We tested the Alcatel 5V, a mid-range smartphone that you can buy in Spain for 229 euros. Its main strength is the large capacity battery (4,000 mAh), which guarantees without problems 24 hours without going through the plug.
Alcatel 5V, a large HD screen
The Alcatel 5V's panel is 6.2 inches and has HD + resolution (720 x 1500 pixels) , with a notch at the top. Although the FullHD resolution (with 1080p) may be missed in some multimedia content, choosing a lower resolution saves on battery consumption.
One detail that draws the attention of the screen is the great sharpness of the colors and graphics. Regarding brightness, it should be mentioned that the screen is difficult to read in direct sunlight, but in general we will have a very good user experience.
In addition, to avoid bumps and breakage, the panel is protected with Asahi Dragontrail Glass .
4,000 mAh battery for hours and hours of autonomy
The new Alcatel 5V mobile works with a 4,000 mAh non-removable battery that offers very good autonomy results. In fact, despite the large size of the screen, we can enjoy 24 hours of fairly intensive use without recharging.
Phone layout
The front of the Alcatel 5V is almost entirely taken up by the 6.2-inch screen , with a notch at the top and hardly any edges on the sides or below. In addition, the corner finishes are rounded.
The back of the phone is designed in a combination of metal and glass in black, as well as a smooth casing with a shiny mirror effect (Optical Vacuum Plating finish). For those who think that footprints are more marked on this type of surface, the firm includes as a gift a transparent back cover to dress it up.
On this back we find the fingerprint reader , directly above the Alcatel logo. The lenses of the dual camera and its flash are aligned vertically to one of the sides.
Finally, the sides and bottom edge of the smartphone are occupied by buttons and other connectivity elements: card tray on the left side, power and volume buttons on the right, and microUSB port and dual speaker on the bottom edge. .
Alcatel 5V - Data sheet
| screen | 6.2 inches, HD + 720 x 1500 pixels (268 dpi) | |
| Main chamber | 12 + 2 megapixels, f / 2.2, Full HD video (1080p) | |
| Camera for selfies | 8 megapixels, f / 2.8, HD video (720p) | |
| Internal memory | 32 GB / Expandable via microSD card | |
| Extension | microSD up to 128GB | |
| Processor and RAM | Eight cores at 2.0 GHz, 3 GB AnTuTu Benchmark Power Test: 36647 points | |
| Battery | 4,000 mAh, no fast charging | |
| Operating system | Android 8.1 Oreo | |
| Connections | B5 4.2, GPS, microUSB 2.0, NFC | |
| SIM | Single SIM | |
| Design | Metal and glass, fingerprint reader | |
| Dimensions | 153.7 x 74.5 x 8.5 mm (156 grams) | |
| Featured Features | FM radio, facial recognition unlock | |
| Release date | September 2018 | |
| Price | 229 euros |
Alcatel 5V processor, memory and performance
The Alcatel 5V is equipped with an eight-core MediaTek MT6762 Helio P22 processor , running at 2.0 GHz. Add to that 3 GB of RAM, enough for a more than reasonable performance.
The performance with several open processes is where you notice that the Alcatel 5V is a mid-range phone . Especially if we try to open several very demanding applications at the same time. We detected something similar with fingerprint unlocking . There is a short period of time from when you put your finger on the sensor until the screen turns on.
If we analyze the scores in power tests, we can see that we are not facing a phone that stands out especially for its speed, but the data is very good if we consider the price range in which we operate (the Alcatel 5V is worth 229 euros in Spain ). In the AnTuTu Benchmark test, the mobile obtained 75,965 points , defeating 17% of terminals.
As for the internal storage space, the mobile offers 32 GB of capacity , expandable with a microSD card of up to 128 GB.
Alcatel 5V camera: features and functions
The main camera of the Alcatel 5V is dual, 12 + 2 megapixels and can record video in FullHD (1080p) quality. The main sensor has aperture f / 2.2, while the secondary lens has aperture f / 2.4 and works as a depth sensor for blur effect.
For its part, the front or selfie camera is 8 megapixels , has f / 2.8 and can record video in HD quality (720p).
In general, the results of photographs with the Alcatel 5V are quite good and the colors are very well appreciated in the different scenes. But do not forget that at night the best results can only be obtained using a tripod.
This mobile has AI (Artificial Intelligence) functions that analyze the scene that we are going to photograph and automatically establish the most appropriate settings for each moment. It has 11 standard scenes where the AI will be automatically activated, if you want to take the manual photo simply by clicking on the icon that appears in the upper right corner, it will be deactivated for that specific photo without having to go to any settings menu
Basic functions of the camera application
- Color filters .
- Timer
- Scene detection (AI).
- Video stabilization (EIS) .
- Image geolocation.
- One-handed camera operation .
- On-screen reference grid (for framing).
- Flash.
- Beauty mode .
Camera modes on the Alcatel 5V
Automatic mode
The Alcatel 5V's camera offers an automatic mode capable of detecting scenes instantly to adjust the lighting and other parameters.
Portrait mode
Using the double lens of the main camera, we can take pictures by modifying the depth of field and focus effect . Thus, it is possible to take photographs in which a person appears in the foreground in focus against an unfocused background.
Panoramic photography
Keeping the phone in an upright position, just scroll along the arrows with the reference line to capture wide landscapes.
Timelapse mode
With the Alcatel 5V's timelapse mode , we can create short videos built from a large number of consecutive photographs.
Social mode (collages) and microvideos
In this section, the camera application allows you to create collages and combinations of several images , to form a final file in square format. It's a great way to create fun photos for social media.
On the other hand, micro-videos are also interesting tools to create content for social networks . They are short videos that, in addition, can be made by combining several different fragments.
The social and micro-video modes are (in addition to automatic) can be used with both the rear and front cameras on the Alcatel 5V.
Google Lens
As is customary for many Android phones, Google Lens technology is also integrated into the Alcatel 5V's camera. It is a system that works with artificial intelligence and that analyzes objects to offer information in real time: it identifies products with barcodes, reads and translates texts, etc.
Night photography
Depending on the lighting conditions, it may be useful to activate the night photography mode, which is much more suitable for obtaining quality images at night . But keep in mind that the best results are achieved with a tripod, because otherwise the final image may be somewhat blurred.
Light trail
With this feature activated, the phone will capture traces of lights or movements to create images with a sensation of movement. Using a tripod is recommended for good results and to avoid blurring or blurring of the photo. There are three possible modes:
- Light capture . It is the ideal function for photographing, for example, the light trails of cars at night.
- Motion capture . This mode is recommended for taking photos of large groups of people in motion, or waterfalls.
- Light drawings . It allows taking pictures by capturing the path of a light source in the air, using a flashlight or the light of another phone, for example.
Operating system and highlights
The Alcatel 5V mobile comes standard with Android 8.1 Oreo. In addition, an almost pure and light version of Android has been chosen, with very few modifications.
Among the outstanding functions and applications of the phone we find:
- Integrated FM radio , which can be used by connecting headphones to act as an antenna.
- Sound recording and screen recording functions .
- Screen unlock by fingerprint or facial recognition , using the phone's front camera.
- Battery saving mode .
- Data saving mode , which reduces consumption in the background.
To these we must add the Smart Manager app , an advanced phone manager that allows you to clean the cache, manage the available storage space and extend the autonomy time by closing the applications that are not being used.
Price and conclusions
Alcatel's new mid-range phone, the Alcatel 5V, is now available for purchase in Spain. It can be purchased in black and costs 229 euros , a fairly low amount if we take into account its benefits.
Without a doubt, what is most appreciated in this phone is the battery life and advanced camera options , which compensate for other less powerful aspects such as the speed in the processes or the HD resolution (instead of FullHD) on the screen.
Another interesting aspect is the possibility of enjoying Android 8 Oreo from the beginning, and with a very light customization layer: there is no need to think about unnecessary applications already installed from the factory.
At the design level, the Alcatel 5V is quite stylish, with rounded edges and a large notched display. Considering all these details, there is no doubt that the Alcatel 5V is a very good mid-range terminal , which could improve in some points but offers very good features and a good user experience for a very competitive price: only 229 euros.
