BLU View Speed 5G (B1550VL) Tracfone Review

Tracfone BLU View Speed 5G Features, Specs and Review

Tracfone BLU View Speed 5G Review

With a 6.5" HD touchscreen, 64GB internal storage, 4GB RAM, and Android 12, the BLU View Speed 5G is a budget smartphone option that offers 5G network capability. But are there better options at this price point?

The Speed 5G is the latest smartphone from BLU, and released by Tracfone towards the end of 2023. It offers some of the best performance in BLU's lineup of View smartphones, which include the View 2 and View 3.

All of BLU's smartphones are focused on low cost, and as a result, are not very powerful or feature rich, but the View Speed 5G actually includes a handful of upgraded features, which also increases the price.

Let's start with our pros and cons for the Speed 5G.

BLU View Speed 5G Pros and Cons:

Pros:
5G Network Compatibility
Budget price (around $100)
IP52 waterproof rating

Cons:
Mediocre performance and camera
Many other smartphones at this price

The 5G network compatibility at around $100 retail price is a great feature, but as we mentioned in the cons, there are quite a few smartphones that share a similar price, but offer additional features. This includes the Moto G Power 5G 2023, and the Samsung Galaxy A14 5G. We will compare these with the Speed 5G later in this review. 

There are also plenty of new options for 2024, and we have all of them listed in our Latest Tracfone Smartphones post.

Let's get to the full list of features and specs.

BLU View Speed 5G (B1550VL) Features and Specs

Below are the features followed by the technical specs

• Android 12
• 5G (Verizon)
• Wi-Fi 802.11 ac/a/b/g/n
• Bluetooth 5.1
• Alarm Clock
• GPS
• Hearing Aid Compatible
• Access to over 1 Million Apps on Google Play
• Voicemail, Caller ID, Call Waiting
• SMS/MMS
• USB Charging Port (USB Type-C 2.0)
• Fingerprint sensor
• IP52 rating

BLU View Speed 5G Technical Specs
Size: w 3.02'' x 6.61'' x 0.35'' (6.7 oz)
Camera: Dual rear camera 13MP + depth sensor and 5MP front camera
Screen: 6.5" HD 20:9 Incell Infinity display (720x1600 resolution)
Processor: Octa-core (2x2.2 GHz Cortex-A76 & 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55) MediaTek Dimensity 700 

Memory: 4 GB
Storage: 64 GB internal storage, supports up to 512GB MicroSD Card
Battery: 4,000 mAh battery (non-removable) with talk time up to 23 hrs, standby 22 days

BLU Products is a private American company based out of Miami, FL that specializes in affordable mobile devices. They were founded in 2009, and have sold more than 60 million devices since then. The name BLU, stands for Bold Like Us, and they generally have bright, bold styles and colors.

BLU phones have been very popular in Latin America, and have been gaining more popularity in the US. Their business model focuses on keeping phones at the most affordable price points possible for the specs of the device. 

BLU has faced a variety of privacy concerns over the years, culminating with a settlement with the FTC in 2018 over Deceptive Privacy and Data Security Claims. 

The issues that plagued the company in earlier years seem to have been straightened out, as there haven't been any big issues in recent years. 

Some of BLU's popular devices include the Bold N2 and the BLU F91 5G that offer some higher-end specs and features at only about $200. 

BLU View Speed 5G Review

Touchscreen

The large, 6.5" touchscreen on the Speed 5G has a resolution of 720x1600 and a 20:9 screen ratio, which is common for smartphones and gives the phone a taller form. The pixel density is about 270, which is on the low side, and means that images and text might not be quite as sharp compared to a screen with a higher pixel density.

The screen is made from in-cell LCD technology, which has been available for some time, and even was used in older versions of the iPhone, and offers a good balance between performance and price. However, it does not have the same brightness or durability as some newer technologies, particularly OLED.

For a better screen at a similar price, consider the Samsung Galaxy A14 5G which has a 6.6" screen with pixel density of about 400 .

Performance - Processor, Storage and RAM

A MediaTek Dimensity 700 processor provides the performance on the BLU View Speed 5G along with 4GB RAM, and 64GB internal storage.

The Dimensity 700 processor has been available for several years, and is budget processor that still provides 5G network capability. It is actually the same processor in the Samsung Galaxy A14 5G, and while it is adequate for most tasks, it is not a very powerful processor.

For users that generally use their phone for communication, surfing the web, and other simple tasks, the View Speed 5G will handle those things without much issue. But if more resource intensive activities, such as gaming or such uses are required, the View Speed 5G may stutter or struggle to keep up.

Internal storage is boosted by up to 512GB thanks to an external storage MicroSD card slot. 

Camera

Not much can be said about the camera setup for the BLU View Speed 5G other than it captures acceptable photos form the 13MP rear camera in good light, but will struggle in low light. The front facing selfie camera is only 5MP, and has similar capabilities.

This is not a good pick for those that want to get quality photos and videos from their smartphone, and even the Galaxy A14 5G is an improvement. But for those that really want to get the most from smartphone photography, consider the slightly more expensive Google Pixel 6a which is also available form Tracfone.

Battery

A 4,000 mAh battery with charging speed of 10W brings the power for the View Speed 5G and it gives about 23 hours of talk time, and 22 days on standby. Many budget phones have a larger, 5,000 mAh battery, but BLU opted to reduce the battery storage, to help keep the phone smaller.

The slow, wired charging speed of 10W means it will take several hours to fully recharge the phone when low.

Android OS

BLU includes Android 12 with the View Speed 5G, and it offers a host of updates over previous versions including dynamic color capabilities, and a new material inspired design.

Android 12 was released in 2022, and there is now Android 13 available on many devices, which is the newer version. It is generally better to get a phone with the latest software for security fixes. Many phone manufactures also offer security updates and OS upgrades, but we don't have any information from BLU about their plans to provide updates.

Several of Tracfone's other smartphones in this price range already offer Android 13, and even 14.

Design

A rather simple and straightforward design is typical for the View line of phones and the Speed 5G follows that with moderate bezels on the front screen, a somewhat lighter weight versus comparable smartphones, and a small bump on the back for the camera.

The exterior of the phone is made from plastic, and it does not hide the low price. There is a standard 3.5mm headphone jack, which is becoming rare on smartphones.

The Speed 5G does have an IP52 rating, which means it is protected from limited dust ingress, and water spray from certain angles. Is the BLU View Speed 5G waterproof? No, don't let it get in water, but the modest dust and splash resistance is a nice feature.

Conclusion

BLU offers a budget phone with 5G network connectivity for users who want to get access to the new, faster network. The View Speed 5G has capable performance and enough storage for most users, but isn't a good choice for gaming.

The Speed 5G only became available from Tracfone in late 2023, but it was first released in 2022, making it almost a year old by the time Tracfone released it.

Where the Speed 5G lacks most is in the screen, camera quality, and Android OS. Plus there are quite a few other phones in this price range that offer better features in these areas.

The Samsung Galaxy A14 5G offers the same performance specs, while also including a better screen, improved camera and newer Android OS. Plus the A14 5G is already on sale from several retailers for less than the $119 initial price. There really isn't a good reason to choose the BLU View Speed 5G over the Galaxy A14 5G unless the Speed 5G is significantly less expensive.

Another option is the Moto G Power 5G 2023 which has a more powerful processor, twice as much internal storage, Android 13, and a better screen. The Power 5G also retails from Tracfone for $119, but is even less these days from other retailers.

The BLU View Speed 5G is an adequate phone and one of the better BLU devices available from Tracfone. For those that just want a cheap phone that can be used for talk, text and some apps, it will function well. And, some online retailers are now offering the BLU View Speed 5G at under $100 with a year long airtime bundle that makes it a more attractive budget phone option.

For all our top budget phone picks, read our Best Budget Phones under $100 from Tracfone.

Best Prices on the BLU View Speed 5G

These are the lowest prices from around the web, but price can change quickly.

Get the BLU View Speed 5G from HSN w/ airtime bundle - $79

Get the BLU View Speed 5G from QVC w/ airtime bundle - $97

Get the BLU View Speed 5G from Tracfone.com $119

And don't forget to protect your phone with covers or cases on Amazon for the Speed 5G

BLU View 2 (B1550VL) User Manual and Device Detailed Information

View the BLU View Speed 5G User Manual

View the BLU View Speed 5G About Phone PDF

That concludes our review of the BLU View 2. Please leave a comment below with your thoughts or questions. 

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