Review of Android-Phablet Alcatel Hero 2 8030Y

Positioning

The first generation of Hero showed exactly one year ago at the IFA 2013, the Phablet became pretty interesting device in terms of price, but not gained much popularity – especially against the background of a large number of competing devices. In 2014, Alcatel decided to not just play the card of high-quality devices at a reasonable cost, but to do what was once famous for HTC – dream to create the device, according to the geeks. Aluminum body, a fairly large battery, stylus housing quality headphones included, various covers, including those with LED-screen. All together creates a very good idea of ​​the machine. But most importantly, it’s fast, though built on “old” MediaTek 6592.

Technical characteristics

• Android 4.4


• MediaTek chipset 6592, an 8-core, 2 GHz;


• 2GB of RAM, built-in 16 GB (12.9 GB user available), memory cards up to 32 GB;


• 1-megapixel camera with autofocus, LED flash, 5-megapixel front camera;


• 3100 mAh battery, while in standby mode – up to 380 hours (3G), talk time – up to 10 hours music playback – 60 hours;


• Display 6 inches 1080h1920 points, IPS, glass DragonTrail;


• NFC, BT 4.0, Wi-Fi a / b / g / n, LTE cat 4, band 1/3/7/8/20, USB 2.0 High Speed;


• Weight – 175 grams, the size – 160.5h81.6h7.9 mm.

Scope of delivery

• Phone


• Charger with USB-cable


• Wired stereo JBL


• Stylus


• Paper clip SIM-card


• Instruction

Positioning Alcatel Hero 2 8030Y complicated, it is an attempt to create a flagship public and take into account dreams unconscious. Grain of common sense in it, but the product has turned out quite expensive for the brand Alcatel. He is much cheaper than anything that offers the same HTC or any other company in this segment, but more expensive than from Chinese companies. However, the latter is no such body, accessory kit and thoughtful menu with its own settings. All this is worth the extra money, but the proposal is interesting and balanced.Let’s look at the possibilities of the device.

Design, size, controls

Phone great – 160.5h81.6h7.9 mm, weight 175 grams felt in hands. Metal cools the palm, and I feel that it is not stingy – it looks safe, forever. Such a sense as to HTC One M8, no, HTC flagship perceived differently, it prettier. But in Alcatel Hero 2 8030Y has a certain charm.

The right side is the volume rocker immediately – on / off button. On the left side – tray microSIM-cards, and on the other side – the memory card slot. On the back surface can be seen 13-megapixel camera plus LED flash.

Above the screen – front camera, on the right – an indicator of the event, as well as a light sensor. Under the screen – three touch-sensitive keys. From the standpoint of assembling the apparatus appears as a monolith. Some people may not like the weight, but it does buy aluminum housing.

Display

The screen has a diagonal of 6 inches, resolution – 1080h1920 points matrix IPS, covered with glass DragonTrail, having an oleophobic coating. Dirty machine is not an example faster than Lenovo Vibe Z2 / Z2 Pro. The picture quality in the latest generation of smart phones Alcatel has always been good, then the picture is also good, but it lacks a bit of brightness, vividness. Good contrast, but the brightness is clearly saved, apparently trying to get more time to work.

Built into the barrel should not confuse you. He looks like such in Note 3, but no additional layer is not displayed, it’s just a stick, which can not accurately draw or write. The bundled have a couple of applications (calculator and notes), where you can use the stylus. In principle, any pop-up menus, as in Note 3, no specific applications and the like. It’s frustrating, because it makes the stylus purely optional and optional accessory.

The sun machine behaves well, although the margin of brightness is still not enough, it is rather negative.

Battery

Battery capacity – 3100 mAh, which is typical for such devices. For example, in Philips i928, built on the same chipset, battery 3000 mAh, and the screen also with a diagonal of 6 inches. Claimed battery life is quite good – up to 10 hours of talk time on 3G, up to 380 hours of standby time, up to 60 hours of music playback. It is quite exactly the same as that stated for Philips i928, subjective and screens are similar.

Full-charge time the device – about 3 hours. With the battery in the first firmware and MegaFon could be a problem, in particular, the device could be discharged for 8-9 hours at night, even if you did not use them. In recent versions, which go all the time, apparently, the problem won anything like this is not observed. Of pleasant things, I note that increased operating time. Video playback time in HD-quality at maximum brightness is only 4.5 hours, which is very little compared to Phablet from Samsung, but typical for Chinese companies. At the same time of the day during the work completely guaranteed charging device even when heavy loads have to evening. For those who use the device is not very active, readily attainable 2 days confident work for very economical – 2-3 days. To me, this device is not unimpressed by the time work, it is typical for similar devices from other Chinese manufacturers.

Memory, RAM, hardware platform

The device 2 GB of RAM, built-in 16 GB (12.9 GB user available), plus you can install a memory card up to 32 GB. Limitation looks strange, because there a cheap savings, and a large capacity card – not exotic and are inexpensive. Trying to 64GB card, I can say that they work, although the manufacturer and does not claim to support them. Card 128 GB device can not be read.

MediaTek chipset used 6592 has 8 cores, the maximum frequency – 2 GHz. It is well known from other devices solution, it shows a lot of parrots synthetic tests, but in practice very voracious in respect of batteries. In my opinion, this is not the best choice. See the results of the tests.

Camera

The usual 13-megapixel camera has an optical stabilizer, his work is evident in the pictures. Examples of the photo you can see below.Quality is characteristic of this kind of product, but it differs from the better models of the previous season, or even the beginning of the year. In clear weather, the unit gives a very good shots.

Communication capabilities

The model supports 4G, also has NFC, Wi-Fi, BT 4.0 – in a word, a standard set of technologies, without any special features.

Software features

In Alcatel trying not much change the standard Android, but still bring their changes, in particular, added features that we see in the line of Galaxy Note. So, I like that the company is working on a multi-tasking, it was the first after the split screen showed Note a few windows, this mode remains in the unit. And on the home screen icons appeared in some box in the lower right corner. It’s kind of widgets, not just icons. So you can spend on the icon up and open mini-box recorder, player or something like that. The idea is very simple and elegant.

Everything else remains traditionally – there is a program to synchronize and backup data, a DJ stand in a separate pre-program. Stylus couple of programs that do not cause much excitement, it’s not exactly Note with its capabilities.

Multi-window mode, as in Samsung, you can open just two applications simultaneously and work in them, different from the original series Note that not well thought through. For example, the keyboard causing you exactly overlaps one or both of the window, they do not change the size and so forth. It turns out that the implementation of this regime suffers greatly and does not look quality.

Included is earphones JBL, they are quite good sound quality and cope well in order to play music and radio. For complete headphone quality is excellent, although third-party and more expensive, they still can not compete. The music player has an additional mode Hi-Fi Audio, is a kind of equalizer, which is included in one touch and completes the sound of MP3 file, restoring lost frequencies. Something similar is in the players and Walkman phone from Sony, it should be noted here that the technology works in a similar way. This mode is not for everybody, but it should be noted that it music is pleasant. Also be aware that the use of music to play this mode will lead to more energy consumption, the battery starts to weaken before our eyes.

Built-in FM-radio works only with headphones, they act as an antenna. You can record broadcast into memory, it’s pretty typical, and no complaints there.

Out of the box the phone supports various codecs for video standard player, but its functionality is not amazing, the only difference from many other – the ability to display the image in the box moves around the screen. As for the rest, I can recommend the side of the player, for example, MX Player – beauty in a larger number of codecs, better hardware support chipset.

Impressions

Cost Alcatel Hero 2 8030Y will be about 17,990 rubles in Russia that expected for a product of this class. Expensive, but not prohibitively expensive. But there is good news, at MegaFon, this model costs 12 990 rubles, which looks much better offer that stands out from the other Chinese champions. However, in MegaFon still need to put the 2-3 thousand rubles for the account to get this price, but the money you spend on communication.

Clearly, this Phablet and he plays in a small niche, he has no problems to collect huge sales, this just is not necessary. In Alcatel promise that this year the market will be available optional accessories. For example, look at the cases that are similar to those of the Note – this is the usual case-book, cover with a window and a closed case with OLED-screen TV. He contacts and anchored to the body.

I and left with the impression that Alcatel trying to transform itself into HTC from the past, focusing on design, materials of the housing. And then there is an ambivalent feeling – the design is different, as are the materials, but not technical filling in all correspondence. The product was interesting, if you need a relatively inexpensive Phablet, then you can look to it. Although really cheap Phablet winter of this year will cost about 3 000-4 000. What makes this segment and the product itself is quite different.

After a month and a half with this product, I can say that the product to get a decent, it is well assembled, works well, slowing down the interface is almost no permanent fly small updates that improve the operation of this device and its stability. Comparing the model with its competitors, it should be noted that the same Note 3 in the embodiment of MegaFon for 13 or 17 thousand rubles remains unrivaled in this segment offer, another thing is that it is virtually impossible to find. Masthead Note 4 projects in the category of 35-37 thousand rubles, which is an entirely different class of product. Among Phablet with large screens can be distinguished Philips i928, it’s classmates and the quality of the housing, and a number of chips. Model of Alcatel looks interesting, especially because it can be taken MegaFon significantly cheaper. From everyday cons are worth paying attention to when buying, note the weight, still almost 200 grams, and it is felt in everyday life. The unit is heavy, it is a payment for the metal housing. Several times to drop the unit, but it was nothing, a great assembly, although there is a question of luck, you can split the screen the first time on almost any device.

Of probation old but interesting models note Sony Xperia Z Ultra, it even bigger screen – 6.4 inches. In this style from Sony, protection from water, in all senses of the productive and enjoyable device that costs about 15,000 rubles, which makes this model attractive.

I am sure that Alcatel Hero 2 8030Y will be a very niche product, it was too much competition in this segment. But for Alcatel’s definitely a big step forward from the point of view of the device, the materials used. In the future, this will create other devices in the same style, which is not bad. As an application for future victories, he looks great, as a device for everyday use – too bad if you do not take into account the competition, which is enough.

Review of Android-Phablet Alcatel Hero 2 8030Y