Alcatel Idol 3 review: A smartphone that surprises at the right price

Design-wise it is not going to win any medals, but its metal trim and brushed plastic prove that mid-range smartphones do not have to be dull.

The Alcatel Onetouch Idol 3 is, somewhat surprisingly, a very decent mid-range smartphone. Courtesy Alcatel

Let’s be honest: a new smartphone from Alcatel isn’t usually an industry-shaking event. The veteran French manufacturer’s brand has long been eclipsed by the likes of Samsung et al.

So when the company said it would send over the new Onetouch Idol 3 for our perusal, our pulses weren’t immediately quickened. This is despite its claims to be the world’s first ‘reversible’ smartphone.

But here’s the thing: the Idol 3, released in the UAE last week, is actually a very decent mid-range smartphone.

Design-wise it isn’t going to win any medals, but its metal trim and brushed plastic prove that mid-range smartphones don’t have to be dull. At just 141 grams it feels pleasingly light in the hand.

What’s most pleasing about Alcatel’s new baby is its 5.5-inch 1080p IPS LCD display, which packs the same pixel density as Apple’s iPhone 6 Plus.

Colours are bright and video beautifully rendered – the frenetic action and saturated colour palette of the Mad Max Fury road trailer perfectly displayed.

On paper at least, Alcatel hasn’t scrimped on the Idol 3’s camera either, with a 16MP rear camera and 8MP front-facing camera. But let’s remember that a high megapixel count isn’t everything, with elements such as imaging processing hardware and software just as important.

Outdoor shots taken on the Idol 3 in daylight are perfectly fine, but photos taken in lower light conditions have a slightly grainy quality.

The other niggle is the Idol 3’s user interface, based on Android Lollipop, which suffers from the same small but noticeable lag seen on other mid-range smartphones. Thankfully however, Alcatel has promised an over-the-air update to address both performance issues and to improve the camera.

Even before such updates arrive, the Idol 3, which retails for Dh1,099, is an excellent mid-range smartphone. While its camera and user interface are what you’d expect for the price, its superior display and elegant design make it very worthy of consideration for those who want a decent handset but don’t want to pay the Earth for the privilege.

q&a up and down

John Everington reveals more about the Onetouch Idol 3:

What’s a reversible smartphone? Can you turn it inside out?

Not as far as I know. What Alcatel means is that it looks completely normal even if you’re holding the phone upside down. This is the case for making and receiving calls, thanks to a speaker and microphone at both the top and the bottom of the handset.

Does such a feature rock your world?

It’s a simple but clever idea that makes it that much easier to take a call when you’re feeling a little tired, but you may get a bit confused with the locations of the side buttons, which of course stay the same. So a nice feature, but not a game changer.

It all sounds good, but I’m not that fussed about a big screen and I’m a little short on cash. Can Alcatel help me out?

Funny you should say that. As well as the 5.5-inch model that we tried out, you can also buy a 4.7-inch version for Dh899. Both models are available in any colour as long as it’s grey.

What other options are there in this price range?

Samsung’s Galaxy A5, with a slightly smaller screen, has been doing brisk business recently, while the slightly cheaper Motorola Moto G is still a great phone for the price. The Idol 3’s screen and design make it very competitive; however the latest iteration of the Moto G is coming soon, and it’ll be interesting to see what Motorola has up its sleeve.

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