Alcatel One Touch Idol 3 Budget Android Phone Review and Specifications

The Alcatel One Touch Idol 3 is a budget Android phone that's definitely worth considering. It's a great option for those who want a reliable device without breaking the bank.

This phone features a 4.7-inch or 5.5-inch display, depending on the model you choose. The 4.7-inch model has a resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels, while the 5.5-inch model has a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels.

One of the standout features of the Alcatel One Touch Idol 3 is its impressive camera capabilities. The phone comes with a 13-megapixel rear camera and an 8-megapixel front camera, making it perfect for snapping high-quality photos and selfies.

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The Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 is a remarkably thin phone, measuring just 7.4mm, which is on par with iPhones. This svelte design makes it incredibly light and easy to slip into a pocket or purse.

The phone's build quality may not be to everyone's taste, but I personally don't mind the pastic-y feel. The dual silver accents running along the edge give it a distinctive look. Button placement is slightly unconventional, with the power button located on the top left and volume on the top right, but there's a convenient knock-on feature that lets you wake the screen by double-tapping it.

The display is a standout feature, with a brightness of 665 nits and over 400 ppi, resulting in very sharp text. The screen is not quad HD, but it's still a great value for the price. In my testing, Lollipop 5 looked bright, crisp, and gorgeous.

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The Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 is a remarkably thin phone, measuring just 7.4mm, which is on par with the iPhone.

Its slim design makes it incredibly light and easy to carry around, with a generous 5.5-inch display that takes up about 73% of the phone's body.

The phone's build may not be to everyone's taste, but it doesn't bother me - the trade-off is a phone that's so light and thin it can easily slip into a pocket or purse without being noticed.

Dual silver accents run along the top and bottom edges of the phone, giving it a distinctive look that sets it apart from other Android slabs.

The button placement is a bit unconventional, with the power button located on the top left edge and volume on the top right, but it has a knock-on feature that allows you to wake the screen by double-tapping it.

This design choice also makes it easier to place the phone in a car cradle without worrying about accidental button presses.

The phone has a LED notification light that pulses slowly when you receive a notification and glows steady white when it's charging.

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The lock screen is a unique feature on the Alcatel phone. It has a row of shortcut icons along the bottom of the screen, including one for selfies.

Using these shortcuts isn't completely intuitive, you have to double-tap alerts and icons to open them. This can take some getting used to, especially if you're switching from another phone.

The corner shortcuts also require some practice to master, you have to swipe them in specific directions to open them. For example, the camera icon in the bottom right corner swipes toward the left corner to open.

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The Alcatel One Touch Idol 3 has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 SoC clocked at 1.2 GHz alongside an Adreno 306 GPU in the 4.7" version, and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 SoC composed of a quad-core 1.5 GHz Cortex-A53 and a quad-core 1.0 GHz Cortex-A53 alongside an Adreno 405 GPU in the 5.5" version.

The phone's performance is generally smooth for everyday tasks like email, Facebooking, and surfing, thanks to 1.5 GB of RAM in the 4.7" version and 2 GB of RAM in the 5.5" version. However, hardcore gamers may experience some lag, and the phone's performance is a hair slower compared to top-of-the-line phones.

Performance tests show the phone's capabilities, with Geekbench 3 scores ranging from 2,477 to 2,586, Quadrant scores ranging from 21,373 to 22,524, and 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited scores ranging from 7,331 to 7,756.

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The Idol 3's performance is a mixed bag, but it's not a deal-breaker for everyday use. It's got an octa-core processor, which sounds fancy, but it can be sluggish at times, especially with tasks like camera autofocus.

You'll notice a slight delay when tapping on the lock screen or rotating the phone interface. It's not a major issue, but it's something to be aware of. The phone's interface is generally smooth, but it can get a bit slow when you've got too many apps running in the background.

According to performance tests, the Idol 3 scores around 2,500 in Geekbench 3, 21,900 in Quadrant, and 7,500 in 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited. For comparison, the premium Samsung Galaxy S6 got scores of 4,600 in Geekbench 3, 36,200 in Quadrant, and 20,700 in 3DMark.

Here's a breakdown of the Idol 3's performance scores:

The good news is that the phone's performance is still decent, and you can expect it to handle everyday tasks like email, social media, and web browsing without any issues. However, hardcore gamers might want to look elsewhere, as the Idol 3 might not be able to keep up with demanding games.

Battery life on the Idol 3 is fairly robust, lasting a work day on a single charge.

The phone comes with a 2,910mAh battery, which is average for a 5.5-inch phone.

You can expect decent battery life, but it won't last as long if you're using features like navigation, streaming video or music, or keeping the screen on for long periods.

In airplane mode, the phone performed well in a closed-loop video test, lasting an average of 13.3 hours.

If you need to estimate how much battery life is left, you're out of luck with the Alcatel build - that information is unavailable in the system settings, unlike with other Android builds.

Here's a quick rundown of the phone's battery specs:

Call quality can vary depending on your location and network.

The Idol 3's performance in this area is impressive, with no red flags in San Francisco on T-Mobile's network. Calls remained within the range of normal cellular service.

The Idol 3's powerful speakers contribute to a nice and loud speakerphone.

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The Alcatel One Touch Idol 3's camera has its strengths and weaknesses. The camera app lacks a shortcut to a photo gallery, making photo review a bit of a challenge.

The camera features a 13-megapixel rear camera with autofocus, an 8-megapixel front-facing camera, and 1080p HD video capture. It can also shoot panoramic shots and turn on HDR, but the camera generates 10-megapixel photos by default, which you'll need to manually upgrade to 13-megapixel photos if you want larger images.

The camera performed well in abundant natural lighting, producing colorful and clear photos, but struggled with dark, undefined low-light shots. Selfies, on the other hand, were fairly good, and videos captured and played back as expected when shot at 1080p HD resolution.

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The camera app on the Idol 3 is a bit of a letdown. It intentionally omits a shortcut to the photo gallery, leaving you with zero feedback after taking a picture.

Reviewing photos can be a frustrating experience, as you'll need to swipe the screen to see the previous photos. This can lead to uncertainty, making you wonder if you've actually taken a photo or not.

The layout of the camera app is also not ideal, especially when it comes to navigation. You can't access the regular Home control or open recents while in the camera app, forcing you to use the Back button to return to the main menu.

Videos begin recording as soon as you switch over from camera mode, which can be unexpected and inconvenient. This can lead to accidental recordings, especially if you accidentally open the mode.

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The camera on the Idol 3 is a 13-megapixel rear camera with autofocus, paired with an 8-megapixel front-facing camera.

You'll notice that the camera generates 10-megapixel photos by default, but you can manually upgrade to 13-megapixel photos for larger images.

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The camera can capture 1080p HD video, and it also has features like panoramic shots, HDR, and a manual mode.

One thing to keep in mind is that the camera struggles with dark, undefined low-light shots, and the flash can sometimes create an overly harsh or blown-out scene.

Selfies, on the other hand, were fairly good, and as the author notes, lighting is everything.

Here are the camera specs in brief:

The double-tap feature is a game-changer on the Idol 3. It's a time-saver that lets you turn the screen on and off by simply double-tapping it. This is a must-have feature, especially when using the phone in reversible mode.

You can't turn the screen dark from the lock screen or from the camera app, which seems like an oversight. I've found myself having to search for the power button when I'm in reversible mode and forget which way is up.

A brightness slider is available, but there's no option for automatic brightness, which adjusts the screen in dark or sunlit environments. This is a bit frustrating, especially in situations where you're using the phone in bright sunlight.

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The Alcatel One Touch Idol 3 runs on Android 5.0 Lollipop, with a near stock experience. This means you'll get the familiar Android interface with some custom tweaks.

The phone features a reversible interface, which is a nice touch. You can also double-tap the lock screen to quickly unlock the phone.

Some users may find Alcatel's custom skin to be confusing or hindering navigation. However, the company has added a few enhancements to the Android experience.

Here are some key features of the Alcatel One Touch Idol 3's operating system and software:

If you're experiencing issues with your Alcatel One Touch Idol 3, there are several troubleshooting options available. If you've bricked your phone, you can try recovering it, as seen in the section "DBricked Idol 3, need help recovering".

To prevent data loss, it's essential to back up your phone regularly. You can do this by following the steps in the section "backup idol 3 6039j".

If your phone's display is crushed, you may still be able to recover your files, as mentioned in the section "DAlcytel Onetouch 6010D Display crushed. Is there a way to get my files from it somehow?"

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If you're experiencing issues with your Alcatel Onetouch Idol 3, the Q&A and troubleshooting section is a great resource to turn to.

The Onetouch Idol 3 is a smartphone model, and if you're not sure what it is, you can check the device's specifications or manufacturer's website for more information.

If you're having trouble with your phone, you can try checking the Q&A and troubleshooting section for specific solutions to common problems.

One common issue is bricking the phone, which means it becomes unusable. In this case, you may need to recover your phone by following the instructions in the Q&A and troubleshooting section.

Another issue is saving contact photos in original quality. The Q&A and troubleshooting section provides a solution to this problem, which involves saving the contact photo in a specific way.

If you're having trouble with your phone's display, such as a crushed screen, you may be able to recover your files using a method described in the Q&A and troubleshooting section.

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Here's a summary of some common issues and their solutions:

If you're still having trouble with your phone, it's always a good idea to check the manufacturer's website or contact their customer support for further assistance.

The phone that started it all - the OnePlus 6T. It was a game-changer in the mid-range market, offering top-notch specs at a fraction of the cost of flagships.

OnePlus 6T's battery life is surprisingly good, lasting up to two days on a single charge. The phone's 3,700mAh battery paired with its power-efficient processor made it a winner in this department.

The phone's camera performance was a mixed bag, with some users reporting excellent results in good lighting conditions, while others experienced issues with low-light photography.

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The Alcatel One Touch Idol 3 is a budget-friendly phone that packs a punch. It confidently produces mid-tier levels of photography, screen resolution, and internal hardware performance for a price that's hard to beat.

This phone is a great value for the price, especially considering it keeps current with Android 5.0 and comes with dual JBL speakers that pump out great sound. It's a great option for those looking for a high-performing budget phone.

The Idol 3's flaws are minor, but it does suffer from a slight navigational delay and some confusing design and layout decisions on its custom Android skin.

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If you're looking for a budget phone that won't break the bank, the Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 is a great option. It's inexpensive without being cheap, and it offers high value for its price.

The Idol 3 outperforms budget Motorola Moto G and E phones in almost every category, including screen resolution, storage, battery life, and processing speed. Its specs are impressive, making it a solid choice for those on a budget.

One of the standout features of the Idol 3 is its camera, which is a clear win compared to other budget phones. You won't be disappointed with the quality of photos it takes.

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While the Idol 3 may have some minor flaws, such as a slight navigational delay and confusing design decisions, they're easy to overlook. Its price is low enough that these flaws are negligible.

If you're considering the Motorola Moto G or Moto E, consider spending the extra $100 to get the Idol 3. It's worth the investment, especially considering its superior camera quality and specs.

The device has a decent display, with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels, a 90Hz refresh rate, and a 6.7-inch screen size.

The battery life is relatively long, lasting up to 12 hours of video playback.

The device has 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, making it suitable for general use.

The camera system is capable, with a 50MP primary sensor and a 12MP front camera.

Overall, the device is a solid choice for those looking for a reliable and feature-packed smartphone.

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