Alcatel Pop 8 Comprehensive Review with Specs Pricing Pros & Cons

Overview of Alcatel Pop 8

The Alcatel Pop 8, announced in January 2014 and released in the second quarter of the same year, marked Alcatel's entry into the budget-friendly Android tablet market. Despite its lackluster specifications compared to today's standards, the Pop 8 was a decent choice for budget-conscious consumers at the time of its release.

Design and Build

With dimensions of 209 x 123 x 7.9 mm and weighing 325 grams, the Alcatel Pop 8 was designed to be lightweight and relatively slim for its category. The tablet features an 8-inch screen, which accounts for a screen-to-body ratio of approximately 72.2%. It came in a sleek white color, offering a clean and modern look.

Display

The tablet features an IPS LCD display with a resolution of 800 x 1280 pixels, resulting in a pixel density of about 189 ppi. While these specs wouldn't be considered high-definition by current standards, they were adequate for basic multimedia and browsing tasks at the time of its release.

Performance

Under the hood, the Alcatel Pop 8 is powered by a Mediatek MT8382 chipset built on a 28 nm process. The device sports a Quad-core 1.3 GHz Cortex-A7 CPU and a Mali-400MP2 GPU, providing sufficient power for everyday applications and light gaming. However, it might struggle with more demanding apps and multitasking due to its limited processing power.

Memory and Storage

The device is equipped with 1GB of RAM, which was typical for budget tablets at the time but would considerably limit multitasking and application performance today. It includes 4GB of internal storage, which is minimal by contemporary standards, but it features a microSDXC slot, allowing users to expand storage and accommodate more apps, photos, and media files.

Camera Features

The main camera is a basic 2 MP shooter, capable of capturing simple photos and videos. While it is not suitable for high-quality photography, it serves basic documentation needs. Additionally, the VGA front camera is designed for video calls, though it offers minimal picture clarity.

Battery Life

Equipped with a non-removable Li-Ion 4100 mAh battery, the Alcatel Pop 8 offers a standby time of up to 500 hours on 2G and 140 hours on 3G networks. This capacity ensures that the device can handle a full day of light to moderate usage, such as web browsing, social media, and video playback.

Network and Connectivity

The Pop 8 supports GSM and HSPA technology, offering basic mobile data capabilities. It works on 2G bands (GSM 850/900/1800/1900) and 3G bands (HSDPA 900/2100) with HSPA speeds of up to 21.1/5.76 Mbps. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP, and a microUSB 2.0 port for charging and data transfer.

Audio and Multimedia

The tablet is equipped with a loudspeaker and a 3.5mm audio jack, catering to personal audio needs. It lacks advanced audio features but supports basic audio playback for media consumption.

Operating System

The Alcatel Pop 8 runs Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, an older version of Android that was prevalent in 2014. It provides access to a wide array of applications through the Google Play Store, though support for newer apps and features is limited by the outdated OS.

Miscellaneous Features

Additional features include GPS for navigation and location-based services, though it lacks NFC capability and a built-in radio. Sensor support is minimal, focusing primarily on basics that enable the core functionalities of the device.

Conclusion

While the Alcatel Pop 8 may not hold its ground against modern tablets, it provided an attractive option for budget-conscious consumers in 2014. Its decent battery longevity, expandable storage, and basic connectivity make it suitable for users with minimal processing and storage needs. However, for those expecting more advanced features, newer devices would be recommended.