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Alcatel 3L (2021) review - Entry-level smartphone with 48 MP camera

Savings. The Alcatel 3L is available for less than 160 Euros and still offers a triple camera with a 48 MP sensor. It also has a decent storage capacity and a powerful battery with 4000 mAh. Our review clarifies where the problem lies.
Android Smartphone Touchscreen
Alcatel 3L 2021 (3 Series)
Processor
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762 8 x 2 GHz, Cortex-A53
Graphics adapter
PowerVR GE8320, Core: 600 MHz
Memory
4 GB 
Display
6.52 inch 20:9, 1600 x 720 pixel 269 PPI, Capacitive, 10 touch-points, IPS, 2.5D glass, glossy: yes, 60 Hz
Storage
64 GB eMMC Flash, 64 GB 
, 47.23 GB free
Connections
1 USB 2.0, Audio Connections: Audio jack (3.5 mm), Card Reader: microSD up to 512 GB (FAT, FAT32, exFAT), 1 Fingerprint Reader, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: Accelerometer, Proximity sensor, E-Compass, OTG
Networking
802.11 b/g/n (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 5.0, 2G (850, 950, 1800, 1900 MHz), 3G (Band 1, 2, 5, 8), LTE Cat. 4 (Band 1, 3, 7, 8, 20, 28), Dual SIM, LTE, GPS
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 8.74 x 165.64 x 75.59 ( = 0.34 x 6.52 x 2.98 in)
Battery
4000 mAh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Android 11
Camera
Primary Camera: 48 MPix (1/2", 0.8 µm, f/1.8, 79°, 6P lenses, PDAF) + 2 MPix (Depth, 1/5", 1.75 µm, f/2.4, 90°, 3P lenses) + 2 MPix (Macro, 1/5", 1.75 µm, f/2.4, 84°, 3P lenses); 1080p video (30 FPS), Camera2-API-Level: Limited
Secondary Camera: 8 MPix (1/4", 1.12 µm, f/2.0, 78°, 4P lenses), 1080p video (30 FPS)
Additional features
Speakers: Mono, Keyboard: onscreen, 10W-Charger, USB-Cabel (Micro-USB to USB-A), Headphones, SIM-Tool, Alcatel UI, 24 Months Warranty, Head-SAR: 0.53 W/kg, Body-SAR: 1.48 W/kg; Single-Band-GNSS: GPS, A-GPS, Glonass, BeiDou, Galileo, SBAS, fanless
Weight
194 g ( = 6.84 oz / 0.43 pounds), Power Supply: 64 g ( = 2.26 oz / 0.14 pounds)
Price
160 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Possible competitors in comparison

Rating
Rating Version
Date
Model
Weight
Drive
Size
Resolution
Price from
75.1 %7
05/2021
Alcatel 3L 2021
Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320		194 g64 GB eMMC Flash6.52"1600x720
75.2 %7
02/2021
Samsung Galaxy A12
Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320		205 g64 GB eMMC Flash6.50"1600x720
76.3 %7
07/2020
Alcatel 3L 2020
Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320		165 g64 GB eMMC Flash6.22"1520x720
77.1 %7
01/2021
Vivo Y20s
SD 460, Adreno 610		192.3 g128 GB UFS 2.0 Flash6.51"1600x720

Case, equipment and operation

The workmanship and material selection of the Alcatel 3L (2021) looks more valuable than that of the Alcatel 1Seven though the glossy surface quickly turns out to be a fingerprint magnet. The build quality is good and leaves a solid impression. Unfortunately, the smartphone is 29 grams heavier than its predecessor.

In terms of features, TCL has finally added an ambient light sensor. The somewhat old-fashioned micro-USB port supports OTG and the microSD slot supports the exFAT file system. Since the card slot is a hybrid slot, the user has to decide between memory expansion or dual-SIM.

The operating system is Android 11 with the in-house Alcatel UI. During the review, we received an update that updated the security patches to a fairly current state from March 5, 2021. We do not expect another major update, and experience shows that security updates are distributed rather sporadically.

No NFC, only 2.4 GHz WLAN and LTE Cat. 4: TCL does not provide the Alcatel 3L with more than the bare essentials. While the cellular connection works flawlessly in the review, the Wi-Fi is usually very shaky and slow. The review with our reference router Netgear Nighthawk AX12 confirms this.

The call quality of the Alcatel 3L (2021) is really good when held to the ear and convinces with a clear and natural voice reproduction. In speaker mode, the user of the Alcatel smartphone hears audible reverberations and must also not move too far away from the phone, otherwise it can only be heard very quietly. The suppression of ambient noise works quite well as long as it is not too loud. The 3L supports both VoLTE and WLAN calling.

The smartphone's capacitive touchscreen has good gliding properties and responds quite quickly to inputs. The physical keys have a short travel, but the soft pressure point is still clearly defined. A fingerprint scanner and 2D facial recognition are available for biometric security, both of which perform reliably for the most part.

Size comparison

❌
165.64 mm / 6.52 inch 75.59 mm / 2.98 inch 8.74 mm / 0.3441 inch 194 g0.4277 lbs164 mm / 6.46 inch 75.8 mm / 2.98 inch 8.9 mm / 0.3504 inch 205 g0.4519 lbs164.41 mm / 6.47 inch 76.32 mm / 3 inch 8.41 mm / 0.3311 inch 192.3 g0.4239 lbs158.7 mm / 6.25 inch 74.6 mm / 2.94 inch 8.45 mm / 0.3327 inch 165 g0.3638 lbs148 mm / 5.83 inch 105 mm / 4.13 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 1.5 g0.00331 lbs
SD Card Reader - average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Average of class Smartphone
  (10.9 - 77, n=99, last 2 years)
28.3 MB/s +38%
Alcatel 3L 2021
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
20.56 MB/s

Cross Platform Disk Test (CPDT)

05101520253035404550556065707580Tooltip
Alcatel 3L 2021; SDCard Sequential Write 0.5 GB: Ø30 (20.9-47.1)
Alcatel 3L 2021; SDCard Sequential Read 0.5 GB: Ø61.8 (8.88-81.5)
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Vivo Y20s
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
307 (262min - 357max) MBit/s +544%
Alcatel 3L 2020
802.11 b/g/n
63.6 (31min - 67max) MBit/s +33%
Alcatel 3L 2021
802.11 b/g/n
47.7 (1min - 75max) MBit/s
Samsung Galaxy A12
802.11 b/g/n
44.8 (30min - 59max) MBit/s -6%
iperf3 receive AX12
Vivo Y20s
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
340 (330min - 346max) MBit/s +993%
Alcatel 3L 2020
802.11 b/g/n
67.6 (57min - 73max) MBit/s +117%
Samsung Galaxy A12
802.11 b/g/n
50.3 (8min - 62max) MBit/s +62%
Alcatel 3L 2021
802.11 b/g/n
31.1 (5min - 50max) MBit/s
0510152025303540455055606570Tooltip
Alcatel 3L 2021; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø30.7 (5-50)
Alcatel 3L 2021; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø47.8 (1-75)

Cameras - trimmed-down triple camera in the Alcatel 3L

Selfie with the Alcatel 3L
Selfie with the Alcatel 3L

The front-facing camera of the Alcatel 3L (2021) enables much better selfies than its little sister 1S and delivers quite usable results in good lighting conditions.

Like last year, the triple camera has a 48 MP sensor. Unfortunately, the ultra-wide-angle has been dropped and the two additional lenses can rather be described as technical waste. However, decent snapshots are possible with the main camera.

Like in the 1S the Alcatel 3L also shows an unusual behavior when zooming. This is also completely different from other Android smartphones. For example, a two-fold magnification on a Huawei P40 Pro corresponds to a focal length of around 35 mm with an EOS 90D (APS-C), whereas it is 60 mm on the Alcatel.

Alcatel 3L (2021): 2x zoom
Alcatel 3L (2021): 2x zoom
Alcatel 3L (2021): 5x zoom
Alcatel 3L (2021): 5x zoom
Huawei P40 Pro: 5x zoom
Huawei P40 Pro: 5x zoom

Image Comparison

Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.

WeitwinkelWeitwinkelLow-Light
click to load images
ColorChecker
10.3 ∆E
7.1 ∆E
11.9 ∆E
13.1 ∆E
7.9 ∆E
5 ∆E
7.5 ∆E
11 ∆E
10.6 ∆E
4.7 ∆E
4.1 ∆E
6.8 ∆E
6.9 ∆E
11.7 ∆E
8.7 ∆E
2.4 ∆E
5.8 ∆E
11.2 ∆E
10.6 ∆E
4.9 ∆E
4 ∆E
3.7 ∆E
2.6 ∆E
5 ∆E
ColorChecker Alcatel 3L 2021: 7.39 ∆E min: 2.36 - max: 13.11 ∆E
ColorChecker
28.9 ∆E
53.5 ∆E
39.8 ∆E
33.3 ∆E
45.3 ∆E
60.7 ∆E
52.4 ∆E
36.5 ∆E
42.7 ∆E
30.5 ∆E
63.2 ∆E
62.6 ∆E
34.6 ∆E
46.5 ∆E
37.5 ∆E
73.4 ∆E
45.7 ∆E
42 ∆E
79.6 ∆E
69.1 ∆E
51.1 ∆E
36.4 ∆E
24 ∆E
13.6 ∆E
ColorChecker Alcatel 3L 2021: 45.95 ∆E min: 13.55 - max: 79.6 ∆E

IPS display for couch potatoes in the Alcatel 3L

Subpixel structure
Subpixel structure

The display of the Alcatel 3L (2021) has grown to 6.52 inches (16.56 cm) and has been equipped with an ambient light sensor, but it still works with the small HD resolution. However, the IPS panel's brightness is considerably lower than in the predecessor and does not even reach 300 cd/m². We have not seen such a dark smartphone display for a very long time and it is a bad compromise in our eyes if that is the price for the brightness sensor.

Even in the APL50 measurement (309 cd/m²) and with the sensor enabled (308 cd/m²), only minimally higher values are possible. The black level and contrast ratio are very good, but that does not help much on halfway bright days. The ambient light sensor is something for leisurely contemporaries because it sometimes needs a few seconds to react to the changed light conditions.

296
cd/m²		295
cd/m²		284
cd/m²
298
cd/m²		294
cd/m²		287
cd/m²
296
cd/m²		284
cd/m²		284
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
tested with X-Rite i1Pro 3
Maximum: 298 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 290.9 cd/m² Minimum: 4.04 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 95 %
Center on Battery: 294 cd/m²
Contrast: 2100:1 (Black: 0.14 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.1 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 4.2 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
93.4% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.23
Alcatel 3L 2021
IPS, 1600x720, 6.52		Samsung Galaxy A12
PLS-LCD, 1600x720, 6.50		Alcatel 3L 2020
IPS, 1520x720, 6.22		Vivo Y20s
IPS, 1600x720, 6.51
Response Times
-34%
7%
-14%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
45.6 ?(20.4, 25.2)
64 ?(31, 33)
-40%
44.8 ?(20.4, 24.4)
2%
54.4 ?(25.2, 29.2)
-19%
Response Time Black / White *
31.6 ?(16.8, 14.8)
40 ?(19, 21)
-27%
28 ?(11.6, 16.4)
11%
34.4 ?(18, 16.4)
-9%
PWM Frequency
337.8 ?(20)
Screen
-33%
-20%
-3%
Brightness middle
294
458
56%
463
57%
502
71%
Brightness
291
427
47%
449
54%
468
61%
Brightness Distribution
95
85
-11%
91
-4%
87
-8%
Black Level *
0.14
0.53
-279%
0.25
-79%
0.41
-193%
Contrast
2100
864
-59%
1852
-12%
1224
-42%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.1
4.04
1%
6
-46%
2.6
37%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
6.7
6.84
-2%
11.5
-72%
4.8
28%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
4.2
4.8
-14%
6.5
-55%
3.1
26%
Gamma
2.23 99%
2.293 96%
2.3 96%
2.37 93%
CCT
6962 93%
7535 86%
8233 79%
6470 100%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-34% / -33%
-7% / -14%
-9% / -5%

* ... smaller is better

Display Response Times

ℹ
Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
   ↔    Response Time Black to White
31.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 16.8 ms rise
↘ 14.8 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 83 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.5 ms).
   ↔    Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
45.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 20.4 ms rise
↘ 25.2 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 75 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.7 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

ℹ
To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 17900 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.


Grayscale (advanced settings, warmest white balance, target color space: sRGB)
Grayscale (advanced settings, warmest white balance, target color space: sRGB)
Mixed colors (advanced settings, warmest white balance, target color space: sRGB)
Mixed colors (advanced settings, warmest white balance, target color space: sRGB)
Color space (advanced settings, warmest white balance, target color space: sRGB)
Color space (advanced settings, warmest white balance, target color space: sRGB)
Saturation (advanced settings, warmest white balance, target color space: sRGB)
Saturation (advanced settings, warmest white balance, target color space: sRGB)
Alcatel 3L (2021) on a cloudy day
Alcatel 3L (2021) on a cloudy day
Viewing angle stability
Viewing angle stability

Performance, emissions and battery life

The Alcatel 3L (2021) again relies on the Helio P22 with 4 GB of working memory. The system actually runs smoother with a bit more RAM than in the Alcatel 1S (3 GB RAM). However, we do not want to raise high performance expectations at this point, but it is perfectly sufficient to master everyday use, although we would have wished for a more modern SoC.

The surface temperatures are already clearly above the 30-degree mark in idle and Alcatel's smartphone gets lukewarm under load, but never too hot.

The speaker on the bottom edge has a very high treble and is well suited for phone calls. Media playback, on the other hand, is not its area of expertise. The jack is good for this price range (SNR: 79.33 dBFS) and the audio codec support for Bluetooth (SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX TWS+ and LDAC) is also surprisingly broad.

Alcatel's 3L (2021) has to make considerable concessions in terms of battery runtimes compared with the predecessor, but it still achieves a good result in the review.

Geekbench 5.5 | PCMark for Android | 3DMark | GFXBench
Geekbench 5.5
Single-Core (sort by value)
Alcatel 3L 2021
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
134 Points
Samsung Galaxy A12
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
169 Points +26%
Alcatel 3L 2020
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
147 Points +10%
Vivo Y20s
Qualcomm Snapdragon 460, Adreno 610, 4096
256 Points +91%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (134 - 155, n=9)
142.1 Points +6%
Average of class Smartphone
  (119 - 2138, n=220, last 2 years)
911 Points +580%
Multi-Core (sort by value)
Alcatel 3L 2021
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
805 Points
Samsung Galaxy A12
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
1022 Points +27%
Alcatel 3L 2020
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
863 Points +7%
Vivo Y20s
Qualcomm Snapdragon 460, Adreno 610, 4096
1155 Points +43%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (475 - 883, n=9)
761 Points -5%
Average of class Smartphone
  (473 - 6681, n=220, last 2 years)
2988 Points +271%
PCMark for Android - Work 3.0 (sort by value)
Alcatel 3L 2021
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
5126 Points
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (4779 - 5126, n=2)
4953 Points -3%
Average of class Smartphone
  (4761 - 21385, n=215, last 2 years)
11771 Points +130%
3DMark
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 (sort by value)
Alcatel 3L 2021
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
780 Points
Samsung Galaxy A12
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
733 Points -6%
Alcatel 3L 2020
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
803 Points +3%
Vivo Y20s
Qualcomm Snapdragon 460, Adreno 610, 4096
1415 Points +81%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (428 - 830, n=23)
633 Points -19%
Average of class Smartphone
  (712 - 7285, n=50, last 2 years)
3766 Points +383%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Graphics (sort by value)
Alcatel 3L 2021
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
712 Points
Samsung Galaxy A12
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
645 Points -9%
Alcatel 3L 2020
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
750 Points +5%
Vivo Y20s
Qualcomm Snapdragon 460, Adreno 610, 4096
1293 Points +82%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (370 - 750, n=23)
572 Points -20%
Average of class Smartphone
  (618 - 9451, n=50, last 2 years)
4186 Points +488%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Physics (sort by value)
Alcatel 3L 2021
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
1176 Points
Samsung Galaxy A12
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
1098 Points -7%
Alcatel 3L 2020
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
1064 Points -10%
Vivo Y20s
Qualcomm Snapdragon 460, Adreno 610, 4096
2114 Points +80%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (854 - 1185, n=23)
1026 Points -13%
Average of class Smartphone
  (1093 - 4525, n=50, last 2 years)
3082 Points +162%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited (sort by value)
Alcatel 3L 2021
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
854 Points
Samsung Galaxy A12
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
879 Points +3%
Alcatel 3L 2020
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
870 Points +2%
Vivo Y20s
Qualcomm Snapdragon 460, Adreno 610, 4096
1428 Points +67%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (513 - 873, n=23)
770 Points -10%
Average of class Smartphone
  (704 - 23024, n=114, last 2 years)
9351 Points +995%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
Alcatel 3L 2021
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
791 Points
Samsung Galaxy A12
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
811 Points +3%
Alcatel 3L 2020
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
823 Points +4%
Vivo Y20s
Qualcomm Snapdragon 460, Adreno 610, 4096
1310 Points +66%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (452 - 823, n=23)
719 Points -9%
Average of class Smartphone
  (607 - 45492, n=113, last 2 years)
16352 Points +1967%
2560x1440 Sling Shot OpenGL ES 3.0 Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Alcatel 3L 2021
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
1188 Points
Samsung Galaxy A12
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
1123 Points -5%
Alcatel 3L 2020
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
1088 Points -8%
Vivo Y20s
Qualcomm Snapdragon 460, Adreno 610, 4096
2083 Points +75%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (900 - 1195, n=23)
1032 Points -13%
Average of class Smartphone
  (1075 - 8749, n=113, last 2 years)
4426 Points +273%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) (sort by value)
Alcatel 3L 2021
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
446 Points
Samsung Galaxy A12
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
367 Points -18%
Alcatel 3L 2020
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
440 Points -1%
Vivo Y20s
Qualcomm Snapdragon 460, Adreno 610, 4096
864 Points +94%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (269 - 470, n=22)
383 Points -14%
Average of class Smartphone
  (286 - 7890, n=106, last 2 years)
2738 Points +514%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Graphics (sort by value)
Alcatel 3L 2021
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
379 Points
Samsung Galaxy A12
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
298 Points -21%
Alcatel 3L 2020
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
376 Points -1%
Vivo Y20s
Qualcomm Snapdragon 460, Adreno 610, 4096
740 Points +95%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (222 - 405, n=22)
326 Points -14%
Average of class Smartphone
  (240 - 9814, n=106, last 2 years)
2733 Points +621%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Physics (sort by value)
Alcatel 3L 2021
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
1174 Points
Samsung Galaxy A12
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
1098 Points -6%
Alcatel 3L 2020
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
1088 Points -7%
Vivo Y20s
Qualcomm Snapdragon 460, Adreno 610, 4096
2097 Points +79%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (860 - 1175, n=22)
1022 Points -13%
Average of class Smartphone
  (858 - 4679, n=106, last 2 years)
3156 Points +169%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited (sort by value)
Alcatel 3L 2021
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
496 Points
Samsung Galaxy A12
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
478 Points -4%
Alcatel 3L 2020
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
494 Points 0%
Vivo Y20s
Qualcomm Snapdragon 460, Adreno 610, 4096
858 Points +73%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (426 - 536, n=22)
482 Points -3%
Average of class Smartphone
  (317 - 20131, n=183, last 2 years)
6705 Points +1252%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Graphics (sort by value)
Alcatel 3L 2021
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
425 Points
Samsung Galaxy A12
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
423 Points 0%
Alcatel 3L 2020
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
426 Points 0%
Vivo Y20s
Qualcomm Snapdragon 460, Adreno 610, 4096
734 Points +73%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (368 - 467, n=22)
418 Points -2%
Average of class Smartphone
  (267 - 33376, n=182, last 2 years)
9675 Points +2176%
2560x1440 Sling Shot Extreme (ES 3.1) Unlimited Physics (sort by value)
Alcatel 3L 2021
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
1186 Points
Samsung Galaxy A12
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
1077 Points -9%
Alcatel 3L 2020
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
1127 Points -5%
Vivo Y20s
Qualcomm Snapdragon 460, Adreno 610, 4096
2106 Points +78%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (912 - 1188, n=22)
1036 Points -13%
Average of class Smartphone
  (938 - 8480, n=182, last 2 years)
4216 Points +255%
Wild Life Score (sort by value)
Alcatel 3L 2021
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
Points
Vivo Y20s
Qualcomm Snapdragon 460, Adreno 610, 4096
241 Points
Average of class Smartphone
  (395 - 9839, n=136, last 2 years)
2540 Points
Wild Life Unlimited Score (sort by value)
Alcatel 3L 2021
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
Points
Vivo Y20s
Qualcomm Snapdragon 460, Adreno 610, 4096
241 Points
Average of class Smartphone
  (394 - 20068, n=204, last 2 years)
6251 Points
Wild Life Stress Test Stability (sort by value)
Alcatel 3L 2021
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
%
Vivo Y20s
Qualcomm Snapdragon 460, Adreno 610, 4096
99.6 (246min - 247max) %
Average of class Smartphone
  (36 - 99.8, n=194, last 2 years)
84.5 %
GFXBench
on screen Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Onscreen (sort by value)
Alcatel 3L 2021
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
7 fps
Samsung Galaxy A12
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
7.5 fps +7%
Alcatel 3L 2020
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
7.6 fps +9%
Vivo Y20s
Qualcomm Snapdragon 460, Adreno 610, 4096
11 fps +57%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (6.4 - 7.6, n=21)
6.9 fps -1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (3.6 - 123, n=227, last 2 years)
43.9 fps +527%
1920x1080 Aztec Ruins Normal Tier Offscreen (sort by value)
Alcatel 3L 2021
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
3.8 fps
Samsung Galaxy A12
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
4.2 fps +11%
Alcatel 3L 2020
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
4 fps +5%
Vivo Y20s
Qualcomm Snapdragon 460, Adreno 610, 4096
6.1 fps +61%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (3.5 - 4.7, n=21)
3.81 fps 0%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2.3 - 229, n=227, last 2 years)
64 fps +1584%
on screen Aztec Ruins High Tier Onscreen (sort by value)
Alcatel 3L 2021
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
4.5 fps
Samsung Galaxy A12
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
4.7 fps +4%
Alcatel 3L 2020
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
4.8 fps +7%
Vivo Y20s
Qualcomm Snapdragon 460, Adreno 610, 4096
6.6 fps +47%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (4.1 - 4.8, n=21)
4.35 fps -3%
Average of class Smartphone
  (2.8 - 119, n=227, last 2 years)
32.7 fps +627%
2560x1440 Aztec Ruins High Tier Offscreen (sort by value)
Alcatel 3L 2021
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
1.4 fps
Samsung Galaxy A12
Mediatek Helio P35 MT6765, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
1.5 fps +7%
Alcatel 3L 2020
Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762, PowerVR GE8320, 4096
1.5 fps +7%
Vivo Y20s
Qualcomm Snapdragon 460, Adreno 610, 4096
2 fps +43%
Average Mediatek Helio P22 MT6762
  (1.3 - 1.6, n=21)
1.39 fps -1%
Average of class Smartphone
  (0.85 - 94, n=227, last 2 years)
25.5 fps +1721%
Alcatel 3L 2021Samsung Galaxy A12Alcatel 3L 2020Vivo Y20sAverage 64 GB eMMC FlashAverage of class Smartphone
AndroBench 3-5
59%
-14%
262%
40%
752%
Sequential Read 256KB
245.4
269.7
10%
287.7
17%
504
105%
273 ?(95.6 - 704, n=201)
11%
1508 ?(226 - 4512, n=218, last 2 years)
515%
Sequential Write 256KB
136.6
211.6
55%
173.4
27%
214.8
57%
176.8 ?(40 - 274, n=201)
29%
1118 ?(57.5 - 3678, n=218, last 2 years)
718%
Random Read 4KB
34.65
65.4
89%
20.91
-40%
141.7
309%
59.1 ?(9.58 - 148.5, n=201)
71%
247 ?(22.2 - 543, n=218, last 2 years)
613%
Random Write 4KB
21.58
39.1
81%
8.68
-60%
145.7
575%
31.7 ?(2.34 - 146.9, n=201)
47%
272 ?(13 - 709, n=218, last 2 years)
1160%

Temperature

Max. Load
 32.7 °C
91 F		32.8 °C
91 F		34.5 °C
94 F		 
 32.6 °C
91 F		32.9 °C
91 F		34.3 °C
94 F		 
 32.2 °C
90 F		32.6 °C
91 F		33.1 °C
92 F		 
Maximum: 34.5 °C = 94 F
Average: 33.1 °C = 92 F
32 °C
90 F		32.1 °C
90 F		33.4 °C
92 F
31.2 °C
88 F		32.1 °C
90 F		33.5 °C
92 F
30.4 °C
87 F		31.8 °C
89 F		31.9 °C
89 F
Maximum: 33.5 °C = 92 F
Average: 32 °C = 90 F
Power Supply (max.)  28.3 °C = 83 F | Room Temperature 22 °C = 72 F | Fluke t3000FC (calibrated) & Voltcraft IR-260
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 33.1 °C / 92 F, compared to the average of 32.7 °C / 91 F for the devices in the class Smartphone.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 34.5 °C / 94 F, compared to the average of 35 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 56 °C for the class Smartphone.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 33.5 °C / 92 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 30.7 °C / 87 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.


Loudspeaker

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2028.327.92523.322.53120.325.8401925.95029.8326317.229.78012.928.410019.429.212512.126.71601131.62009.534.425012.637.231513.64140010.546.550011556309.759.380011.169.7100011.577.1125012.779.6160013.478.8200012.777.8250013.678.4315014.179.840001379.1500013.276.5630013.975.2800013.475.81000013.777.11250014.475.71600016.762.5SPL25.189.3N0.673median 13median 75.2Delta1.115.442.136.430.837.63131.831.231.242.233.838.832.134.234.629.534.119.136.116.94414.847.314.552.11355.211.356.311.160.611.463.911.86311.767.712.474.512.882.812.185.912.684.8137713.767.213.174.413.66913.767.113.463.714.259.114.446.625.791.20.767.7median 13.1median 63.91.410.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseAlcatel 3L 2021Vivo Y20s
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Alcatel 3L 2021 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (89.3 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 41.9% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (4.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | reduced mids - on average 10.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (8.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (24.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 52% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 40% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 70% of all tested devices were better, 6% similar, 24% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Vivo Y20s audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (91.2 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 19.1% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (7.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 8.4% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 8.1% higher than median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (10.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (23% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 45% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 48% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 64% of all tested devices were better, 6% similar, 30% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Battery life

Alcatel 3L 2021
4000 mAh		Samsung Galaxy A12
5000 mAh		Alcatel 3L 2020
4000 mAh		Vivo Y20s
5000 mAh		Average of class Smartphone
 
Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
788
1288
63%
1456
85%
1445
83%
914 ?(424 - 2844, n=229, last 2 years)
16%
Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing (Chrome 90)
13h 08min

Pros

+ good voice quality
+ microSD with exFAT support
+ decent main camera

Cons

- dark display
- lame ambient light sensor
- Micro USB

Verdict - new edition with few innovations

In review: Alcatel 3L (2021, 6056D). Test device provided by TCL Germany.
In review: Alcatel 3L (2021, 6056D). Test device provided by TCL Germany.

The Alcatel 3L (2021) hardly differs from the 2020 model on the spec sheet. Processor and memory configuration are identical, the display grows a bit and can finally rely on an ambient light sensor. However, the new panel is dramatically darker than the predecessor's.

The Alcatel 3L (2021) has one or two problems, but it could be a cheap alternative if the price drops a bit.

The triple camera again uses a 48 MP sensor that enables decent pictures, but the ultra-wide-angle is omitted, so the two additional lenses do not offer any practical added value.

However, Alcatel's smartphone is particularly convincing in terms of telephony and offers a good basis with the memory expansion, including exFAT support, and an improved audio jack.

Price and availability

The Alcatel 3L (2021) is available in both color variants at Amazon available.

Alcatel 3L 2021 - 05/18/2021 v7
Daniel Schmidt

Chassis
81%
Keyboard
66 / 75 → 88%
Pointing Device
82%
Connectivity
38 / 70 → 55%
Weight
89%
Battery
90%
Display
82%
Games Performance
6 / 64 → 9%
Application Performance
58 / 86 → 67%
Temperature
92%
Noise
100%
Audio
75 / 90 → 84%
Camera
58%
Average
70%
75%
Smartphone - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Alcatel 3L (2021) review - Entry-level smartphone with 48 MP camera
Daniel Schmidt, 2021-05-18 (Update: 2021-05-18)