Alcatel Idol 4S: Best Windows Phone of all time?

[Bill Berry]

I'm late to this party as I now get ready to buy a new phone and I was leaning with the 950XL but then I stumbled across this device and I love it's price mark so I've been comparing each of the devices. Like all of you I have been using this ecosystem dating back to the Dell x51 but thinking nostalgic, what I'd give for an updated state of the art "HTC Touch Pro 2" with that hardware keyboard with a six inch display; that'd be heavenly! One can dream!

 

[nate0]

I'm late to this party as I now get ready to buy a new phone and I was leaning with the 950XL but then I stumbled across this device and I love it's price mark so I've been comparing each of the devices. Like all of you I have been using this ecosystem dating back to the Dell x51 but thinking nostalgic, what I'd give for an updated state of the art "HTC Touch Pro 2" with that hardware keyboard with a six inch display; that'd be heavenly! One can dream!

I own both. They both have their cool factors about them. The only one gripe I have at the moment with the IDOL 4s is the camera key/button placement. I have one of the few sturdiest cases on mine (Incipio Pure case) and I hit that camera button while my screen is unlocked atleast several times a day. Right now I am using a 950 XL though since I just was able to replace the battery, I then get more than a full day now.

The lack of the glance screen for notificaitons is hard to deal with too. I have tried to enable the LED on the IDOL4s via sw packages and registry edits but have been unsucessful so far. It is not as easily done as I did it on the X3. Still trying though.

 

[aj173]

The Idol 4s isn't even close to the best Windows Phone of all time. For me, the best Windows Phone of all time would have to be a true flagship where you didn't have to make any disappointing compromises. The only Windows Phone that fits this criteria is the Lumia 1520. It was the first and only Windows Phone where you got the best of the current-gen tech without having to make a compromise. Even with the Idol 4s, you are making compromises on battery life, camera quality, wireless charging, and lack of NFC, just to name the obvious ones that spring to mind.

The only complaint anybody ever had about the Lumia 1520 is that it was too large for them. And that's just a personal preference, not a shortcoming with the phone itself. You could say that the 16GB AT&T version vs 32GB other versions was a compromise, but since you could get a 32 if you really wanted one, I don't hold this against the phone.

The Idol 4s is a decent midrange phone (when it actually works), and the X3 would be the obvious champ if its camera wasn't so terrible, but if we're talking about the best Windows Phone ever, it's hard to argue against the Lumia 1520. It is still holding up well years later. In fact, I've given up a 950XL and an Idol 4s to go back to my Lumia 1520.

 

[Bill Berry]

I've got my decision down to either the Lumia 1520 or Lumia 950XL. Thank you!

 

[Indistinguishable]

You could say that the 16GB AT&T version vs 32GB other versions was a compromise, but since you could get a 32 if you really wanted one, I don't hold this against the phone.

This is true. To be exact: the Lumia 1520.3 is the best Windows Phone Flagship of it's time.

Meaning, there are obviously devices that are better spec'd that followed the 1520. But for its time, 1520.3 is the best Windows Phone of all time. I almost confused myself writing this.