Ultimate Review Alcatel Pop 8S Specs & Insights

Introduction to Alcatel Pop 8S

The Alcatel Pop 8S, a product released in late 2014, was designed to offer a budget-friendly yet efficient performance for its users. Although the device is now discontinued, it remains a notable example of how Alcatel aimed to provide functionality and affordability in the tablet market. The Pop 8S offers a balanced mixture of features suited to everyday use, making it an enduring piece of technology despite its age.

Body and Display

With dimensions of 209 x 128 x 7.2 mm and weighing 327 g, the Alcatel Pop 8S is a portable and lightweight tablet suitable for users who prefer mobility. The build is straightforward, with a choice between classic white and black color back panels, providing a professional look.

The tablet features an 8.0-inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 800 x 1280 pixels. The screen provides a decent display quality with adequate brightness levels, which should serve basic browsing and media consumption needs effectively. The screen-to-body ratio is approximately 69.4%, allowing for a relatively immersive viewing experience.

Performance and Platform

Under the hood, the Alcatel Pop 8S is powered by a Qualcomm MSM8916 Snapdragon 410 chipset, offering a quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A53 CPU. While not the fastest processor by today's standards, it was competitive at the time of release, providing sufficient power for everyday tasks like browsing, social media, and streaming.

The device also features the Adreno 306 GPU, which can handle basic gaming and graphical tasks without issue. However, it is important to note that this device is not designed for high-performance gaming or intensive multitasking.

Memory and Storage

The Alcatel Pop 8S comes with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage. The RAM is relatively low, which can affect multitasking capabilities, and users may experience occasional slowdowns when running multiple applications simultaneously. However, the performance should suffice for basic applications and less demanding tasks.

The internal storage can be expanded via a microSDHC card, offering users the option to increase their storage capacity for additional apps, media, and documents. This feature is particularly beneficial given the limited internal storage space.

Camera Features

The tablet is equipped with a 5 MP autofocus main camera. While it supports basic photography needs, it won't impress anyone looking for high-quality images. It does, however, allow for taking quick snaps or capturing notes when needed. Additionally, there is a 3 MP front camera, suitable for video calls and taking selfies of modest quality.

Battery Life

One of the strong points of the Alcatel Pop 8S is its battery life. It houses a non-removable Li-Ion 4100 mAh battery, which provides substantial usage time considering the device's energy-efficient components. The tablet should easily last through a day of moderate use, making it suitable for users who need a reliable device throughout their daily activities.

Connectivity and Communication

The tablet supports GSM, HSPA, and LTE networks, ensuring users can stay connected via voice and data across most network types worldwide. It also offers Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n for local connectivity, Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP for connecting wireless peripherals, and GPS for location services.

It includes a microUSB 2.0 port for charging and data transfer. Unfortunately, the device lacks NFC and radio features, which are omissions that may disappoint some users looking for these connectivity options.

Sound and Multimedia

The Alcatel Pop 8S comes with a loudspeaker and a 3.5mm headphone jack. This allows users to listen to music, watch videos, or conduct calls without requiring separate adapters—an appreciated feature in an era where such jacks are increasingly absent in modern designs.

Sensors and Additional Features

For basic sensor needs, the tablet includes an accelerometer, which allows for screen rotation and some motion-based functionalities. However, it lacks other sensors such as gyroscopes or proximity sensors, limiting its functionality compared to more advanced devices.

Conclusion

Overall, the Alcatel Pop 8S is a tablet that fits its purpose for budget-conscious consumers. Its reliable performance for essential tasks, clean design, and solid battery life at a reasonable price point made it an attractive option at its time of release. While it may not compete with modern tablets in terms of power and features, it remains a practical choice for users with simple needs. In historical terms, it represents a snapshot of tablet technology's evolution and the balance manufacturers must find between cost, performance, and features.