Paul Briden 03/07/2018 - 4:55pm

What is the Alcatel Pop 4 all about?

£70.00

Alcatel Pop 4 Review: Specs

  • Display: 5in IPS LCD, 720p HD
  • Processor: Quad-Core 1.1GHz
  • RAM: 1GB
  • Storage: 8GB, microSD up to 256GB
  • Primary Camera: 8MP LED flash
  • Secondary Camera: 5MP
  • Battery: 2,500mAh
  • Software: Android 6.0 Marshmallow

On paper the Alcatel Pop 4 looks like it has a lot going for it considering its low-end £70 price point. Chiefly, a 720p IPS HD display, a hefty 2,500mAh battery cell, and a relatively new build of Android in version 6.0 Marshmallow.

However, the wheels do start falling off with the design and build, and things continue to go downhill when we get into the processor performance, storage, and battery life.

The processor is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 210, which is one of the lowlier members of Qualcomm’s stable. It’ll run OK generally, but try taxing it and it starts getting choppy. It really isn’t designed for much more than keeping things ticking over at an acceptable level in normal or average use scenarios. Don’t expect it to punch harder when needed. It will not.

Not that you’ll be able to install many big flashy games with a mere 8GB of onboard storage. MicroSD is supported though.

The battery is removable, which is a plus and means you can carry spares, but battery life on a single charge is not really very good.

The 8MP primary camera is acceptably decent, however, though somewhat limited.

Alcatel Pop 4 Review: Design & Display

The design is pretty cheap and uninspiring here. The display is a standout feature though, with an IPS LCD providing decent quality tech for the 5in panel, enhanced by a 720p HD resolution at 294ppi. It’s fairly sharp and bright and with good contrast, but falls down a bit on colour , of which there are far better examples in the budget bracket.

Alcatel Pop 4 Review: Verdict

A step up from the Alcatel Pixi 4 in many respects, however, it still falls short massively in several areas where it really shouldn’t, even for a budget phone. Again, there are one too many compromises here to deliver the sub-£100 price point and the overall experience suffers greatly as a result.