August 23, 2018

LG Stylo 4 (L713VL) Tracfone Review

Tracfone LG Stylo 4 (L713VL) Smartphone Review

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Tracfone lg stylo 4 l713dl review
LG Stylo 4 Review Tracfone
UDPATE: When first released, the Stylo 4 was incorrectly listed as compatible with CDMA networks but the phone was actually shipped with GSM compatible SIM cards which has since been unlisted. The CDMA version is now available from HSN and Amazon

It has been several months since Tracfone released a new device but they have surprised us with something unique in the form of the LG Stylo 4 (L713VL). It follows in the line of previous LG Stylo devices, including the Stylo 3 which we reviewed earlier this year, and the Stylo 2 from a couple years back. The main differences with the Stylo 4 is the amazing screen it comes with.

There are not many smartphones with a screen larger than 6" but Tracfone has just released the LG Stylo 4 which features a massive 6.2" screen. If you prefer larger screens, this might be a great option for you. The phone also comes with 16 GB internal storage, 2 GB RAM, an octa-core processor and 13MP rear camera.

Another big feature on the new Stylo 4 is the Android 8.1 Oreo operating system it comes with. Most Tracfone smartphones are still running older Android versions so users may find it very enticing to upgrade to the latest OS. (note that Android 9 Pie is just starting to be released, but only for flagship phones)

Let's look at the quick facts for our pro's and con's on the Stylo 4:

LG Stylo 4 Quick Facts

What we Like
-Large 6.2" screen with great resolution
-Android 8.1 Oreo
-13 MP Rear Camera with Auto-focus and Portrait mode

What we Don't Like
-Only CDMA version available (at this time)
-Only 16 GB Storage and 2 GB RAM
-A little expensive (comparison to Moto G6 Play below)

The huge screen with great resolution plus Android Oreo are two key factors that make the Stylo 4 very interesting. But like many Tracfone devices, it is limited in that it only has 16 GB storage and 2 GB RAM.

Another key bit of information to note is that this phone is for use with CDMA networks on Tracfone (primarily Verizon cell towers) and we don't see any information about a GSM version coming anytime soon. Tracfone has released very few GSM smartphones in the last year as they appear to be catering towards CDMA users or markets.

As for Triple Minutes for Life, the Stylo 4 does not come with it as far as we can tell. Tracfone's plan is to not include it with any phones released past April 2017 and they appear to be sticking with this policy. For more on this, visit our Guide to Tracfone Ends Triple Minutes.

Now here are the full list of features and specs for the Stylo 4.

Tracfone LG Stylo 4 (L713DL) Features and Specs

Below are the features followed by the technical specs
  • Android 8.1 Oreo
  • 4G LTE capable using CDMA networks (Verizon)
  • WiFi 802.11b/g/n
  • Bluetooth 4.2
  • GPS
  • Alarm
  • Access to over 1 Million Apps on Google Play
  • MP3 Player
  • Voicemail, Caller ID, Call Waiting
  • SMS and MMS
  • USB-C Port
  • Accelerometer
  • USB Cable/Charger
LG Stylo 4 Technical Specifications 
  • Size: 6.30'' (H) x 3.06'' (W) x 0.33'' (D) and 6.07 oz
  • Camera: 13 MP Rear Camera with Phase Detect Auto Focus (PDAF), flash, portrait mode and more. 5 MP Front Camera
  • Screen: 6.2" FHD FullVision TFT display at 2160x1080 resolution
  • Processor: 1.8GHz Octa-Core Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ SDM450
  • Memory: 2 GB
  • Storage: 16 GB (about 8 GB usable) and up to 256 GB via Micro SD Card
  • Battery: 3300 mAh with 13hrs talk time/11 days standby
The manufacturer of the Stylo 4 is one of the largest electronics manufactures in the world. LG has a variety of different phones ranging from budget to flagship and a number of them are compatible with the Tracfone BYOP program.

There is actually an unlocked version of the Stylo 4 on Amazon with slightly different features. It comes with 32 GB internal storage, 3 GB RAM and is compatible with both GSM and CDMA networks. Beyond these differences it appears to be the same and is currently listed for $50 more than the Tracfone version.

Let's get intot the details of what the LG Stylo 4 has to offer with our full review.

Tracfone LG Stylo 4 (L713DL) Review

Touchscreen
The biggest feature (pun intended) on the Stylo 4 is the screen at 6.2" with a resolution of 2160x1080. It is larger than the previous model (the Stylo 3 had just a 5.7" screen) and has the best resolution of any phone from Tracfone in this price range. It also features the popular 18:9 screen ratio.

The screen is so large that the phone includes a stylus, which is helpful for some users. In many cases we see large screens sacrificing on PPI - Pixels Per Inch, where a higher PPI is generally better. The Stylo 4 has about 390 PPI making it better than most other Tracfone devices in this category.

A large screen does make it easier to watch media, or type on the keyboard, however it also makes it more challenging to handle or fit in a pocket. Smartphones with large screens aren't for everyone, but if you do prefer it, the Stylo 4 comes with a very good screen for the price.

lg stylo 4 l713dl specs
LG Stylo 4 Review

Internal Specs - Processor, RAM and Memory
The Stylo 4 comes with the standard 16 GB storage/2 GB RAM almost every other Tracfone smartphone in this price range has come with in the last year. This phone only has about 8 GB storage space for the user to install apps and save pictures so you will find this very limiting. But if you don't plan to run very many apps, it is less of an issue.

The processor on the Stylo 4 is actually quite good, featuring a 1.8 Ghz Octo-core processor from Qualcomm. It is a powerful yet efficient processor that was recently released.

The processor on the Stylo 4 won't hold users back, but the RAM and Memory might so keep that in mind.

Camera
A 13 MP rear shooter is on the Stylo 4 with Phase Detect Auto Focus for better autofocus performance in videos and in darker environments. There are a umber of other features also included such as Portrait mode, Burst shutter, Timer, and Flash.

The Front camera is a very standard 5 MP wide view camera capable of selfies and more.

The cameras on the Stylo 4 are good and capable of capturing some nice images. This phone easily has one of the better cameras versus other Tracfone devices in this price range.

For video, the Stylo 4 has 1080 HD recording at 30 fps which works well for capturing videos to share with friends or family.

If you're looking to get better images, see our 8 Tips for Better Cell Phone Pictures.

Battery
The battery capacity is 3300 mAh which gives users approximately 13hrs of talk time and about 11 days on standby. With the size of the phone we would have expected a larger battery, like the 4000 mAh battery in the Moto G6 Play. With the help of the new efficient processor, the battery life is pretty good overall.

Android OS
The Stylo 4 is the first Tracfone smartphone to feature the newer Android 8.1 Oreo operating system. With each new Android iteration there comes a variety of cosmetic and functional changes, usually for the better, that help with the efficiency and usability of the phone.

Because Tracfone smartphones are not able to receive Android updates like unlocked devices, it is important when purchasing a new phone to make sure you get one with a newer OS so you don't have to worry about security issues in much older versions.

See Best Android Apps for Tracfone

Conclusion
With any phone in the budget price range it will have to sacrifice in some areas to keep the price low and with the Stylo 4 we see that especially in the storage and RAM for the phone. However, the screen and processor are both quite good, leading to a great overall experience as long as you don't need a lot of storage and won't be playing resource intensive games or applications.

The fact that it also features Android Oreo is also a huge plus, and the camera on the Stylo 4 is also good for a phone at this price.

The main consideration for most users will be if they want a phone with a 6.2" screen which will be great for watching videos but may be hard to hold or fit in a pocket. For a phone with a smaller screen but otherwise similar features, consider the LG Premier Pro.

Let's look at what may be the closest competitor, the Moto G6 Play.

Comparison: LG Stylo 4 vs Moto G6 Play

The Moto G6 Play is an unlocked smartphone available at the same price, about $199, and has a variety of pro's and con's compared to the LG Stylo 4.

The Moto G6 Play has more RAM, at 3 GB and also more internal storage, 32 GB, compared to the Stylo 4. The G6 is unlocked and compatible with either GSM or CDMA networks and can be used with Tracfone BYOP. As for battery life the Moto G6 Play is a beast in this category with many users getting two days of use off of a single charge.

Both the Stylo 4 and G6 Play have similar 13 MP cameras and they both run Android Oreo.

When it comes to screen size, the Moto G6 Play has a smaller, 5.7" screen with less resolution and DPI. The G6 Play only has a quad-core processor compared to the superior octo-core processor in the Stylo 4.

Each of these phones have some great features, and some areas where costs were cut. Right now you can get the Moto G6 Play on Amazon for just $191.

Where to Buy the LG Stylo 4

The LG Stylo 4 is available from several different retailers and we expect to see it offered from more in the near future.

The best deal at this time is through HSN which is offering it with an Airtime bundle and additional accessories for $229

View the LG Stylo 4 with Airtime Bundle on HSN

We have also found it on Amazon for $229 .

And the Tracfone website also has it for sale for $229

That concludes our review of the LG Stylo 4 from Tracfone. We hope you found this review helpful. Leave a comment with your thoughts or questions!

Don't miss out on our Guide to Making Your Airtime Last Longer which has a number airtime saving tips.

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8 comments :

Phone Guy said...

I would recommend the LG style 4. I have it. It's very good!!!

Greenpia said...

It is a mess!
QVC is probably refunding hundreds of phones because they sent GSM phones to customers expecting CDMA phones. Later they changed network description to GSM instead of CDMA. Now they removed the phone from their site and so did tracfone.com
I don't know when it will be available again, whether GSM or CDMA network.
Really bad mess up from tracfone and LG electronics. Very disappointed...

Chris Jacobs said...

The Tracfone Stylo 4 was removed from QVC and Amazon because it was shipped with sim cards that work on TMobile or something like that, and not Verizon like the listings and ads claimed. Hopefully they fix this error and it comes back.

FormerYooper said...

Please help ... anyone know where I can buy the CDMA version (for Verizon) of the Tracfone LG Stylo 4? Amazon offered the Stylo 4, but nowhere in the description does it say if it is CDMA. I want to avoid the problems that were experienced earlier with QVC when the Stylo 4 came out & was advertised as CDMA, but wasn't. Anyone?

Anonymous said...

This 8-23-2018 Stylo 4 blog starts out using LG product code 713VL, then lists specs for the LG product code 713DL. What is the difference between these 2 products and which one is Tracfone offering? I also saw some reference to Tracfone LG Stylo 4 713 product with code letters LML. Very confusing and conflicting info.

nancy45 said...

I bought the unlocked version of the Stylo 4 when Amazon had it for a reduced price during their Prime Days sale. Had been considering a Moto G7 Power because of the great battery. My last phone was the original LG Fiesta and the 4500 mAh battery in that phone spoiled me. I decided to go with the unlocked Stylo 4 because it has 32gb of storage and 3 gb of RAM over the Tracfone model and I've become a great fan of LG phones. I have been leery of activating a BYOP phone but decided to go ahead and try it; I've had the sim kit for a while. I first took a screen shot of the totals in the My Account app on my old phone so I could prove what they were if I had to. I decided to activate the phone online and was surprised at how smooth it went. My new phone was up and running in about a minute and I didn't lose any minutes, texts or data. Just about everything on my old phone transferred without my having to do anything! I'm really happy with the phone and the stylus is really handy for jotting down appointments and reminders. You don't have to unlock the phone to write a note! The fingerprint reader works great to unlock the phone and the screen resolution is much better than any other phone I've owned. I've only had the phone for about a week and usually get a couple of days use before I have to charge the battery. Someone who spends a lot more time on their phone would need to charge more often. So far I'm very happy I chose this phone.

Anonymous said...

Let's hear what everyone has to say about their LG stylo4 prepaid phones now. They are defective. For a fact tracfone and boost. Lg, Boost, nor Straight talk are doing a thing to acknowledge, fix, or recall these defective phones they pushed off on their customers.

Anonymous said...

Too little ram or whatever, I could not make calls requiring extensions. I had to borrow a friends phone to make government calls. I bought the moto g7 and am very happy.