At the beginning of 2014, the budget-friendly smartphone Alcatel 5036D went on sale. Reviews about this gadget, specifications and software stuffing - that's what will be described in detail in this short review.
Hardware resources of the device
The main component that determines the computing capabilities of any smartphone is the central processor. It is with its parameters that we begin the review. The Alcatel POP C5 5036D smartphone is based on a rather modest chip manufactured by MediaTek - MT6572. This is a 32-bit RISC processor, consisting of 2 cores of the Cortex-A7 architecture. The clock frequency of a given semiconductor crystal can be dynamically changed. In minimum load mode, one of the computing modules is turned off, and the second operates at 300 MHz. In turn, when launching resource-intensive applications, 2 cores operate at once at a frequency of 1.3 GHz. Among 2 crystal chips of this architecture, this is one of the highest rates. The second important component that determines the computing capabilities of the device is a video card. In this case, we are talking about the Mali-400MP2 graphics adapter. It frees up CPU resources for smooth operation of the Alcatel One Touch 5036D. The reviews of the satisfied owners of the described smartphone confirm this once again. Now to summarize. The hardware filling of this smartphone is enough to solve most everyday tasks. Starting from listening to music and surfing the Internet and ending with watching movies and mid-level games, this gadget will cope with everything. The only thing where its hardware platform will not be enough is the most demanding games that have appeared relatively recently. But this is an entry-level budget smartphone, and launching the most demanding applications requires a more expensive mobile device with better features. So there’s nothing to complain about.
Graphic device subsystem
A quite good display with a diagonal of 4.5 inches is installed on the Alcatel 5036D. A review of its parameters suggests that its matrix is ​​made using slightly outdated technology: LED. It is this nuance that significantly reduces viewing angles. But this is an entry-level device, and therefore it is unfair to put forward some requirements for it in this regard. The surface of the display handles only two touches. And the screen itself displays the standard 16 million different color shades and has one of the most popular resolutions to date, 480 x 800. Otherwise, it is a fairly high-quality display with impeccable color reproduction. As expected, this smartphone has 2 cameras. The usual VZHA is displayed on the front panel - a camera with a 0.3 MP sensor. Of course, you don’t have to expect anything supernatural from her, but it is quite possible to make ordinary video calls with her help. For other cases, this gadget has a main camera located on the back of the device. Its sensor is many times better - already 5 megapixels. With this there is an LED flash. In general, the quality of the pictures is quite acceptable for the Alcatel 5036D. A feature that is clearly lacking in it is autofocus. If this option were, then the photo would be better at times. There is also support for recording videos in “HD” quality.
Memory
Alcatel 5036D has a very modest memory subsystem. A review of its technical parameters indicates that 512 MB of RAM are integrated in it. Of these, the user for their needs can use about 200 MB. Let's be realistic - this is very small at the moment. You can solve the problem only by installing specialized utilities. One of them is the “SM accelerator”. She will control the amount of free RAM, and if there is very little left, she will offer to optimize the software and close unnecessary applications at the moment. A similar situation is with the built-in drive. Its total volume is 4 GB. In this case, 2 GB of them, the user can use at his discretion. This problem can only be solved by an external drive. This gadget has a slot for installing flash cards. The maximum capacity is 32 GB. This is quite enough for comfortable work, but you will have to buy this accessory separately, since it is not included in the package of delivery.
Housing and usability on this gadget
The plastic case is the weakness of the Alcatel POP C5 5036D. A cover and a protective sticker on the front panel must be bought immediately and without fail. The coating can be either glossy or matte (we check this information with the seller before buying). But in any case, it spoils easily. An audio jack and a power button are displayed on the top side of the smartphone. On the right edge are the volume swings. A microUSB standard port and a conversational microphone hid below. Two important components of the smartphone are located immediately above the screen: a spoken speaker and a frontal VZHA camera. Under the display, as expected, there are three standard touch control buttons. The back cover is not empty. On it, in addition to the usual loud speaker and the main camera with backlight, there is also a microphone hole, which during the conversation suppresses external noise. Despite the rather impressive dimensions (131 x 70 mm) and the diagonal of the display of 4.5 inches, this smartphone does not dare to call the language “shovel”. It fits comfortably in your hand, it can be easily and simply controlled. In this case, the second hand remains free.
Battery features
Smartphone Alcatel POP C5 5036D is equipped with a sufficiently capacious battery of 1800 mA / h, and therefore its autonomy is not satisfactory. The processor in this device is energy efficient (it is for these purposes that it is recommended to use the Cortex-A7 architecture). Therefore, one charge is enough for 2 days of heavy use. But with less load on the device and incomplete screen brightness, this figure can increase by 2 times. And it will be already 4 days. For a device that belongs to the initial segment, this is an excellent indicator, you can not expect anything more from it.
System software and software filling
Alcatel 5036D is currently running the most popular Android OS. The firmware indicates that version 4.2.2 is installed on the device. Of course, this is not 5.0 or even 4.4. But, again, an entry-level smartphone with modest technical parameters, you should not expect anything more on it. The situation is similar with updates. A smart phone has been selling for a very long time, so you should not hope for updates. But, on the other hand, there are no problems with the installation and compatibility of software.
Communications
A completely standard set of data transfer methods for Alcatel 5036D. The reviews, in turn, suggest that it is quite enough for comfortable work on this device. So, the following data transfer methods are supported:
- The most popular wireless method of transmitting data is Wi-Fi. Cope easily and simply with any amount of information. Its only drawback is a small radius of action, which is limited to some ten meters.
- The device is quite successfully functioning in both second and third generation networks. In the first case, the maximum speed is limited to hundreds of kilobits per second, but in the second version, this figure increases at times and amounts to several tens of megabits per second.
- Bluetooth has the same drawback as Wifi. Yes, and his speed will be less. But its main task is to exchange information with exactly the same smart phones in a small amount. And for such cases, it is simply irreplaceable.
- The ZhPS sensor provides excellent navigation in unfamiliar terrain.
- The audio jack allows you to output sound from a smartphone to external sound systems.
- The last important port is microUSB. Using an adapter cord, it allows you to charge the device’s battery or even connect to a personal computer to exchange information.
Owner reviews
Now about the practical experience of using the Alcatel 5036D. Owner reviews indicate the following strengths:
- Large screen size.
- Good autonomy.
- Perfect ergonomics.
- Great for most everyday tasks.
Its disadvantages are as follows:
- A plastic case that quickly loses its presentation without a protective case.
- Slow satellite search while the satellite navigation system is operating.
- Low memory footprint.
- The quality of pictures from the camera is not the best.
Do not forget that this is an entry-level model. All its cons are offset by the price of $ 86.
To summarize
A great smartphone for less than $ 100 is the Alcatel 5036D. Reviews in most cases about him are positive. The device has everything you need. Moreover, its filling functions at a completely normal level. And if that causes complaints, then everything is compensated by the democratic cost of the apparatus.