Alcatel 3V, in-depth analysis with features and price

The trends in mobile devices are no longer exclusive to the high-end. Today we can find inexpensive terminals with good design, widescreen and double cameras, all without sacrificing other system specifications. The recently presented Alcatel 3V is proof of this, a terminal with high-end similarities, but for a price of about 160 euros. Do you want to know more about it? Here's our full review with an opinion of the Alcatel 3V .

Design, plastic can be stylish

Design is one of the best aspects of the Alcatel 3V. The device is made of polycarbonate. We see it in its back, as well as in the frames. The front, of course, is completely glass. In the back area we see a mirror finish, which gives the sensation of being made of glass until we hold it in our hand. Even so, it gives us a very good feeling. We see a double camera in an upright position, with a dual-toned LED flash on the side. Below, the fingerprint reader and Alcatel logo. We must emphasize that the rear has a slight curvature that provides a better grip in hand.On the other hand, the mirror finish can be very striking, but it still has a lot of traces. Of course, the manufacturer has included a cover in the box, and although it does not seem to protect the terminal very well, it makes the back not scratch, or fingerprints remain.

The front includes the trend of 18: 9 with rounded corners on screen. The frames are quite thin, although a better use would have made the device a bit more compact. In the lower zone we find nothing. Upper part the speaker for calls, front camera, a notification LED and sensors. And what about the sides? As we have mentioned, they are made of polycarbonate, although they give the feeling of a more premium finish. On the other hand, thanks to the rear curvature. In the right area we find the power button, in a good position for the finger and with a rough texture that makes it easier to find. Just above, the tray for the SIM cards. In the right area we find the volume button. On the other hand, the headphone jack is located in the upper area, next to a small microphone. The speaker remains,microphone for calls and micro USB, which are housed in the lower area.

The design of the Alcatel 3V is very, very nice. Although it is built in basic materials, it gives the feeling of a premium device. Especially when we look at it. The glossy finish on the back means you can't take your eyes off it, the curvature, the thin frames and the front with the panoramic effect make us forget that we are in front of a terminal of just 160 euros. Even so, we have found some other detail that we did not like so much. The fingerprint reader does not include the glossy finish on the back, and it breaks the design a bit. Also, the front frames could have been a bit narrower. Or at least, they could have incorporated the keypad in the lower area. Finally, some details that we have loved about the design; The camera barely sticks out of the edge, it's very light, and the bright blue color is gorgeous.

Alcatel 3V datasheet

Display: good format, better quality

We continue the analysis of the Alcatel 3V with another of its best aspects. The screen. Mount a 6-inch panel with Full HD + resolution (although Alcatel calls it 2K) (2160 x 1080 pixels) and 18: 9 format. That is, it is included in the widescreen trends; longer and with a smaller width. As well as with rounded corners on the screen. In addition, it includes MiraVision technology, which enhances image colors in real time.

The truth is that a Full HD resolution for a 6-inch screen is not bad at all. The sharpness of the screen is excellent in every aspect . Good colors, good viewing angles and good touch. We did not expect such a good screen in a cheap terminal. It beats even some higher-priced terminals. The 18: 9 aspect ratio makes content best viewed horizontally. Above all, those movies or series that are adapted to this screen format. On the other hand, we must emphasize that practically all applications are compatible, including those for playing multimedia content.

The maximum brightness is quite good, we will not have problems when viewing content in bright environments . Of course, indoors either. Automatic brightness doesn't work very well, it's slow to respond, it's slow, and it doesn't always fail. On the other hand, the panel does not seem to have any kind of protection against fingerprints. Still, the tactile response is very good.

In short, the Alcatel 3V has a very good screen. More than perfect for watching videos, series or content in high resolution. It fulfills perfectly. We miss some way in the system settings to adjust the tonality of the colors to our liking.

Performance and battery

MediaTeck to the heart of this Alcatel 3V. Specifically, a quad-core MT8735A and accompanied by 2 GB of RAM. How does this Alcatel 3V move?

The truth is that this Alcatel does not stand out for its performance. The MediaTeck processor and 2 GB of RAM will allow us to move through the system fluently , open applications, surf the internet and play games that do not require much performance. That is, it works very well for day to day. When the terminal is performing different processes is when we see that lack of cores and RAM. The animations receive small lageos when the terminal is downloading and updating applications.

What about the heaviest games? We have tested different, including the popular game PUBG and Monument Valley. Both work well as long as we keep the graphics and levels of the game to a minimum. Otherwise, we will not be able to play fluently. On the other hand, multitasking, startup processes, file transfers etc move them very well.

On the battery, the Alcatel 3V mounts a 3,000 mAh. Its screen with Full HD resolution, as well as the processor processes make the terminal battery last all day without any problem. We have hardly drained the battery completely, only the first days, where we had to download all the applications, transfer files etc. A negative point of the battery is that it does not have fast charging.

In short, the Alcatel 3V does not stand out in its performance, but it is very good for day to day , opening applications, social networks, and playing the odd game. Of course, we can enjoy its screen, because the performance is more than enough to be able to play content in Full HD from apps like Netflix. In addition, if we add the good battery life, it gives us a very good experience.

Cameras, good results and with blur mode

The Alcatel 3V adds the dual camera trend. With a 12 and 2 megapixel configuration , portrait effect and HDR. In addition, it allows you to record video up to Full HD resolution and has a dual-tone LED flash.

Of course, resolution is not everything, it is the end result in different situations that counts. The Alcatel 3V's camera outdoors is very good . Sharpness is excellent, it has a good interpretation of colors and it correctly detects shadows, details of small objects and textures. In the foreground we also get very good results, although at times the blur becomes a bit artificial. It is something that does not have to worry us, as we have mentioned, it happens on some occasions. In low-light outdoor situations we also get good pictures, although noise appears on many occasions.

Indoors with good lighting we continue to see these good results. Very clear colors, good detail and hardly any noise. In low light situations we continue to see the good details provided by the Alcatel 3V camera. Here the software processing has to work, and we have noticed that on some occasions the final photograph is blurred. So most likely you will have to repeat it.

And the blur effect? Yes, thanks to the second 2 megapixel lens we can achieve the bokeh effect so popular in smartphones . In this case, it is accessed through an icon located in the upper area of ​​the camera interface. It allows us to adjust the focal length, from F / 1. (lens wide open, more light enters) up to f / 16 (less blur effect). The results are good as long as we know how to adjust the focal length. For example, in conditions with good light, it is not necessary to go down to the minimum. This way we will achieve a more natural blur effect. The aperture is displayed automatically, we do not need to take the picture, so we can see the results before the final shot.

The results? As we have mentioned, if we know how to adjust the opening in different situations, the results will be good. Although we do not get rid of poorly highlighted contours and some other final processing failure.

As for the 5 megapixel front camera, the results are good, especially in bright conditions . Perfect for video calls or one-off selfies.

And what about the camera app? The interface has a very intuitive design and complete information . In the lower area, apart from the capture button, gallery and camera switch, we find the different modes available. Among them, the portrait mode, panorama, time interval, light tracking and a night mode. In the upper area, different options, such as the possibility of choosing filters, activating or deactivating HDR, timer, flash or focal length. We miss a professional mode to be able to adjust the different parameters.

Software, almost pure Android

The Alcatel firm has not wanted to add major changes to the Android version . We have a practically pure Android 8.0 Oreo , with a slight theme that changes in the icons and some aspects of the interface. The interface is divided into a home, where we find some applications and Widgets and an application drawer, where all the downloaded apps are found and that are already included in the terminal. By the way, these apps cannot be uninstalled, but they can be deactivated so that they do not consume resources in the system.

The design is practically identical to that of Google, clear color palette, floating buttons and fair and necessary information. There are different Alcatel own applications that are worth highlighting. For example, its own app store, where we can download 'essential' applications and keep them updated. We also have an app that allows us to record the screen , it is very intuitive and with a very simple to use design. Enjoy.now is another of its own application, where we will find discounts, company news and user comments. The Alcatel customization layer also has a file explorer, where we can control the storage and the different files, including audio files, documents, download, images, etc.

Within the system settings we find different additions. For example, Android Smart Manager , an app, battery, storage and memory manager, where we can control each of these sections to increase the battery, free up space on the device, etc. Finally, the device allows us to add more than one user, in case we want to leave the terminal to another person.

Without a doubt, Alcatel has done a very good job in the personalization layer, good design in all its applications, fluid animations and just extras that are very useful. We highlight the app that allows us to record the screen, its file explorer and the manager that we find in the system settings.

Security: fingerprint reader and face unlock

The Alcatel 3V has facial recognition . Yes, a mobile of just 160 euros includes this technology, and the truth is that it works really well. The configuration is very simple, it asks us to enter a pin or pattern as a secondary unlocking method, then it will activate the front lens to scan our face, if we are in good light conditions, the better. Then, we just have to accept and that's it, our facial recognition is already activated.

I have been able to test it in different situations, and the truth is that it works very well. In low-light conditions it is difficult for him to detect our face and we will end up using the fingerprint reader . In conditions with good light, interiors etc. I have not had any problems, it is fast and accurate.

This device also includes a fingerprint reader. It is located in the rear area and can be combined with facial recognition. It works great too, it's quick and easy to find with your finger.

Price and conclusions

The Alactel 3V is priced at 160 euros. It can only be purchased in a version with 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal storage. It is available in black, blue and gold. Who is this device made for? The Alcatel 3V is highly recommended for all those users who are looking for a mobile phone below 200 euros and with very good features. Its design and screen are the most important points to consider, the ones that stand out above the rest. Although the camera has also surprised us, as well as its battery life.

The facial unlocking has surprised me, especially the use it has on such an inexpensive mobile. The Software is another of the most outstanding points, just and necessary additions, with an almost Pure Android interface and modifications in the interface design that make it much more attractive.

What do we miss in this Alcatel 3V? We'd like to see a bit more internal storage , and an octa-core processor would have helped open performance-intensive games.