alcatel phone

Which Alcatel phone is right for you?

They might not be a big household name, but Alcatel has been manufacturing mobile phones since 1996. They are renowned for being one of the most affordable producers of smartphones to date, so if you’re looking for a cheaper alternative to the higher-end brands, take a look at our recommendations below. 

 

Best overall - Alcatel 3X (2020)

Released as a revised version of the 2019 3X, the 2020 model is the best Alcatel phone on the market right now due to its long-lasting battery life, powerful quad camera, and audio flexibility. At only £150, the price is astounding for the technical features it has on offer. 

5,000mAh battery life

Quad camera

Bluetooth 5.0 and 3.5mm headphone jack
 

No 5G

No IP rating - unknown waterproof capability
 

Release date

June 2020

Cost

Around £150

Display

6.52 inch HD display

720 x 1600 resolution

Size

165 x 75 x 9.09mm

Cameras

Rear = 16MP + 5MP + 2MP + 2MP

Front = 8MP

Processor

Octa-Core 

Memory

64GB ROM + 4GB RAM

Battery

5,000mAh

Colours

Jewelry Black, Jewelry Green

Water resistance 

No IP rating

5G compatibility 

No


Largest screen - Alcatel 3C

The Alcatel 3C offers the largest screen of all Alcatel models, perfect for gamers, film fanatics, or those with poorer visibility. The screen is a huge 6.7 inches and gives you a full HD display. To pair with whatever you’re watching, you have the choice of listening wired or wirelessly, with the choice of the 3.5mm headphone jack or Bluetooth. 

6.7 inch HD Full View Display

3,000mAh battery life

Dual stereo speakers
 

No 5G

Low quality cameras

Not waterproof
 

Release date

February 2019

Cost

£50 - £100 from various online retailers

Display

6.7 inch HD Full View Display

720 x 1440 resolution

Size

173.4 x 83.4 x 8.1mm

Cameras

Rear = 8MP

Front = 5MP

Processor

Quad-Core

Memory

16GB ROM + 2GB RAM

Battery

3,000mAh

Colours

Black, Gold

Water resistance 

No IP rating

5G compatibility 

No 


Smallest screen - Alcatel 1066

Buy for £14

Smartphones with small screens are perfect for people who don’t want a huge device taking up space in their pocket or bag. Though not suitable for people with poor visibility or those who use their smartphone for a lot of tasks, small phones are usually cheaper and simpler to use. They are good devices for younger people, like children starting off with their first smartphone, due to their lack of complexity and stripped-back features. They’re also cheap to replace! 

The Alcatel 1066 has the smallest display on an Alcatel, and is worth considering if you want a pocket-sized phone.

Portable and travel-friendly 

Lightweight

Incredibly budget friendly

Text and call only

Release date

December 2017

Cost

£14

Display

1.8 inch screen


128 x 160 resolution

Size

45 x 108 x 12.83mm

Cameras

Rear = VGA

Memory

4MB RAM

Battery

750mAh

Colours

Black

Water resistance

No IP rating

5G compatibility 

No

 

 

Alcatel 1S (2020)

Best for photography - Alcatel 3L (2020) 

Buy for £138.99

The 2020 release of the 3L brought with it a host of powerful camera technology. The triple rear cameras are ideal if you're a fan of taking pictures or recording videos. 

✔ Bluetooth connectivity

✔ Big storage capacity

✘ No 5G

Release date

May 2020

Cost

£138.99

Display

6.22 inch display


720 x 1520 resolution

Size

75 x 159 x 8.45mm

Cameras

Rear = 48MP + 5MP + 2MP


Front = 8MP

Memory

64GB + 4GB RAM

Battery

4,000mAh

Colours

Chrome

Water resistance

No IP rating

5G compatibility 

No

 

Best for budget - Alcatel 1C

Although all of Alcatel’s smartphones are budget-friendly and drastically cheaper than the likes of Apple and Samsung, the Alcatel 1C is one of the best prices for the features it has on offer. Though it only has two relatively low MP cameras, the 5" screen is a decent size and its quad core processor is surprisingly fast.

Cheap - no more than £50

Fast processor for its price

Modest battery life 
 

No 5G

Low performing cameras

Not waterproof
 

Release date

January 2019

Cost

£49 

Display

5 inch Full View Display

480 x 960 resolution

Size

136.6 x 65.3 x 9.95mm

Cameras

Rear = 5MP

Front = 2MP

Processor

Quad core

Memory

8GB ROM + 1GB RAM

Battery

2,050mAh

Colours

Black, Red, White

Water resistance 

No IP rating

5G compatibility 

No

 

More recommendations

Alcatel has plenty more to offer. If none of the above are to your liking, take a look at the following and see if they’re right for you. 

 

Alcatel 1S

Alcatel 1S

The original Alcatel 1S was released in 2020, with a follow up version coming out in 2021. 

With barely any difference in price, the newer model has a slightly bigger screen, but the 2020 version has a better rear camera. They both share a long-lasting 4,000mAh battery, but the older model doesn’t have the added benefit of a water-resistant design. See how they stack up below:

Alcatel 1S

2020

2021

Cost

£98.99

£99

Display

6.22 inches

6.52 inches

Size

75 x 159 x 8.45mm

63 x 171 x 92mm

Cameras

Rear

13MP

5MP

2MP


Front

5MP

Rear

13MP

2MP

2MP


Front

5MP

Processor

Octa-Core

MediaTek Helio P22

Memory

32GB

32GB

Battery

4,000mAh

4,000mAh

Colours

Grey

Black, Blue

Water resistance

No

Yes

5G compatibility

No

No

Under £100

Large and clear displays

Triple rear cameras

Relatively long-lasting battery lives

No 5G

 

Alcatel 1SE

Alcatel 1SE

The 1SE has a large enough display for watching videos, a decent set of triple rear cameras, and a reliable 4,000mAh battery capacity. It’s also really affordable. Take a look at its other features below:

Release date

2020

Cost

£89

Display

6.22 inches

Size

75 x 159 x 8.65mm

Cameras

Rear

13MP

5MP

2MP


Front

5MP

Processor

Octa-Core

Memory

32GB

Battery

4,000mAh

Colours

Grey

Water resistance

No

5G compatibility

No - 4G

Under £100

Large screen

Reliable battery capacity

No 5G

No water protection

 

Alcatel 1B

Alcatel 1B

With its 5.5 inch screen, the 1B is a travel-friendly, portable handset. It also comes with a fair 3,000mAh battery, 32GB storage, two colour options, and a camera lens on each side. At only £69, the Alcatel 1B is as cheap as it gets for a smartphone!  

Release date

2020

Cost

£69

Display

5.5 inches

Size

72 x 146 x 9.9mm

Cameras

Rear

8MP


Front

5MP

Processor

Quad-Core

Memory

32GB

Battery

3,000mAh

Colours

Black, Green

Water resistance

No

5G compatibility

No - 4G

Under £100

Portable and travel-friendly size

Decent battery life

No 5G

No water protection


More smartphones

Alcatel is a great budget brand. The main areas they usually suffer in compared to the big name manufacturers is their camera quality and battery capacity. If you don’t mind grainier photos, or don’t take a lot to begin with, then an Alcatel model is most likely your best choice for saving money

If you’ve now decided Alcatel isn’t for you, take a look at some of our other brands in this series: 

And keep an eye out on Asda mobile’s online store to find your next phone.  


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