Samsung Galaxy Luna (S120VL) Review - Tracfone Smartphone

Tracfone Samsung Galaxy Luna (S120VL) Review

Welcome to TracfoneReviewer, a website with news, reviews and lots of other information. If you're new, take a moment to check out some of the other Tracfone related content we share!

Samsung Galaxy Luna Review

The Samsung Galaxy Luna is a budget friendly smartphone released by Tracfone in late 2016 to use with their prepaid cell phone network.

The Luna features a 4.5" touchscreen, 8 GB internal memory, 1.5 GB RAM, 5 MP rear camera and runs on Android 6.0.1. It has 4G LTE capability and uses Verizon's CDMA network. In general, it has pretty standard features and specs for a Tracfone smartphone device, with a few improvements.

Tracfone continues to release a variety of smartphones, including the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus (as well as the iPhone 5S). The Samsung Galaxy S5, S6 and S7 have also been available through Tracfone for several months now and offer high-end performance at prices of over $500.

But they are still heavily focused on budget devices listed between $50-$200 because that is where the largest demand among Tracfone users exists.

Don't forget that you can also buy an unlocked smartphone, and bring it to Tracfone. We just created a list of the Best Unlocked Phones to use with Tracfone BYOP so take a look if you want some ideas. You can also visit our BYOP page for more information on how it works.

let's get back to the Luna, and look at the quick facts:

Samsung Galaxy Luna Quick Facts

The Good:
-Android 6.0.1
-Reasonable Price

The Not So Good:
-Only 8 GB Memory
-5 MP Rear Camera

One of the key features on the Luna, and the reason it may be a good phone to upgrade to for some Tracfone users, is that it comes with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow. This is a very recent version of the Android operating system, and has some nice improvements over past versions which we will explain more about later.

The majority of Tracfone's low cost smartphone devices have only 8 GB internal memory and 1 GB RAM. This includes many of the recent phones we've reviewed like the ZTE Citrine, LG Rebel and LG Treasure. If you have used smartphones with limited memory and run into the problem of filling up your storage, you may want to consider a phone with more internal memory, such as the ZTE ZMAX 2 or unlocked phone options.

We've just added the Luna to our List of 10 Tracfone Gift Ideas, follow the link to see the other Christmas gift ideas!

Lets take a look at the full list of features and specs for the Samsung Galaxy Luna, followed by our review.

Tracfone Samsung Galaxy Luna Features and Specs

Below are the features, followed by the technical specifications

• Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
• 4G LTE Capable using Verizon CDMA Cell Network
• WiFi
• GPS
• Bluetooth 4.1
• MP3 Player
• Alarm Clock
• Access to over 1 Million Apps on Google Play Store
• 5 MP Rear Camera and 2 MP Front Camera
• Caller ID, Voicemail, SMS, MMS
• Triple Minutes for Life (on regular airtime cards)

Samsung Galaxy Luna Specs

• Size: 5.22" x 2.73" x 0.35"
• 4.5" Touchscreen at 800x480 resolution
• 1.2 Ghz Quad Core processor
• 1.5 GB RAM
• 8 GB Memory (with MicroSD slot for up to 128 GB additional memory)
• Battery: 2050 mAh with 19hrs talk time, about 20 days standby

There are a couple of interesting features to notice about this phone. First of all, it appears to have 1.5 GB RAM with a 1.2 Ghz quad core processor which is a step up from many other low cost Tracfone smartphones and will allow it to multitask much better. The Luna also has a long standby time, which is due, in part, to the newer operating system.

The Samsung Galaxy Luna is one of several great Black Friday/Cyber Monday Deals we've shared, so take a look so see where you can buy it at a discount, and some of the other phones available for super low prices.

Let's dive into our full review of the Samsung Galaxy Luna where we will share the key features on this phone that make it good, and any drawbacks that might exist.

Samsung Galaxy Luna Review

What we Like about the Luna
This is a phone that comes with a few small improvements over other recent smartphones released by Tracfone that actually might make a big deal for some users. We like that the Luna comes with 1.5 GB RAM, Android 6.0 and a reasonable price.

Tracfone Samsung Galaxy Luna Review

We would like to see more phones from Tracfone with 2 GB RAM, which allows the phone to run more applications at once, and generally means better performance. But this is a lot to ask for in a budget smartphone, and 1.5 GB is an improvement over 1 GB which is what almost every other recent smartphone from Tracfone offers.

The most notable feature on the Luna in our opinion is that it comes with Android 6.0.1. This version of Android was released in 2015, but only newer phones are using it. Most of Tracfone's other smartphones use Android 5.1 or older.

Android 6.0 brings several improvements, including a 'doze' feature which does a number of things to improve battery life (and leads to a much longer standby time compared to most other smartphones). Android 6.0 also allows greater external memory support, which were lacking in several of the previous Android versions. What this means is that the 8 GB of internal memory may not be so limiting, and users should be able to load apps, music, photos and other content onto the external MicroSD card (once the card has been set as 'internal memory').

Finally, the Luna is widely available for about $109 with an airtime bundle from HSN and QVC, or closer to $80 for just the phone from Target, BestBuy and other retailers. (Target offered the phone for closer to $40 on Black Friday)

The Samsung Galaxy Luna is a smaller phone, but packs some good performance and features for the price, and we would see this phone outperforming many older Tracfone smartphones.

We we Don't Like
What is key to remember about the Luna is that it is a budget smartphone, which means that certain corners are cut to keep the cost low. In the case of the Luna, it comes with a somewhat small screen, low resolution camera, and low internal storage.

Screen size on a smartphone is a matter of personal preference. Many smartphones now come with a screen size of 5.5 inches or more, which is great for viewing photos or videos, but may be bulky when trying to fit into a pocket or purse. The Luna has a 4.5" touchscreen which is a little smaller, but may be more convenient for some users. The screen appearance and resolution is good, but nothing fancy.

Samsung Galaxy Luna only comes with 8 GB memory, which for many, isn't enough if you plan to run a variety of apps, store music and photos, or keep other content. However, the Luna does support up to 128 GB external MicroSD card, which should allow users not to expand the internal memory, although we haven't fully tested this yet.

Finally, the front and rear cameras on the Luna are more of an afterthought. And while they do a reasonable job, they can't compete with most modern smartphones camera capabilities. If you only plan to use the camera for occasional photos in good lighting, then it should be fine. Otherwise, consider a phone with an improved camera.

That concludes the main drawbacks we noticed on the Samsung Galaxy Luna. It performs very well compared to many of Tracfone's other smartphones, but isn't going to keep up with smartphones like the Moto G4 or iPhone 5S (but they are twice the price).

Overview and Where to by the Samsung Galaxy Luna

The Luna is a small, but capable smartphone that is ideal for low to moderate smartphone users. But it has potential, with the ability to integrate the external storage, it could end up with the ability to store quite a lot via a MicroSD Card.

Compared to the LG Rebel, which also has a 4.5" touchscreen and retails for a similar price, we would choose the Samsung Galaxy Luna for the newer Android OS, more RAM and overall better value.

Compared to older smartphones like the LG Ultimate 2, LG Sunset, and Samsung Galaxy Stardust, we would also recce mend the Galaxy Luna simply because of the newer Operating System which has a number of performance and security updates.

The Samsung Galaxy Luna is available from several online retailers, and from retail stores like Target and WalMart.

Find the Samsung Galaxy Luna on eBay Bundled with airtime for $69
Find the Samsung Galaxy Luna on HSN bundled with airtime for $109
Find the Samsung Galaxy Luna at Target for $109
Find the Samusng Galaxy Luna at BestBuy for $109

There are also several Cases on Amazon available for the Luna.

View the Samsung Galalxy Luna Interactive Tutorial.

That concludes our review of the Samsung Galaxy Luna, we hope you have found it useful and let us know if we've missed anything, or if you have any questions.

If you're new to Tracfone, check out our Beginners Guide to Tracfone which provides details on how Tracfone prepaid service works, and some other helpful tips.

We've also created a Guide to Activating or Transferring service to a Tracfone Smartphone or BYOP device.

We will also be sharing details soon on the Samsung Galaxy Sky, a very similar phone with a 5" touchscreen also available through Tracfone.

Thanks for visiting!

Tracfone Black Friday/Cyber Monday Deals 2016

Black Friday Cell Phone Deals for Tracfone and Unlocked Smartphones

Full list of Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals for 2016 on both Tracfone and unlocked smartphones you can bring to Tracfone. TracfoneReviewer will continue to update and add to this list as more deals become available!

Tracfone Black Friday Sale 2016

Black Friday is the largest day for deals and discounts, and we are here to share all the best cell phone deals for Tracfone, as well as unlocked devices you can bring to Tracfone's BYOP program.

While not many of us like the crowds on Black Friday, we all do like getting a good deal, and for most of these deals, you can get them online so there is no need to get stuck in a crowd!

This Black Friday deals list includes both Tracfone cell phones that are on sale, and also phones that are unlocked, and can be used with Tracfone through their BYOP program. Tracfone allows consumers to bring their own phone, and more and more people are doing just that. Visit our Tracfone BYOP page to learn more about how this weeks, and what the requirements are for your phone.

We will be posting and updating the latest Black Friday ads and deals below throughout the month of November, and will also share Cyber Monday deals as we get closer to the end of the month.

If you're new to Tracfone, or a little confused about how it all works, our Beginners Guide to Tracfone is a great place to start and learn some of the basics. We have also created a Guide to Activating Smartphones with Tracfone if you're switching or activating a new phone.

We also just created a List of the Best Unlocked Smartphones to use with Tracfone BYOP so take a look if you're interested!

We can also use your help! Leave a comment with any deals you find that we missed and we will add it to the list, and be forever grateful!

Now let's take a look at these deals.

Tracfone Black Friday Deals List 2016

Below are all of the Black Friday deals for Tracfone. We will continue to add to this list and update it.

Tracfone - Visit Tracfone's Sale Page
Tracfone usually offers several phones at a discounted price for Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Amazon - Visit Amazon's Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals
Amazon always has some of the best discounts, especially on unlocked phones, and below are some of the special deals on both Tracfone devices and unlocked smartphones
-Daily deals - These change often, and consist of a wide variety of items
-Unlocked Phones
We expect the Moto G4 and/or Moto G4 Play to be on sale from Amazon during Black Friday and Cyber Monday
-Tracfone cell phones- No Tracfone Black Friday deals from Amazon

WalMart - Visit WalMart's Black Friday page
Offering several Straight Talk phones, but nothing for Tracfone at this time.

Target - Visit Target's Black Friday page
Offering the Samsung Galaxy Luna at around $50 (50% - 65% off)

Kmart - Visit Kmart's Black Friday page
Offering the LG Rebel for $20 ($60 off)

BestBuy - Visit BestBuy's Black Friday page
Offering the LG Rebel for $20 ($60 off)
Offering the Unlocked Alcatel Pop 4 Plus for $50 ($100 off)
Offering the Unlocked ZTE Axon 7 Mini for $200 ($100 off)
Offering $120 off an unlocked Samsung Galaxy S7

Newegg - View Newegg's Black November Deals page
Variety of unlocked smartphones on sale

Dollar General
No deals on Tracfone cell phones

eBay - Visit eBay's Black Friday page

HSN - Visit HSN's Tracfone page

QVC - Visit QVC's Tracfone page


That's our list of Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals for Tracfone. At this time, it doesn't have a whole lot of deals, but as we get closer to Black Friday we will add all the details. We hope these help you find the best deal on a new phone. If we've missed any deals, let us know in the comments.

We share a variety of information about Tracfone here on this blog, including Cell Phone Reviews, Tracfone Promo Codes and much more. Take a look around if you're new and see what else we have.

Join over 2000 others who Follow us on Facebook where we share the latest news, and are available to answer questions.

Thanks for visiting!

Tracfone Promo Codes for November 2016

Tracfone Promo Code List - November 2016

Below are the latest promo codes for November 2016. TracfoneReviewer strives to provide the most accurate codes, and be sure to check out some of the other valuable reviews and news we provide about Tracfone.

Tracfone Promo Codes for November!

Each month Tracfone releases new promotional codes to get additional minutes for free. We find, track and post these codes for our readers to use and enjoy for free. We never require you to do anything to view the codes

Tracfone uses promotional codes as an incentive for their customers. To get the free minutes, simply use a promo code when purchasing or adding an airtime card to your phone. In most cases, the bonus time is also automatically added.

Some codes may only be used once, or are not available in every geographical location. Promo codes are not supposed to work on Android smartphones, but we've been getting reports that they may in fact work in some cases.

Tracfone has continued to release more and more smartphones to use with their prepaid network. We recently reviewed the ZTE Citrine and ZTE ZMAX 2.

You can also visit our BYOP page for details on bringing an unlocked phone to Tracfone, or our Cell Phone Reviews page for all our reviews.

Remember, each promo code is for a certain airtime card, but can also be used on cards of greater value. So if you have a 200 minute card, the code for a 60 minute card will also work.

Now, let's get to these coupon codes!

Tracfone Promo Codes - November 2016

Below are the latest codes that are valid and working for November 2016.

60 Minute Airtime Card use code 12745 for 60 bonus minutes

120 Minute Airtime Card enter 51574 to receive 20 free minutes (or try the code above)

200 Minute Airtime Card add 36796 or 30433 to get 40 additional minutes

450 Minute Airtime Card (no new codes - use any of the above codes)

1 Year/400 Minute Airtime Card use 12572 for 250 extra minutes

These are the promo codes for November. We hope you enjoy the free minutes! Remember, we also have many more code options on our main Tracfone Promo Code page.

Don't miss out on the latest list of Deals, Discounts and Sales including great BYOP phones. We also included details on some new phones Tracfone released.

To stay up to date, follow us on Facebook where we share each new post, as well as other tips, news and deals.

Finally, see our comparison of Regular airtime cards to the New Smartphone only codes - Which one is a good deal?

Thanks for visiting, and leave a comment with which code you tried and how it worked!

ZTE ZMAX 2 Review - Tracfone Smartphone

Tracfone ZTE ZMAX 2 (Z955L) Full Review

Welcome to TracfoneReviewer, a blog with helpful information about Tracfone cell phones. If you're new, be sure to take a look at some of the other articles we have created.

ZTE ZMAX 2 Review

The ZTE ZMAX 2 was released in late 2015, and came to Tracfone in mid 2016, but it is a phone that has some features many Tracfone users desire, and at a price that is nearly unbeatable.

Tracfone continues to release many new smartphones, and the ZMAX 2 was released several months back, but we are just now getting around to reviewing it. This is partially due to the great value for the price it offers, and also because Tracfone has released the 'big brother' to the ZMAX 2 in the form of the ZTE Max Duo.

In this review we will share the features and specs for the ZMAX 2, followed by the pro's and con's and finally where you can buy and how it compares to some other Tracfone devices.

Catch up on some of the other new phones Tracfone has been releasing by visiting our New LG/Samsung post, New ZTE/Alcatel phones, and New Apple iPhones available from Tracfone.

Before we get too far into this review, here are our quick facts about the ZTE ZMAX 2. This is to help give an idea about the main pro's or con's for this phone:

ZTE ZMAX 2 Quick Facts

The Good:
-5.5" Touchscreen
-Android 5.1
-16 GB Memory/ 2 GB RAM
-8 MP Camera with good features
-Great price - with airtime bundle for $150

The Not so Good:
-Not the best Battery Life
-Speaker Performance is just OK
-Processor is made for budget phones
(these are only slight negatives, especially if you're coming from an older smartphone)

We don't really have too much that is bad to say about this phone, but we will dive into some details further on. The key specs to take note of is the 16 GB internal memory and 2 GB RAM. These are features very few other Tracfone smartphones have, and allow the phone to be much more useful.

We recently reviewed the LG Premier and LG Stylo 2, which have screens of 5.3" and 5.7". But the LG phones only have half the internal memory or RAM, which limits their ability to multitask, or store very many apps and other data.

LG does have a reputation for quality and good performance in their phones while ZTE is less well known. ZTE is a Chinese manufacturing company and is one of the top mobile phone makers in China, and in the top 10 worldwide. They have increasingly been creating budget friendly phones that have good performance and features for distribution in the US and rest of the world.

The ZTE ZMAX 2 is a phone that hits some high marks with the features it offers for the price, and may prove to be a good option for many Tracfone users.

Let's get into the full list features and specs for the ZMAX 2 and see exactly what it offers.

Tracfone ZTE ZMAX 2 Features and Specs

Below are the phone's features, followed by the technical specs

• Android 5.1 Lollipop
• 4G LTE capable using GSM service (AT&T cell towers)
• WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0
• MP3 Player
• Alarm Clock
• Access to over 1 MIllion apps on Google Play
• Accelerometer, proximity sensor, compass
• GPS
• 8 MP Rear Camera with autofocus, flash, HDR, Panorama, Face detection and more
• 2 MP Front Camera
• Caller ID, Voicemail, SMS and MMS
• Triple Minutes for Life (when adding regular airtime cards)

Tracfone ZTE ZMAX 2 Specs

• Size: 6.06" x 2.99" x 0.37"
• 5.5" Touchscreen with 720 x 1280 pixels (~267 pixel density)
• 1.2 Ghz Quad Core Processor (Qualcomm Snapdragon 410)
• 2 GB RAM
• 16 GB Internal Memory (~9.5 GB usable, Micro SD card Slot up to 32 GB)
• 3000 mAh Battery (removable) with about 17 hrs talk time, 10 days standby

There are some key features on the ZMAX 2 that make it stand out from most other budget phones from Tracfone (which we will go over a little further on). But what is really impressive is that the ZMAX 2 is about the same price, or even a little cheaper.

The Tracfone version of the ZTE ZMAX 2 is only available from HSN.com at this time, but you can also purchase unlocked versions of the phone(on amazon) and activate it with the BYOP program. Unlocked versions cost a little less, but don't come with the airtime bundle which is a $100 value.

Let's get into our full review of the ZTE ZMAX 2.

ZTE ZMAX 2 Full Review

We will share our key likes and dislikes about this phone below.

What we Like:
Many of the features and specs on the ZTE ZMAX 2 are as good or better than many of the other Tracfone smartphones in this price range. The two most important features are the memory and RAM that come with this phone. Also impressive is the screen, camera and price.

Many Tracfone smartphone users have found it annoying that Tracfone keeps releasing new phones with only 8 GB internal memory, and just 1 GB RAM. The ZMAX 2 doubles that, with 16 GB internal memory and 2 GB RAM. You end up with about 10 GB available space to store apps, photos, videos, music and anything else. This will likely be enough for most users unless you download lots of videos or music. 2 GB RAM makes this phone better at multitasking - it can run more apps at once before it starts to lag.

We are surprised that the ZMAX  is one of very few options from Tracfone at this time with 16 GB memory. We think Tracfone will add more budget phones with 16 GB memory, but at this point the ZMAX 2 is one of the cheapest phones with this feature.

The RAM and memory the ZMAX 2 has is about the minimum a moderate smartphone user would want in order to load the apps, music and pictures on their phone, and not have it slow down.

Tracfone ZTE ZMAX 2 Front, Side and Back

Beyond the internal memory, the ZMAX 2 also has a large 5.5" touchscreen with a resolution of 1280x720 that is not bad considering the price of the phone. You don't get a full HD display, but it looks good and renders colors well.

The camera on the ZMAX 2 is 8 MP on the back, 2 MP on the front. Neither is especially amazing, but they get the job done if you want to snap a few photos to share with friends. The camera actually does have a number of useful features, like panorama, HDR, face detection and touch focusing. You can also record video in 1080p 30fps HD resolution

We like that the ZTE ZMAX 2 come with Android 5.1, but there are some phones coming from Tracfone that are running the newer, Android 6.0. With Tracfone, you can't upgrade the OS, so whatever version the phone comes with you are stuck using. Android 5.1 is relatively recent, but if you want to get OS updates, you should use an unlocked smartphone with the BYOP program.

That concludes our list of the main aspects of this phone we found impressive. Now we want to cover some things that didn't quite impress us.

What we Don't Like about the ZTE ZMAX 2:
There is a lot to like about the ZMAX 2 when compared with similarly priced smartphones, so it is hard to find any serious negatives about this phone. However, we do want to make a few points clear to help our readers understand exactly what they are getting if they buy this phone.

The speaker, battery, camera and screen are all pretty good at this price point and compared to the other smartphone's Tracfone offers like the LG Premier or ZTE Quartz, yet they have some drawbacks.

The processor is 1.2 Ghz Quad-core, which is good, but also meant for budget phones. The battery is 3000 mAh, and can last all day with moderate use, but, as is to be expected, the large screen size does tend to drain the battery quickly if used constantly.

It is hard to compare the ZMAX to other Tracfone devices because the ZMAX is generally a nice improvement. So why not try comparing it to one of the most popular unlocked smartphones currently available? That will help us see any significant negatives.

If you were willing to spend a little more, you could get an unlocked phone like the Moto G4 ($200), which has a 5.5" screen at 1080x1920 full HD resolution, 13 MP camera, and uses a faster, Octa-core processor. The Moto G4 will also get Android 7.0 when that is released.

The ZMAX 2 retails for $150, but that includes an airtime bundle worth $100, so you get the phone for just $50. If you buy the Moto G4, it is $200 with no additional airtime, so it actually costs $150 more.

Looking at how the ZMAX 2 compares to the Moto G4, we see that spending a bit more money does get you better features, but the ZMAX 2 is also a great deal at the price.

One final bit of information to point out  there is only one speaker at the bottom of the phone, so the sound can be muffled if set down with the speaker covered, but you can customize some of the settings and adjust the sound.

That's it for our likes and dislikes. The ZMAX 2 comes with a lot of good specs at this price.

Overview and Where to Buy the ZTE ZMAX 2

The ZTE ZMAX 2 is ideal for moderate smartphone users who want to use a handful of apps and are also looking for a large display. It is a great value for the money, with better performance and specs than many of Tracfone's other similarly priced smartphones.

Many of the recent Samsung and LG phones such as the Samsung Galaxy Luna, LG Treasure, LG Premier and others, have just half the memory and RAM of the ZMAX 2.

For heavy smartphone users, who may play graphics-heavy apps or run lots of apps at once, it would probably be worthwhile spending a bit more money to get a more powerful device (like the Moto G4).

The Tracfone ZTE ZMAX 2 is available from HSN with 1200 minutes for $150. It is also sometimes on sale for $129.

Take a look at the Interactive Tutorial for a closer look at how the phone works.

We hope the information provided in this review is helpful, and please leave a comment with any thoughts or questions.

We also want to include some additional helpful information about Tracfone smartphones.

Helpful Information about Using Tracfone Smartphones

Using Tracfone Smartphones (or devices on the BYOP program) has certain unique characteristics we want to go over to help clear up any confusion

There are regular airtime cards and smartphone-only airtime cards. You can use both with Tracfone smartphones.

Regular airtime cards such as the 60, 120, 200 minute cards, triple on all smartphones. Smartphone-only airtime cards do not triple.

Promo Codes do not work on Tracfone smartphones (although occasionally they do...)

Airtime is split into three 'pools' of talk, text and data. When you add airtime, you usually get a certain amount of each. Send a text will only use your text 'pool', just like calling will use your talk time, and surfing the web or other online activities will use your data (if you are not on WiFi).

For more about using Tracfone smartphones, take a look at some of our other resources:

How Airtime works on Tracfone Smartphones
4 Ways to Check your Airtime Balance
Comparison of New Smartphone Cards to Regular Airtime Cards
How to Add only Texts to your Smartphone
How to Add Data to your Smartphone (and how Data works)

We will also be reviewing the ZTE Max Duo in the near future, so keep an eye for that especially if you're looking for a phone with a 6" screen.

Don't forget to check out our list of Great Deals, Discounts and Sales including some of the best unlocked phones to use with the BYOP program.

And join over 2000 other fans who follow us on facebook where we post the latest news and updates.

Thanks for visiting!

ZTE Citrine (Z717VL/Z716BL) Review - Tracfone Smartphone

Review of the  Tracfone ZTE Citrine Android Smartphone

This review of the ZTE Citrine is created by TracfoneReviewer. We have many more full reviews on our Cell Phone Reviews page.

Full Review of ZTE Citrine

The ZTE Citrine is a small, inexpensive Android phone available from Tracfone for either CDMA or GSM networks that actually packs many similar features and specs found in larger, more expensive devices.

Is this phone the best smartphone from Tracfone for under $50? We will answer that, and share the full specs, features, and details about this phone. We will also give our review, and where to buy this phone at the best price.

Tracfone has been releasing a large number of budget smartphones during 2016 including many ZTE, LG and Samsung devices. You can catch up on what phones are coming out or already released by checking out our posts on New LG and Samsung Tracfone Smartphones and New ZTE, Alcatel and Huawei (Nexus 6P) Tracfone Smartphones.

With the Citrine, the main feature is the low cost, but there are some other good things about this phone. Let's take a look at our quick pro's and con's for the Citrine.

ZTE Citrine Quick Facts

The Good:
-Recent OS - Android 5.1.1
-Low cost - Available for $50, and even $30 some places
-Quad-Core Processor
-CDMA and GSM versions of the phone available

The not so Good
-Small Screen - 4"
-Low Internal Memory - 8 GB
-Low RAM - 1 GB

One of he key features on this phone is that it is very inexpensive, and yet comes with the relatively recent Android 5.1.1 OS which we see mostly on phones that cost twice as much or more.

Another great point to note is that there is a GSM version of this phone and a CDMA version. Just make sure you know which version works in your area (more about this below).

Of course the Citrine can't compete in performance, appearance, or functionality with devices like the Apple iPhone 6 Plus now available from Tracfone, or other high end devices, but it also doesn't have the $500 plus price tag.

Let's take a look at the full features and specs for this smartphone.

ZTE Citrine (Z717VL/716BL) Features and Specs

Below are the features for the smartphone, followed by the technical specs.

• Android 5.1.1 OS (Lollipop)
• Z717VL version is 4G LTE capable using Verizon network towers
• Z716BL version is 4G HSPA+ capable using AT&T network towers
• Wifi and Bluetooth
• Access to over 1 Million Apps on Google Play
• Alarm Clock
• MP3 Player
• GPS
• 3 Home Screens
• Handsfree Speaker
• Voice Dialing
• Caller ID, Voicemail, SMS, MMS
• Proximity and Accelerometer sensor
• 3.5mm headphone connection
• Hearing Aid Compatible

ZTE Citrine Specs

• Size: 4.92" x 2.56" x 0.41"
• Screen: 4.0" touchscreen with 800x480 resolution (TFT-LCD)
• 1.1 Ghz Quad-core Processor (Qualcomm Snapdragon 210)
• 1 GB RAM
• 8 GB Internal Memory plus Micro SD Card slot (up to 32 GB)
• 1650 mAh Battery with Talk Time 12 Hrs, Standby 10 days.

Many of these features and specs are very similar to Tracfone's other devices such as the LG Rebel or Samsung Galaxy Core Prime. However, the Citrine is available at a much lower price. The main difference in the Citrine from many of Tracfone's other recent smartphones is the smaller screen size.

If you notice the battery capacity, it is small, but this phone only has a 4" screen so it doesn't drain the battery as fast as phones with larger screens.

Let's get into our full review of the Citrine.

Tracfone ZTE Citrine Review

What we Like:
There's a lot of good features on this phone, specifically Android 5.1.1, 4G speeds, Quad-core processor and the low cost.

Front, back and side of the ZTE Citrine - Note the textured back, and side charger port 

Android 5.1.1 is a fairly recent version of the operating system, and generally newer is better when it comes to Android. With each new version, any bugs or security risks are usually fixed, and new features are added. For various reasons, Android phones from Tracfone do not receive OS updates, so whatever version they come with is what they will stay with. Tracfone has just released two Samsung smartphones with Android 6.0, but most of their phones use 5.1.1 or older.

The Citrine comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 processor that has four cores, and runs at 1.1 Ghz. With this processor, the Citrine is capable of 4G LTE speeds, and has pretty good responsiveness. It is limited by the RAM, which we will mention more about further on. Basically, in a phone this cheap, it still has reasonably good performance.

Lastly, the price is what will likely draw most of the attention to this phone. It is listed most places for $50, but also available for $30 in a variety of locations, including online. $30 is a great price for this phone.

We also want to remind our readers that there are two versions of the Citrine, one with GSM capability, the other with CDMA capability. So it is available to all Tracfone users, but make sure you get the correct version for your service area.

What we Don't Like
There are some drawbacks about this phone that we want to share so that you can make your own informed decision about buying this device.

First of all, the Citrine has limited internal memory and only 1 GB RAM. Many of Tracfone's smartphones share the same limitations. While it has 8 GB internal memory, only about 2-3 GB is actually usable, depending on which pre-installed apps you keep/update. Because of the low amount of memory and RAM, you won't be able to load very many apps on this phone, and running multiple apps at once will cause the phone to slow down and possibly freeze. This phone is best for calling and texting, and a handful of basic apps like Instagram and Google Maps.

Here is some additional helpful information relating to the internal memory, from one of our readers, KRR:

        The total space I see is 8.00GB, System Memory takes up 4.69GB and after updating the variety of apps that are mandatory and adding in apps like The Weather Channel, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, Zedge, Google Photos, Tracfone and a couple smaller apps for work I am left with 1.75GB available.  Not too shabby all things considered.  The Facebook app is a storage hog, so I opted to uninstall it and just access Facebook from the Chrome browser and use Facebook Messenger (since Facebook is staunchly against us accessing our Facebook messages via a browser on a mobile device).  I do recommend going in and clearing the cache often (Storage>Used Space>Cached Data). 

- KRR

The ZTE Citrine also has a small screen, just 4", which for some is a good thing, and for others a negative. If you're not sure what size screen you prefer, try visiting a Bestbuy, or other electronics store, and test different smartphones. For many, a screen size between 5" and 5.5" is preferred as it makes for easier viewing of videos, messages and everything else.

Camera quality isn't great either on the Citrine, which shouldn't be a surprise at this price point. The rear camera has 5 MP and is adequate for capturing moments as long as there is good light, but the front camera, with only 0.3 MP, will struggle in anything other than good lighting.

Finally, the quality of this ZTE phone is good, but nothing like a high-end smartphone. With most things in life, you get what you pay for, and the same is true for the Citrine. It does have a nice textured back, but it is made from plastic.

Some readers have experienced issues with the quality of ZTE phones, such as the ZTE Quartz, and ZTE Valet. If you experience issues, we suggest contacting the retailer you bought the phone from, or contacting Tracfone. We have not heard any complaints about the quality of the Citrine, but will update as more information becomes available.

Now that we've covered our pro's and con's for the CItrine, we want to answer the question, is this the best phone from Tracfone for under $50? Well, probably. A lot depends on what you're looking for in a phone, and if you're looking to use a variety of apps, you will likely be better off with a more robust smartphone.

That concludes our review of the ZTE Citrine. We will share some additional information, and where to buy the phone.

ZTE Citrine Overview and Where to Buy

The Citrine is a very budget friendly smartphone that is best for those who want to use it for calling/texting and occasional web browsing, email and other basic apps. It will likely struggle at running any apps that are resource intensive, like certain newer games.

This phone is most similar to the LG Lucky, also available from Tracfone. However, the Citrine is an improvement over the lucky in almost every way, with better processor, more memory, better camera, larger screen and more.

You can find the ZTE Citrine available from many retailers including Walmart (GSM version, or here is the CDMA version), Target, Bestbuy, and more.

The Citrine can be found online from many of the same retailers, and also on the Tracfone website.

Some retailers have the phone listed for $50, while others have it discounted at $30, including the Tracfone website and Walmart.

You can take a look at the ZTE Citrine interactive tutorial for help using and navigating the phone.

We hope this review is helpful and let us know in the comments below if you have any further questions.

Be sure to visit our Guide to Activating or Transferring Service on a Tracfone Smartphone for some helpful tips and info.

If you're new to Tracfone smartphones, or just like to know how many minutes you have, visit our post on 4 Ways to Check your Tracfone Airtime Balance on a Smartphone

We recently compared several of the latest LG phones from Tracfone and shared the results. Take a look at our LG Smartphone Comparison, with the LG Rebel, Treasure, Premier and Stylo 2.

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