general, the smartphone interface leaves a pleasant impression. The speed of its work does not cause significant complaints and is very fast, although in some cases there is a slight slowdown.
The really controversial aspects of the operating system of the ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI model include a large number of pre-installed software and all kinds of games. On the one hand, an experienced user who has bought a new gadget for himself will be able to install all the necessary applications on his own, so the memory clogged to capacity on the smartphone will cause him at best bewilderment and will require additional time to remove unnecessary programs. On the other hand, for beginners and inexperienced Android users, the pre-installed set of programs will be more of an advantage than a disadvantage, since it will allow you to start using the device right out of the box. By the way, it is worth noting that Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, according to the manufacturer, is the only and final version of the operating system for this device, so you shouldn't wait for updates to 4.4 or at least 4.3.
Hardware platform and performance
ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI is based on a 2-core MediaTek MT6572 processor with a maximum clock speed of 1.3 GHz and an L2 cache of 256 KB. Its performance level can be described as average. The processor is based on the ARM Cortex-A7 microarchitecture using a 28nm process technology.
An ARM Mali-400 MP1 with one cluster (core), an operating clock frequency of 500 MHz and support for OpenGL ES 2.0 and OpenVG 1.1 is used as integrated graphics. Recall that the smartphone is on sale in two versions. The first is equipped with 4 GB of internal memory, of which 2 GB will be available to the user. The second has 8 GB, but only 5.6 GB will be available to the user. It is also worth recalling that devices with 4 GB of internal memory support microSD memory cards up to 32 GB.
The amount of RAM ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI is only 512 MB. The consequence of this is unstable work heavy applications, especially games.
Some demanding programs refuse to start, others may crash if there are already running applications in the device's memory. Therefore, there is no need to talk about multitasking. The overall weak performance level is clearly visible in gaming tests. Demanding games like Dead Trigger 2 and Asphalt 8 work relatively well only at low graphics settings.
There is heating of the smartphone body under active load, but it is not critical, although it may seem a little unpleasant to some.
Thus, in terms of performance, ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI lacks stars from the sky and is clearly focused on performing everyday tasks and launching undemanding games. If you do not set insurmountable heights in front of it, then the resources of the device will be quite enough and working with it will not cause serious inconvenience.
Communication and communications
The smartphone can work with many modern mobile networks: GSM, WCDMA / HSPA +. The only thing that ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI cannot boast of is support for new generation high-speed networks - 4G LTE.
The dual SIM version of the smartphone works according to the Dual SIM Dual Standby standard. This means that the device has only one radio module, so when talking from one SIM card the second one will be temporarily unavailable. During the tests conducted, the call quality and voice transmission were at a good level: there were no interruptions or spontaneous drops. However, it should be noted that this also depends on the carrier used.
The set of communication capabilities is represented by Bluetooth 4.0 modules with support for A2DP and Wi-Fi 802.11 b / g / n (2.4 GHz). There are also Wi-Fi Direct and Wi-Fi Hotspot functions.
Additionally, ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI is equipped with a GPS module with A-GPS support. The quality of his work is at a good level: searching for satellites and connecting to them takes only half a minute. On average, there were about 7 pieces during testing. At the same time, the accuracy of determining the location reached an error of only 3 meters.
Autonomous work
The device under test is equipped with a 1700 mAh non-removable lithium-ion battery. When performing everyday tasks (surfing the Internet, checking mail, listening to music), this is enough for more than a day of work offline.
Let's move on to the test results. While watching HD video at 50% display brightness and Wi-Fi and GPS modules turned on, the smartphone worked for almost 7 hours. In the case of a game simulation using the game Dead Trigger 2 ("Shelter", medium graphics settings) - the device lasted 3 hours and 46 minutes at 100% display brightness and enabled Wi-Fi and GPS modules. To restore the original condition of the battery charge, you need to spend 3.5 hours.
Outcomes
Paying attention to any copy, even made with love for detail, the buyer involuntarily asks the question: “Is it worth it? Perhaps the original is better? "
Launching the world, TCL Communication, knowingly or not, doomed its junior model to this comparison. Therefore, it is natural that the desire to clarify the situation reached our test laboratory. At the beginning of the review, we posed a number of questions to which, after conducting a comprehensive study, we will try to provide answers.
So, we have before us a light and compact smartphone ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI with a nice design. It has a 4.3-inch IPS-screen with good viewing angles, high-quality backlighting and an oleophobic coating (in the commercial version), which is safely hidden under protective glass. The body of the novelty is made soundly and has comfortable ergonomics, therefore, control the main functions and navigate in operating system with one hand. The audio subsystem of ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI also deserves a positive review: the multimedia speaker is moderately loud, with a pleasant sound practically on the entire range. Conversational speaker provides high-quality sound transmission. We should not forget about the presence of all the necessary network modules, the work of which does not cause any complaints, as well as the support of quite capacious battery... The advantages of a smartphone include the presence of a model with support for two SIM-cards.
Now about the sad things. While reducing the ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI and driving it into the price range, the engineers still had to make a number of unpopular compromises. The most striking of these is the support for only 512 MB of RAM. This will be enough to perform typical daily tasks, but you will not play resource-intensive games anymore. The quality of the camera modules is also not particularly impressive. True, all this allowed us to put a good price tag on the device.
In the dry end. Is it worth spending 2300 UAH? ($ 190) now and buy ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL MINI or save up for a more powerful model in the ALCATEL ONETOUCH IDOL line? It is ultimately up to the potential buyer to decide. From our side, we just add that the tested smartphone is a fairly high-quality solution with an average level of performance, so if you are not a fan of heavy Android games and can easily do without a dozen simultaneously running applications, then it deserves your attention.
Advantages:
- quite pleasant appearance and comfortable ergonomics;
- good build quality;
- compact size and weight;
- protective glass on the screen with an oleophobic coating (in the commercial version);
- good 4.3-inch IPS-display, made using OGS technology;
- high responsiveness of the touch pad;
- good sound quality of multimedia and spoken speakers;
- good battery life;
- availability of necessary network modules;
- the ability to work with two SIM-cards (in the 6012D version);
- affordable cost.
Disadvantages:
- mediocre camera modules;
- the presence of only 512 MB of RAM.
We express our gratitude to TCL Communication for the smartphone provided for testing.
All prices for Alcatel + One + Touch + Idol + Mini + 6012DArticle read 3635 times
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