One year ago at MWC 2016, Alcatel introduced the Plus 10 Windows 10 2-in-1 tablet. It wasn't a barnstormer by any means, but it was still a unique take on the 2-in-1 tablet. This year they're back at MWC 2017 with a bigger and better version: the Alcatel Plus 12.
The Plus 12 very much follows in the footsteps of the Plus 10 — from photos alone the two are almost indistinguishable — the 12 is largely a scaled-up 10. But it's a more refined version. The 12.6-inch 16:9 display offers a 1920x1080 resolution and is driven by a 1.GHz dual-core Intel Celeron N3350 "Apollo Lake" CPU with 4GB of RAM and an internal 32GB eMMC SSD plus an included 32GB microSD card. The back sports a slick cross-hatched metallic finish and has dropped the mostly useless 5MP rear camera of its predecessor (the front-facing sensor is a 5MP unit). All of this is supplied electrons by a 6900mAh internal battery.
Also carried over is the keyboard base, which includes an internal 2580mAh battery to power the included LTE radio. The base attaches magnetically — both closing on top of the keyboard and mounting open for laptop-style typing (or you can put it in backwards as a display, if you're into such things). The magnets are relatively strong; it takes some force to separate the the closed halves, and when open the magnets will easily hold the base on when you pick the whole assembly by the display.
The base can also serve as an LTE hotspot, allowing you to connect up to 15 other devices. Interestingly, the base connects to the tablet with a 7-pin connector that is used to send data for the keyboard, its embedded USB port, and charging, but the LTE connection to the tablet is handled over Wi-Fi.
Specifications
| Spec | Alcatel Plus 12 |
|---|---|
| Display | 11.6-inch 1920x1080 IPS LCD |
| Processor | Dual-core 1.0Ghz Intel Celeron N3350 "Apollo Lake" |
| RAM | 4GB LPDDR2 |
| Storage | 32GB eMMC SSDmicroSD card slot |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11nBluetooth 4.2LTE + UMTS (with keyboard) |
| Camera | 5MP front facing camera |
| Pen | Included N-Trig pen |
| Battery | 6900mAh (tablet) + 2580mAh (keyboard) |
| Dimensions | Tablet: 11.2 x 6.9 x 0.31 inches (284 x 175 x 7.9mm)Keyboard: 11.3 x 7.3 x 0.27 inches (287 x 186 x 6.9mm) |
There are several upgrades worth noting from the Plus 10 predecessor. In addition to the upgraded display and internals, the Plus 12 sports a Windows Hello-compatible fingerprint scanner embedded in the power button, USB-C, and an N-Trig-powered pen compatible with Windows Ink.
Alcatel hasn't unveiled pricing or a release date yet for the Plus 12, but if the release pattern of the Plus 10 is anything to go by we'd expect a launch in Europe for a few hundred Euros.
