Alcatel is a brand known for manufacturing budget smartphones. One does not even expect a flagship device out of this brand. However, the Alcatel Idol 4s proves the contrary as it the brand’s first flagship device.
The box even contains a free VR headset. However, it definitely isn’t a shoe stealer in today’s smartphone market. With devices like OnePlus 3 and Google’s Nexus 5x as its rivals, the Alcatel Idol 4s has severe competition to face.
The Alcatel Idol 4s houses a full glass body with a 2.5D glass design at the back. The glass is nor instantly breakable, neither highly durable. The device definitely looks like a flagship device. It would be fair to say that it looks even better than expected.
However, the glass back attracts a lot of fingerprints. There is a 16-megapixel camera on the back, close to the top and placed in the centre. The right side of the camera also houses a flash. The fingerprint sensor is also placed at the back of the Alcatel Idol 4s, just below the rear shooter. The design of the phone does have its flaws.
The odd and uncomfortable button placement is the biggest bummer. The volume rockers and the power button sit on the left and right top corners respectively. It is not that the buttons are hard to access, they are difficult to handle when using the phone with a single hand.
The discomfort stays even after a little getting used to. However, the brand does offer features like double tap to power off, but that can be done only from the home screen. The front facing speakers offer good sound quality, but the amount of dirt they attract is irritating. While listening to music or watching a video, the ‘boom key’ can be pressed to turn on the rear speaker as well.
The dual speaker configuration delivers excellent sound quality. At this price range, a full HD screen is a welcome addition. However, the Alcatel Idol 4s takes it one step further. The 5.5-inch AMOLED screen boasts a resolution of 2,560 x 1,440 pixels.
The colours are sharp as well as crisp and the level of detail as well as brightness is satisfying. The overall viewing experience is definitely worth the price. When it comes to performance, the Alcatel Idol 4s does not disappoint. It houses a Snapdragon 652 processor backed up by 3GB of RAM. The battery life is quite good on paper, but the reality is somewhat different.
The Snapdragon 652 is not a letdown in any way, but given that the competitors are offering the better Snapdragon 820 chip, the Snapdragon 652 is not impressive either. The phone handles demanding applications and games with ease, but it does heat up.
The heating also dampens the battery life. The 3000 mAh battery does not perform up to the expectations, but it does offer a decent runtime. The VR headset provided with the phone is quite nice, but the pre-loaded VR content is nothing special. In terms of connectivity, this device has it all from 4G to NFC.
Plain and simple, the front as well as the rear camera, both are disappointing. The images are full of noise and lack the necessary detail. The 16-megapixel rear shooter as well as the 8-megapixel front camera are the biggest let downs of this device.
The Alcatel Idol 4S has almost everything a flagship android device should have. However, due to intense competition, the phone fails to make a mark at this price range.
Price: $436 approx.
