Alcatel Go Flip 3 Review: Best value KaiOS flip phone

Read this detailed Alcatel Go Flip 3 review to learn more about this KaiOS flip phone. Find out whether it is worth your money.

Alcatel Go Flip 3 was released in 2019 when the world is filled with Android and iOS smartphones. Nowadays, you may find fewer people who use a flip phone or also known as the clamshell phone. 

This type of phone is not as popular as it used to be. Motorola RAZR V3 and Sony Ericsson W508 are some of the best-selling flip phones of all time. Their reign has ended but Alcatel Go Flip 3 seeks to find its own place among other smartphones.

Unlike most other smartphones, the Alcatel Go Flip 3 is equipped with KaiOS. The operating system is developed by KaiOS Technologies Limited and was released in 2017. KaiOS is optimized for non-touch smartphones such as this Alcatel Go Flip 3.

If you are curious and want to find more information about this phone, read this comprehensive Alcatel Go Flip 3 review to find out if this phone is worth your money or not.

Alcatel Go Flip 3 Key Specs

Alcatel Go Flip 3 specifications: 

• Weight: 118g
• Dimensions: 105 x 53 x 19.1mm
• OS: KaiOS 2.5
• Screen size: 2.8-inch (main), 1.4-inch (external)
• Resolution: 320 x 240
• CPU: 1.1GHz Quad-core, Qualcomm Snapdragon 210
• RAM: 512 MB
• Storage: 4GB
• Battery: 1,350mAh, Removable
• Camera: 2MP

Alcatel Go Flip 3 Design

When the lid is closed, the Alcatel Go Flip 3 looks stylish and chic. Although the whole body is made from plastic, the phone is able to give that elegant appearance. When you open it, this phone looks like a reminiscence of a phone from the pre-smartphone era.

This phone has a small 1.44-inch screen on the outside and a 2.8-inch screen on the inside. Below the main screen, there is a physical alphanumeric keypad. The keys are pretty big and comfortable, making it easier for elderly people or children to navigate the phone. Aside from the keypad, there is also an ‘OK’ button to input your command or select menus.

If we are allowed to be nitpicky, we think the bezels are too big. However, this is expected for a low-entry phone and just a matter of preference. The target market of this phone is mostly people who do not need a fancy smartphone and they may not find the bezels obstructive.

The body feels solid when held and it feels smooth when we unfolded the phone. Overall, the build quality is top-notch. This phone also has a micro USB charging port and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Alcatel Go Flip 3 Display

Alcatel Go Flip 3’s main screen uses a 2.8-inch TFT LCD panel. The resolution is just 240 x 320 (QVGA). The same resolution was very common back in the feature phone era. There is nothing special about the display quality but it is pleasant enough for occasional activities. Still, the screen does not give us an impressive experience like other smartphones at this price range.

Since this phone does not have a touchscreen, you have to navigate through the menus using the keypad buttons and directional pad. It is sometimes bothersome when we tried to open a webpage as we had to use the keypad to scroll down. But the buttons are clicky so you may get used to them quickly.

Despite its small screen size, the texts are readable. However, people who are used to today’s standard display quality may find it uncomfortable to look at for a long time.

When we used the phone to watch videos on YouTube, the videos showed up in full screen automatically. This phone does not have an auto-rotate sensor so you have to adjust the orientation yourself.

When you fold the phone, there is a colorful 1.44-inch LCD screen on the front. The screen displays the time, date and notifications. It is very useful for someone who is not a heavy phone user.

You can lay the Alcatel Go Flip 3 on the table while working as it shows recent incoming calls or messages.

Alcatel Go Flip 3 Camera

This mobile device has a 2MP rear-facing camera, which is located above the external display. Since this is a budget phone for casual users, the camera is not that great. The quality is similar to those photos produced by feature phones which were released more than 10 years ago. The capability is very limited but it is still acceptable for occasional shots.

The viewfinder is minimalistic and there are only a few options. You cannot capture photos in HDR, panoramic mode or even time-lapse shots. Outdoor photos look below average and sometimes out of focus. Additionally, photos in a well-lit room still tend to be blurry and noisy. As there is no night mode, do not expect this phone to capture photos properly in a dark room.

Although the camera quality is unsatisfactory, the Alcatel Go Flip 3 is still able to record videos. Obviously, it is nowhere near as good as budget Android phones. The resolution does not even reach 720p.

In conclusion, there is not much you can do with this phone’s camera. The photos are still acceptable for occasional social media posts. You may want to transfer your pictures to your computer and use an image editing software to improve the quality a bit.

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Alcatel Go Flip 3 Storage

This phone only has 4GB of internal storage but it is expandable up to 32GB with a microSD card. You can find the microSD slot under the removable battery.

4GB of internal storage is extremely small for a phone nowadays. You are probably only able to install a handful of apps and games. If you want to add music files and videos, it is recommended to buy a microSD card.

If you do not want to spend more money to buy a microSD card, you can always transfer your files to your personal computer. You can also upload them to a cloud storage service of your choice.

Alcatel Go Flip 3 Performance

This phone sports the Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 processor. As this phone has an entry-level processor, this Alcatel Go Flip 3 review will try to keep an open mind when reviewing it as a daily driver. Surprisingly, this phone surpasses our expectations although we are also aware of its limitations.

Before we take a closer look at its performance, we want to introduce you to its operating system. Unlike most phones these days, this phone is not supported by an Android OS. It uses KaiOS, a mobile operating system based on Linux.

This OS sits between feature phones and smartphones. KaiOS can make cheap phones like Alcatel Go Flip 3 feel modern but it is too outdated to be implemented in a phone with newer technology.

The Alcatel Go Flip 3 can carry out simple tasks and run basic apps seamlessly. KaiOS enables you to download games, utilities and social apps on the KaiOS app store.

It sometimes takes seconds to open heavy apps such as Twitter or YouTube. But after you manage to open the apps, they work well and do not struggle. There are some noticeable lags and loading times but they are not too much of a bother. Depending on your carrier, you may find some pre-installed apps on your phone.

Despite having KaiOS as its operating system, the Alcatel Go Flip 3 is supported by several Google apps. It makes sense since Google established a partnership and invested in the developer back in 2018.

This phone is equipped with a Google Assistant and Google Maps. The Google Assistant helps a lot for those who do not want to go through menus. The app is customized so it can be operated through the keypad or our voice.

The Google Maps app is also customized and it has fewer features than the native Android app. Accessing the menu and options in the app can take some time as you have to use the keypad. Other than that, the app works perfectly on this phone.

The Alcatel Go Flip 3 does not have any sensor, including the fingerprint scanner. It has a 3.5 mm headphone jack and you can use the Radio FM app after you plug in your headset. The radio quality is superb although it also depends on your location. The audio output is clear and it can detect nearby radio stations easily.

What surprised us was this phone can handle office or ‘serious’ tasks easily. You can open HTML emails and it syncs perfectly. You can sync your contact list, messages and calendar with other apps such as Gmail, Outlook and Google Calendar hassle-free.

Alcatel Go Flip 3 Connectivity

Alcatel Go Flip 3 supports 4G connectivity with various LTE bands. You can browse the internet using your carrier’s network easily. The speed obviously depends on your carrier. The browser supports HTML5 and it displays web pages perfectly.

This phone supports 2.4GHz WiFi and WiFi Calling. With this feature, you are able to make or receive a phone call using a Wi-Fi connection. This feature is helpful when you want to make a call in limited cellular coverage.

The Alcatel Go Flip 3 also has Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity. You can pair your phone with a wireless headphone to listen to music.

Alcatel Go Flip 3 Battery

This phone is powered by a 1,350mAh battery and it is removable. You have to remove the battery in order to insert a SIM card and microSD card. The capacity is small but it surprisingly lasts a day with normal usage. We had about 8 hours of talk time and the phone lasts more than a day when on standby mode.

This phone only has a micro USB charging port, which is slower compared to USB type-C. The Alcatel Go Flip 3 also does not support wireless and fast charging. It is understandable because of its price tag.

Is Alcatel Go Flip 3 a good phone?

For a $100 flip phone, this Alcatel Go Flip 3 review finds that this device is an acceptable daily driver. Especially for people who want a minimalistic phone with basic features. Its performance manages to surprise and impress us although there are still rooms for improvements. This phone can run basic to office apps without struggling too much thanks to its KaiOS.

The camera and display quality are on par with feature phones. The internal storage is too small. You obviously cannot do much with 4GB of storage. On the other hand, the phone has a solid build quality and the battery lasts long despite the small power capacity.