Alcatel makes new 5, 3 and 1 series phones official, topping out at €229 and focusing on value
It's all about features for the money.
Alcatel gave us an early look at its new range of phones back at CES - comprised of an Alcatel 5 at the high end, plus the Alcatel 3 series and Alcatel 1 series below, all being pitched as providing great value under a250.
Now at MWC 2018, we have some actual pricing and availability details for us to go along with our initial impressions of the group.
The Alcatel 5 is the main device that may get a few people interested in this 2018 lineup, though now in the same ways that made the Alcatel Idol 3 and Idol 4 interesting. Alcatel is going increasingly budget-focused with the 5, setting the price at just a229.
Even at that price you're getting a brushed metal body, 5.7-inch 18:9 aspect ratio display, USB-C and dual front-facing cameras. Also somewhat surprising at this price point is the inclusion of both a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor and a new face unlock mode.
| Category | Spec |
|---|---|
| Operating system | Android 7.1 Nougat |
| Display | 5.7-inch IPS, 1440 x 720 (18:9) |
| Processor | MT6750 octa-core 1.5GHz |
| Storage | 16/32GB (depending on model) |
| Expandable | MicroSD up to 32GB |
| RAM | 2/3GB (depending on model) |
| Rear camera | 12MP, 1.25-micron, f/2.2, dual-tone flash, HDR |
| Front camera 1 | 13MP, 1.4-micron, f/2 |
| Front camera 2 | 5MP, 120-degree lens |
| Connectivity | LTE Cat 4, 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, GPS |
| Battery | 3000mAh |
| Charging | USB-C |
| Security | Fingerprint sensor, Face Key unlock |
| Dimensions | 152.3 x 71.1 x 8.4 mm, 144g |
The Alcatel 3 isn't just one phone ... but rather three: there's the Alcatel 3V, 3X and 3, all with slightly different combinations of features and at slightly different prices. These all fall under a200, but are designed to offer a higher-end look with an 18:9 display and key features like fingerprint sensors. The 3V has a 6-inch 2160x1080 screen, the 3X has a 5.7-inch 1440x720 screen and the bottom-end 3 comes with a 5.5-inch 1440x720 screen. (A little confusing, I know.)
Both the 3V and 3X have dual rear cameras, with the secondary lens providing wide-angle shots. All three have extremely basic plastic hardware design, and you'll be stuck with a Micro-USB port for charging. Pricing is all extremely close together on these models, but they're all launching in "select markets" so it wouldn't be surprising to see little overlap between the models. The Alcatel 3V will set you back just a189, with the 3X at a179 and the 3 at a149.
| Category | Alcatel 3V | Alcatel 3X | Alcatel 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Android Oreo | Android Nougat | Android Oreo |
| Display | 6-inch, 2160x1080 (18:9) | 5.7-inch, 1440x720 (18:9) | 5.5-inch, 1440x720 (18:9) |
| Processor | MT8735A quad-core 1.45GHz | MT6739 quad-core 1.28GHz | MT6739 quad-core 1.28GHz |
| Storage | 16/32GB | 16/32GB | 16GB |
| Expandable | MicroSD up to 128GB | MicroSD up to 128GB | MicroSD up to 128GB |
| RAM | 2GB | 2/3GB | 2GB |
| Rear camera 1 | 12MP, 1.25-micron, f/2.2, PDAF, LED flash | 13MP, 1.12-micron, f/2 | 13MP, 1.12-micron, f/2, PDAF, LED flash |
| Rear camera 2 | 2MP, 1.25-micron, f/2.4 | 5MP, 1.12-micron, f/2.2, 120-degree lens | n/a |
| Front camera | 5MP, LED flash | 5MP, LED flash | 5MP, LED flash |
| Connectivity | LTE, 802.11n Wi-Fi Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, NFC | LTE, 802.11n Wi-Fi Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, NFC | LTE, 802.11n Wi-Fi Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, NFC |
| Battery | 3000mAh | 3000mAh | 3000mAh |
| Charging | Micro-USB | Micro-USB | Micro-USB |
| Security | Fingerprint sensor Face Key unlock | Fingerprint sensor Face Key unlock | Fingerprint sensor Face Key unlock |
| Dimensions | 162 x 76 x 8.05 mm 155g | 153.5 x 71.6 x 8.5mm 144g | 147.1 x 68.8 x 8.5mm 145g |
While technically the "Alcatel 1 series," there's just one model in the series right now: the Alcatel 1X. This isn't really the type of phone we normally get excited about for ourselves, but is interesting from the perspective that it's the company's first Android Go (or "Go edition") phone running Google's lightweight version of Android Oreo. For just a99, or a109 in a dual-SIM variant, the Alcatel 1X gives you a solid build with a neat soft suede-like back and unexpected features like a fingerprint sensor and a more modern looking 18:9 display.
Alcatel isn't known for having great software or keeping its phones up to date with the latest releases, and having Android Go on board here should help with both of those aspects.
| Category | Spec |
|---|---|
| Operating system | Android 8.1 Oreo (Go edition) |
| Display | 5.3-inch, 960x480 (18:9) |
| Processor | MT6739 quad-core 1.28GHz |
| Storage | 16GB |
| Expandable | MicroSD up to 32GB |
| RAM | 1/2GB (depending on model) |
| Rear camera | 8MP or 13MP (depending on model) 1.12-micron, 1/4" sensor, f/2.0, auto focus 1080p 30 video |
| Front camera | 5MP, fixed focus, flash, 720p 30 video |
| Connectivity | LTE Cat 4, 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, GPS |
| Battery | 2460mAh |
| Charging | Micro-USB |
| Security | Fingerprint sensor, Face Key unlock |
| Dimensions | 147.5 x 70.6 x 9.1 mm, 151g |
Alcatel doesn't have specific country availability for each of the models just yet, but my best guess would be that only the Alcatel 5 will make its way to North America - the rest will be slated for more emerging markets where prices this low are all but required. The Alcatel 5 is already hitting some markets at the end of February, while the 3 series is coming in March and the 1 series is waiting until April.