Tracfone LG Rebel L44 VL Review

Review of the LG Rebel L44 VL from Tracfone

Welcome to TracfoneReviewer, a blog about Tracfone Wireless cell phones. If you're new, take a look around, as we share lots of tips, news and reviews relating to Tracfone. Below is our review of the LG Rebel, a newly available phone to Tracfone prepaid customers.

Tracfone LG Rebel L44VL Review

Tracfone's LG Rebel is a versatile but basic smartphone recently released on the Tracfone website and through many other retailers. It comes with a 4.5" screen, quad-core processor, and 8 GB internal memory, among other features.

There has been quite a flood of new smartphones from Tracfone over the summer of 2016, and the LG Rebel comes in at one of the more budget friendly options. We recently reviewed the LG Stylo 2, which has a large, 5.7" screen, but is about twice the price of the Rebel. You can learn more about the new phones coming to Tracfone by reading our posts, New LG/Samsung Devices coming to Tracfone, New Alcatel/ZTE Devices coming to Tracfone, and New Apple iPhones Coming to Tracfone.

Let's get back to the Rebel, and look at our quick facts for this Android smartphone:

Tracfone LG Rebel Quick Facts

The Good:
-Android 5.1
-Reasonable price - $79 most places
-Quad-Core Processor

Not So Good:
-Only 8GB Internal Storage (about 3-4GB usable)
-Smaller Screen - 4.5"
-Retailing for $100 on Tracfone website - which is similar price to the slightly better LG Treasure

The Rebel is very similar to the LG Treasure, in fact, the non-Tracfone versions are called the LG K4 (Rebel) and LG K7 (Treasure). The Treasure is the step up from the Rebel, and has a few improvements, which we will go into more detail about a little later. Tracfone has also recently released the LG Premier, which is in the same lineup as the Treasure and Rebel, with with slight improvements over both (such as a larger, 5.3" touchscreen).

LG is one of the worlds top ten mobile phone makers, along with a large number of other manufacturing operations, such as TV's, appliances and much more. They are a South Korean company that operates globally and has phones ranging from budget to high-end and everything in-between.

The LG Rebel is a newer phone, released in early 2016, with Android 5.1 and aiming to be a budget friendly smartphone.

Let's see the full list of features that come with this phone.

LG Rebel Features and Specs

Below are the features, followed by the technical specifications for the Rebel

• Android 5.1.1 Lollipop
• 4G LTE Capable using CDMA Networks (Verizon)
• 5 MP Rear Camera (with LED flash and Autofocus), 2 MP Front
• WiFi, Bluetooth 4.1
• Alarm Clock
• MP3 Player
• Access to over 1 Million Apps on Google Play
• GPS
• Voicemail, Voice dialing, Caler ID
• Handsfree Speaker
• Two Homscreens

LG Rebel Specs:

• Size: 5.20" x 2.62" x 0.36"
• 4.5" Touchscreen at 480x854 resolution (218 DPI)
• 1.1 Ghz Quad-Core Processor
• 1 GB RAM
• 8 GB Internal Memory (about 3-4 GB usable), MicroSD Card Slot (up to 32GB)
• Battery: 1940 mAh with 9 Hours Talk Time, 11 Days Standby

The LG Rebel (L44VL) is the CDMA version of the phone, and will use Verizon's 4G LTE network through Tracfone. There is also the GSM version, known as the L43AL, which will use AT&T towers and have the same features and specifications. What might be confusing for some is that Walmart is already selling both versions, but calling them both the Rebel. We expect Tracfone has a different name for the L43AL version, but do not know what it will be yet. Just be aware which version you need, and if you want the GSM version, Walmart already has that available for purchase.

Now for our review of the LG Rebel, where we share our pro's and con's for this device.

Tracfone LG Rebel Review and User Manual

What we Like
As with our review of the LG Treasure, there is a lot to like about the LG Rebel as it is a low-cost smartphone with very reasonable features and performance. We also like that it is widely available, with both CDMA and GSM versions.

The Rebel has a Qualcomm Snapdragon™ 1.1 GHz Quad-Core processor which is very responsive and quick. It also has a 5 MP rear camera which includes LED flash and autofocus plus HD video recording. The front camera is 2 MP and good for video chatting and selfies, although the quality isn't quite as good as the LG Treasure.

LG Rebel Review - Front, Side and Back

This smartphone comes with Android 5.1.1 which is a newer version of the OS, but not the newest. With Tracfone smartphones, you aren't able to update the operating system for various reasons, so it is good to periodically upgrade your phone to one with a newer OS to avoid vulnerabilities older operating systems may have. So if you're using an older smartphone with Android 4.1 or 4.3, you might consider upgrading to the Rebel just for the newer OS, although you will probably also see a nice performance increase as well.

We like the overall appearance and performance of the Rebel. LG is well known for making dependable smartphones, and the Rebel is no exception. Be aware that this phone is a budget smartphone, so it probably won't keep up with the demands of someone who uses their phone often, but for low to moderate users, this is a good option.

Before conclude, we do want to give some drawbacks about this phone we think consumers should know before buying.

What we Don't Like
First on our list of dislikes is the low RAM and internal memory. This is something almost all of Tracfone's more budget friendly devices are plagued with, and we hope that better options will be available soon. For most users, 1 GB RAM is fine, but if you run multiple apps at once, you may see some lag or slow down. And with only 8 GB internal memory (about 3-4 GB usable) you will have to be mindful about what you put on the phone. The Rebel does have a Micro SD slot, so you can add up to 32 GB external space to the phone.

The screen size on the Rebel is 4.5", which is the same as the LG Ultimate 2, but a little on the small side for average smartphones these days. Some prefer a smaller screen, but if you have trouble typing on the virtual QWERTY keyboard, or want more space for reading or viewing pictures/video, consider going with a phone that has a larger screen. The LG Stylo has a 5.7" screen, which makes typing on the virtual keyboard much easier.

Finally, the cost of the LG Rebel on the Tracfone website is a little high, especially when you compare it to the LG Treasure available from HSN. The Treasure comes with a bundle of airtime worth $100, and retails for $129 (we have seen it at $99). The Rebel is $99 on the Tracfone website, although other retailers have it for less.

If you think you may want a screen larger than 4.5", then you should consider the Treasure or other devices, but if you like the 4.5" screen, the Rebel is a good phone.

Get even more details about the LG Rebel by taking a look at the User Manual or the Interactive Tutorial.

Should You Upgrade to the LG Rebel?

Many of our readers have already been asking if the Rebel is a good phone to upgrade to from older Tracfone smartphone devices. The answer depends on how much you use your phone, and your personal preferences.

For those who have older devices like the LG Ultimate 2, LG Optimus Fuel, or even the LG Optimus Dynamic 2, the Rebel might make a good phone to upgrade to as it will run faster and more smoothly, and also use the newer, Android 5.1.1 OS.

Those who like to use their phone often, or want a larger screen, consider some of the other phone options available from Tracfone, or even look into Tracfone BYOP.

Where to Buy the Tracfone LG Rebel

The LG Rebel is already available form a number of retailers. It generally goes for $79, although the Tracfone website has it for $99.

LG Rebel (CDMA) from Target
LG Rebel (CDMA) from BestBuy
LG Rebel (CDMA) from Walmart
LG Rebel (GSM) from Walmart

The Rebel is also available on QVC.com bundled with airtime, which can be a great value.

We expect it to be available in most of these retail stores as well. Let us know if you find any better deals on it.

There are plenty of options for Rebel Cases and Covers on Amazon. If you're looking for a case, remember that the LG Rebel is the same as the LG K4, so you can search for that as well.

Overall, the Rebel is a good but basic smartphone that will be best for low-moderate users. It may also be good for first time smartphone buyers.

We hope you found this review useful in learning about the LG Rebel form Tracfone. Leave a comment below with your thoughts, questions or any corrections.

Here are some additional helpful resources we have created for Tracfone Android users:
How to Check your Airtime on Tracfone Android Phones
How Minutes Work on Tracfone Smartphones
How to Buy Only Texts for your Smartphone
Are Data Cards a Good Deal from Tracfone?
Analysis of the New Smartphone Only Airtime Cards from Tracfone (UPDATED)

Also check us out on Facebook, where we have an active community of Tracfone users and share news, tips and answer questions!

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