Highscreen Alpha GTX - Reviews and detailed technical specifications. Highscreen Alpha GTX - Reviews and detailed specifications Information about navigation and location technologies supported by the device
Highscreen Alpha GTX - A simple review of a smartphone that looks like a shovel, competing with the Galaxy Note 2
21.06.2013
Lyrical introduction
Somehow it turns out that I praise and criticize smartphones from Highscreen in turn. And, apparently, I will scold the next one. Because The Alpha GTX turned out to be an extremely intelligent device and I don’t even want to scold it.
It is clear, of course, that the device is not for everyone. Still would. With such and such dimensions. Shirts with pockets for devices with almost six-inch screen diagonals have not yet begun to be sewn. But if you are thinking about buying something similar (like the Galaxy Note 2), I highly recommend taking a closer look at Alpha.
Please note that this review of mine belongs to the category of simple ones, i.e. I haven't used Alpha as my main smartphone a day.
Synthetic test results:
RAM - one gigabyte (the maximum free memory I have seen is 630 MB, for Android devices this is a very decent figure).
Built-in flash memory - 4 GB. With a memory card connected (where can you go with this size of built-in flash memory?), 2.6 GB of these 4 GB are allocated for the device’s internal storage. That is, in Russian speaking, you will not have direct access to the files stored there.
Support for microSD memory cards, as you probably guessed, is here (up to 32 GB).
The set of sensors is average. Accelerometer, compass, proximity sensor, light sensor. There is no gyroscope. Extras like thermometers too.
Communication with the outside world
Wi-Fi b/g/n, sensitivity slightly below average. There are no problems with speed.
Bluetooth version 2.1.
It connects to the computer via USB in Mass Storage mode (like a flash drive). Naturally, the memory card installed in the device is visible as a disk.
There is no possibility to connect external devices (USB-OTG). Neither the flash drive nor the mouse connected through my adapter.
There is no possibility of outputting a video signal to external monitors and TVs - neither HDMI nor MHL.
Screen
IPS screen with a diagonal of 5.7" and HD resolution (720x1280). Quite a good screen, with good viewing angles (if you haven't touched it too much) and tolerable behavior in bright light. But not from high society. Maximum white brightness is about 260 cd/m2, which is not enough (for bright daylight), the minimum is about 20 cd/m2, which, on the contrary, is too much (for the dark time of day). And the contrast is also low - 300: 1. For comparison, the HTC One has - 450, 10 and 790:1 respectively.
Operating system and other software
The latest version of the operating system is Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean.
There is no pre-installed software. I don’t know how anyone likes it, but I like it. I'll supply what I need myself.
Battery
Battery capacity - 3000 mAh. Good capacity. It only takes a very long time to charge - with native charging - 5 hours 30 minutes (when turned on; more precisely, 5:15 when turned on plus 15 minutes when turned off).
Because it charges so slowly (and also because it discharges so slowly), I had serious difficulty performing my crazy battery tests. The current result is 163% of the Galaxy S4. And this is extremely much. So many that suspicions creep in and you want to not only complete unfinished tests, but also clarify the results of the rest.
If the smartphone stays with me for a few more days, I will do so.
Addition
Yes, I completed the tests as needed. And I found out that suspicions had not been creeping in in vain. As a result, instead of an excellent 163%, I received “only” a very good 132%. Selyavi.
The video camera records up to FullHD inclusive. Well, as a DVR - quite. Anything is better than my current regular DVR. Example times. Example two.
Front camera - 2 mpix. Skype will work.
Highscreen Alpha GTX as a GPS navigator
I believe that happy days will come, Mediatek will build support for our native GLONASS satellites into its chips. For now - only bourgeois GPS.
The dimensions and life time of the batteries are just what the doctor ordered for a navigator. For both pedestrian and automobile use. If only the screen were a little brighter and more contrasting...
Cold start time is five to six minutes.
Highscreen Alpha GTX as a video player
Enough for FullHD. The built-in player is quite omnivorous in terms of video, but with audio tracks it’s somehow not very good. For some reason he doesn’t see most of them. So it makes more sense to use something like MX Player for viewing. In this case, video can be played both through a hardware and software decoder. And be sure to set "Use software audio decoder".
Highscreen Alpha GTX as an audio player
I didn't like it, even with good headphones. Complete ones - hug and cry, but it’s better to throw them away right away.
Highscreen Alpha GTX and the Internet
Idiot's dream. Huge screen, but not as huge as tablets. The power of iron is more than. Batteries too. For home reading of Twitter and news - just the thing. But please note that due to its size, the gadget will typically be two-handed. That is, let’s say, if you are forced to cling to the handrail with one hand in the subway, then controlling the Alpha with the second hand will be a little inconvenient. There’s no talk of playing at all.
Highscreen Alpha GTX as a toy
Well, just for fun! No problem.
| A game | Problems? |
|---|---|
| Angry Birds Star Wars | Everything is fine |
| Pitfall! | Everything is fine |
| Subway Surfers | Everything is fine |
| Temple Run 2 | Everything is fine |
Information about the make, model, and alternative names of the specific device, if available.
Design
Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Materials used, colors offered, certificates.
| Width Width information - refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 83.1 mm (millimeters) 8.31 cm (centimeters) 0.27 ft (feet) 3.27 in (inches) |
| Height Height information - refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 162.7 mm (millimeters) 16.27 cm (centimeters) 0.53 ft (feet) 6.41 in (inches) |
| Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units of measurement. | 9.5 mm (millimeters) 0.95 cm (centimeters) 0.03 ft (feet) 0.37 in (inches) |
| Weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement. | 234 g (grams) 0.52 lbs 8.25 oz (ounces) |
| Volume The approximate volume of the device, calculated based on the dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. | 128.44 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 7.8in³ (cubic inches) |
| Colors Information about the colors in which this device is offered for sale. | Black |
SIM card
The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.
Mobile networks
A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.
Mobile communication technologies and data transfer speeds
Communication between devices on mobile networks is carried out using technologies that provide different data transfer rates.
Operating system
An operating system is a system software that manages and coordinates the operation of hardware components in a device.
SoC (System on Chip)
A system on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device on one chip.
| SoC (System on Chip) A system on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components, such as a processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation. | MediaTek MT6589 |
| Technological process Information about the technological process by which the chip is manufactured. Nanometers measure half the distance between elements in the processor. | 28 nm (nanometers) |
| Processor (CPU) The primary function of a mobile device's processor (CPU) is to interpret and execute instructions contained in software applications. | ARM Cortex-A7 |
| Processor size The size (in bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of the registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have higher performance compared to 32-bit processors, which in turn are more powerful than 16-bit processors. | 32 bit |
| Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands with which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute. | ARMv7 |
| Level 1 cache (L1) Cache memory is used by the processor to reduce access time to more frequently used data and instructions. L1 (level 1) cache is small in size and works much faster than both system memory and other cache levels. If the processor does not find the requested data in L1, it continues to look for it in the L2 cache. On some processors, this search is performed simultaneously in L1 and L2. | 32 kB + 32 kB (kilobytes) |
| Level 2 cache (L2) L2 (level 2) cache is slower than L1 cache, but in return it has a higher capacity, allowing it to cache more data. It, like L1, is much faster than system memory (RAM). If the processor does not find the requested data in L2, it continues to look for it in the L3 cache (if available) or in RAM memory. | 1024 kB (kilobytes) 1 MB (megabytes) |
| Number of processor cores The processor core executes software instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing multiple instructions to be executed in parallel. | 4 |
| CPU clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). | 1200 MHz (megahertz) |
| Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) The Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphics applications. In mobile devices, it is most often used by games, consumer interfaces, video applications, etc. | PowerVR SGX544MP |
| Number of GPU cores Like a CPU, a GPU is made up of several working parts called cores. They handle graphics calculations for various applications. | 1 |
| GPU clock speed Running speed is the clock speed of the GPU, measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). | 286 MHz (megahertz) |
| Amount of random access memory (RAM) Random access memory (RAM) is used by the operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost after the device is turned off or restarted. | 1 GB (gigabytes) |
| Type of random access memory (RAM) Information about the type of random access memory (RAM) used by the device. | LPDDR2 |
| Number of RAM channels Information about the number of RAM channels that are integrated into the SoC. More channels mean higher data rates. | Single channel |
| RAM frequency The frequency of RAM determines its operating speed, more specifically, the speed of reading/writing data. | 533 MHz (megahertz) |
Built-in memory
Each mobile device has built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed capacity.
Memory cards
Memory cards are used in mobile devices to increase the storage capacity for storing data.
Screen
The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.
| Type/technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the quality of the information image directly depends. | IPS |
| Diagonal For mobile devices, screen size is expressed by the length of its diagonal, measured in inches. | 5.7 in (inches) 144.78 mm (millimeters) 14.48 cm (centimeters) |
| Width Approximate screen width | 2.79 in (inches) 70.98 mm (millimeters) 7.1 cm (centimeters) |
| Height Approximate screen height | 4.97 in (inches) 126.19 mm (millimeters) 12.62 cm (centimeters) |
| Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side | 1.778:1 16:9 |
| Permission Screen resolution shows the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. Higher resolution means clearer image detail. | 720 x 1280 pixels |
| Pixel Density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be displayed on the screen with clearer detail. | 258 ppi (pixels per inch) 101 ppcm (pixels per centimeter) |
| Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for color components in one pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors that the screen can display. | 24 bit 16777216 flowers |
| Screen area Approximate percentage of screen area occupied by the screen on the front of the device. | 66.46% (percent) |
| Other characteristics Information about other screen features and characteristics. | Capacitive Multi-touch |
Sensors
Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that a mobile device can recognize.
Main camera
The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on the back of the body and is used for taking photos and videos.
| ISO (light sensitivity) ISO indicators determine the level of light sensitivity of the photosensor. A lower value means weaker light sensitivity and vice versa - higher values mean higher light sensitivity, i.e. better ability of the sensor to work in low light conditions. | 100 - 1600 |
| Diaphragm Aperture (f-number) is the size of the aperture opening that controls the amount of light reaching the photosensor. A lower f-number means the aperture opening is larger. | f/2.4 |
| Flash type The most common types of flashes in mobile device cameras are LED and xenon flashes. LED flashes produce softer light and, unlike brighter xenon flashes, are also used for video shooting. | LED |
| Image Resolution One of the main characteristics of mobile device cameras is their resolution, which shows the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in the image. | 3264 x 2448 pixels 7.99 MP (megapixels) |
| Video resolution Information about the maximum supported resolution when shooting video with the device. | 1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels) |
| Video - frame rate/frames per second. Information about the maximum number of frames per second (fps) supported by the device when shooting video at the maximum resolution. Some of the main standard video shooting and playback speeds are 24p, 25p, 30p, 60p. | 30fps (frames per second) |
| Characteristics Information about other software and hardware features related to the main camera and improving its functionality. | Autofocus Geographical tags White Balance Adjustment ISO Setting |
| Focal length (35 mm equivalent) - 33 mm |
Additional camera
Additional cameras are usually mounted above the device screen and are used mainly for video conversations, gesture recognition, etc.
Audio
Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.
Radio
The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.
Location determination
Information about the navigation and location technologies supported by your device.
WiFi
Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for transmitting data over close distances between various devices.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between various devices of different types over short distances.
USB
USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to exchange data.
Headphone jack
This is an audio connector, also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.
Connecting devices
Information about other important connection technologies supported by your device.
Browser
A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.
Video file formats/codecs
Mobile devices support different video file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital video data.
This page contains complete technical specifications and reviews of the Highscreen brand smartphone (tablet), model Alpha GTX.
Dimensions: 83.1 x 162.7 x 9.5 mm
Weight: 234 g
SoC: MediaTek MT6589
CPU: ARM Cortex-A7, 1200 MHz, Number of Cores: 4
GPU: PowerVR SGX544 MP, 286 MHz, Number of Cores: 1
RAM: 1 GB, 533 MHz
Built-in memory: 4 GB
Memory cards: microSD, microSDHC
Screen: 5.7 in, IPS, 720 x 1280 pixels, 24 bit
Battery: 3000 mAh, Li-Ion (Lithium-ion)
Operating system: Android 4.2.1 Jelly Bean
Camera: 3264 x 2448 pixels, 1920 x 1080 pixels, 30 fps
SIM card: Mini-SIM
WiFi: b, g, n, Wi-Fi Hotspot, Wi-Fi Direct
USB: 2.0, Micro USB
Bluetooth: 4.0
Navigation: GPS, A-GPS
Details
Make and model
The second name of the model and brand of the device.
Design
Availability of certificates, colors, information about the dimensions, weight and materials of manufacture of the smartphone or tablet.
| Width Width information - refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use. |
83.1 mm (millimeters) 8.31 cm (centimeters) 0.27 ft (feet) 3.27 in (inches) |
| Height Height information refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use. |
162.7 mm (millimeters) 16.27 cm (centimeters) 0.53 ft (feet) 6.41 in (inches) |
| Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units of measurement. |
9.5 mm (millimeters) 0.95 cm (centimeters) 0.03 ft (feet) 0.37 in (inches) |
| Weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement. |
234 g (grams) 0.52 lbs 8.25 oz (ounces) |
| Volume The approximate volume of the device, calculated based on the dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. |
128.44 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 7.8 in³ (cubic inches) |
| Colors Information about the colors in which this device is offered for sale. |
Black |
SIM card
Complete information about the SIM card used in the phone.
Mobile networks
Mobile network specification for this smartphone (tablet). What frequencies does the device use?
Mobile communication technologies and data transfer speeds
Communication between devices on mobile networks is carried out using technologies that provide different data transfer rates.
Operating system
What operating system is used - the latest current version.
Full characteristics of the processor, video adapter and RAM.
| Processor, video card and RAM A system on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components, such as a processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation. |
MediaTek MT6589 |
| Technological process Information about the technological process by which the chip is manufactured. Nanometers measure half the distance between elements in the processor. |
28 nm (nanometers) |
| Processor (CPU) The primary function of a mobile device's processing unit (CPU) is to interpret and execute instructions contained in software applications. |
ARM Cortex-A7 |
| Processor size The size (in bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of the registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have higher performance compared to 32-bit processors, which in turn are more powerful than 16-bit processors. |
32 bit |
| Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands with which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute. |
ARMv7 |
| Level 1 cache (L1) Cache memory is used by the processor to reduce access time to more frequently used data and instructions. L1 (level 1) cache is small in size and works much faster than both system memory and other cache levels. If the processor does not find the requested data in L1, it continues to look for it in the L2 cache. On some processors, this search is performed simultaneously in L1 and L2. |
32 kB + 32 kB (kilobytes) |
| Level 2 cache (L2) L2 (level 2) cache is slower than L1 cache, but in return it has a higher capacity, allowing it to cache more data. It, like L1, is much faster than system memory (RAM). If the processor does not find the requested data in L2, it continues to look for it in the L3 cache (if available) or in RAM memory. |
1024 kB (kilobytes) 1 MB (megabytes) |
| Number of processor cores The processor core executes software instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing multiple instructions to be executed in parallel. |
4 |
| CPU clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). |
1200 MHz (megahertz) |
| Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) The Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphics applications. In mobile devices, it is most often used by games, consumer interfaces, video applications, etc. |
PowerVR SGX544MP |
| Number of GPU cores Like a CPU, a GPU is made up of several working parts called cores. They handle graphics calculations for various applications. |
1 |
| GPU clock speed Running speed is the clock speed of the GPU, measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). |
286 MHz (megahertz) |
| Amount of random access memory (RAM) Random access memory (RAM) is used by the operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost after the device is turned off or restarted. |
1 GB (gigabytes) |
| Type of random access memory (RAM) Information about the type of random access memory (RAM) used by the device. |
LPDDR2 |
| Number of RAM channels Information about the number of RAM channels that are integrated into the SoC. More channels mean higher data rates. |
Single channel |
| RAM frequency The frequency of RAM determines its operating speed, more specifically, the speed of reading/writing data. |
533 MHz (megahertz) |
Built-in memory
How much memory does the phone (tablet) have - detailed characteristics.
Memory cards
Information about the availability of a flash drive (SD card) and its specifications.
Screen
Details about the mobile device screen.
| Type/technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the quality of the information image directly depends. |
IPS |
| Diagonal For mobile devices, screen size is expressed by the length of its diagonal, measured in inches. |
5.7 in (inches) 144.78 mm (millimeters) 14.48 cm (centimeters) |
| Width Approximate screen width |
2.79 in (inches) 70.98 mm (millimeters) 7.1 cm (centimeters) |
| Height Approximate screen height |
4.97 in (inches) 126.19 mm (millimeters) 12.62 cm (centimeters) |
| Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side |
1.778:1 16:9 |
| Permission Screen resolution shows the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. Higher resolution means clearer image detail. |
720 x 1280 pixels |
| Pixel Density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be displayed on the screen with clearer detail. |
258 ppi (pixels per inch) 101 ppcm (pixels per centimeter) |
| Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for color components in one pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors that the screen can display. |
24 bit 16777216 flowers |
| Screen area Approximate percentage of screen area occupied by the screen on the front of the device. |
66.46% (percent) |
| Other characteristics Information about other screen features and characteristics. |
Capacitive Multi-touch |
Sensors
Sensors used in a smartphone.
Main camera
Characteristics of the main camera.
| ISO (light sensitivity) ISO indicators determine the level of light sensitivity of the photosensor. A lower value means weaker light sensitivity and vice versa - higher values mean higher light sensitivity, i.e. better ability of the sensor to work in low light conditions. |
100 — 1600 |
| Diaphragm Aperture (f-number) is the size of the aperture opening that controls the amount of light reaching the photosensor. A lower f-number means the aperture opening is larger. |
f/2.4 |
| Flash type The most common types of flashes in mobile device cameras are LED and xenon flashes. LED flashes produce softer light and, unlike brighter xenon flashes, are also used for video shooting. |
LED |
| Image Resolution One of the main characteristics of mobile device cameras is their resolution, which shows the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in the image. |
3264 x 2448 pixels 7.99 MP (megapixels) |
| Video resolution Information about the maximum supported resolution when shooting video with the device. |
1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels) |
| Video - frame rate/frames per second. Information about the maximum number of frames per second (fps) supported by the device when shooting video at the maximum resolution. Some of the main standard video shooting and playback speeds are 24p, 25p, 30p, 60p. |
30 fps (frames per second) |
| Characteristics Information about other software and hardware features related to the main camera and improving its functionality. |
Autofocus Geographical tags White Balance Adjustment ISO Setting |
| Focal length (35 mm equivalent) - 33 mm |
Additional camera
Additional cameras are usually mounted above the device screen and are used mainly for video conversations, gesture recognition, etc.
Audio
Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.
Radio
The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.
Location determination
Information about the navigation and location technologies supported by your device.
WiFi
Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for transmitting data over close distances between various devices.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between different devices of different types over short distances.
USB
USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to exchange data.
Headphone jack
This is an audio connector, also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.
Connecting devices
Information about other important connection technologies supported by your device.
Browser
A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.
Video file formats/codecs
Mobile devices support different video file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital video data.
Battery
Mobile device batteries differ from each other in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge necessary for their functioning.
Hi all! After a short break, we continue cooperation with the Vobis company. Today we are reviewing a smartphone called “Highscreen Alpha GTX”. For those who are not yet familiar with this smartphone, I will say that it is a giant with a 5.7-inch display and HD resolution. People use a lot of different names that define this type of device: phablet, lampshade, smartpad, padphone, etc. The fierce dispute continues all the time! Many people can’t decide what it is, a small tablet or a large smartphone? Personally, I still lean toward the definition of “large smartphone.” So let’s look at what this “big smartphone” is.
Technical characteristics of the device.
Communication standard - GSM 900/1800/1900, 3G.
Type - smartphone.
Operating system - Android 4.1 with the ability to upgrade to 4.2.1.
Case type - classic, monoblock.
Number of SIM cards - 2.
The operating mode of several SIM cards is alternating.
Dimensions (WxHxT) - 83.1x162.7x9.5 mm.
Screen type - color IPS, touch.
Diagonal - 5.7 inches.
Image size - 720x1280.
Pixel density per inch is 257ppi.
Automatic screen rotation - yes.
There is a protective screen coating.
Multi-touch - yes, 5 touches.
Type of melodies - polyphonic, MP3 melodies.
Vibration alert - yes
Camera - 8 million pixels.
Camera functions - autofocus.
Front camera - yes, 2 million pixels.
Interfaces - USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1.
Satellite navigation - GPS.
Internet access - WAP, GPRS, EDGE, email POP/SMTP, HTML
Processor - MediaTek MT6589, 1200 MHz.
Number of processor cores - 4.
Video processor - PowerVR SGX544
The volume of built-in memory is 4 GB.
The amount of RAM is 1 GB.
Memory card support - microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC.
Battery type - Li-Ion.
Battery capacity - 3000 mAh.
Packaging, complete set.
As I already said, the company pays special attention to the packaging of its products. The smartphone comes in a fairly large box made of light, thick, untreated (non-smooth surface) cardboard. On the front side is written the name of the model and an image of the smartphone made in the form of a drawing. Along the perimeter of the figure there is a brief description of the technical characteristics of the product. Very nice and high quality packaging.
Equipment.
Actually in the box itself you can find the following items:
1. The smartphone itself.
2. Battery.
3. Charger.
4. USB cable.
5. Headphones.
6. Screen protector.
7. Quick user guide.
8. Warranty card.
As you can see, the equipment is standard, except that the manufacturer included a protective film in the kit. It’s a small thing, but it’s nice considering that it’s almost impossible to buy the original protective film separately.
Appearance, design.
Shovel?! Of course a shovel! Today's buzzword. I remember when Samsung released its first Galaxy Note model, everyone turned their heads and said that such devices have no future. But now the third revision of the Note line has already been released and similar smartphones are being sold in tens of millions of units. As it turned out, such rather large smartphones are in great demand on the market. I am now using the second Note model and over time the size no longer seems so large, the eye gets used to it and I want even more diagonal.
This is precisely the category for which the Alpha GTX is intended - those who want more and more. Yes, the smartphone is large and larger in size than the Note line. The company is positioning it as the most budget smartphone with a huge HD screen and a quad-core processor, for the people, so to speak. 234 grams - this is no joke guys! I think the female gender can be ignored, this is Kolya Valuev’s format! The general shape of the smartphone is classic. The corners are quite rounded. By the way, the thickness of 9.5mm seems small for this type of device! There are no design solutions, everything is quite strict and concise. Of course, working with one hand is quite problematic, at most you can reach the opposite edge of the screen with your thumb and down a little, but the upper part remains inaccessible and you have to work with both hands.
It is worth noting the rather wide frames that frame the screen, especially in the lower part, where the thickness is almost 2 cm. And in this area there are touch control buttons. The buttons themselves are painted white, the backlight turns on automatically when the screen is active. The button icons are quite large and on a wide frame it doesn’t look very elegant; it was logical to make them smaller. The “context menu” button is located on the right side, and the “back” button is on the left side, and this is not a very typical display of controls and in most smartphones they have the opposite design, with the “home” button in the middle.
The smartphone is completely made of gray plastic, you shouldn’t expect any revelations here, only the frame of the main camera is made of metal. Personally, I liked the coloring and texture that is hidden under a thick layer of industrial varnish. If you look at it from a slight angle, it creates a visual illusion that we are looking at a raw metal base.
The plastic is glossy and quite slippery, add in the weight of the device and sometimes you can’t hold it in your hand. On the back surface, fingerprints are not visible and this is only due to the color scheme, while the front part gets quite dirty. Considering that there are no original cases on sale, you will have to be more careful with the device.
I was pleased with the quality of the overall build. There are no extraneous sounds when breaking or twisting. The power and volume buttons are also well located in their places, there is no play. There are no obvious gaps on the device body. Nothing presses or creaks when using the smartphone. In a word, solid and high-quality assembly.
Compared to Sony Xperia Z, Samsung Galaxy Note 2.
Functional connectors on the device body.
Now let’s look at what controls and technological connectors are on the case:
1. At the top end: 3.5 mm jack, microUSB connector and power button.
2. There are no controls on the right side.
3. At the bottom there is a hole for the first microphone.
4. On the left side there is only a volume button.
5. On the front: the first speaker, front camera, proximity sensor, automatic brightness adjustment sensor, status indicator that signals charging/discharging of the smartphone and missed events. At the bottom of the screen are touch control buttons.
6. On the back side there are: the main camera which protrudes slightly against the general background, a flash, a second microphone, the “Highscreen” logo printed in white paint and a second speaker which in turn also has a small protrusion, which prevents it from being blocked when the smartphone is lying on the back The cover ensures that the sound from the speaker is not muffled.
Functional elements.
The smartphone runs Android OS 4.1.2.
This is the stock version from Google. There are no third-party launchers or shells. The desktop wallpaper has just been replaced.
An update to 4.2.1 is also available.
The firmware itself and update instructions can be downloaded from the manufacturer’s website: http://highscreen.org/products/communicators/highscreen-alpha-gtx/ - the update process does not cause any difficulties, we simply upload the firmware to the memory card and follow the instructions provided. The entire update takes about 10 minutes. Visually, the new firmware does not bring any changes. We only corrected the operation of the GPS module and some other small things.
The main menu of the smartphone is built according to the 4x5 formula: two main desktops with installed programs and 5 desktops with installed widgets.
The shortcuts themselves are quite large and on such a large screen it was possible to place another row with additional programs. Navigation and surfing through the menu is very fast and smooth, there are no lags or other discomfort during operation.
The menu has a separate item for installing files in the "ark" format; we simply drop the file on the memory card and the smartphone itself finds the location and displays all the files in a separate list, naturally, from this menu they can be installed on the smartphone.
It is possible to configure the on and off schedule.
You can organize the Internet on your PC via a USB cable. There is a corresponding item in the settings for this.
All possible sensors are present.
Standard file manager with the ability to copy, move files, create folders.
Screen. We have at our disposal a 5.7 inch screen with a resolution of 720x1280 pixels. Up to 5 simultaneous touches are supported.
Pixel density per inch is 257ppi. The screen is covered with protective glass. IPS matrix. The screen does not have an air gap between the sensor and the glass itself, which contributes to a more natural color transmission. In the sun, the screen behaves quite well, the image fades a little, of course, but the information is always visible.
The viewing angles are quite large and only with horizontal deviation the colors do not lose much in brightness, but this is not a critical indicator.
There is a very large margin in brightness, sometimes you even have to reduce the value by half. Individual pixels are not visible as such.
There is automatic brightness adjustment. Quite a nice and high quality screen. Today this is one of the largest screens in this price segment.
Camera. The main camera resolution is 8MP. (F2.4, 33 mm) this module can shoot video in FullHD format at 30 frames per second; while shooting video, the process can be paused. To a large extent, this is the merit of the MediaTek MT6589 chipset and not the camera matrix. Autofocus is present and it is quite fast. The shutter sound cannot be turned off. In terms of the quality of the resulting images, this matrix is at a fairly high level if we take into account the cost of the smartphone. There is noise, but it is minimal and perhaps the pictures still lack sharpness. The camera for video communication has a resolution of 2 MP. The module itself is not bad at all and showed excellent performance. The picture quality on Skype is quite high.
Photo settings:
Examples of photos:
Video example:
Work with two SIM cards.
You can use two SIM cards in your smartphone; Internet using 3G networks is possible only for the first SIM card, the second only for 2G. You can quickly switch between them through the top menu, where there are the necessary shortcuts. A small disadvantage is that you cannot assign your own melody separately for each SIM card. And traditionally there is only one radio module, the second SIM card is not available when there is a conversation on the first.
In progress, testing.
At the moment, the MediaTek MT6589 is a very popular processor and recently it has occupied a fairly large niche in the smartphone segment in the price category of 5-11 thousand rubles.
The processor in our case is MediaTek MT6589. This chipset combines an ARM architecture processor, a PowerVR 5XT GPU series video accelerator and a modem module for working in UMTS Rel networks. 8, HSPA+ and TD-SCDMA. MT6589, thanks to the PowerVR GPU, can support displays with resolutions up to 1920 x 1080 pixels. The chipset also supports up to 13MP cameras with built-in flash, 1080p HD video playback and recording at 30fps. It is also worth noting the support for Cool 3D technology, which supports working with 3D cameras and displays, and is capable of converting regular video into stereoscopic in real time. MTK6589 also supports Miracast technology, which in turn provides the ability to wirelessly connect an external screen, and the ability to integrate with MediaTek's wireless combo solution, which includes Wi-Fi 802.11n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS and FM.
The Imagination PowerVR SGX544 GPU, the senior member of the PowerVR Series 5XT family, supports 2D and 3D hardware acceleration, GPGPU (general purpose GPU), 55 million triangles per second rendering and texture fetch speeds of 1 ,6 gigatexels per second.
Now I’ll tell you a little about how this combination behaves in modern 3D games. A large screen diagonal and HD resolution can already be a serious problem. During the game, the smartphone gets quite hot in the camera area, but the heating does not negatively affect the operation of the device.
N.O.V.A. 3. Firstly, the game takes quite a long time to load. All effects are present. The average "fps" is at the level of 7-13, it is almost impossible to play with obvious slowdowns.
Asphalt 8. At “high” graphics settings there are also obvious drops in frames and there are stutters. Acceptable level of play only on medium settings.
Modern Combat 4. Works great. There are no complaints.
Dead Trigger. Works at maximum settings, minor lags.
As you can see, the approach turned out to be quite selective. The high screen resolution of course affects performance, but in general terms you can play. It’s good if you can set the graphics level in the game settings, then there are no problems with performance.
Synthetic test charts:
A new test called Anomaly 2 Benchmark has been released. This test is dedicated to the imminent release of the game of the same name. It puts a lot of stress on the hardware part of the smartphone.
The main memory in the smartphone is 4GB. After downloading there is about 2.48GB left. RAM 1GB. After downloading, about 660MB remains. This volume is enough for everyday tasks. Supports work with microSDXC format cards. An interesting feature is that the smartphone refuses to work with the camera until you insert an external memory card; you also cannot save screenshots without a memory card. A strange moment considering that more than 2GB remains in free use. memory.
It is possible to install games and applications on an external memory card. So, the smartphone has only 4GB. main memory is not a problem for us. Just select the SD card as the main memory in the memory settings. Now all applications and additional software are installed automatically on the memory card. I advise you to use memory cards with the maximum speed class since all games are loaded and run from the card.
But the sound is not loud enough. In some conditions, the call signal may be missed. Otherwise, the sound is clear, without distortion or noise. There is a built-in equalizer. However, the vibration is quite weak considering the weight of the smartphone.
I was pleased with the fairly strong Wi-Fi signal reception. So where my Samsung Note 2 folds Alpha GTX confidently shows 1-2 divisions.
GPS. Works great. The first “cold” start took about 6-7 minutes. At the same time, on average, it catches 9-11 satellites, which is quite enough for accurate positioning on the ground.
The smartphone has two microphones, which in turn has a positive effect on speech quality. Everything is heard very well and without obvious interference.
Out of the box, the smartphone plays all major video formats, but there are problems with supporting audio formats. So, you will need to install a third-party player.
USB-HOST. This function is not supported by the smartphone.
That’s probably all the significant points that can be said about this smartphone.
Autonomous work.
Now I propose to look at what the declared 3000 mAh is enough for. These are certainly not record figures, but they are not exactly small either. I would like to draw your attention to the battery size of the Alpha GTX - they are simply huge. To compare sizes, I give the battery from DNS s4505 - 2050 mAh, Samsung Note 2 - 3100 mAh. It’s not difficult to notice that Samsung’s battery is smaller and more dense. So I think it was possible to increase the battery of the Alpha GTX even more, but it is what it is.
1. Playing an MP3 file on headphones. Maximum volume - 95 hours.
2. Playing a video file in 720p resolution, sound and screen brightness at maximum - 5 hours 30 minutes.
3. Working in "phone only" mode means several calls a day - 62 hours.
4. Work in 3D applications - 5 hours.
5. Mixed work cycle: games, calls, Internet, music - 15 hours.
Conclusions.
In all respects, the smartphone turned out to be quite balanced. If you need a fairly high-quality and large smartphone, but there is no way to overpay for more famous brands. Then the Alpha GTX would be a good purchase option. In general, Highscreen follows market trends quite well and can offer products for various categories of citizens, and the pricing policy is especially different; it is adequate and correct. At the moment, ordinary people have already tested the company’s products, so to speak, and in the entire diversity of the assortment, everyone will find something interesting for themselves. Competitors include the following models: Alcatel Scribe HD 5", Explay Communicator 5.7", Fly IQ451 5", iconBIT Mercury Quad 5.7", ZTE Grand X 5" - these smartphones have the same chipsets, cameras and cost almost the same.
Pros:
1. High-quality assembly and materials.
2. Good screen.
3. Protective film included.
4. Ability to install applications on a memory card.
5. Good camera.
Minuses:
1. The camera does not work without a memory card.
2. Quiet speaker.
Thank you all and see you again! I would like to express my gratitude to Vobis company for providing me with the smartphone. Special thanks to DNS for providing a platform for review!
Thanks also to everyone who paid attention to this review.
June 27, 2013, Odnokrylov Vladimir 1
The new Highscreen Alpha GTX tablet phone arrived to us for testing. The main feature of the model is a large 5.7-inch touch screen with a resolution of 1280x720 pixels. The smartphone is based on a quad-core processor, equipped with 1 GB of RAM and 4 GB of internal memory, and runs Android 4.1.2. On board there are 2- and 8-megapixel cameras, Wi-Fi b/g/n modules, Bluetooth 2.1 and GPS. All the details are in our review.
Video review of Highscreen Alpha GTX
Highscreen Alpha GTX Package Contents
Highscreen Alpha GTX came to us in a standard cardboard box for the latest Highscreen models with a schematic black and white image of the device.
Highscreen Alpha GTX packagingIn the box we found the following set:
- Myself Highscreen Alpha GTX.
- Battery.
- USB charger.
- USB cable - microUSB.
- Wired headset.
- Protective film for the screen.
- A set of documentation in Russian.
The equipment of the device is quite standard, but having a memory card for this model would not hurt.
Design and characteristics of Highscreen Alpha GTX
Frame Highscreen Alpha GTX measuring 83x163x9.5 mm, made of dark gray plastic.
Smartphone Highscreen Alpha GTXThe weight of the tablet with battery is 236 g according to our measurements.
Highscreen Alpha GTX on the scalesOn the front panel of the device there is a 5.7-inch touch screen with a resolution of 1280x720 pixels. Above the display are the front camera, charging indicator, earpiece and light/proximity sensor.
Front side of Highscreen Alpha GTXBelow the screen there are only three touch buttons - “back”, “home” and “menu”, illuminated when touched
Elements under the screen Highscreen Alpha GTXThere are no significant elements on the right side, except for a recess for removing the cover on the lower corner.
Right side of Highscreen Alpha GTXThere is a microphone hole at the bottom of the smartphone.
On the left side there is a volume rocker.
Left side Highscreen Alpha GTXAt the top end there is a power/lock button, a headphone jack and a microUSB port.
Top end of Highscreen Alpha GTXOn the back Highscreen Alpha GTX There is a flash LED, an 8-megapixel camera lens with autofocus and a speaker grille.
Rear panel of Highscreen Alpha GTXUnder the back cover of the smartphone there are two SIM card slots, a microSD memory card slot and a compartment for a 3000 mAh lithium-ion battery.
Highscreen Alpha GTX with battery removed Highscreen Alpha GTX with installed cards SIM and microSDSpecifications Highscreen Alpha GTX We have compiled it into a single table:
| Standard | GSM 900/1800/1900, 3G |
| Type | Smartphone |
| operating system | Android 4.1 |
| Type of shell | Classical |
| Housing material | Plastic |
| SIM card | SIM x 2 |
| Weight | 236 g |
| Dimensions (WxHxD) | 83x163x9.5 mm |
| Screen type | Color TFT IPS, 16.78 million colors, touch |
| Touch screen type | Capacitive |
| Diagonal | 5.7 inches |
| Image Size | 1280x720 pixels |
| Automatic screen rotation | Eat |
| Russification | Eat |
| Ringtones type | Polyphonic, MP3 ringtones |
| Vibration alert | Eat |
| Camera | Rear: 8 Mpx, 3264x2448, flash Front: 2 Mrx |
| Recording videos | Eat |
| Max. video resolution | 1920x1080 |
| FM radio | Eat |
| Headphone jack | 3.5 mm |
| Interfaces | USB, Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 |
| Satellite navigation | GPS |
| Access to the Internet | WAP, GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA, HSUPA, email POP/SMTP, email IMAP4, HTML |
| Modem | Eat |
| Use as a USB storage device | Yes |
| CPU | MediaTek MT6589, 4 cores, 1200 MHz |
| GPU | PowerVR SGX544 |
| Built-in memory capacity | 4 GB |
| RAM capacity | 1 GB |
| Memory card support | microSDHC, up to 32 GB |
| Battery capacity | 3000 mAh |
| A2DP profile | Eat |
| Sensors | Approximation, position, illumination, compass |
Testing Highscreen Alpha GTX
Inside Highscreen Alpha GTX There is a quad-core MediaTek MT6589 processor operating at a clock frequency of 1.2 GHz. It is accompanied by 1 GB of RAM and 4 GB of internal memory, of which the user is allocated approximately 2.6 GB as a service partition for applications - without direct access. As a result, user content can actually only be placed on a microSD card.
Highscreen Alpha GTX Memory StatusThe test unit is running Android 4.1.2 operating system, and the built-in updater did not detect newer firmware at the time of testing.
Highscreen Alpha GTX System InformationApart from basic Google applications and the update program, there is no other software on the smartphone - in this Highscreen Alpha GTX continues the work of new models from Highscreen.
Application menu Highscreen Alpha GTXAfter creating an account, we got access to both Google Play and other Google services.
Google Play on Highscreen Alpha GTXWe traditionally used Google Chrome to surf the web, and reading on a large screen turned out to be convenient, although scrolling on a 7-inch tablet with the same resolution would be more comfortable. But it is problematic to make calls on a tablet, and in comparison with 4.5-inch smartphone models, the difference for the user Highscreen Alpha GTX will be significant.
Google Chrome on Highscreen Alpha GTXThe game, as expected from a quad-core platform, ran briskly, and the resolution and diagonal felt closer to tablet ones, and, accordingly, it was very pleasant to play.
Angry Birds Star Wars on Highscreen Alpha GTXIn addition to our old-timers Dungeon Hunter 3 and Soulcraft, we installed Dungeon Hunter 4, which features increased detail and better textures. All three toys were “digested” by the MediaTek MT6589 quite easily, both in terms of frame rate and level loading speed.
SoulCraft on Highscreen Alpha GTX Dungeon Hunter 3 on Highscreen Alpha GTX Dungeon Hunter 4 on Highscreen Alpha GTXOur testing is completed by the synthetic benchmark Antutu Benchmark 3.
Highscreen Alpha GTX results in Antutu BenchmarkReception and quality of voice transmission in a mobile cellular network Highscreen Alpha GTX were at a decent level for all Russian operators. It's worth noting that both SIM cards work in standby mode because they use the same transmitter.
Setting up SIM cards in Highscreen Alpha GTXOn board Highscreen Alpha GTX There are Wi-Fi b/g/n modules, Bluetooth 2.1 and a GPS receiver. We measured the speed of Wi-Fi when transferring files on a local network with WPA2-PSK AES encryption, and received 13.2 Mbit/s when sending to a smartphone from a PC, and transferring files in the opposite direction was at a speed of 13.04 Mbit/s .
Copying files to Highscreen Alpha GTX Copying files from Highscreen Alpha GTXScreen Highscreen Alpha GTX. The only thing that spoils the impression of the screen is the rather noticeable grid of sensors that shows through in bright images.