Alcatel TETRA™ In-Depth Review
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Alcatel TETRA™ In-Depth Review Image Gallery
October 6, 2018
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What We Love About Alcatel TETRA
- Android 8.1 Oreo
- Reasonable price
- Compact design
- Lightweight
- 4G LTE support
- Durable display
- HD video
- Expandable storage
- Good battery life
Alcatel TETRA Overview
Throughout the years, the Alcatel brand has launched decent low-budget and mid-range smartphones in the market. With Alcatel TETRA, the brand has added another inexpensive, low-budget cell phone to its lineup. The Alcatel TETRA is marketed towards people who want basic smartphone functionality without the complexity of hi-tech features.
Similar to the Alcatel ONYX, it runs on a quad-core Mediatek processor – a cost-efficient chipset. With a slim and compact design, it fits easily into a pocket or purse. The front and rear cameras can record HD videos. It was nice to get cool features in the camera app typically found on premium phones. Enjoy Bluetooth connectivity that enables you to listen to music on the go. Browse your social media feeds using 4G connectivity or Wi-Fi. The device is available through carrier partners such as Cricket or AT&T. Let’s take a closer look at the device in our in-depth Alcatel TETRA review.
Alcatel TETRA Unboxing
Alcatel TETRA phone arrives in sturdy packaging. There is a picture of the phone on the backside of the box and the Alcatel TETRA branding is present on the edge. Opening the box reveals the mobile device, covered by a screen protector. A quick start guide with safety and warranty information lies under the Alcatel mobile phone. Below the guides, discover the charging adapter, Micro-USB data cable, and removable battery. The battery is to be inserted manually into the device to boot it up.
What’s in the box:
- Alcatel TETRA smartphone
- Quick start guide
- Safety and warranty information
- Charging adapter
- Micro-USB cable
- Removable battery
Alcatel TETRA Design
With its sleek, ergonomic design and textured back, the Alcatel TETRA fits comfortably in your hands and provides an easy user experience. The display has large bezels on the top and bottom. The selfie camera and earpiece are embedded into the top bezel. Navigation buttons are present on the bottom bezel. The phone is available in a single color – Stealth Black.
The back of the device follows an old-fashioned pattern with a twill texture. This ensures a firm grip on the hand to prevent the Alcatel phone from slipping. The back also hosts the primary camera at the top. LED flash is housed to the left of the rear camera. Alcatel branding is in the middle and a speaker is present near the bottom.
The right edge has the volume rocker button and a textured power key. The texture of the power key makes it easy to find and recognize. A microphone is present at the bottom edge of the device. The charging port and 3.5mm headphone jack are at the top edge.
Alcatel TETRA Camera
The Alcatel’s camera gets the job done, and that is all you can expect out of it, considering the price. The TETRA features the following cameras:
- 5MP rear camera
- 2MP front camera
The 5MP rear cameras take decent photos under daylight conditions. The photo quality is comparable to other devices in its price range. You can show off your creativity through the camera app with Panorama Mode, Time-Lapse, HDR, and Night Mode features. Panorama Mode lets you fit more in your shot, whereas Time-Lapse is for accelerated videos. Night Mode and HDR can help improve exposure under dim lighting conditions. You can also use the LED Flash to take pictures in the dark.
The 2MP front camera is primarily for video calls and selfies. It also supports the self-timer feature to take pictures. Other great features, such as the Instant Collage and Social Square, are pretty helpful. The Instant Collage lets you make quick collages as you point and shoot. With Social Square, you can immediately review, delete, or share pictures as soon as they are taken, while the rest of your screen stays fixed on the action. Both the cameras can record 720p video at 30fps. You can instantly access the camera app by double-clicking the dedicated camera button. Overall, the Alcatel TETRA camera performed as we expected.
Alcatel TETRA Display
Alcatel TETRA has a 5-inch screen with a resolution of 480 x 854 pixels. The low-resolution display makes it possible to keep costs down. The 16:9 aspect ratio is best for videos, as the screen is more wide than tall, offering an immersive experience. Color accuracy is satisfactory compared to other smartphones at this price point. Icons and text are clearly visible on the screen. The screen is coated with 2D Dragontrail glass, which promises protection against scratches and drops. The pixel density of the display is 196 PPI. I’d recommend you keep your phone’s brightness high under direct sunlight.
Alcatel TETRA Battery
The Alcatel TETRA can get you through your busy schedule with its all-day battery life. Since entry phones like Alcatel TETRA consume little power, the 2050mAh battery will provide sufficient power to keep you connected throughout the day. It should keep up with 12 hours of talk time and 316 hours of standby on 3G. Since the battery is removable, you can keep a spare one in hand in case of an emergency.
After a day of continuous use, we were left with 20% battery life. In my opinion, the battery is sufficient for basic functions like calling, texting, and occasionally browsing the web.
Alcatel TETRA Storage
Alcatel TETRA comes loaded with 16GB of internal storage, sufficient space considering the needs of low-budget consumers. It takes care of basic apps, photos, videos, and files. However, if you download lots of movies and games, 16GB might not be sufficient. Luckily, you can increase the storage space up to 128GB via the microSD slot. You can also store photos, videos, and files on the cloud through Google Drive or Google Photos.
Alcatel TETRA Performance
A 1.1GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6739WM chipset coupled with 2GB of RAM powers the Alcatel TETRA smartphone. The performance of this Android device is on par with other competitors in the price range. With 2GB RAM, you can quickly switch from texting to social media to video streaming. Even though the cost-efficient processor isn’t a multitasking beast, it can handle basic tasks with no problems. With 4G support, you can enjoy high internet speeds and a robust network connection.
Playing games like Candy Crush and Subway Surfers was fun on the device. However, I wouldn’t recommend you to play heavy games as it may lead to thermal throttling. The device runs the Android 8.1 Oreo operating system that has a clean and user-friendly interface. It comes preloaded with essential Google apps like Google Assistant and Photos. It also supports Mobile Hotspot to share the fast internet connection with friends and family or connect any other wireless device. You can use gesture control to mute calls just by turning your phone over or double-tap to wake the screen. You can also secure the device by setting up an unlock code or password. In my opinion, the Alcatel TETRA won’t let you down if you only intend to use it for primary functions.
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Final Words About Alcatel TETRA
The Alcatel TETRA is an entry-level, feature-rich smartphone that focuses on our primary need for staying connected. Its low price makes it a good value for money. The device is less bulky than mid-tier or flagship smartphones. Alcatel TETRA’s minimalist design includes a textured back for better grip, rounded edges, and perfectly placed buttons and ports. The Alcatel device checks many boxes of what makes a good budget smartphone. Alcatel TETRA is worth looking at if you want a basic Android phone at a super affordable price but don’t need the bells and whistles of pricier devices.
Alcatel TETRA Specifications
- Android 8.1 Oreo
- 5-inch IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen
- Pixel Density: 196 PPI
- MediaTek MT6739WM quad-core processor
- PowerVR GE8100 GPU
- 2GB RAM
- 16GB ROM
- Rear Camera: 5MP
- Front Camera: 2MP
- 2050 mAH battery
- Sensor: Accelerometer and Proximity sensor
- Dimensions: 142.5 x 71.9 x 9.4 mm (5.61 x 2.83 x 0.37 in)
Frequently Asked Questions About Alcatel TETRA
The display size of the Alcatel Tetra is 5-inch. However, the overall size of the device is 5.6-inch.
No, this Alcatel smartphone does not have NFC.
Alcatel Tetra weighs only 5.29 oz.
The Alcatel Tetra allows you to take a screenshot by simultaneously pressing the volume down and power buttons.
The Alcatel Tetra was released in September of 2018.
