September 17, 2013 at 17:00TCL Idol X - lightweight FullHD smartphone with thin frames
Alcatel presented its new 5 "One Touch Idol X smartphone at the Mobile World Congress 2013 exhibition in February this year in Barcelona (Spain). The device turned out to be nice and has good technical characteristics, which will be discussed later, as well as the Android version 4.2.2 Jelly Bean as an operating system
Few people know, but TCL Communication is the owner of the Alcatel brand (the name is better known to consumers), which is why the smartphone is presented at the exhibition as Alcatel One Touch Idol X. But under the TCL brand, the device is available on the inside market in. It is about this model that will be discussed in the review.
The smartphone carries on board the 4-core MediaTek MT6589T processor, operating at a clock frequency of 1.5 GHz. The amount of RAM is 2 GB, a flash drive is capable of storing 16 GB of data. There is no microSD card slot. There are two cameras: the main one with a 13.4-megapixel sensor and a 1.9-megapixel front camera.
Screen: 5 ", 1920 × 1080 px, FHD, OGS
Processor: MTK6589T (Cortex A7, 1.5 GHz, 4 cores) Video accelerator
: PowerVR SGX 544
Operating system: Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean)
RAM: 2 GB
User memory: 16 GB
Camera: front - 1.9 megapixels, back - 13.4 megapixels
Communication: 2 SIM-cards (GSM / GPRS / EDGE + UMTS)
Optional: GPS, A-GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, accelerometer, gyroscope, indicator, light and distance sensor
Battery: 2000 mAh
Dimensions: 140.4x67.5x6.99 mm
Weight: 120 Gram
TCL Idol X is packaged in a modest-looking box of cardboard. On the back there are icons of the main features of the device, as well as addresses and contacts of the manufacturer. On the side there is a sticker with a serial number, IMEI and a barcode. The device itself lies on the top level of the box. In the package, along with a smartphone, you can find a USB data cable, a charger unit with a non-standard type of plug, an adapter for our outlets, a wired headset, a warranty and documentation in Chinese.
The output current of the charger is 1 A. It supports charging directly via a USB cable from a PC, but it takes much longer. The headset here is good, much better than other models with similar characteristics. It is suitable not only for talking, but also for listening to music.
The TCL Idol X smartphone has an attractive design and a monolithic body, so changing the battery will not work. The device is thin - the thickness of the model is only 6.99 mm. Another feature of the case is the narrow frames on the sides of the display with a width of only 1.75 mm. In addition to dark blue, idol X is available in red or yellow. But only the back cover has a color, the front part will always be black. A 5-inch touchscreen display occupies almost the entire front panel. At the top are proximity sensors and lighting, in the middle is a metal speaker grille, and to the right of it is a front camera. There is also a notification indicator that can only turn white.
The smartphone has three touch buttons - “Back”, “Home” and “Menu”. The buttons are illuminated well and evenly. They respond quickly, without complaints. The back is made of matte plastic with the promised high level of durability. The lid is pleasant to the touch and does not slip in the hands. The back of the smartphone has one external speaker. The sound quality of the speaker is average, the volume is high. Below are small legs that do not allow the phone lying on the table to muffle the sound. On the back surface is a 13.4-megapixel camera lens, right there is an LED flash that can be used as a flashlight.
At the top there is a 3.5 mm audio output and a power button. The key is well pressed and easy to find, but it would be better to place it on the side, since it is usually more convenient for smartphones of this size. The main microphone and micro USB connector are at the bottom. By the way, the smartphone supports OTG function, so you can optionally connect a USB flash drive, mouse or keyboard. On the right side there is a paired volume control key. And also one of the slots for a SIM card.
The phone only supports micro-SIM cards. Before inserting or removing the SIM card, you need to press on the edge of the card slot cover to open it. Then insert the SIM card into the slot with the contacts facing down and lightly push it until it clicks. To remove the SIM card, you also need to slightly press on it. The whole procedure takes place without the use of an additional paper clip. The assembly of the device at the highest level, as well as design. Another rather interesting fact: recently, LG announced the thinnest frames in the world - 2.65 mm in its flagship smartphone LG G2, but the Idol X got even smaller frames: 1.75 mm. So out of all 5-inch devices, this device turns out to be the narrowest and thinnest, holding it in your hands as comfortable as possible.
In general, Idol X is really not inferior in design to smartphones from manufacturers of the first echelon, and in some moments even surpasses them.
Idol X received a 5-inch IPS display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. The display is covered with a DragonTrail protective glass manufactured by Asahi Glass. The company's engineers worked on glass for several years and their work was crowned with success - if you watch the video , you will see that it is flexible, does not scratch, and does not break even after being hit with a hammer. On its surface there is an oleophobic coating, so fingerprints are easily erased. Around the front panel there is a plastic edging that protrudes slightly above the surface of the tempered glass - the coolness of the glass is cool, and it will never hurt to add a frame that will take on the main blow ... The multi-touch supports up to 10 touches.
Viewing angles are maximum, brightness is high. There is a light sensor that can adjust the backlight automatically. There is no air gap in the model, so it seems as if the image is lying on the surface of the display. In the sun, the screen fades a little, but not much, so the information remains readable. The display of TCL Idol X, in my opinion, is one of the best among Chinese phones.
Quite surprisingly, the Idol X uses Sony's flagship camera, 13MP Exmor RS module, the same as the Sony Xperia Z or Samsung GALAXY S4. Of course, the shooting algorithms are different, so Idol X shoots of course in a different way. In the settings, you can set the mode to HDR or panoramic, there are no other parameters: there are no manual modes, white balance, ISO, there is not even a choice of resolution.
Pictures from the rear camera. Pictures from the front camera.
The camera is typical for low-end devices, the miracle with the module from Sony did not happen. But the pictures are not so terrible and will work for the average user. The quality of the video in my opinion is very good. Focusing sometimes happens with a delay, but in general it suits. Writes video in FullHD (Video: MPEG4 Video 1920x1088 30fps 21571kbps [Video] Audio: AAC 48000Hz stereo 128kbps [Audio]), 3GP container.
TCL Idol X is running one of the latest OS versions - Android 4.2.2. The company created a branded shell for all smartphones, which turned out to be pretty beautiful. There is an interesting feature - there is no separate application menu, just the whole set of programs is placed on the screens, some of them are sorted into folders. The white indicator at the bottom of the screen shows which part you are viewing. On the main screen there is a weather widget and several system application icons. Other widgets and some program folders are already located on other screens. All this can be customized to your liking.
The lock screen has also undergone changes. From it we can immediately go to the most used phone features. A cute circle before unlocking can move depending on the tilt of the device (accelerometer is used). On the lockscreen there is also a weather forecast for the current day, if you pull down, you can see the forecast for three days. And if you scroll to the right, a calendar appears with a to-do list for the current day. And again, an interesting feature, the background of the screen may vary depending on the time of day and weather. It looks cool! View settings menu is made in white, it looks nice. Added two new items (status bar and battery management). All other items are standard for Android.
Additional features of the system allow you to extend battery life or disable the display of notifications from any application. Added gestures for an alarm clock, player and call. Slightly changed the action of the buttons. The Home key opens the Google Now service. But to open the list of running applications, you need to hold down the "Menu" button. In addition, the design and system applications have been changed. The clock, timer and alarm clock are decorated in an eye-pleasing style. The radio, voice recorder and calculator have the same design. In addition to the standard calendar, you can use standard applications as notes. Or make yourself a to-do list.
Almost all Chinese manufacturers add a flashlight, compass and file manager to their devices. TCL Idol X was no exception, so these programs are also available. Only here the flashlight is slightly different from the others, there is a brightness adjustment. The shell is really nice, and TCL programmers have tried to design, this is clear. It works quickly and smoothly. A bit of an ambiguous solution with getting rid of the application menu, but soon you get used to it. Yes, and no one bothers to put another launcher.
The smartphone works in 2G cellular networks (GSM / GPRS / EDGE, 850/900/1800/1900 MHz) and 3G (850/900/2100 MHz). Each of the slots can support both 2G and 3G networks, while at the same time only one of the SIM cards can work in the 3G network. You can choose a SIM card that will work on a 3G network in the phone’s menu. The organization of SIM-card management is implemented according to the same method as that of other models on MTK processors. In the settings there is a separate menu with the name “SIM Management”, where the user selects which of the SIMs will be used for what. A standard dialer differs only in a redesigned one. The rest does not have any additional features compared to the stock Android.
In addition to voice communications, the smartphone supports wireless technologies such as WiFi 802.11 b / g / n and Bluetooth 4.0. Modules work flawlessly. The smartphone has full GPS navigation, including additional features such as A-GPS. Warm start 2-3 minutes, hot 10-15 seconds. There is a not too popular Wi-Fi Display function, when you can transfer a signal from your phone to another device via Wi-Fi. From the point of view of communication quality, there are no complaints about the device, the ringer volume is excellent, it can be heard even from the bag. There are no complaints about the quality of voice transmission.
It uses the MediaTek MT6589T chipset, the letter T in its name means Turbo - due to the increased maximum frequency (from 1.2 to 1.5 GHz). The processor is quad-core, 1.5 GHz, ARM Cortex-A7. As a graphics accelerator acts PowerVR SGX 544MP. The amount of RAM is 2 GB, the capacity of the internal drive is 16 GB, about 12 GB is available to the user. Performance tests. On your smartphone, you can run almost any complex toy or application. TCL Idol X, as befits this kind of smartphone, copes well with Full HD video, games like NFS Most Wanted and is suitable for full work on the Internet.
The device has a non-replaceable 2000 mAh battery. It will take about two and a half hours to charge from a standard power supply. In the test, the smartphone performed well, 609 points in AnTuTu Tester. In fact, with the active use of a full battery charge, on average, a little less than a day is enough. In the video playback mode at full brightness and volume, the smartphone lasted 4.5 hours.
The model seemed very interesting and worthy of attention to me - it has a nice design, low weight and the main feature - thin frames. In addition, the new shell is also interesting, the smartphone works faster with it, and it is convenient to use. It is worth taking a closer look at the screen, which has a good margin of brightness, FullHD resolution and DragonTail glass. And to be honest, this is one of the few devices that does not look like a cheap Chinese smartphone. If the design and appearance of the device, as well as good characteristics, are important for you, then feel free to choose this device.
Powerful filling (MT6589T and 2GB RAM)
Stylish design and pleasant appearance
Thin frames
FHD screen
High-quality assembly
Light weight
Tempered glass DragonTrail
Molded case without gaps
There is no slot for a microSD memory card
Small memory size
Average operating time
Fair price among Chinese counterparts
The camera does not justify its 13 MP
You can buy a smartphone in the BuySKU store. Two Dark Blue and Red colors are currently available.
Upon purchase, you can apply a coupon that gives a discount of $ 10. Coupon code: BuySKU-UZCRD
The final price of the device is $ 341.33 for the dark blue version and $ 331.99 for the red one.
Do not be alarmed by the cost of the device. The smartphone looks nice, lies comfortably in the hand and is very light. If you choose not just a Chinese phone, but a really convenient device, then I advise you to take a closer look at this model.
In Russia, the price of the device is 13,990 rubles . So you can first go and feel it, and then make a purchase decision.
Good luck shopping!
TCL official website
Discussion topic on w3bsit3-dns.com
Topic of firmware on w3bsit3-dns.com
Discussion topic on China-iPhone
Alcatel OneTouch Idol X review on Mobile-review
If you do not have an account on Habrahabr, you can read and comment on our articles on BoxOverview.com
Few people know, but TCL Communication is the owner of the Alcatel brand (the name is better known to consumers), which is why the smartphone is presented at the exhibition as Alcatel One Touch Idol X. But under the TCL brand, the device is available on the inside market in. It is about this model that will be discussed in the review.
▌ TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS
The smartphone carries on board the 4-core MediaTek MT6589T processor, operating at a clock frequency of 1.5 GHz. The amount of RAM is 2 GB, a flash drive is capable of storing 16 GB of data. There is no microSD card slot. There are two cameras: the main one with a 13.4-megapixel sensor and a 1.9-megapixel front camera.
Screen: 5 ", 1920 × 1080 px, FHD, OGS Processor: MTK6589T (Cortex A7, 1.5 GHz, 4 cores) Video accelerator : PowerVR SGX 544 Operating system: Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean) RAM: 2 GB User memory: 16 GB Camera: front - 1.9 megapixels, back - 13.4 megapixels Communication: 2 SIM-cards (GSM / GPRS / EDGE + UMTS)Optional: GPS, A-GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, accelerometer, gyroscope, indicator, light and distance sensor Battery: 2000 mAh Dimensions: 140.4x67.5x6.99 mm Weight: 120 Gram▌PACKING AND PACKAGING
TCL Idol X is packaged in a modest-looking box of cardboard. On the back there are icons of the main features of the device, as well as addresses and contacts of the manufacturer. On the side there is a sticker with a serial number, IMEI and a barcode. The device itself lies on the top level of the box. In the package, along with a smartphone, you can find a USB data cable, a charger unit with a non-standard type of plug, an adapter for our outlets, a wired headset, a warranty and documentation in Chinese.
The output current of the charger is 1 A. It supports charging directly via a USB cable from a PC, but it takes much longer. The headset here is good, much better than other models with similar characteristics. It is suitable not only for talking, but also for listening to music.
▌ DESIGN, DIMENSIONS, CONTROL ELEMENTS
The TCL Idol X smartphone has an attractive design and a monolithic body, so changing the battery will not work. The device is thin - the thickness of the model is only 6.99 mm. Another feature of the case is the narrow frames on the sides of the display with a width of only 1.75 mm. In addition to dark blue, idol X is available in red or yellow. But only the back cover has a color, the front part will always be black. A 5-inch touchscreen display occupies almost the entire front panel. At the top are proximity sensors and lighting, in the middle is a metal speaker grille, and to the right of it is a front camera. There is also a notification indicator that can only turn white.
The smartphone has three touch buttons - “Back”, “Home” and “Menu”. The buttons are illuminated well and evenly. They respond quickly, without complaints. The back is made of matte plastic with the promised high level of durability. The lid is pleasant to the touch and does not slip in the hands. The back of the smartphone has one external speaker. The sound quality of the speaker is average, the volume is high. Below are small legs that do not allow the phone lying on the table to muffle the sound. On the back surface is a 13.4-megapixel camera lens, right there is an LED flash that can be used as a flashlight.
At the top there is a 3.5 mm audio output and a power button. The key is well pressed and easy to find, but it would be better to place it on the side, since it is usually more convenient for smartphones of this size. The main microphone and micro USB connector are at the bottom. By the way, the smartphone supports OTG function, so you can optionally connect a USB flash drive, mouse or keyboard. On the right side there is a paired volume control key. And also one of the slots for a SIM card.
The phone only supports micro-SIM cards. Before inserting or removing the SIM card, you need to press on the edge of the card slot cover to open it. Then insert the SIM card into the slot with the contacts facing down and lightly push it until it clicks. To remove the SIM card, you also need to slightly press on it. The whole procedure takes place without the use of an additional paper clip. The assembly of the device at the highest level, as well as design. Another rather interesting fact: recently, LG announced the thinnest frames in the world - 2.65 mm in its flagship smartphone LG G2, but the Idol X got even smaller frames: 1.75 mm. So out of all 5-inch devices, this device turns out to be the narrowest and thinnest, holding it in your hands as comfortable as possible.
In general, Idol X is really not inferior in design to smartphones from manufacturers of the first echelon, and in some moments even surpasses them.
▌ DISPLAY
Idol X received a 5-inch IPS display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. The display is covered with a DragonTrail protective glass manufactured by Asahi Glass. The company's engineers worked on glass for several years and their work was crowned with success - if you watch the video , you will see that it is flexible, does not scratch, and does not break even after being hit with a hammer. On its surface there is an oleophobic coating, so fingerprints are easily erased. Around the front panel there is a plastic edging that protrudes slightly above the surface of the tempered glass - the coolness of the glass is cool, and it will never hurt to add a frame that will take on the main blow ... The multi-touch supports up to 10 touches.
Viewing angles are maximum, brightness is high. There is a light sensor that can adjust the backlight automatically. There is no air gap in the model, so it seems as if the image is lying on the surface of the display. In the sun, the screen fades a little, but not much, so the information remains readable. The display of TCL Idol X, in my opinion, is one of the best among Chinese phones.
▌CAMERAS
Quite surprisingly, the Idol X uses Sony's flagship camera, 13MP Exmor RS module, the same as the Sony Xperia Z or Samsung GALAXY S4. Of course, the shooting algorithms are different, so Idol X shoots of course in a different way. In the settings, you can set the mode to HDR or panoramic, there are no other parameters: there are no manual modes, white balance, ISO, there is not even a choice of resolution.
Pictures from the rear camera. Pictures from the front camera.
The camera is typical for low-end devices, the miracle with the module from Sony did not happen. But the pictures are not so terrible and will work for the average user. The quality of the video in my opinion is very good. Focusing sometimes happens with a delay, but in general it suits. Writes video in FullHD (Video: MPEG4 Video 1920x1088 30fps 21571kbps [Video] Audio: AAC 48000Hz stereo 128kbps [Audio]), 3GP container.
▌ SOFTWARE PLATFORM
TCL Idol X is running one of the latest OS versions - Android 4.2.2. The company created a branded shell for all smartphones, which turned out to be pretty beautiful. There is an interesting feature - there is no separate application menu, just the whole set of programs is placed on the screens, some of them are sorted into folders. The white indicator at the bottom of the screen shows which part you are viewing. On the main screen there is a weather widget and several system application icons. Other widgets and some program folders are already located on other screens. All this can be customized to your liking.
The lock screen has also undergone changes. From it we can immediately go to the most used phone features. A cute circle before unlocking can move depending on the tilt of the device (accelerometer is used). On the lockscreen there is also a weather forecast for the current day, if you pull down, you can see the forecast for three days. And if you scroll to the right, a calendar appears with a to-do list for the current day. And again, an interesting feature, the background of the screen may vary depending on the time of day and weather. It looks cool! View settings menu is made in white, it looks nice. Added two new items (status bar and battery management). All other items are standard for Android.
Additional features of the system allow you to extend battery life or disable the display of notifications from any application. Added gestures for an alarm clock, player and call. Slightly changed the action of the buttons. The Home key opens the Google Now service. But to open the list of running applications, you need to hold down the "Menu" button. In addition, the design and system applications have been changed. The clock, timer and alarm clock are decorated in an eye-pleasing style. The radio, voice recorder and calculator have the same design. In addition to the standard calendar, you can use standard applications as notes. Or make yourself a to-do list.
Almost all Chinese manufacturers add a flashlight, compass and file manager to their devices. TCL Idol X was no exception, so these programs are also available. Only here the flashlight is slightly different from the others, there is a brightness adjustment. The shell is really nice, and TCL programmers have tried to design, this is clear. It works quickly and smoothly. A bit of an ambiguous solution with getting rid of the application menu, but soon you get used to it. Yes, and no one bothers to put another launcher.
▌ WIRELESS NETWORKS
The smartphone works in 2G cellular networks (GSM / GPRS / EDGE, 850/900/1800/1900 MHz) and 3G (850/900/2100 MHz). Each of the slots can support both 2G and 3G networks, while at the same time only one of the SIM cards can work in the 3G network. You can choose a SIM card that will work on a 3G network in the phone’s menu. The organization of SIM-card management is implemented according to the same method as that of other models on MTK processors. In the settings there is a separate menu with the name “SIM Management”, where the user selects which of the SIMs will be used for what. A standard dialer differs only in a redesigned one. The rest does not have any additional features compared to the stock Android.
In addition to voice communications, the smartphone supports wireless technologies such as WiFi 802.11 b / g / n and Bluetooth 4.0. Modules work flawlessly. The smartphone has full GPS navigation, including additional features such as A-GPS. Warm start 2-3 minutes, hot 10-15 seconds. There is a not too popular Wi-Fi Display function, when you can transfer a signal from your phone to another device via Wi-Fi. From the point of view of communication quality, there are no complaints about the device, the ringer volume is excellent, it can be heard even from the bag. There are no complaints about the quality of voice transmission.
▌ PRODUCTIVITY
It uses the MediaTek MT6589T chipset, the letter T in its name means Turbo - due to the increased maximum frequency (from 1.2 to 1.5 GHz). The processor is quad-core, 1.5 GHz, ARM Cortex-A7. As a graphics accelerator acts PowerVR SGX 544MP. The amount of RAM is 2 GB, the capacity of the internal drive is 16 GB, about 12 GB is available to the user. Performance tests. On your smartphone, you can run almost any complex toy or application. TCL Idol X, as befits this kind of smartphone, copes well with Full HD video, games like NFS Most Wanted and is suitable for full work on the Internet.
▌BATTERY, CHARGING, OPERATION TIME
The device has a non-replaceable 2000 mAh battery. It will take about two and a half hours to charge from a standard power supply. In the test, the smartphone performed well, 609 points in AnTuTu Tester. In fact, with the active use of a full battery charge, on average, a little less than a day is enough. In the video playback mode at full brightness and volume, the smartphone lasted 4.5 hours.
▌ CONCLUSION
The model seemed very interesting and worthy of attention to me - it has a nice design, low weight and the main feature - thin frames. In addition, the new shell is also interesting, the smartphone works faster with it, and it is convenient to use. It is worth taking a closer look at the screen, which has a good margin of brightness, FullHD resolution and DragonTail glass. And to be honest, this is one of the few devices that does not look like a cheap Chinese smartphone. If the design and appearance of the device, as well as good characteristics, are important for you, then feel free to choose this device.
▌ ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
Powerful filling (MT6589T and 2GB RAM) Stylish design and pleasant appearance Thin frames FHD screen High-quality assembly Light weight Tempered glass DragonTrail Molded case without gaps There is no slot for a microSD memory card Small memory size Average operating time Fair price among Chinese counterparts The camera does not justify its 13 MP▌ PRICE AND PURCHASE
You can buy a smartphone in the BuySKU store. Two Dark Blue and Red colors are currently available.
Upon purchase, you can apply a coupon that gives a discount of $ 10. Coupon code: BuySKU-UZCRD
The final price of the device is $ 341.33 for the dark blue version and $ 331.99 for the red one.
Do not be alarmed by the cost of the device. The smartphone looks nice, lies comfortably in the hand and is very light. If you choose not just a Chinese phone, but a really convenient device, then I advise you to take a closer look at this model.
In Russia, the price of the device is 13,990 rubles . So you can first go and feel it, and then make a purchase decision.
Good luck shopping!
Related Links
TCL official website Discussion topic on w3bsit3-dns.com Topic of firmware on w3bsit3-dns.com Discussion topic on China-iPhone Alcatel OneTouch Idol X review on Mobile-reviewIf you do not have an account on Habrahabr, you can read and comment on our articles on BoxOverview.com
