A T-Mobile Branded Budget Phone?! The Revvel 5G Will Surprise You.
Edited: Dec 12, 2021, 6:17 PMPhone owned for more than a year
I have always been a flagship phone purchaser, but nowadays the big problem for me is a number and a letter . . . "5G" Yeah, my $1200 phone is 4G, and since I pride myself with always having the latest mobiles, I was faced with a major dilemma. Do I abandon my daily carry 4G flagship or tough it out for another year so I can say I got my money's worth.
I decided on a hybrid approach, I'll get a semi-budget 5G phone, continue to use my $1200 4G flagship, then ease to 5G during 2022. (Since I'm a 5G neophyte I have yet to determine if I actually NEED 5G since, e.g., my streams are plenty fast with 4G speeds.) The big question was, what 5G phone to purchase.
I did some research and learned that the T-Mobile-branded Revvel 5G phone got a lot of good press. The general consensus was that the Revvel was an impressive mobile, and at it's low budget price, the phone was a steal.
Moreover, everyone was impressed with the specs. Reviewers noted that the phone comes with a microSD slot and a 3.5 MM audio port ("headphone jack"). So I took the plunge and bought the Revvel. (Out of context: I was so impressed with the Revvel that I just purchased a second unit. I had sold the first one to a friend who needed it for her second line. So I bought another for use as a second line/emergency/backup phone.)
When I received the phone I liked the feel and looks of the Revvel, with the exception of the back which is a funky gradient maroon band against a flat black background. It's not a deal breaker, but I did not warm up to the back's look.
I fired up the phone and was instantly pleased with the Revvel's display. But how would it fare with online 4K video streams? My multi-media test is quite basic. I log on to YouTube, search for a 4K video that's about five minutes or longer, and I see how the device performs. I loaded a 4K video promoting upcoming blockbuster films. The Revvel performed beautifully. The video stream was bright, sharp, and overall pleasing to my eyes. Yep, this phone passed the YouTube 4K video test with a 10.
Software wise, I think T-Mobile contracted with Alphabet to provide Android updates in the near future. A nice touch, the OS automatically provided an Android update. After giving permission, the phone updated the OS to Android 11. Can't complain about that.
Regarding speed, yes, 5G does improve speed performance, but I'm not sure I need that speed since I'm now retired. If you're in business then YES! recommend upgrading to 5G. But for the rest of us, I'm not too sure we need to download an Android app in 30 seconds instead of 90 (that's just numbers I pulled out of thin air, I did NOT perform a download speed comparison test).
Bottom Line: If you are reading this, this is an "old phone" that I don't think is available on the retail market. But you can find it on the used and refurbished markets. It's definitely a phone you should snap up.
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