Alcatel 1S(2021) - Ok for a backup handset?

Section62

For various reasons I need to get a cheapish smartphone handset to replace an old spare phone.

This one will only be used very occasionally for calls/texts in emergency if my main one is broken/lost/no service, but I may download and use some online banking apps so need it to be a smartphone.  It also needs to be new rather than secondhand.

Having done some research I think the Alcatel 1S(2021) has the right features and is recent enough for it to be useful for a decent amount of time.

The price ~£80 is also about right for my budget.  I can get a SIM-free unlocked one from Tesco for £64.99 if I also buy one of their £10 top up vouchers.


The question is please, is this a pile of junk that I'll regret buying?  Is there anything better (but still a recent model) for around the same amount of money?

Thanks in advance for any comments/pointers.

flaneurs_lobster

Looks fine for the price, should do all that you want. One (to me anyway) niggle is use of micro-USB rather than USB-C port.

Section62

gavinbaxter said:

Looks fine for the price, should do all that you want. One (to me anyway) niggle is use of micro-USB rather than USB-C port.

Thanks gavin.  I think if it was my main phone the USB would be a factor for me as well, but this one will be on standby for the vast majority of the time so I'm hoping it won't need charging very often at all.  Connection for data transfer maybe once or twice a year, depending on whether this ends up with banking apps on it.


I have zero experience with Alcatel - I'd be interested in any opinions people have of them as a handset manufacturer generally, if nobody has experience with the 1S.  The impression I get is they are Ok as a low-cost brand, and I could easily find worse.

ballyblack

I have a bad experience with Alcatel. I found an older model of this very buggy

Spend £20 more and get a much better phone with better camera, double the memory + bigger battery

Motorola MotoG9 play from Argos £99

Section62

ballyblack said:

I have a bad experience with Alcatel. I found an older model of this very buggy

Spend £20 more and get a much better phone with better camera, double the memory + bigger battery

Motorola MotoG9 play from Argos £99

Thanks ballyblack.

I did have a look at the Motorola range, but the G9 play comes with Android 10 vs 11 on the Alcatel 1S(2021).

It seems the G9 Play is upgradable to Android 11, but the position isn't clear about future upgrades.

I figured that starting with 11 gave me more chance of delaying the inevitable 'we don't support your version of android' message.

With Motorola that would mean moving up to the Moto G10, which does tick the boxes, but also means a price tag of £120.

So I'm weighing up whether the extra memory and dual SIM is worth the extra £45, or if the Alcatel does the job to put that £45 towards the next upgrade of my main phone.

PHK

Personally I would pick the Moto G9play over the Alcatel. The slowness, lag and adverts/promos in the supplied apps puts me off. The Moto G9 was updated to Android 11 in July/August. As you say Motorola hasn’t given an official list of phones that will be upgraded to Android 12. But then neither has Alcatel and they don’t have a good record of updating their devices, so it’s possible both will remain on 11

Section62

PHK said:

Personally I would pick the Moto G9play over the Alcatel. The slowness, lag and adverts/promos in the supplied apps puts me off. The Moto G9 was updated to Android 11 in July/August. As you say Motorola hasn’t given an official list of phones that will be upgraded to Android 12. But then neither has Alcatel and they don’t have a good record of updating their devices, so it’s possible both will remain on 11

Thanks PHK, those are good points.

I'm wavering because the G10 is available via Tesco for only £10 (net) more than the G9Play from Argos - but some sources say the G10 is not as good as the G9Play.

When I read stuff like that it makes me feel like going for the much cheaper option (the Alcatel) and putting the saving aside for a future upgrade.

Any thoughts on the G9Play vs G10?

PHK

I have no experience of the G10. 

Martin_the_Unjust

Moto phones are known for being close to stock android, they have less manufacturers bloatware installed.

For that reason alone I’d pick a Motorola every time in that price range.

ballyblack

Section62 said:

ballyblack said:

I have a bad experience with Alcatel. I found an older model of this very buggy

Spend £20 more and get a much better phone with better camera, double the memory + bigger battery

Motorola MotoG9 play from Argos £99

Thanks ballyblack.

I did have a look at the Motorola range, but the G9 play comes with Android 10 vs 11 on the Alcatel 1S(2021).

It seems the G9 Play is upgradable to Android 11, but the position isn't clear about future upgrades.

I figured that starting with 11 gave me more chance of delaying the inevitable 'we don't support your version of android' message.

With Motorola that would mean moving up to the Moto G10, which does tick the boxes, but also means a price tag of £120.

So I'm weighing up whether the extra memory and dual SIM is worth the extra £45, or if the Alcatel does the job to put that £45 towards the next upgrade of my main phone.

Motorola Moto G9 play is on Android 11 now! so its £99 not £120 and is much better than the G10

Section62

Thanks to everyone for the advice.  In the end I decided to go for the G9 Play, partly because an offer I had meant buying from Argos closed the price difference down a bit more.

I can confirm the phone updated to Android 11 - there were a lot of updates being applied before the Android 11 one, so I'd suggest anyone doing the same makes sure they have a good Wifi connection available, or unlimited data.

I've not used the phone much so far, so can't comment on performance etc, but there hasn't been anything yet I'm concerned or unhappy with so for the purpose I wanted it for I think it has turned out to be a good buy.

Thanks again for all the advice and suggestions.