The first tablet from the Spanish company Crosscall arrives on a fairly empty market of players. Robust, this rugged tablet can be used by everyone. How does it stack up against more traditional competition?
Presentation
A brand that has accustomed us to its rugged smartphones, Crosscall is releasing its first tablet. A sector in decline where there are only a few players, especially in the niche of rugged devices. For the Spanish company, it is above all a question of offering a product dedicated to professionals, but which can also be suitable for family use.
The robustness of this Core-T4 comes at a cost, €499, which puts it in front of a Samsung Galaxy S5e or a 2019 iPad. Two tablets sold a bit cheaper, but much less resistant.
Ergonomics
The Core-T4 adopts an aggressive design. We immediately perceive its robustness, in particular thanks to the different mixtures of materials. Everything is done to solidify it: alloy of composite materials and fiberglass, thermoplastic polyurethanes or even aluminum bar... And this is also what gives it this divisive look. The rear part sports a 13-megapixel sensor coupled with a flash; it's rare enough on a tablet to be underlined. There is also a feature specific to Crosscall, the X-Link, a magnetic circle that looks like a fingerprint reader. It allows you to attach various proprietary accessories, such as a harness, a charging stand or an external battery.
The Core-T4 mixes materials.
Crosscall offers an 8-inch LCD panel at the front. Far from being borderless, the display occupies 65,68% of the total surface. The fault is huge black borders all around as well as the frame of the tablet which is quite prominent. This front part houses a 5 megapixel photo sensor and a very small speaker.
On the edges, there are various buttons, including the traditional volume controls, the startup one, as well as two other programmable ones; a red, placed on the right edge, allows you to program an alert shortcut in the event of a problem. The other is on the opposite side and is programmed to access the Push-to-Talk mode which allows communication with other products in the Crosscall Core range (like a walkie-talkie). Just above, there is the slot that can accommodate 2 SIM cards + 1 SD card. The 3,5 mm mini-jack socket is placed on the upper edge. At the bottom, we find the USB-C port. Both are protected by blanking plugs which guarantee the tightness of the tablet (IP68).
The water will not overcome the tablet.
Audio
The 3,5 mm mini-jack is not one of the strengths of this tablet. It delivers barely acceptable power, average dynamic range and stereo reproduction that does not meet our standards. Only the contained distortion allows him to save the furniture.
| Valeurs | Average | |
|---|---|---|
| Output level | 87 mVrms | 97,5 mVrms |
| Distortion+Noise | 0,003 % | 0.006 % |
| Dynamic Range | 92 dB | 96,2 dB |
| Crosstalk | -31 dB | -60,1 dB |
The single front speaker is more than anecdotal. The sound delivered is not very good and we cannot envisage prolonged use for listening to music. It should be much more useful for use as a walkie-talkie.
The speaker is really small.
Screen
The 8-inch screen feels quite small compared to the overall size of the tablet. Its definition is really low (1 x 280 pixels, or 800 dpi).
And the measures we have taken are not going to restore its image. The color temperature reaches almost 9 kelvins, a value far too far from the video standard (000 K). Only the gray tones manage to stay below the Delta E of 6. Most of the other tones exceed a Delta E of 500 and the average peaks at 3.
Results that will have to be satisfied since the Crosscall Core-T4 has no settings to adjust the display.
Regarding the readability of the screen, we have written a laboratory article that you can find below.
to read also:Lab - The screen of the Crosscall Core-T4 tablet is subject to glare
Is the Crosscall Core-T4 a tablet with a comfortable screen to use? This is what we are going to try to demonstrate...
1 year agoperformances
The Crosscall Core-T4 is equipped with a Snapdragon 450 processor coupled with 3 GB of RAM. A configuration that the brand considers to be perfect for running all applications without affecting autonomy. Compared to smartphones, however, it does little better than entry-level models like the Motorola e6 Plus.
Overall, the Crosscall tablet gets an index of 52, one point behind that of the Samsung Galaxy A10 (53). In multitasking on the other hand, it does much better than the Samsung smartphone and does as well as the Motorola one. In use, this translates into a certain ease in juggling different open applications. In comparison with the other 2 tablets present in our performance table, the Crosscall pales in comparison. It fails to match the scores of the Lenovo Yoga Smart Tab and sits well behind the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6.
With a gaming index of 27, it also does not allow comfortable gaming. The loading times are horribly long and there are strong slowdowns on demanding titles.
Our performance tests are carried out with viSer, the application developed by the company SmartViser.
Photo
A big flash accompanies the 13 megapixel sensor.
Very simplistic, the Core-T4 has a 13 megapixel sensor whose results are quite correct. This camera will be used in particular for workers in the field – the main target of this tablet.
During the day, the Core-T4 overexposes the scene much more than the Tab S5e. However, the restitution of details is much better than with its opponent. The fault of Samsung's software processing which tends to smooth the photos.
On the other hand, at night, it is no longer the same song. The sensor fails to capture a correct snapshot. The scene becomes blurred and it is difficult to discern the different elements that compose it. On the Galaxy Tab S5e, the result is more usable, although dominated by a slightly yellowish tone and marked smoothing.
Front sensor, portrait and video mode
At the front, the tablet is equipped with a 5-megapixel module whose quality approaches that of the rear sensor. The shot is overexposed and the sensor has a little trouble managing a backlit subject. Whether on the front or the back, the Core-T4 does not have a portrait mode.
For video, it is possible to shoot up to Full HD 1p at 080 frames per second.
Note that the photo modules are devoid of stabilization.
Autonomy
Crosscall has equipped its tablet with a large 7 mAh battery. Coupled with the Snapdragon 000 processor, it should last at least 450 hours according to the brand's promises. It is clear that she did not really lie since our SmartViser test died out after 50 h 40 min. It is quite simply the most autonomous device passed through our lab, smartphones and tablets combined.
To recharge it, it will take a little more than 4 h 30 min, it's a bit long... certainly because of the charge limited to 10 W.
Our battery tests are automated by viSer, the application developed by the company SmartViser.
The results obtained with viSer come from measurements carried out in real conditions of use (calls, SMS, videos, launching of applications, web browsing, etc.).
Highlights
A strong feeling of robustness.
Monstrous autonomy.
IP68 and military standard MIL-810G.
Weak points
Disappointing performance.
Satisfying screen.
Conclusion
Note globaleThe Crosscall Core-T4 fulfills its function as a rugged tablet well, but it stops there. Too average in the rest – except autonomy – it is difficult for us to advise you to invest in it. If you plan to get a tablet at this price, turn preferably to the Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e.
Sub Notes Read more
