LG Solo Review - Tracfone Smartphone
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| Tracfone LG Solo (L423DL) Review |
Tracfone offers a variety of smartphones from the top manufactures and it has been about a year since the last LG smartphone became available, the LG Rebel 4, and we will share some interesting comparisons between these devices and where the LG Solo stands.
One area that is concerning with the LG Solo is that it only has 2 GB RAM and 16 GB internal storage. It does have additional storage capability via an external MicroSD card but many consumers are looking to have at least 32 GB storage if not more.
Tracfone continues to follow their trend of releasing a selection of new devices each fall. And we expect several more phones to be released in the near future. We've already seen the Samsung Galaxy A10e debut, which will be compared further on in this review. To keep up with all the new phones coming from Tracfone, see our Latest List of Tracfone Smartphones.
Let's see some of the quick pro's and con's for the LG Solo before we get into the full list of features and specs.
LG Solo LTE Quick Facts
What we LikeLarge, 5.7" touchscreen
Octa-core processor (Snapdragon 450)
What we Don't Like
2 GB RAM
16 GB Storage
Android 8.1 Oreo
The lack of internal storage could be a problem for many users as the actual available storage after the Operating System (OS) is installed is closer to 10 GB which can quickly be filled with apps, pictures and music. In fact, one of the negatives for the LG Rebel 4 which we reviewed a year ago was the same lack of storage.
There are several other Tracfone smartphones with 32 GB storage available now including the Moto G6 and Samsung Galaxy A10e.
The LG Solo is a budget smartphone, and as such there will be some corners that have to be cut. But at the current retail price of $119 on the Tracfone website, is this phone worth upgrading to from your current device? Let's look at the full specs to learn more.
Tracfone LG Solo LTE (L423DL) Features and Specs
Below are the features, followed by the technical specs.- Android 8.1 Oreo
- 4G LTE Coverage
- WiFi
- GPS
- Accelerometer
- Bluetooth 4.2
- Fingerprint sensor
- Alarm Clock
- FM Radio
- Access to over 1 Million Apps on Google Play Store
- Voicemail, Caller ID, Call Waiting
- SMS/MMS
- Size: 6.02'' x 2.83'' x 0.32'' and 5.11 OZ
- Camera: 8MP Rear Camera (Flash, Autofocus, Burst shot) and 5MP Front Camera
- Screen: 5.7" HD IPS 1440x720 display
- Processor: 1.8 Ghz Octa-core (Qualcomm Snapdragon 450)
- Memory: 2 GB
- Storage: 16 GB (Up to 2 TB additional storage via Micro SD card)
- Battery: 3000 mAh (n0n-removable) with 12hrs talk time, 10 days standby
The manufacturer of the Solo LTE is one of the largest electronics companies in the world with cell phones one of their strengths. LG has a variety of different phones ranging from budget to flagship and a number of them are compatible with the Tracfone BYOP program (such as the new, LG G8).
Looking through the specs on the Solo we see some nice improvements over previous LG models including the larger, IPS touchscreen and octa-core processor. However, a number of the specs, such as the RAM, ROM, battery and camera don't appear to be a significant improvement over last years models such as the Rebel 4.
Let's get into the full review to find out.
Starting off with one of the key features on the Solo, the touchscreen is a 5.7" IPS HD display with rich, bright colors. It has a resolution of 1440x720 with a pixel density of about 282 which means the display is sharp and clear.
Most smartphones are moving towards larger screens by increasing the vertical size of the phone but not changing the width and the LG Solo follows this trend. Overall the screen is a nice feature on the Solo.
Internal Specs - RAM, Memory, Processor
There's some good news and some bad news when it comes to the internal specs and let's start with the good.
The Solo comes with a Snapdragon 450 1.8 Ghz Octa-core processor which can handle a wide variety of tasks and functions without much of a problem on most apps or games.
However, the bad news is the Solo only has 2 GB RAM and 16 GB internal storage. Most other smartphones from Tracfone also only have 2 GB RAM (whereas most unlocked phones in the $150-200 price range have 3 GB) but the low amount of internal storage (about 10 GB after the OS and other pre-loaded apps are taken into account) doesn't leave much room for storing apps and media.
The bottom line is, if you already have a phone with 16 GB internal storage and are running low, the Solo might not be a good choice. There is a MicroSD card slot for up to 2 TB additional external storage.
Camera
We don't see anything too fancy with the camera but it does shoot 5 MP photos with the front camera, and 8 MP images with the rear facing camera. It also comes with autofocus, flash and a handful of other features like 'food mode' and 'auto mode'.
For video the camera is capable of recording full HD in 1080p.
Battery
With the 3000 mAh non-removable battery the LG Solo will run through the day with low to moderate usage although the performance compared to other devices like the Moto G6 is not quite as good. This is likely due to the large screen and the older operating system which does not include certain battery saving technology.
Android OS
In a bit of a disappointment the LG Solo only comes with Android 8.1 Oreo. This version has been out for more than a year and it is unlikely Tracfone would update the OS. Several other Tracfone devices either come with Android 9.0 or were upgraded to 9.0.
It is usually best to have the latest Android OS on your phone for both the security fixes and also to access the latest features and improvements.
Overall Design
The design of the Solo follows what we have seen from most other LG devices with a slim and sleek build. It features a fingerprint reader, plus fast charging capability.
Conclusion
Most budget phones are a trade-off with certain features left out to reduce the cost but the LG Solo seems to cut corners in a few too many ways to justify the cost. The low amount of internal storage makes it less useful for most users, while the outdated operating system means less features.
For the cost, it is hard to recommend the LG Solo LTE.
View the LG Solo LTE on the Tracfone website for$119 $99
It is also available from Target for $109
Find more details about the Solo with the phone tutorials and user manual.
Let's take a quick look at how it stacks up to a couple of other Tracfone devices.
LG Solo Vs. LG Rebel 4 Vs. Samsung Galaxy A10e Comparison
The LG Rebel 4 was released over a year ago (in 2018) but shares several of the same specs as the LG Solo including the same amount of RAM, storage, and camera megapixel count, the same Android Operating System version (8.1 Oreo) and the same Bluetooth version.
The Solo does have an improved processor, and larger screen, but otherwise we don't see many differences or upgrades from the older, LG Rebel 4.
Compared to the newly released Samsung Galaxy A10e, the Samsung devices as more storage, at 32 GB, newer Android OS (9.0 Pie) and a slightly larger screen. They both have the same amount of RAM and megapixel count for the cameras.
The A10e retailed for a little more, but the extra internal storage and newer OS version are worth it in our book.
That concludes our review of the LG Solo LTE from Tracfone. We hope you found it useful and leave a comment with any thoughts or questions.
If you are new to Tracfone, start with our Beginners Guide!
Join us over on Facebook for the latest news and posts or send us a message for more direct help questions.
Take a look at some of our recent posts, including a Guide for Making your Airtime Last Longer and Everything you Need to Know about Data Cards.
And don't miss out on the best Tracfone Deals, Discounts and Sales!
Thanks for visiting!
Looking through the specs on the Solo we see some nice improvements over previous LG models including the larger, IPS touchscreen and octa-core processor. However, a number of the specs, such as the RAM, ROM, battery and camera don't appear to be a significant improvement over last years models such as the Rebel 4.
Let's get into the full review to find out.
Tracfone LG Solo LTE Review
TouchscreenStarting off with one of the key features on the Solo, the touchscreen is a 5.7" IPS HD display with rich, bright colors. It has a resolution of 1440x720 with a pixel density of about 282 which means the display is sharp and clear.
Most smartphones are moving towards larger screens by increasing the vertical size of the phone but not changing the width and the LG Solo follows this trend. Overall the screen is a nice feature on the Solo.
Internal Specs - RAM, Memory, Processor
There's some good news and some bad news when it comes to the internal specs and let's start with the good.
The Solo comes with a Snapdragon 450 1.8 Ghz Octa-core processor which can handle a wide variety of tasks and functions without much of a problem on most apps or games.
However, the bad news is the Solo only has 2 GB RAM and 16 GB internal storage. Most other smartphones from Tracfone also only have 2 GB RAM (whereas most unlocked phones in the $150-200 price range have 3 GB) but the low amount of internal storage (about 10 GB after the OS and other pre-loaded apps are taken into account) doesn't leave much room for storing apps and media.
The bottom line is, if you already have a phone with 16 GB internal storage and are running low, the Solo might not be a good choice. There is a MicroSD card slot for up to 2 TB additional external storage.
Camera
We don't see anything too fancy with the camera but it does shoot 5 MP photos with the front camera, and 8 MP images with the rear facing camera. It also comes with autofocus, flash and a handful of other features like 'food mode' and 'auto mode'.
For video the camera is capable of recording full HD in 1080p.
Battery
With the 3000 mAh non-removable battery the LG Solo will run through the day with low to moderate usage although the performance compared to other devices like the Moto G6 is not quite as good. This is likely due to the large screen and the older operating system which does not include certain battery saving technology.
Android OS
In a bit of a disappointment the LG Solo only comes with Android 8.1 Oreo. This version has been out for more than a year and it is unlikely Tracfone would update the OS. Several other Tracfone devices either come with Android 9.0 or were upgraded to 9.0.
It is usually best to have the latest Android OS on your phone for both the security fixes and also to access the latest features and improvements.
Overall Design
The design of the Solo follows what we have seen from most other LG devices with a slim and sleek build. It features a fingerprint reader, plus fast charging capability.
Conclusion
Most budget phones are a trade-off with certain features left out to reduce the cost but the LG Solo seems to cut corners in a few too many ways to justify the cost. The low amount of internal storage makes it less useful for most users, while the outdated operating system means less features.
For the cost, it is hard to recommend the LG Solo LTE.
View the LG Solo LTE on the Tracfone website for
It is also available from Target for $109
Find more details about the Solo with the phone tutorials and user manual.
Let's take a quick look at how it stacks up to a couple of other Tracfone devices.
LG Solo Vs. LG Rebel 4 Vs. Samsung Galaxy A10e Comparison
The LG Rebel 4 was released over a year ago (in 2018) but shares several of the same specs as the LG Solo including the same amount of RAM, storage, and camera megapixel count, the same Android Operating System version (8.1 Oreo) and the same Bluetooth version.
The Solo does have an improved processor, and larger screen, but otherwise we don't see many differences or upgrades from the older, LG Rebel 4.
Compared to the newly released Samsung Galaxy A10e, the Samsung devices as more storage, at 32 GB, newer Android OS (9.0 Pie) and a slightly larger screen. They both have the same amount of RAM and megapixel count for the cameras.
The A10e retailed for a little more, but the extra internal storage and newer OS version are worth it in our book.
That concludes our review of the LG Solo LTE from Tracfone. We hope you found it useful and leave a comment with any thoughts or questions.
If you are new to Tracfone, start with our Beginners Guide!
Join us over on Facebook for the latest news and posts or send us a message for more direct help questions.
Take a look at some of our recent posts, including a Guide for Making your Airtime Last Longer and Everything you Need to Know about Data Cards.
And don't miss out on the best Tracfone Deals, Discounts and Sales!
Thanks for visiting!
TF seems determined to stay about 5 yrs behind industry standards with its specs.
ReplyDeleteUnbelievable they're releasing a 16 GB phone for 2020. Right now you can get the LG
Premier Pro plus 1500 minutes from HSN for $59.99. Only differences between Premier Pro
and Solo are Solo's screen is .4 in. bigger and processor is octa-core while Premier
Pro's is quad-core. Not worth an extra $40 for the Solo with no minutes
Tracfone will not honor their one year warranty on moto e 5 said it was Motorola’s problem to fix but they warranty other tracfones like Samsung what a crock of bullshit liars
ReplyDeleteCan someone let me know the best Tracfone available at a maximum 5" screen size? (Hate the larger sizes).
ReplyDeleteIs there any better than the Samsung J3 Orbit?