Highscreen Alpha Tab: tablet phone on Android 4.2 with a diagonal of 8.1 inches
Even in the past - 2013 - year, Highscreen representatives said in an interview that they did not plan to release tablets. They say that nothing special and unusual in this class of devices can be done, and I don’t want to offer approximately the same as everyone else’s. And at the beginning of 2014, the first Highscreen “tablet” still saw the light: talking about the Alpha Tab model, which I will discuss in this post.
The first and, perhaps, the most unusual: unlike the mass of brands that are currently actively carrying 7.85-inch clones of the iPad mini on Android class from China, the Highscreen equipped the Alpha Tab with an 8.1-inch display with a ratio of 16: ten. As a result, the screen area of ​​this model and the typical “clone iPad” with a diagonal of 7.95 inches is the same - 192 square cm, but the Alpha Tab is noticeably narrower: 130 mm vs. about 150-155 mm. So holding the Highscreen model with one hand is much more convenient. Yes, it is longer (216 mm vs. 20), but the length affects the usability less than the width.
')
Another thing is that the Highscreen Alpha Tab turned out to be heavy: 474 g. This is 162 g heavier than the first-generation iPad mini. Personally, I, in principle, a lot of weight never hinders. But several people to whom I gave to hold this tablet, wished him "the fastest growing thin." So this point should be taken into account when buying - if the weight plays a big role for you (let's say you are a lady and carry the tablet in a small purse), then you should carefully weigh the device in the store.
Why does Highscreen Alpha Tab weigh so much? Probably because of the metal back panel. The developers really didn’t regret the metal: the well-made non-removable lid is turned from a solid plate, the thickness of which is slightly less than 1 mm. (The tablet itself, by the way, has a thickness of 9.6 mm.) At the touch, it is noticeably different from that of thin aluminum, which is commonly used in “iPad clones”. Perhaps, fans of brutal gadgets will love this device only for that. Although, in my opinion, it would be possible to sacrifice the strength of the metal and reduce the weight by 70-100 g ...
Build quality - I am not afraid of this word - excellent. I emphasize that the above-described metal panel, calling on the side faces, smooth edges. Not once seen gadgets of this design with uneven metal cuts. It looks sloppy and indicates general negligence of manufacturing.
The set of elements located on the body is not quite standard. So, on the right, in addition to the usual volume buttons, there was another one. She is responsible for activating the silent mode. A trifle seems to be useful, but I would like to see here the ability to customize this extra key - as, say, in Highscreen Boost 2 and Boost 2 SE.
Also on the right side of the case there is a plastic hatch, under which there are slots for the MicroSD card and the SIM card of the usual format. MicroSIM there is no need to insert, torment then get. The hatch is plastic and keeps on a silicone leg. It is better to be more careful with him, because if you tug him a lot and often, it is quite possible or not he will remain in your hands.
On top there is a power button and a standard 3.5 mm headphone jack.
At the bottom, there are a pair of speakers (you can’t call them vociferous, but a pair of viewers of a movie will have enough volume to spare), a microUSB port and a microphone.
On the back of the most surprises. First, the Reset key - I don’t remember when I met her in gadgets. Usually they are reloaded by some combination of buttons, but this is what ... Often, developers forget to write about it in the instructions. Everything is simple, took a toothpick - and go ahead.
The second unusual element is flash . In tablets they are extremely rare. The lens of a 5 megapixel camera is also located at the back, next to the LED.
Above the screen there are light and proximity sensors, as well as a front camera.
As you probably already guessed, Highscreen Alpha Tab is equipped with a 3G modem . And it is designed not only for mobile Internet, but also, following the latest fashion, for voice communication. Well, with a headset, the tablet can even be used as a smartphone. Without a headset - either, but do not forget about the weight in 474 g. How long hold on - depends on the strength of your hands.
Applications for calls and SMS are completely standard.
I also note the support profiles. It is made quite conveniently, everything is flexibly configured.
Vibrating alert in Highscreen Alpha Tab is provided, it is average in intensity.
Highscreen Alpha Tab is built on the MediaTek MT8389 chipset, which integrates Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPS modules. There are no complaints about their work, everything is fast, stable and without failures.
The MediaTek MT8389 also includes 4 ARM Cortex-A7 cores up to 1.2 GHz and PowerVR SGX544MP graphics. In fact, this is a tablet version of the MT6589 chipset, which has found application in a huge number of budget and middle class smartphones. RAM in the device 1 GB.
In the Highscreen Alpha Tab benchmarks, there are not enough stars from the sky, the results are quite expected.
For Asphalt 8 and others like him, "power" abound. For Android fast, all the more.
The chipset in the model is quite economical, 28-nanometer, so that a single battery with a capacity of 3,600 mAh is enough for a working day with “mixed” operation. That is, with periodic sitting on the Internet, games, videos, etc. If you watch the video continuously, you can count on it for 5 hours (provided that the brightness of the display backlight will be set at 70 percent).
Unfortunately, the SanDisk memory card with a capacity of 64 GB did not recognize the tablet - a message came out stating that the flash drive was damaged. Was it a 32 GB card: there were no problems with it. The internal memory in the device is 8 GB, but the user can access a total of about 6 and a half.
I didn’t expect much from the Highscreen Alpha Tab screen - even before getting a tablet for the test, I knew that it uses a display with a TFT-TN matrix. That is clearly not advanced. Indeed, the display is not the best. So, he has a slightly “acidic” color rendition, that is, not to call it natural. Resolution is 1280 x 800 pixels with a diagonal of 8.1 inches. Pixelate does not catch the eye, although this screen is far from a “retina”, a fact. Viewing angles from the top, bottom and left (in a vertical position) are acceptable, but if you look at the screen on the right, the colors are inverted. Something like this.
Yes, I almost forgot: in the settings of the screen there was a certain software optimizer that allows you to save battery power. I did not remove the tick, although I did not feel the effect of it.
The display has a glass coating, but there is no oleophobic layer. So, fingerprints are collected quickly. The package Highscreen Alpha Tab, by the way, includes as many as two protective films.
Multitouch, of course, is supported - in the 5-point version.
The cameras in the Highscreen Alpha Tab two - 0.3 MP for the "crossbow" and 5 MP for everything else. The quality of the latter is very average - this is not some kind of Nokia Lumia 2520 (emoticon). I will not cover much on the subject of the photo; I’d better give a few examples:
About the software . Highscreen Alpha Tab comes with almost bare Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. Will there be updates to the next versions - God knows. But periodically it is worth checking updates, since OTA support in the model is implemented - the corresponding item is in the main menu.
Pleased application "Flashlight". Such a good 8.1-inch flashlight ... On the other hand, most of the tablets are devoid of flash, and therefore this option.
The 4sync client provides 20 GB of space in the cloud for data.
A media player called Mobo Player. It looks scary and Asian.
I cannot say more about the software - everything is quite standard, I will not repeat.
What has not yet been told? Yes, about the package . In addition to the two films, which I have already mentioned, a warranty card, a user's manual, a USB-microUSB cable and a charger unit were found in the box. Plus wired headset for talking. (It is better to buy wireless.)
Summing up . Did you like the tablet? Rather yes than no. In the sea of ​​“clones of iPad mini” this “fish” really looks unusual. And even nice. But there are a few "but." The weight would be reduced, the screen would be better, the camera ... Well, I never saw normal cameras in inexpensive Android tablets, even in Samsung devices and their ilk. So yes, the weight and screen remain. And with the screen, I would be quite ready to put up, if the Alpha Tab was worth thousands of 7. But it still costs 8, which, in my opinion, is a bit expensive. Here a little cheaper, and then I can recommend it for consideration.
The first and, perhaps, the most unusual: unlike the mass of brands that are currently actively carrying 7.85-inch clones of the iPad mini on Android class from China, the Highscreen equipped the Alpha Tab with an 8.1-inch display with a ratio of 16: ten. As a result, the screen area of ​​this model and the typical “clone iPad” with a diagonal of 7.95 inches is the same - 192 square cm, but the Alpha Tab is noticeably narrower: 130 mm vs. about 150-155 mm. So holding the Highscreen model with one hand is much more convenient. Yes, it is longer (216 mm vs. 20), but the length affects the usability less than the width.
')
Another thing is that the Highscreen Alpha Tab turned out to be heavy: 474 g. This is 162 g heavier than the first-generation iPad mini. Personally, I, in principle, a lot of weight never hinders. But several people to whom I gave to hold this tablet, wished him "the fastest growing thin." So this point should be taken into account when buying - if the weight plays a big role for you (let's say you are a lady and carry the tablet in a small purse), then you should carefully weigh the device in the store.
Why does Highscreen Alpha Tab weigh so much? Probably because of the metal back panel. The developers really didn’t regret the metal: the well-made non-removable lid is turned from a solid plate, the thickness of which is slightly less than 1 mm. (The tablet itself, by the way, has a thickness of 9.6 mm.) At the touch, it is noticeably different from that of thin aluminum, which is commonly used in “iPad clones”. Perhaps, fans of brutal gadgets will love this device only for that. Although, in my opinion, it would be possible to sacrifice the strength of the metal and reduce the weight by 70-100 g ...
Build quality - I am not afraid of this word - excellent. I emphasize that the above-described metal panel, calling on the side faces, smooth edges. Not once seen gadgets of this design with uneven metal cuts. It looks sloppy and indicates general negligence of manufacturing.
The set of elements located on the body is not quite standard. So, on the right, in addition to the usual volume buttons, there was another one. She is responsible for activating the silent mode. A trifle seems to be useful, but I would like to see here the ability to customize this extra key - as, say, in Highscreen Boost 2 and Boost 2 SE.
Also on the right side of the case there is a plastic hatch, under which there are slots for the MicroSD card and the SIM card of the usual format. MicroSIM there is no need to insert, torment then get. The hatch is plastic and keeps on a silicone leg. It is better to be more careful with him, because if you tug him a lot and often, it is quite possible or not he will remain in your hands.
On top there is a power button and a standard 3.5 mm headphone jack.
At the bottom, there are a pair of speakers (you can’t call them vociferous, but a pair of viewers of a movie will have enough volume to spare), a microUSB port and a microphone.
On the back of the most surprises. First, the Reset key - I don’t remember when I met her in gadgets. Usually they are reloaded by some combination of buttons, but this is what ... Often, developers forget to write about it in the instructions. Everything is simple, took a toothpick - and go ahead.
The second unusual element is flash . In tablets they are extremely rare. The lens of a 5 megapixel camera is also located at the back, next to the LED.
Above the screen there are light and proximity sensors, as well as a front camera.
As you probably already guessed, Highscreen Alpha Tab is equipped with a 3G modem . And it is designed not only for mobile Internet, but also, following the latest fashion, for voice communication. Well, with a headset, the tablet can even be used as a smartphone. Without a headset - either, but do not forget about the weight in 474 g. How long hold on - depends on the strength of your hands.
Applications for calls and SMS are completely standard.
I also note the support profiles. It is made quite conveniently, everything is flexibly configured.
Vibrating alert in Highscreen Alpha Tab is provided, it is average in intensity.
Highscreen Alpha Tab is built on the MediaTek MT8389 chipset, which integrates Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPS modules. There are no complaints about their work, everything is fast, stable and without failures.
The MediaTek MT8389 also includes 4 ARM Cortex-A7 cores up to 1.2 GHz and PowerVR SGX544MP graphics. In fact, this is a tablet version of the MT6589 chipset, which has found application in a huge number of budget and middle class smartphones. RAM in the device 1 GB.
In the Highscreen Alpha Tab benchmarks, there are not enough stars from the sky, the results are quite expected.
For Asphalt 8 and others like him, "power" abound. For Android fast, all the more.
The chipset in the model is quite economical, 28-nanometer, so that a single battery with a capacity of 3,600 mAh is enough for a working day with “mixed” operation. That is, with periodic sitting on the Internet, games, videos, etc. If you watch the video continuously, you can count on it for 5 hours (provided that the brightness of the display backlight will be set at 70 percent).
Unfortunately, the SanDisk memory card with a capacity of 64 GB did not recognize the tablet - a message came out stating that the flash drive was damaged. Was it a 32 GB card: there were no problems with it. The internal memory in the device is 8 GB, but the user can access a total of about 6 and a half.
I didn’t expect much from the Highscreen Alpha Tab screen - even before getting a tablet for the test, I knew that it uses a display with a TFT-TN matrix. That is clearly not advanced. Indeed, the display is not the best. So, he has a slightly “acidic” color rendition, that is, not to call it natural. Resolution is 1280 x 800 pixels with a diagonal of 8.1 inches. Pixelate does not catch the eye, although this screen is far from a “retina”, a fact. Viewing angles from the top, bottom and left (in a vertical position) are acceptable, but if you look at the screen on the right, the colors are inverted. Something like this.
Yes, I almost forgot: in the settings of the screen there was a certain software optimizer that allows you to save battery power. I did not remove the tick, although I did not feel the effect of it.
The display has a glass coating, but there is no oleophobic layer. So, fingerprints are collected quickly. The package Highscreen Alpha Tab, by the way, includes as many as two protective films.
Multitouch, of course, is supported - in the 5-point version.
The cameras in the Highscreen Alpha Tab two - 0.3 MP for the "crossbow" and 5 MP for everything else. The quality of the latter is very average - this is not some kind of Nokia Lumia 2520 (emoticon). I will not cover much on the subject of the photo; I’d better give a few examples:
About the software . Highscreen Alpha Tab comes with almost bare Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean. Will there be updates to the next versions - God knows. But periodically it is worth checking updates, since OTA support in the model is implemented - the corresponding item is in the main menu.
Pleased application "Flashlight". Such a good 8.1-inch flashlight ... On the other hand, most of the tablets are devoid of flash, and therefore this option.
The 4sync client provides 20 GB of space in the cloud for data.
A media player called Mobo Player. It looks scary and Asian.
I cannot say more about the software - everything is quite standard, I will not repeat.
What has not yet been told? Yes, about the package . In addition to the two films, which I have already mentioned, a warranty card, a user's manual, a USB-microUSB cable and a charger unit were found in the box. Plus wired headset for talking. (It is better to buy wireless.)
Summing up . Did you like the tablet? Rather yes than no. In the sea of ​​“clones of iPad mini” this “fish” really looks unusual. And even nice. But there are a few "but." The weight would be reduced, the screen would be better, the camera ... Well, I never saw normal cameras in inexpensive Android tablets, even in Samsung devices and their ilk. So yes, the weight and screen remain. And with the screen, I would be quite ready to put up, if the Alpha Tab was worth thousands of 7. But it still costs 8, which, in my opinion, is a bit expensive. Here a little cheaper, and then I can recommend it for consideration.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/214893/
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