Updated at: 22-06-2022 - By: Leo Hall

As a result of Android’s open-source nature, a broad variety of devices are available from multiple OEMs. As a result, some of the best cheap smartphones can be had for a fraction of the price that flagships often cost.

Alcatel’s primary focus has always been on low-cost devices, despite the fact that their models have rarely ranked higher than those from other manufacturers in this area.

Our review of the Alcatel A30 will focus on whether or not this cheap phone is worth the money, as well as whether or not Alcatel has managed to produce an exceptional, fully-rounded budget device.

The Design

Before diving into the Alcatel A30’s internals, let’s have a look at its design and build quality.

A thorough examination reveals that the phone is a low-cost device at first sight, but that impression is quickly dispelled.

Alcatel A30 Review 2022 - Why This Phone SUCKS Right Now

Although it appears to be constructed of metal at first glance, what appears to be a metal frame is actually colored plastic.

As expected, the A30 is a stripped-down cheap phone that doesn’t look or feel like much more than that. It may not have the best initial impression, but for inexpensive phones, aesthetics and design tend to be less important.

The Hardware

We’ve seen the exterior, now let’s see what’s going on inside!

The Snapdragon 210 chipset in the Alcatel A30 isn’t particularly impressive; it’s an old 28nm CPU that will lag behind newer CPUs available in other low-cost phones in this price bracket.

The A30 has only 16 GB of internal storage, and it doesn’t accept microSD cards greater than 32 GB on the device. The internal storage space is reduced to a pitiful 7 GB after all the unnecessary software has been disabled or uninstalled.

Unless you’re an app hoarder, audiophile with a large music collection, or camera enthusiast, this isn’t even close to being enough. This means that you’ll need an external microSD card in order to install any other programs and save more than a few multimedia files at once.

On the bright side, it has 2 GB of RAM, which should make multitasking easier.. When it comes to RAM size, though, high-end Android devices have demonstrated time and time again that this isn’t the most significant factor. Unfortunately, the phone can’t handle more than two heavy apps open at a time, which isn’t going to please any multitaskers.

This laptop’s internals are, on the whole, a disappointment even at this price point. They are far from spectacular.

The Battery Life

It’s unlikely that the A30 will win any battery life competitions either, with its 2460 mAh capacity specifically being outclassed by an outdated and power-guzzling processor.

The battery life will be shortened soon due to the CPU and the 5-inch screen using so much power.

Testing shows that the A30 only lasts 4 hours with Internet and screen use, which even among budget phones can take up to 8 hours of intensive usage. Although it’s a budget phone, the battery is not detachable, which is unusual.

The Display

The A30 sports a 5-inch screen, which has long been the most common size for Android phones. Compared to the Pixi 4, the 720×1280 LCD behind this screen is a bit better, since the colors are more bright and not washed out like in the case of the Pixi 4.

The visuals are adequate. Because the 5-inch screen only has 720p resolution, there is no additional load on the internals, which is a good thing given the phone’s short battery lifespan.

The Cameras

The 8MP rear camera and the 5MP front camera are the only noteworthy features of this smartphone, which else falls into the generic category.

Alcatel A30 Review | PCMag

This may look decent on paper, but as we know, on-paper specifications are rarely a reliable way to gauge actual performance. The A30’s two cameras are abysmal, to say the least. The pictures and videos look flat and lack depth, and there’s plenty of noise to go around, especially in low-light conditions.

For those who take many photos or movies and place great attention on the quality of their phone’s camera, this gadget should be avoided.

The Software

Android 7.0 Nougat comes preinstalled on the Alcatel A30, and it performs admirably on the phone’s modest hardware, including all of the new capabilities included in Nougat.

It’s safe to say, though, that there will never be an Android 8.0 upgrade for this phone, as is typically the case with low-cost Android phones.

With the phone running stock Android, people who like the basic, adaptable Android experience over custom launchers and themes that most OEMs try to install on top of the OS will be pleased.

Fortunately, the A30 isn’t burdened by any of it, which could have slowed down the device’s already meager performance.

Pricing and Models

Amazon is the only place to buy the A30, which comes with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. For $59.99, you can have Prime with advertisements and offers; for $99.99, you can get Prime without ads.

GSM and CDMA models are also available for AT&T and T-Mobile, respectively. With three major carriers, you’ll get more assistance than most unlocked phones can offer.

There were lock screen advertising and offers on a $59.99 GSM model we tested out.

Processor

To get to this price point, where did Alcatel slash costs? Consider the Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 CPU that powers your phone. There’s just too much going on for the 1.1GHz processor to keep up with today’s applications and processes.

The A30 scored 16,720 in the AnTuTu benchmark, which measures total system performance, which is below average even for entry-level devices. The Snapdragon 425-powered Avid Trio (32,443) has a higher clock speed than this, whereas the MediaTek 6735 in the Blu R1 HD has a lower clock speed (31,847). The A30 was unable to finish GFXBench, which measures graphics performance, during the Jetstream and Browsermark tests.

The A30 has 2GB of RAM, thus multitasking is still possible if you don’t overwork it. That implies you can run roughly five or six programs in the background (Dialer, Camera, Chrome, Gmail, Messenger, etc.), but you’ll feel some delay. There is a noticeable delay while switching between apps. However, unlike the Avid Trio, it never became unusable.

FAQS:

Can Alcatel A30 make calls?

An IR blaster and a 4,060 mAh battery are also included in the Alcatel A30, which can be used to make phone calls.

What is Alcatel A30?

Description. Powered by a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 CPU, the Alcatel A30 is running Android 7 Nougat on a 5-inch display with 720×1280 pixels and a 1.1 GHz clock speed. In addition to the 16 GB of built-in storage, there’s 2 GB of RAM.
Alcatel A30 - Notebookcheck.net External Reviews

Conclusion:

What do we think of the Alcatel A30, given all of the above?

The display and the inexpensive cost are the phone’s two greatest assets. Everything else about the phone is ordinary or poor, with a preponderance of mediocrity.

The storage capacity is adequate, the battery life is mediocre, the cameras are rudimentary, the CPU is outdated, and the body is made entirely of plastic – even though the metallic frame would like you to believe otherwise – despite the metallic frame.

The Alcatel A30 is a superb cheap smartphone for the casual, non-demanding user with its stock Android experience, a nice display, and its price. You can get away with using the A30 if all you do is text, call, and occasionally watch a YouTube video or surf the web on it.

In contrast, if you’re a multitasker who enjoys switching back and forth between apps, or if you play a lot of games on your phone during the day, you might want to spend a little more money and avoid unnecessary annoyance.