Save money with the right Alcatel smartphone

20 July 2018

Alcatel's cheap yet capable smartphones offer plenty of value to budget-conscious Aussies.

Updated August 21st, 2018

Name	Processor type	Display size	Display resolution	Internal storage
Alcatel U5	MT6737M	5	854 x 480	8GB	Buy at Target View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Alcatel A3	MT6737	5	1280 x 720	16GB	Buy at Target View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Alcatel Go Play	Snapdragon 410	5	1280 x 720	8GB	View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Alcatel Pop 4	MSM8909	5	1280 x 720	8GB	View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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Fast Alcatel phone facts

Though the Alcatel phone brand has been around since 1998, it was licensed out in 2005 to Chinese electronics company TCL Communication which has manufactured all Alcatel phones since.
Alcatel is one of the most affordable smartphone brands on the market, pricing most of its handsets between $50 and $150.

What to consider when choosing an Alcatel phone

Buying a budget Alcatel smartphone is a very different experience to purchasing a top-of-the-line handset from a brand like Apple or Samsung. Features tend to differ more drastically from model to model, and you'll often need to make a few concessions to get what you really want.

To help you determine which features are most relevant to your lifestyle, we've compiled a list of the key factors to consider when shopping for an Alcatel smartphone. Keep these in mind and you should have no trouble finding an Alcatel handset suited to your specific needs.

It should come as no surprise that Alcatel's handsets take a minimalist approach to internal storage. Even its recently announced 18:9 smartphones ship with no more than 32GB built in. Music lovers and photo hoarders need not fret, though, because all Alcatel's phones come equipped with a microSD card slot for increasing storage capacity by as much as 512GB. Just be aware that some handsets only support microSD cards up to 32GB, so check the specs before you hand over your cash.
The screen is often one of the most expensive components of a smartphone, making it a common target of cost-cutting measures in budget handsets. With Alcatel, this means you're largely limited to displays no bigger than 5.5 inches, though it does plan to buck that trend with 5.7-inch and 6-inch smartphones in its upcoming Alcatel 3 and Alcatel 5 series product lines.
One thing worth noting is that the resolution on Alcatel's larger handsets is typically quite a bit lower than similarly sized smartphones from more expensive brands. This can result in lower image quality and cramped interfaces in apps and websites.
Price is far and away Alcatel's greatest strength. Virtually all of its smartphones launch in the sub-$200 price range, with only a select few "premium" models retailing for anything higher. In fact, you'll often find Alcatel smartphones selling at places like Target, Woolworths and Harvey Norman, affordable enough to be bundled in with your grocery shopping or picked up in a rush when your current phone kicks the can.
The only downside is that almost all Alcatel handsets are sold exclusively on an outright basis: you won't find many Aussie telcos offering the Alcatel brand on contract.
The shift from a smartphone market populated by dozens of different operating systems to one divided between just two has done a lot for mobile security. iOS and Android provide a relatively stable platform that can be regularly updated with protection against the latest digital threats, and this is a big plus for brands like Alcatel that no longer have to pour money into developing their own software.
But while the fundamental security features baked into the Android operating system grant Alcatel's smartphones a decent layer of defence, the brand's budget ethos leaves its handsets wanting in a few key areas. Only select models include a fingerprint scanner for protection above and beyond a standard PIN code, and though the new Alcatel 5 and Alcatel 3 allow for facial unlocking, the image recognition software behind it is less secure than a standard passcode – the phones even tell you this when you first set the feature up.
If you're hoping to snap an award-winning shot or two with an Alcatel smartphone, you probably want to reset your expectations. The camera is one of the first components to feel the pinch in budget handsets, and this is readily apparent across all Alcatel's smartphones. Photo quality and capture performance are decidedly average no matter which model you're looking at.
Of course, this is to be expected given Alcatel's budget pricing. Just know this going in to avoid disappointment.
You don't often hear about modem speeds when discussing the quality of mobile Internet. Responsibility for fast mobile data is typically placed on the shoulders of the network provider, whether it be Optus, Telstra or Vodafone.
However, telcos aren't the only limiting factor. Smartphones themselves are only capable of sending and receiving a set amount of network data at any one time: this is indicated by the network category of a smartphone's modem. In Alcatel's case, its handsets trend towards the slower end of the spectrum with rankings from Category 4 to Category 6. Depending on your network, this could impact the maximum speeds you'll see when browsing the web and streaming video.
For a deeper dive into how smartphone hardware can impact your Internet speeds, take a look at our Network Category speeds guide.
Considering their price, it shouldn't be surprising that Alcatel's smartphones only support wired charging. If you're looking to cut the cord, you'll want to check out our list of smartphones that support wireless charging instead.
Unfortunately, Alcatel hasn't shown much interest in fast-charging technologies, either. Only a couple of its more recent handsets support the popular Qualcomm Quick Charge standard, with the rest requiring multiple hours to juice up from empty to full. Again, it's understandable given the budget pricing, but it could be a deal-breaker if you're always on the go and can't afford to babysit a charging phone for hours on end.
Alcatel might be behind the curve with charging technologies, but its battery performance is on point. The combination of low-power processors and smaller screens allows Alcatel handsets to keep on trucking long past your average premium smartphone, surviving a full day's use without breaking a sweat. If you're looking for a set-and-forget smartphone solution, this kind of longevity is a big plus.
As far as budget smartphone design has come, there's still a clear difference in build quality between premium handsets and their cheaper brethren. This is particularly evident when comparing the weather resistance of high- and low-end handsets. Where protection against dust and water is becoming the norm for flagship phones, it's often left out by companies like Alcatel when building handsets to a more strict budget.
In fact, only a single Alcatel phone currently features official water-resistance: the Alcatel Go Play. Its IP67 rating is impressive, certifying it as completely dust-tight and capable of withstanding immersion in depths of up to 1m of water, but it's your only option if you want an Alcatel handset you won't have to bury in your bag every time it rains. There are alternatives from other smartphone manufacturers, though, and you can check them out in our guide to waterproof smartphones.
Snappy performance and budget pricing rarely go hand in hand. Most Alcatel smartphones feature low-end processors that not only struggle when processing photos or playing 3D games but occasionally falter with day-to-day tasks like browsing the web or switching between apps. Lacklustre performance isn't unusual in the budget smartphone space, but Alcatel's handsets tend to lag behind most of the competition.
Because of this, we recommend taking the time to read through reviews of Alcatel's smartphones that break down performance using relative benchmarks and real-world testing. Relative benchmarks give you valuable insight into how a particular smartphone stacks up against its rivals, providing context for the kind of power it's capable of and the value it offers.

Which Alcatel phone is best?

Finding the right Alcatel smartphone for you isn't as simple as identifying the "best" model and leaving it at that. Different handsets are better suited to different types of people, making it impossible to declare a single handset "the best" without properly qualifying that claim first.

In the case of our recommendation below, we've selected the handset we believe most suitable for the average budget-minded Australian phone user. Our pick is based not only on our perspective as long-time reviewers in the smartphone industry, but also on the availability of Alcatel handsets here in Australia – there are many international models that never made it to Aussie shores. That doesn't mean our pick is necessarily the right phone for you, though, so be sure to factor in your particular needs and preferences before making your buying decision.

finder.com.au's pick

Alcatel Go Play

Rugged and reliable

Alcatel's only waterproof smartphone is an excellent choice for cash-strapped phone users.

The big pitch with the Alcatel Go Play is its water- and dust-resistance rating of IP67, but that's not all the handset has going for it. A bold and colourful design, a long-lasting battery and a decent if unremarkable camera round out a solid package, one that you can now find selling for less than half its original RRP. At that price, the Go Play establishes itself as our go-to pick for an Alcatel smartphone.

Read our full review of the Alcatel Go Play here

Looking for an Alcatel phone on a plan?

While you'll find plenty of Alcatel smartphones selling outright both online and at stores like Woolworths and Target, few Aussie telcos offer the budget handsets on contract. Telcos typically focus on premium and mid-range smartphones too pricey for most people to drop hundreds or thousands of dollars on in one go. This leaves only a limited number of Alcatel contract plans currently available, which you can compare in the table below:

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Save money with the right Alcatel smartphone