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ZTE Quartz 797C Review with Features, Specs and Where to Buy

Below you will find our review of the ZTE Quartz from Tracfone with lots of details facts about this new phone.  works hard to provide useful and accurate information, and we will update this post as needed.

ZTE Quartz Review – 5.5″ Android Smartphone

Tracfone continues to upgrade their phones offered to consumers with the latest smartphone, the ZTE Quartz that features a 5.5″ touchscreen, the largest available at this time. Tracfone is a prepaid wireless cell phone company that offers both phones, and cell service by contracting with various other companies.

Over the past few years Tracfone has steadily offered more and more smartphones to use with their service. Most of their Android smartphones are for CDMA networks through Verizon, but some phones use GSM networks through AT&T. Tracfone also still offers many non-smartphones.

Until the Quartz, the Alcatel Onetouch Icon Pop had the largest screen size at 5″. All of Tracfone’s other smartphone options were between 3.5″ and 4.5″. For some, a larger screen is very desirable, and the current ekspresi dominan for many smartphone manufacturers.

The Quartz (Z797C) will use CDMA networks through Verizon cell towers and only comes with 3G capability. But it does have many great features, which we will get into, but first we want to share our quick points about this phone:

ZTE Quartz Z797C Quick Points:

The Good:
-Large Screen at 5.5″
-8 MP Camera
-8 GB Internal Memory

The Not So Good:
-Poor Screen DPI and Resolution (960×540 about 200 DPI)
-Battery Unremovable
-Reviews for ZTE phones are generally mixed, with some reports of quality issues

This smartphone brings some key features many users have been looking forward to, but it also has a handful of drawbacks that one may need to consider. For example, the battery is unremovable, which means if it stops working, you will have to get a new phone entirely, not just a new battery. The Moto E is similar in this respect.

Now let’s take a look at the full list of features and specifications for the ZTE Quartz which will give us a better idea of all it has to offer.

ZTE Quartz Features and Specs List

Below are the features for the ZTE Quartz, followed by the technical specifications

• Android 4.3
• 3G Connectivity through Verizon CDMA Service
• WiFi
• GPS
• Bluetooth 4.0
• 8 MP Rear Camera, 1 MP Front Camera
• HAC Compatible/Handsfree Speaker
• Triple Minutes for Life
• Access to over a Million Apps on Google Play
• MicroUSB connection 

ZTE Quartz Technical Specs List

• Size: 6.10″ x 3.09″ x 0.35″
• 5.5″ Touchscreen (960×540 resolution with 200 DPI)
• 1.2 Ghz Quad Core Processor (some sources list only dual core)
• 1 GB RAM
• 8 GB Internal Memory (up to 64 GB external memory from MicroSD card)
• Battery: Talk Time 18 hours, standby 16 days. 3400 mAh non-removable

A lot of great features in this list, with several that are surprising to us, especially the battery life of up to 18 hours talk time. We would have expected the large screen to drain the battery quickly, but instead the phone comes with plenty of power.

The Quartz has all the other typical features for an Android Tracfone, like Bluetooth capability, WiFi access, Hands free speaker, voicemail, caller ID, and more.

There are plenty of exciting features, but there are also a couple of things we think consumers should be aware of before buying the ZTE Quartz, so let’s jump into our review.

ZTE Tracfone Review – Likes and Dislikes

What we Like about the Quartz
The main feature on this phone, and the reason why many will be interested in buying the Quartz, is the 5.5″ touchscreen. This is the largest smartphone available through Tracfone yet, and we are glad to see that Tracfone continues to improve what they have to offer.

At 5.5″ screen, that’s starting to get close to a tablet size, and may not fit in your picket very well. However, it will be much more convenient to use the phone to read, watch videos, and view other media.

Along with a large screen, the Quartz also has has 8 GB of internal memory, 1 GB RAM, a Quad-Core processor and a MicroSD slot for external memory. The LG Power and LG Sunset also come with similar specs which allows you to load the phone with a variety of apps and be able to run them without issues. The more RAM a phone has, the better it does at multitasking and running multiple apps at once.

The 8 MP rear camera on the Quartz is quite adequate and comes with autofocus, touch to focus, flash, and face detection. You can record videos at up to 720p quality which is HD. The front facing camera is a modest 1 MP which you can use for video calls and selfies. While it would be nice to have a better front camera, it is hard to expect that at this price point.

Lastly, we find that the Quartz is priced very reasonably for a phone with the features it has. The Alcatel Onetouch Icon Pop, which had only a 5″ screen, was initially priced for over $150. But you can find the ZTE Quartz on Amazon for $109, or about the same as the LG Power, Sunset or Ultimate 2

But before we get ahead of ourselves, we want to share a couple of dislikes for the Quartz.

What We Don’t Like About the Quartz
The Quartz comes with a huge screen, but it also comes with some sacrifices, and one of those is resolution for the screen.

The screen resolution for the Quartz is 960×540 with a density of 200 DPI. For most of us, this doesn’t really mean anything, so let’s compare it to another phone with a 5.5″ screen, the Asus Zenfone 2 (16GB). The Zenfone has a screen resolution of 1080×1920 with 400 DPI, or about double the Quartz. What this means is that media and content will look clearer and sharper on the Zenfone. But the Quartz’ screen is adequate, and will get the job done. The Zenfone is also about twice the cost of the Quartz. (You can use the Zenfone with the Tracfone BYOP program)

Most of the phones from Tracfone have a DPI of somewhere between 200 and 300, so the Quartz fits in this range, and doesn’t have any noticeable issues.

Another dislike we have about the ZTE Quartz is that it is a little outdated in two areas: 3G Connectivity and Android 4.3. Tracfone now allows 4G LTE devices through their BYOP program, and we want to see more 4G LTE devices offered directly through Tracfone, like the LG Sunset. But the Quartz only has 3G service. Along with that, the Quartz doesn’t have the latest version of Android, it has 4.3. This isn’t a big deal, but it is always better to have more updated versions, and we would have expected at least Android 4.4.

Lastly, we have some concerns with the Quality of ZTE phones. The older, ZTE Valet which came to Tracfone a few years ago, had a number of reported issues including poor WiFi strength. We’ve also seen mixed reviews on the ZTE website for the Quartz, where some users complain about various problems with the phone.

What this boils down to is that if you get the ZTE Quartz, you may get a great phone and have no problems, or you may experience issues that require you to return the device or get it repaired. So be aware of this, and we will share updates as more user information becomes available.

No merk of phone is without problems, but LG devices seem to have less issues, and ZTE seems to have a few more.

ZTE Quartz Overview and Where to Buy

If you’re looking for a phone with a big screen, and you don’t want to venture into Tracfone BYOP, the ZTE Quartz is your best options. It is similar to the Alcatel Onetouch Icon Pop, but the Quartz comes with a larger screen, more internal memory, and better battery life.

If you’re looking for a more well rounded smartphone, the ZTE Quartz is up near the top of our list, along with the LG Power, LG Sunset and LG Ultimate 2. All of these phones have different pro’s and con’s that may make one better than another for you. Visit our Android Tracfone page which has all the smartphones with their key stats so you can quickly compare them.

Overall the ZTE Quartz brings a lot of great features, but it has a couple of drawbacks that may or may not be an issue for you.

You can find the ZTE Quartz on Amazon for $109

You can also find the ZTE Quartz on eBay for $109

We have only found the Quartz on Amazon and eBay through a Tracfone third party retailer, but this has also been the case for several other phones released by Tracfone.

We hope this review was helping and provided you with enough information and details to make your own conclusions. Leave a comment if you have any thoughts or questions.

If you’re looking into a new Tracfone device, you should visit our Tracfone Reviews List, which contains all the phones we have reviewed and are available from Tracfone.

Also take a look at our post on How Data Works with Android Tracfones, and How Minutes Work with Android Tracfones. Both posts share enlightening details on some of the new things you should know about when upgrading to a smartphone.

Thanks for visiting!

Review of the Alcatel Onetouch Sonic – 4G LTE Android Tracfone Smartphone

Below is ‘s review of the Alcatel Sonic. We will share a variety of features and details for the phone, and provide information on where to buy this phone. We hope you find this review helpful!

Tracfone Alcatel Sonic Review

Tracfone is steadily releasing new smartphones and the latest release is only the second phone with 4G LTE coverage.

Tracfone Wireless is a prepaid service and cell phone provider with a variety of low cost devices and airtime options. They contract with other major cell phone carriers like Verizon and AT&T to provide coverage over their existing networks.

Tracfone is a smart choice for people who want a cell phone, but don’t want to pay monthly contract prices.

Over the last few years Tracfone has released a number of Android powered smartphones to use with their service. This review will cover the Alcatel Onetouch Sonic, which is the latest phone available with Tracfone and comes with 4G LTE coverage.

If you’re interested in the other Android phones from Tracfone, look no further than our Android Tracfone list which contains almost every smartphone available with Tracfone.

The Alcatel Onetouch Sonic is the second phone from Alcatel, following the Alcatel Onetouch Icon Pop. The Icon Pop had a large 5″ screen, but the Sonic has a slightly smaller 4.6″ screen.

We want to share our quick points about this phone, and then get into the full list of features.

Alcatel Onetouch Sonic A851L Quick Points:

The Good:
-4G LTE
-4.6″ Touchscreen

The Not so Good:
-Only about 1.7 GB internal memory
-Android 4.1
-Overall, no specs or features that really stand out besides 4G LTE

There are a couple of things about the Sonic that make it desirable, but there are also several features that are similar, or even worse than other phones available from Tracfone.

Let’s take a look at the full list of features and specifications for the Sonic.

Alcatel Sonic Features and Specs

Below are the features, followed by the technical specs.

• Android 4.1
• 4G LTE Connectivity
• WiFi
• GPS
• Bluetooth 4.0
• 5 MP Rear Camera, VGA Front Camera
• Hearing Aid Compatible and Handsfree Speaker
• Access to over a Million Apps on Google Play
• Triple Minutes for Life
• MicroUSB Connection
• Voicemail, Caller ID, etc.

Alcatel Sonic Specifications List

• Size: 5.28″ x 2.74″ x 0.43″
• 4.6″ Touchscreen (480×854 resolution with 212 DPI)
• 1.4 Ghz Dual Core Processor
• 1 GB RAM
• 4 GB Internal Memory (about 2 GB Usable, up to 32 GB External memory with MicroSD Card)
• Battery: Talk Time 14 hrs, Standby 20 days

Alcatel Onetouch Sonic front and back view

Several interesting features listed for the Sonic, particularly 4G LTE connectivity, but also the 4.6″ touchscreen, and the 1.4 Ghz dual core processor.

Alcatel Onetouch Sonic Review – Likes and Dislikes

The 4.6″ touchscreen is good, and similar to many of the other smartphones available with Tracfone.

Now let’s take a look at some of the features that we weren’t happy with.

What We Don’t Like About the Sonic

Alcatel Sonic Internal Memory

There are several features this phone comes with that we don’t like because they are similar or slightly worse than what we can get form other Tracfone devices.

The Sonic comes with Android 4.1, which is not the latest, or even almost the latest. There are several phones available from Tracfone that have Android 5.0, like the LG Sunset, or LG Power. While it isn’t a big deal to use an older version of Android, it would be nice if it were updated.

Loading and storing apps, photos and other media on the Sonic may create a dilema since the Sonic only comes with 4 GB of internal memory, with about half of that used up by the operating system. Again, several other Tracfone smartphones offer about double the internal memory as the Sonic. You will probably want more space if you’re going to put more than a handful of apps on this device.

The camera on the Alcatel Sonic is also nothing impressive. It does the job, and has a front facing VGA camera for video chats, but doesn’t stand apart from other devices.

We like that this phone has 4G LTE, but the rest of the features on this phone seem a little outdated. For those who don’t plan to use their phone too much, this device will probably be just fine. But if you want to get more from your device, you probably want to go with something else, and maybe even consider the Tracfone BYOP program.

Overview and Where to Buy the Alcatel Sonic

As we said above, the Sonic is a pretty good phone, but there are other phones that are better for a similar price. The LG Ultimate 2, ZTE Quartz, LG Power and LG Sunset are each similar to the Sonic, but with improvements in various ways. This phone will probably perform just fine for the majority of users who purchase it, but if you want the most for your money, you may want to consider the LG Sunset, or the BYOP program.

Even the LG Ultimate 2, which was released over a year ago, has a number of features that are similar or better than the Sonic, most notably, more internal memory for storing apps, pictures and other things.

We’re not saying the Sonic is a bad phone, but just that there are some other good phones out there as well. We’ll let you make your own decision.

The Alcatel Sonic hasn’t been found on the Tracfone website yet, but it is available through several other online retailers.

You can find the Sonic at the following websites:

Alcatel Onetouch Sonic for $99 on Amazon

Alcatel Onetouch Sonic for $99 on eBay

Alcatel Onetouch Sonic with 1 Year Service Card for $200 on eBay

Alcatel Onetouch Sonic with 1 Year Service Card for $130 on Evine

We expect that the Sonic will be available in stores and on the Tracfone website sometime in the near future. It is not uncommon for the phone to be available on eBay and Amazon before the Tracfone website.

Tracfone Android Resources – Helpful Information for Smartphone Users

Android phones work a little differently than non-smartphones with Tracfone. One of the biggest differences is that you get you minutes split up into talk, text and data pools that are each separate. You also get Triple Minutes for life on every Android phone.

For more information on using Android phones with Tracfone, take a look at the following resources we’ve published about Tracfone smartphones:

How Do Minutes Work on Tracfone Smartphones?

How to Check your Airtime on Android Devices

How to Buy Only Texts for your Smartphone

How Data Works on Android Tracfone Devices

and lastly, The Best Apps for Android

You can also take a look at the Alcatel Sonic Interactive Tutorial to help you learn how to use the phone.

That completes our review of the Alcatel Sonic. We hope you found it informative and useful. If you have questions or something to share, leave a comment below (we review every comment before posting, to keep out spam).

Visit our Cell Phone Reviews page to see all our reviews in one place, and you might find

Don’t forget we also have Tracfone Promo Codes, although they won’t work with smartphones.

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Thanks for visiting!

Review of the Alcatel Onetouch Pixi Glitz from Tracfone

Below are the specs, features and our review for the Alcatel Onetouch Pixi available from Tracfone. We have compiled the information here to provide our readers with the best resources for making decisions about buying phones from Tracfone.

Alcatel Pixi Glitz Review

The Alcatel Onetouch Pixi Glitz is a budget smartphone that comes with some surprising features like Android 4.4, and a price that is almost unbeatable. But is this phone worth it? And what about a few specs that could be serious drawbacks? We will be covering all this and more in our review of the Alcatel Onetouch Pixi.

For those who might not know, Tracfone is a prepaid wireless phone company that offers both airtime, and cell phones throughout America. Tracfone doesn’t actually own any cell phone towers though, but rather contracts with other carriers like Verizon and AT&T to use their networks. With Tracfone, you can have cell phone service for less than $10 a month if you don’t need to use your phone very much, and they have more airtime options for those with more needs.

For more about Tracfone, start with our Beginners Guide which will cover the basics, and then you might want to visit our Cell Phone Reviews page to see the various phones they offer.

The Pixi Glitz is one of the newer phones from Tracfone, and it uses GSM towers from AT&T. It was released in the Fall of 2015 as Tracfone continues to roll out more smartphone options for their network.

Alcatel is a Chinese mobile phone manufacturer (as is ZTE) that was founded in 2004 and is a subsidiary to another Chinese company called TCL, according to Wikipedia sources.

On first glance one can immediately tell that the Pixi Glitz doesn’t have the same performance as some of the other phones Tracfone has recently released like the LG Sunset and ZTE Quartz, however the price on the Pixi is what sets it apart, as many consumers have found the phone for $10 in stores, or sometimes even less.

Before we get into the full specs for this smartphone, we want to share our quick pro’s and con’s.

Alcatel Onetouch Pixi Glitz Quick Facts

The Good:
-Android 4.4
-Inexpensive – $10-20

The Not so Good:
-Small Screen and Poor Pixel Density- 3.5″ at 167 PPI
-Low RAM and Internal Memory
-No Front Camera

There are certainly some trade-offs for this phone, but let’s take a look at the full list of features and specs before we get any further.

Alcatel Onetouch Pixi Glitz Features and Specs

Below are the features, followed by the technical specifications.

• Android 4.4
• 4G Connectivity on AT&T GSM network
• GPS
• WiFi
• Bluetooth
• FM Radio
• Voice Dailing and hearing aid compatible
• 3 Home Screens
• MP3 Player
• MMS
• Voicemail, call waiting, caller ID
• Access to over 1 million apps on Google Play
• Triple Talk, Text and Data for life

Alcatel Onetouch Pixi Glitz Specs

• Size: 4.41″ x 2.45″ x 0.47″
• 3.5″ Touchscreen – TFT LCD
• 1.3 Ghz Processor 
• 512 RAM
• 2 GB Memory (up to 32 GB external Micro SD card)
• Battery: Talk Time 5.7 hrs, Standby 12 days

Android 4.4, while not the newest, is a relatively recent version of the operating system and one that will allow a number of apps to be compatible with this device, we just wish the phone and more memory and RAM. It appears that some sources indicate this phone comes with 4 GB internal memory, but we only noticed 2 GB total space, of which a little over 1 GB is actually available to the users. The RAM is also on the low side, at only 512 mb.

So let’s get straight to our review of the Pixi Glitz and discuss what we like and don’t like about this Tracfone smartphone.

Alcatel Onetouch Pixi Glitz Review

What we Like:

Alcatel Onetouch Pixi Glitz

As we mentioned, this phone uses Android 4.4 which is a relatively recent version and we would be disappointed if it used an older version. One of the more popular features is the ability to ask Google questions by simply saying ‘OK Google’. This is a very handy feature when you want to look up something in a hurry.

The Pixi Glitz uses GSM networks and has 4G connectivity. Before you buy this phone check that you will have service in your area for the Tracfone GSM network, which would be AT&T.

Finally, the Alcatel Onetouch Pixi does come with all the basic calling and texting features like voice dailing, Caller ID, MMS, and more. You also get Triple Talk, Text and Data for life – which means anytime you add airtime it will get split into three buckets, and also be tripled. Note, triple minutes doesn’t work on the new smartphone airtime cards.

What we really find great about this Tracfone Android phone is the price. But remember how much the phone costs we looking at the performance

Now we will share some of the drawbacks for this device.

What we Don’t Like:
There are a number specifications that are just not up to par for this phone including the RAM and internal memory.

The minimum RAM most phones have these days is 1 GB and many phones even have 2 or 3 GB in order to handle the more resource intense apps that are available. RAM also helps with multitasking, so only 512 MB of RAM will mean the Pixi Glitz can’t run as many apps at once. The internal memory is limited, but not as low as the old LG Optimus Dynamic.

Screen size on the Pixi is also small at only 3.5″ and with a rather low pixel density of about 167. For some, this might be a positive because the phone will be easier to fit in a picket, but the small screen size does make the keyboard a little harder to use and type on. The larger the screen, the larger the keyboard which generally makes for easier typing.

The Pixi Glitz also lacks and front camera, and the rear camera is just 2 MP. It is hard to complain about this phone too much, since the price is so low, but we just want everyone to be aware that you will not be getting everything on this phone that a more expensive phone might have.

Lastly, the phone does feel a little cheap. This is as expected however, for a device at this price point.

Maps on the Pixi Glitz

This phone mainly comes down to the money (as you could probably tell), and for the money it is pretty good value. But those looking for a phone to run a variety of different apps and keep up with various daily needs, this device might not cut it.

At the price, one could just take a risk and buy the phone to see how it works, but if you’re actually looking for a phone to use in the long run, you’re better off with a higher quality and better performing device.

What the Alcatel Onetouch Pixi might be good for are people who only need a smartphone for one or two things like checking email. It might also be good for children as a first phone, because if they drop it or lose it, the investment is very small.

You can find the Alcatel Onetouch Pixi Glitz on Amazon, and also on many other online retailers like BestBuy and Walmart. You can also phone the phone in many stores.

There is an interactive tutorial for the Alcatel Onetouch Pixi Glitz to help show how it works and where to find various features on the phone.

Resources for Tracfone Android Smartphones

We have created a number of helpful articles about using Android phones with Tracfone, and you can read them for yourself to help learn more about how these phones work, and how to get he most form your device.

First off, read more about How Airtime Works on Tracfone Smartphones which includes an explanation of the differences between smartphones and non-smartphones with Tracfone.

Learn how you can Check your Airtime Balance on Tracfone Smartphones which is not as simple compared to non-Android devices, but there are several different options.

Also read up on the new Smartphone only Airtime cards and see our analysis on whether they are a good deal. And lastly, visit our Android Tracfone List which you can use to browse the different smartphones offered by Tracfone, and quickly compare the options.

We hope this information has been help, and leave a comment below with your thoughts or questions!

Review of the Samsung Galaxy Core Prime from Tracfone

Below we share the features, specifications and full review for the Samsung Galaxy Core Prime (S820L). strives to provide useful and helpful information to make it easier for consumers to choose what phone is best for them.

Tracfone Samsung Galaxy Core Prime Review

Tracfone released three new Android powered smartphones through the retailer HSN.com to start 2016 off with some excitement. What’s so exciting about these three new phones? Well you can learn about it on our previous post about it.

Here we will be reviewing the Galaxy Core Prime, which is a smartphone that includes a number of great features, and comes at a very budget friendly price.

For those who might not know, Tracfone is a wireless prepaid cell phone company that offers both phones and service. Consumers can also bring their own devices through the Tracfone BYOP program. Follow the link to learn more about how you can bring a wide variety of devices to use with Tracfone.

A few years back Tracfone first started offering Android powered smartphones on their prepaid service, and they have continued to release more and more devices as demand and popularity has grown.

All Android smartphone devices on Tracfone come with Triple Talk, Text and Data, but you can’t use promotional codes when adding airtime.

Now let’s take a brief look at some of the pro’s and can’s for the Galaxy Core Prime.

Samsung Galaxy Core Prime Quick Facts:

The Good Points
-4G LTE through Verizon CDMA network
-Reasonable Price – $99
-8 GB Internal Memory
-Average specs for a Tracfone smartphone

The Not So Good:
-Low screen resolution – 480×800
-Average specs for a Tracfone smartphone

If you notice, we put ‘average specs for a Tracfone smartphone’ as both a good thing and a bad thing. The reason is that this phone is similar to several of the other Android devices from Tracfone, like the LG Sunset, however the specs and features it comes with aren’t really that exciting to us, especially after looking at the Samsung Galaxy S5, which was also released for Tracfone with the Core Prime.

Let’ts take a look at the full list of phone specifications and features to get a better idea of what the Core Prime offers.

Samsung Galaxy Core Prime Features and Specifications

Below are the features that come with the Core Prime, followed by the technical specs.

• Android 4.4 KitKat
• 4G LTE through Verizon CDMA towers
• 5 MP Rear Camera, 2 MP Front
• WiFi and Bluetooth capable
• GPS
• 3 Home Screens
• Access to over 1 million apps on Google Play
• Triple Talk, Text and Data
• Caller ID, Voicemail, Voice Dialing
• Hearing Aid Compatible
• Alarm Clock
• Hands free Speaker
• MP3 Player

Samsung Galaxy Core Prime Specs:

• Size: 5.16″ x 2.68″ x 0.35″
• 4.5″ Touchscreen (480×800 resolution)
• 1.2 Ghz Quad Core Processor
• 1 GB RAM
• 8 GB Internal Memory (up to 32 GB External Memory with Micro SD Card)
• Battery: 2000 mAh with Talk Time 22 hours, Standby 33 Days

As you can see from the phone’s specifications, it comes with a number of features that put it right up next some of the better smartphones available from Tracfone at this time.

The best way to summarize the Samsung Galaxy Core Prime is that it is similar to the LG Sunset, except the Sunset uses 4G LTE on GSM network, and the Core Prime uses 4G LTE on CDMA. So If you’ve been waiting for a 4G LTE device that works with Verizon towers, the Core Prime is your answer.

Now we will share some of the things we like and don’t like about this smartphone device from Tracfone.

Samsung Galaxy Core Prime Review

What we Like About the Core Prime
The Galaxy Core Prime comes with a number of great features that help make it a phone that will be desirable for many Tracfone users. We like that it comes with 8 GB of Internal Memory, 4G LTE, and a very decent battery life.

With 8 GB of space on the Core Prime, about 3 GB will be used by the OS and other pre-installed applications. That leaves about 5 GB for you to load apps, music, videos, pictures and anything else you might want. 5 GB of space is a reasonable amount that will allow you to load all of your favorite apps, along with some pictures and music, But if you plan to put a whole library of music, or a number of videos, you will run out of space. Fortunately there is also a MicroSD Card slot so you can load some things, like music and pictures, onto the external card.

The Samsung Galaxy Core Prime is one of three new devices from Tracfone that use Verizon CDMA cell towers, and also have 4G LTE capability. The Core Prime is by far the cheapest of the three options, with the Samsung Galaxy S5 and E5 as the other two options, and currently going for $499 and $349 respectively. 4G is simply faster access to the internet using mobile data, allowing you sto stream videos or music at a faster rate to reduce buffering problems.

We were impressed with the battery talk time and standby which is very good for a smartphone. This phone should be able to last all day on one charge with moderate use, and even longer if you keep data and WiFi turned off.

Lastly, we are also really impressed with the current price for the Samsung Galaxy Core Prime, which is currently listed for $99 on HSN.com and comes with a 1 Year card, which is worth $99 by itself. Thus if you are already planning on purchasing a 1 Year/400 Minute card, you could by this phone package and get the Core Prime for free!

Dislikes for the Samsung Galaxy Core Prime
There are a few things that we want our readers to be aware of if they are considering the Core Prime.

First of all, the resolution for this smartphone isn’t that great at 480×800. It gives you a dpi of about 207. This isn’t too bad, but if you compare it to an iPhone 5, which is a few years old now, the iPhone has a dpi of 325, leading to clearer images because there are more pixels on the screen. We want to see Tracfone releasing more phones with improved screens for easier viewing. For most people, the screen on the Core Prime will be just fine and you won’t notice any issues.

The Galaxy Core Prime comes with Android 4.4 KitKat, which is better than using older versions, however, it is a few years old at this point and you won’t be able to update to 5.0. The LG Sunset, which is fairly similar to the Core Prime as we have mentioned, comes with Android 5.0.

Finally, the overall specs for the Core Prime are very good for a device from Tracfone, and especially at the current price, however, this isn’t a phone that really ‘wows’ us but rather delivers very adequately and will be suited for low to moderate users. If you’re someone who users their smartphone for lots of games, or other resource-intensive apps, you may want to look into the Samsung Galaxy S5, or the BYOP program.

Overview of the Samsung Galaxy Core Prime and Helpful Resources

Overall, the Samsung Galaxy Core Prime is a good phone that is currently going for a great price. If you are a moderate smartphone user and looking for a 4G LTE capable device on Verizon’s network, the Core Prime is a great deal.

You can view the Samsung Galaxy Core Prime on HSN where it comes bundled with minutes, and other accessories. We haven’t found the Core Prime for sale anywhere else yet, but will update when we do.

Also take a look at the Interactive Tutorial from Tracfone if you want to learn more about how this device works.

We have lots of resources here on this blog to share information about Tracfone, so take a look around. We suggest you start with our Beginners Guide to Tracfone if you’re new or check out our List of the Best Android Apps.

We have also created several resources relating to smartphones, including How to Check your Airtime on Tracfone Smartphones, How to Add Only Texts, How to Add Data Cards, and an Analysis of the Smartphone Only Airtime Cards from Tracfone.

We hope this review has been helpful, and leave a comment below with any thoughts or questions you might have.

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Review of the Samsung Galaxy E5 – Tracfone Android Smartphone

Below is s full review of the Samsung Galaxy E5 which is available to use with Tracfone prepaid service. We have many more Cell Phone Reviews which you can browse through, or simple explore the rest of our blog, which is all about Tracfone related information. 

Samsung Galaxy E5 Tracfone Review

The Samsung Galaxy E5 is an Android powered smartphone that was recently released to use on Tracfone’s prepaid network. It features a 5.0″ touchscreen and 16 GB internal memory plus much more.

Let’s make one thing clear before we get started, the Galaxy E5 has some significant differences to the Samsung Galaxy S5, which Tracfone also released at the same time. (and you can read our review by following the link)

In this review we will share the full features and specs for the Galaxy E5, and then compare it to the S5 and some of other smartphones also available from Tracfone. We will also include where you can buy the E5, and if you really should or not. But first, let’s cover the brief pro’s and con’s for this phone.

Samsung Galaxy E5 Quick Points

The Good:
-Lots of Internal Storeage – 16 GB
-4G LTE on CDMA (Verison) network
-Large 5″ touchscreen

The Not-So-Good:
-Expensive – $350

The E5 has some really great features, but it also a lot of features that are similar to many of Tracfone’s other devices, which mostly retail for closer $100. So is the extra cost of the Galaxy E5 worth it? We will answer that, but first take a look at the full list of features and specifications for the Galaxy E5 to get a better idea of all it has to offer.

Samsung Galaxy E5 Features and Specs

Below are the features for the E5, followed by the technical Specifications

• Android 5.0.2
• 4G LTE through Verizon CDMA network
• 8 MP Rear Camera, 5 MP Front Camera
• WiFi and Bluetooth Capable
• NFC
• GPS
• 3 Home Screens
• Access to over 1 Million Apps on Google Play
• Triple Talk, Text and Data
• Caller ID, Voicemail, Voice dialing
• Hearing Aid Compatible
• Alarm Clock
• MP3 Player
• Handsfree Speaker

Samsung Galaxy E5 Technical Specs

• Size: 5.6″ x 2.8″ x 0.3″
• 5.0″ Touchscreen (720×1280 pixels)
• 1.2 Ghz Quad Core Processor
• 1.5 GB RAM
• 16 GB Internal Memory
• Battery: 2400 mAh (non-removable) – 25hrs talk time, 15 days standby

As you can see, the Galaxy E5 maintains some features from the S5, but trims a lot of others. The phone’s technical specifications are mostly reduced compared to what the S5 comes with, but they both have 16 GB storage and 4G LTE service capability. The E5 does have Android 5.0.2, and is a step up from phones like the Samsung Galaxy Core Prime or LG Sunset (which also have Android 5.0, but not as much internal memory, RAM or as large a screen).

Before we get too far into comparison the Galaxy E5, let’s look at some of the features that we really like about the E5, and some areas where it falls short of our expectations.

Samsung Galaxy E5 Review

What we Like:
There are a number of different features on the E5 that make it a very capable smartphone. We like the processor and RAM, the amount of storage on this device, and the screen and camera are also very good compared to other Tracfone devices.

Samsung Galaxy E5 (click to view larger)

1.2 Ghz Quad core processor combined with 1.5 GB RAM is a good combination and should be plenty of power to handle your everyday activities. Most of Tracfone’s other phones, like the LG Sunset and LG Ultimate 2, use only 1 GB RAM, which means less multitasking capability and less ability to handle resource heavy apps.

But, its no 2.5 Ghz quad core with 2 GB RAM which is what the S5 comes with. Do you need this kind of performance? Maybe not, but its still something to consider if you’re comparing the two.

The Galaxy E5 comes with a 5″ Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen at a resolution of 720×1280 (about 295ppi pixel density) which is very good. The LG Sunset only has a 4.5″ Touchscreen with 480×854 resolution at 218ppi density. Samsung has a pretty good history of bright and beautiful screens (at least for their mid to high end devices) and the E5 is no exception.

An 8MP rear camera with flash and a 5 MP front camera are great features and more than adequate for recording life around you. You can even record videos in full 1080 HD at 30 fps from either camera.

Finally, one of the best (or maybe most desirable) feature on the E5 is the 16 GB internal storage (and up to 128 GB external with micro SD card). Tracfone smartphones have been plagued with small amounts of onboard storage for years, but we hope this animo is changing with the Galaxy E5 and S5 each coming with 16 GB.

What we Don’t Like about the Galaxy E5
There are a couple of points we want to mention about the E5 that are drawbacks for those who might be considering this device. None of them are serious flaws, but issues non-the-less that should be covered.

First off, the E5 uses Android 5.0.2. We initially thought it would come with only 4.4, since that is what the S5 has, but we are very happy to confirm it comes standard with 5.0. This is good news, especially those who are concerned about some of the possible security risks that Android 4.4 is susceptible to. With devices on Tracfone like the E5, you can’t update them (as far as we have found). So you will have to stick with 5.0.2, This is a drawback for those who like to keep up with the latest Android updates, which bring not only new features to the phone, but also patch potential security risks.

The best way to avoid security risks is to only visit webpages and apps you trust. Take a look at our list of Best Android Apps for some of our top picks.

The Galaxy S5 uses the older, Android 4.4 OS, but if you buy the S5 unlocked (and bring it to the BYOP program), you can update it to Android 5.0.

The second drawback for the E5 is the price. It is retailing on HSN.com for $350 bundled with minutes and other accessories. The airtime is worth about $100, making the phone cost about $250. Many of Tracfone’s other smartphone devices, like the LG Sunset or Galaxy Core Prime, retail for under $100, and can be found bundled with minutes for around $100 (making the phone almost free).

Roaming, as many are aware, is not currently available for Tracfone smartphones. What this means is, if you go outside of your service area (which, in the case of the E5 is Verizon cell towers) you won’t have service. The good news is that Verizon has pretty good coverage in most places, but be aware that if you live in an area, or travel to areas, that don’t have Verizon coverage, you won’t have reception in those areas with this Tracfone device.

That sums up the main points in our review of the Samsung Galaxy E5 from Tracfone and the pro’s and con’s for this device.

Overview and Where to Buy the Samsung Galaxy E5

Here’s a our simpulan thoughts on the E5, and where you can find it available for sale.

While it has a less powerful processor, lower resolution camera, smaller and lower resolution screen, and less RAM compared to the Galaxy S5, the E5 does still have 16 GB internal storage and uses the newer Android version 5.0.2, compared to the S5.

Truly, the E5 is the somewhat less capable little brother to the S5, but still quite capable, especially compared to any other smartphone available from Tracfone.

The real issue is the price – at $350, you can easily get an unlocked Samsung Galaxy S5 and bring it to Tracfone with the BYOP program. You could also get many other great smartphones for closer to $200 and bring them to the BYOP program.

So we find it hard to recommend this phone unless you are willing to spend the money for the convenience of avoiding the possible hassle of activating a BYOP device. If the cost isn’t such a worry to you, then this phone is a great choice. But wouldn’t you rather spend a little more and get an even better phone like the S5? Not everyone would need the extra performance, but it is always nice to have.

You can find the E5 on HSN for $350

We have not found the E5 available anywhere else, but will update if this changes.

Visit Samsung’s official product detail page for the E5 if you want to see additional photos and read the user manual. Also you can view an Interactive Tutorial for the E5 if you’re so inclined.

We have a lot of resources about Tracfone smartphones to help our readers learn more and get the most from their device. Here are some of the most popular:
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

If you have any further thoughts or questions, leave a comment below. We do review each comment before posting.

Stay up to date with the latest Tracfone news and warta by joining over 1700 others who follow us on Facebook!

And if you’re new to Tracfone, start with our Beginners Guide to Tracfone which explains some of how using Tracfone service works.

Thanks for visiting!

Review of the Samsung Galaxy S6 for Tracfone

This post contains ‘s full review of the Samsung Galaxy S6 which is available to use with Tracfone. We cover lots of Tracfone related topics including news, reviews, deals and promo codes. So take a look around the blog and we hope you find the information useful!

Samsung Galaxy S6 Review

If you’re a Tracfone customer and looking for a phone that can handle lots of apps at once, can take great pictures, has a beautiful touchscreen and runs fast and smooth, you might be really interested in the new Samsung Galaxy S6 Tracfone recently released to use with their prepaid service.

The S6 is a newer phone, only just released to the public in 2015, and now it is also available from Tracfone. When it was released it was one of the best phones money could buy, and it still has the power to outperform the majority of smartphone devices.

The Galaxy S6 comes with a stunning 5.1″ touchscreen, a 16 MP camera, and Android 5.0 among other features.

For those who stay current on Tracfone news, you might be aware that Tracfone released the Samsung Galaxy S5 (the previous model of the S6) only a few months before releasing the S6, and they actually share a number of features like screen size and camera. We’ll do a comparison of these two phones a little further down, but first let’s look at the quick facts for the Samsung Galaxy S6

Samsung Galaxy S6 Quick Facts

The Good:
-Android 5.0
-Plenty of Internal Memory – 32 GB
-Plenty of RAM – 3 GB
-Powerful Camera – 16 MP

The Not So Good:
-Expensive – Currently $599 with minutes bundle

As you can see, one of the main drawbacks about the S6 is the price. You could buy an unlocked S6 and bring it to Tracfone’s BYOP agenda to save some money, but the phone is still retailing for $400-500. For more on bringing your phone to Tracfone, visit our Tracfone BYOP page.

Let’s get into the full list of features and phone specs for the Galaxy S6 to get a better idea of what it has to offer.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Features and Specifications

Below you can see the phone’s features, followed by the technical specs

• Android 5.0 Lolipop
• 4G LTE capable using Verizon CDMA Service
• 16 MP Camera, 5 MP Front Camera
• WiFi, Bluetooth and NFC
• 4 Home Screens
• Corning Gorila Glass 4 
• Access to over 1 Million apps on Google Play store
• Triple Talk, Text and Data from Tracfone
• Alarm Clock
• MP3 Player
• Voice Dialing and Handsfree Speaker
• Hearing Aid Compatible
• Voicemail, Caller ID, Call Waiting

Samsung Galaxy S6 Specs

• Size: 5.65″ x 2.78″ x 0.27″
• 5.1″ Touchscreen at 1440 x 2560 resolution ( 576 ppi pixel density)
• 1.5 GHz Quad-core AND 2.1 GHz Quad-core Processor
• 3 GB RAM
• 32 GB Internal Memory (no external memory slot)
• Battery: 2550 mAh (non-removable) with 29hrs Talk Time, 27 days standby

A couple of the phone’s specifications are really impressive, namely the fact that it has two quad-core processors and 3 GB RAM. That’s a lot of power packed into this device. Obviously it will be able to keep up with almost any app, and will be able to run multiple apps at once without any issues.

But there are a couple of things about this phone that may make it not such a great choice for some people, and we are going to go over that next.

Tracfone Samsung Galaxy S6 Review

What we Like:
We like to start off with the positives about this phone, of which there are a lot, and then we go over a few things that we don’t like.

Samsung Galaxy S6 front, side and back

First off, the S6 comes packed with high-performing hardware – which is what you would expect from the flagship device. It has 3 GB RAM (more than any other Tracfone device at this time) which allows for more multitasking and more apps running at once without any issues. Phones with 1 GB of RAM or less tend to have trouble running several different resource-intense apps at once, but the S6 should have no issue. Combine that with the two processors, each quad-core for a total of eight cores (octa-core), and you’ve got a very powerful device.

If you’re looking for storage, the S6 also has you covered, coming with 32 GB of internal memory to hold apps, photos, videos, downloads and everything else.

The cameras on the Galaxy S6 are also impressive. The rear facing camera is 16 MP and has optical image stabilization (helps keep your images sharper) and LED flash. The front camera is 5 MP and both cameras have autofocus, touch to focus, auto-HDR, face detection and more. The built in camera app comes with a lot of extra features, including manual exposure controls which some photographers might enjoy using.

The rear camera on the S6 is quite good, and will allow you to capture vivid and detailed images of the world around you. Both the front and rear camera can record HD video, with the rear camera also capturing slow motion shots at 120 fps. You can view a gallery of beautiful images taken with the Galaxy S6 to get a better idea of what you can do with this phone.

Lastly, we want to share some additional details about the 5.1″ touchscreen on the S6 because it is worth talking about. The size is certainly not the largest (the ZTE Quartz has a 5.5″ screen), but it is the prettiest. The resolution is an amazing 1440 x 2560, which gives you a pixel density of over 575 ppi. To put that in real words, you get a screen that looks really good and is very clear. For some perspective, most Tracfone devices have a screen resolution of approximately 400×800, which leads to a pixel density of about 200 ppi. This isn’t bad, but the screen on the S6 will blow it away.

There’s more good things we could say about the S6, but we want to get to a few issues that may turn a few potential buyers away from it.

What we Don’t Like about the S6
There are a few things about the Galaxy S6 that should be considered if you’re planning to get this phone, For some, these issues may be enough reason not to get this phone, for others, it won’t really matter.

The first thing we don’t like is the price, but it’s hard to really complain about it too much since this is a high-end device. But Tracfone users tend to be very money-conscious, and few will be as interested in this phone once they learn about the $599 price tag.

Another issue some consumers may not like is that the battery on the S6 is not removable. So if something happens, or you just want to take the battery out, you can’t. Additionally, there’s no external card slot for a micro SD card. The amount of onboard memory is very good, but if you want to load up a bunch of music you have on an SD card, you won’t be able to.

And finally, the Tracfone version of the Samsung Galaxy S6 will probably not get any additional Android updates. So this phone will come with Android 5.0, but you won’t be able to update it to Android 6.0 when that becomes available for other S6 devices. (However, if you buy an unlocked Galaxy S6 and bring it to Tracfone BYOP, you will be able to update to the latest Android version.)

As we said, these are small issues with the phone that we thought should be mentioned for those considering purchasing this device.

The Samsung Galaxy S6 is a phone packed with modern features and it is hard to compare it to any other Tracfone device except one, the Samsung Galaxy S5. So that’s exactly what we are going to do in case some of our readers are considering which of these two devices to purchase.

(The Samsung Galaxy E5 is also an option , but has a lot less to offer, and we compare it to the S5 in our review of the Galaxy E5).

Tracfone Samsung Galaxy S6 vs S5 Comparison

One might assume that the S6 would be the clear winner in a comparison of these two phones since it is the newer model, but it is not as simple as that. The Galaxy S5 (link to our full review) actually has a number of features that somehow were left off the Galaxy S6 and may make it a better choice for some.

Hardware-wise, the S6 has the upper hand with 3 GB RAM (vs. 2 GB in the S5) two quad-core processors (vs one quad-core processor in the S5) and 32 GB memory (vs 16 in the S5). The Galaxy S6 also runs Android 5.0 while the S5 will only use Android 4.4. The touchscreen size is the same between these phones, but the S6 has better resolution (more pixels packed into the screen) and has Gorilla glass 4 (vs Gorilla glass 3 in the S5).

Both the S6 and S5 have a 16 MP rear camera with similar features, but the S6 uses a 5 MP front camera while the S5’s is only 2 MP.

However, the S5 has several great features that were not passed on to the new generation. The Galaxy S5 is IP67 certified, which means it is dust and water resistant. You can put the S5 up to 1 meter below the surface of the water for up to 30 minutes and there should’t be any issues (obviously we don’t recommend testing this too much yourself, but there are plenty of videos on YouTube where other people thoroughly test this).

The battery on the S5 is a little larger (2800 mAh vs 2550 mAh on the S6) and it is removable, which is important to some users.

The Galaxy S5 also has a Micro SD card slot, up to 128 GB, which allows you to store a lot more information.

Changes to the interface for the S6 leave users with less customization options (making the S6 a little more like an iPhone) which in some cases might be preferred.

At the end of the day, these phones share a lot of features, but each have certain strengths. One jawaban consideration is that the Galaxy S5 is currently $100 less expensive than the S6.

Which phone is better? Hard to say, the S6 wins in performance and hardware, but the S5 has some important features that could be deal-breakers and we really like that it is dust and water resistant.

Conclusion and Where to Buy the Samsung Galaxy S6

The Samsung Galaxy S6 is the best phone available from Tracfone (at this time) and is a high-end phone that you can use with inexpensive prepaid service. But the cost may be a be roadblock for many users who are interested in this phone.

Keep in mind that Tracfone has a number of other devices coming soon, including several mid-level LG smartphones with Android 5.1.1.

You can purchase the Samsung Galaxy S6 from HSN.com where it is offered with a bundle of minutes worth $100, plus extra accessories. We will update if the phone is released elsewhere.

Remember to verify you have CDMA service in your area (check on the Tracfone website) before you buy.

You can view the Tracfone Tutorial for the S6 to learn more about it, and learn how to use it.

If you’re new to Android phones on Tracfone, read our guide for How to Check your Airtime balance which shares several different methods for tracking your minutes.

Also take a look at our Android Tracfone List, which is where we list each of the smartphones from Tracfone in one convenient list so you can compare features.

Drop a comment below with your thoughts or questions, and be sure to follow us on Facebook where we have a growing community of Tracfone users.

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