Alldocube X Neo Review - He's the Android tablet we've been waiting for
While Apple's supremacy in the tablet sector with the iPad series is indisputable, it must also be said that the various fanboys have literally misled us from what is the true essence of a product of this type. In fact, on the net we find many videos that show how much iPad Pro and similar are performing as a notebook, but no one underlines in the right way how on balance the cost between tablet and keyboard is even higher than a laptop. I do not want to enter into controversy but in my opinion it makes no sense to spend a lot of money on a product that will then mainly be destined for use from the sofa, watching TV series, reading news, a stroll on social media etc .. It must be said that the panorama of Android tablets is perhaps too painful, in fact just take a tour of stores like Amazon to see product proposals that also offer a kit that almost transforms the chosen product into a portable office, all at poco more or less than 100 euros.
I know, this introduction is quite long, but it is a must in relation to what I am about to present to you, because fortunately to keep the bench, satisfying all the needs we are looking for in a tablet, comes the Alldocube X Neo which offers a quality / price ratio definitely interesting net of optimal performance. So let's not waste any more time and find out in our full review.
It is the same company that throws the mouth-watering peculiarities of this X Neo in our face, showing on the sales package features such as the presence of an AMOLED display and a Qualcomm chipset. In any case, inside the sales box we find:
- Alldocube
- Pin for removing the SIM tray;
- USB Type-C cable;
- wall charger with European socket, output max 12V-1.5A / 18W with Quick Charge 3.0 technology;
- Quick guide also in Italian;
Alldocube X Neo is very well made, relying on a body made entirely of metal with a satin finish which in addition to returning a pleasant feeling to the touch and a premium look, definitely gives resistance to a product that we will inevitably end up treating with little care, throwing it on sofa or who knows where, because let's face it, with this type of product we are less careful than with smartphones. In any case, despite being a rather cheap product for technical specifications, Alldocube X Neo seems to belong to a higher market segment, so much so that it is also possible to appreciate the excellent assembly, free from creaking even under different stresses. Of course we are not dealing with a manageable product but the dimensions of 245,9 x 175,4 x 7,2 mm make this tablet one of the thinnest in circulation but also the weight helps in everyday life, considering only 491 grams well distributed along the whole body, thus making it easy for example in maneuvers during car racing games.
It should also be noted that in the lower profile we find a magnetic attachment used for the proprietary keyboard, not supplied in the package but can be purchased separately with a small expense, but unfortunately we did not have the pleasure of trying it, even if viewing the photos on the net, this seems comfortable and destined to increase productivity. Poco bad because otherwise Alldocube X Neo offers everything you need starting from the power buttons and volume rocker on the right profile where one of the two stereo speakers is also positioned. In fact, the other is located on the left side where there is also the 3,5 mm jack hole, the Type-C input for charging with OTG support and the SIM tray that can accommodate two SIMs in nano format or a SIM in nano format and a micro SD. The equipment is completed by 4 microphones in the upper part of the tablet, which do their job really well, returning not only a clear and clean audio during telephone calls, but giving their best with video calls and / or meetings but also distance learning.
In fact, the purchase of a tablet of the caliber of Alldocube X Neo, could partially solve one of these thorny issues that in this 2020 are afflicting the new generations. Perhaps something more could be done with regard to the audio quality of the two stereo speakers, whose only defect is only to return an audio poco full-bodied, in short poco pumped in the low tones, but the volume level is still high and suitable for most situations, without ever distorting at the maximum listening levels.
And since we mentioned the DAD, there is an 8 MP camera on the rear and on the front, a selfie camera with a 5 MP sensor is positioned in the upper frame of the display, while improving the internet connection performance, always on the rear. we have a plastic surface that runs along the entire profile of the device.
As mentioned at the beginning of this review, the greatest use that a common user of a tablet would make is watching multimedia content on streaming platforms or watching the latest news, peeking at social networks, in short, the display becomes a fundamental part and essential for this product category. Our Alldocube X Neo therefore offers a 10,5-inch AMOLED technology panel in 2560 x 1600 pixel resolution (WQXGA) with 285 PPI density, comparable to a 30 ”PC monitor in 16:10 format. Obviously we are talking about a 10-touch touchscreen unit that manages to satisfy every claim in the multimedia field. Maybe the company could do a little more to optimize the frames but we really can't complain, considering that at higher prices you can see something much more obscene. Moreover, already pre-applied by the company we find a plastic film to protect the display.
Good color rendering, with rather deep and vivid whites and blacks, net of natural colors. A definition that can also be appreciated outdoors by relying on a reactive brightness sensor and which works much better than what is seen on mid-range smartphones. We have a refresh rate at 60 Hz but in reality the only thing that made me turn up my nose were the Widevine level 3 DRMs, which therefore do not allow the vision of content on Netflix and similar in high definition, despite the resolute panel it is defined. Also noteworthy is the reading and night mode to better rest your eyes after long viewing sessions of the display, because it is so beautiful that you will be literally bewitched.
For all operations Alldocube X Neo relies on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor, an octacore solution with a 14nm production process that we have for example appreciated on Xiaomi Mi Pad 4, with 4 X core Kryo260 A72 structure clocked at 2.2 Ghz and 4 X core Kryo 260 A53 clocked at 1.8 Ghz, which is accompanied by the Adreno 512 GPU as well as 4 GB of dual channel LPDDR4X RAM and 64 GB of eMMC 5.1 memory, expandable by means of micro SD with support up to 512 GB.
We could not ask for anything better for the tasks we will perform on this Alldocube X Neo, allowing us to push ourselves even in the most stressful gaming, such as Aspahalt 9, Call of Duty Mobile, Modern Combat 5 etc .. Everything is done flawlessly without generating overheating, obtaining a decidedly satisfying gaming experience net of good graphic quality. Of course, this implies that for more traditional tasks, the tablet always responds quickly and punctually, with performances that confirm the good things we have told ourselves so far. You can therefore use Alldocube X Neo also for productivity, with applications such as the Office suite but also ask for targeted tasks, such as using the Alldocube X Neo as a second monitor to be placed alongside your PC during video editing.
Probably the fluidity of the system in general is not only due to the hardware but also to the software used which in this case is decidedly stock, without any customization by the company. On the one hand it is good, but it should be emphasized that we still have Android 9 Pie on board with security patches dating back to November 2019 and I honestly doubt that a major release of the OS will be introduced, even if the company has not abandoned the product, in fact in my test period I received a small update that further improved the stability and fluidity of the tablet.
The positive side is that such a simple interface makes any type of user accessible to use, whether he is a child or an elderly person, whether he is experienced or not, but on various foreign forums there are communities that for this and other tablets of the brand Asian are developing alternative ROMs that integrate the very latest version of the green robot. But even if you leave things as they are, you will not feel the need for anything else, because Alldocube X Neo has always been reliable and above all the app support is 100% guaranteed, considering that today there is still support for 4.4 KitKat versions.
It seems stupid to talk about the photographic sector for a tablet, but in the case of our unit we have two optics supplied, a rear 8 MP and a front 5 MP. Of course we do not expect front page quality but overall the shots obtained are more than usable on the various social networks but also for work, being able to also count on video recording at 1080p 30 fps with a lot of EIS available and autofocus. The photos, however, are surprising in that they are not particularly rich in digital noise. All this can be useful for example at work but above all for video calls, also counting on a good audio captured by the 4 microphones. However, if you really need something better for photos, you can install the port of the GCam in circulation, considering that the CAM2API are already unlocked by default.
with HDR without HDR
Personally, the thing I liked the most about this X Neo is the connectivity available. In fact, we find a dual-band WiFi module that has proved to be very reliable, taking in points where some smartphones generally struggle. We also have a Bluetooth 5.0 support that will allow us not only to connect TWS headphones but also for example keyboard and mouse in order to expand productivity. Also taking advantage of the wired earphones via the 3,5 mm jack input we can also take advantage of the FM radio, use the Type-C input with the OTG function but above all benefit from 4G LTE connectivity with support for the 20 band, so we can use any SIM of national operators.
Going beyond all expectations, the tablet in question also receives the 4G+ signal and this possibility expands various usage scenarios and above all it becomes essential for those like me who do not enjoy any connection other than that of their smartphone. In fact, I always test for WiFi at my sister-in-law's house.
However, through the SIM we not only have access to data, but on balance we can also make and receive calls, with the possibility of registering them. And it does not end there, because we also have an excellent GPS with Galileo satellite coupling, which proved to be just as fast and reliable as for the rest of the specifications enjoyed by this tablet.
All this, in consideration of a huge display, reflects on autonomy. Let me be clear, Alldocube X Neo can count on a 7700 mAh battery that allow us to always get at least 5 hours of active screen, but considering the capacity in terms of mAh, I would have expected something more. Nothing disheartening, considering that we can count on the Quick Charge 3.0 quick charge support at 18W which allows you to get full energy in about 2 hours.
Conclusions
All considerations must be analyzed by virtue of the sale price, which on Banggood is around 200 euros. A more than honest and advantageous figure considering everything we told each other, like the Snapdragon 660 CPU that makes this X Neo move flawlessly, a complete connectivity that would be the envy of many smartphones with decidedly higher prices, as well as an amazing AMOLED display.
Alldocube X Neo is therefore a tablet that I really recommend a lot. Unfortunately, the Android tablet market has been "soiled" by so many really poor products and even famous brands like Samsung and Huawei have contributed to the garbage, so many of you may be disheartened, believing that a brand poco known as Alldocube can only turn out to be yet another disappointment. Well dear friends, it's not like that at all indeed the X Neo deserves a special and honorable mention in the industry.
