TCL Flip review discussed the phone’s performance and features that are very useful for today’s activities. Discover what’s the pros and cons here.
Back a few years ago, a flip phone was a prima donna. Everyone used to use it as their communication device. Today, this type of phone is coming back with more advanced features. One of them is TCL Flip.
TCL Flip was released in September 2021. This phone has a simple look that is still comfortable in most people’s hands. It comes with a black doff color, making the phone look more masculine.
The TCL Flip review will help you to look deeper into the phone’s ins and outs and make you decide whether this phone would be worth buying or not.
Page Contents:
Key Specs
TCL Flip specifications:
| Weight | 133g |
| Dimensions | 107 x 56 x 19.8mm |
| OS | KaiOS 3.0 |
| Screen size | 2.8-inch |
| Resolution | 320 x 240 |
| CPU | 1.3GHz Quad-core, Qualcomm Snapdragon 215 |
| RAM | 512MB |
| Storage | 4GB |
| Battery | 1,850mAh, Removable |
| Camera | 2MP |
Design
Holding the TCL Flip will feel lightweight and fits in your palm hand. It only weighs 133g with the dimension 107 x 56 x 19.8mm. This phone was made perfectly for daily activity. It has an ergonomic size that will make users feel comfortable.
The phone’s design is one of the plus points that we love. Thanks to its black doff with a little bluish tint. It looks simple, masculine, and modern at the same time. The corner also comes rounded, so it will give extra comfort for users when holding this.
The external screen is available on the front of the phone with its 1.44-inch display screen. The 2MP camera is hanging at the top. Move on to the backside; there is a standard speaker and a TCL logo.
Read also: TCL Flip User Manual
Display
The TCL Flip features two kinds of displays. The first display is mounted on the phone’s exterior. It has a 1.44-inch display screen. The other one is the main display. It comes with a 2.8-inch screen, and the resolution is 320 x 240 pixels.
For most users who aren’t familiar with the tiny screen display, it’s gonna be hard to adapt since the size feels too small to do some activities such as browsing or texting.
The external screen doesn’t do too much. It only shows the date and time, the notifications, and the phone’s battery level. The “On Playing” display will be shown if we play any music or video in the closed position.
Camera
The camera is not something that stands out on this phone. The TCL Flip only has a bare minimum camera quality. It only comes with a 2MP rear camera. It doesn’t even have the camera’s flash or auto-focus features.
The camera is far from perfect. It isn’t built for social media purposes. For taking a selfie, we found it a little bit tricky. Since we can’t use tripods for taking a steady shot, we highly recommend using a camera timer.
However, this phone still has many interesting features such as video recording, zoom-in and zoom-out options, and high or low-quality image options.
Read also: Alcatel Go Flip 4 Review: A Modern Touch to The Classic Flip Phone
Storage
The TCL Flip provides 4GB of internal storage. In our opinion, the space is not big enough if we are compared to other phones. Sadly, after all the system files are stored, we only get around 1,8GB of internal storage to use.
You can’t expect to download large apps and games with this storage capacity. Despite this, the capacity is still acceptable for storing the essential ones. The messages, contacts, call logs, and a few pictures are included.
If you want to save or download larger types of files, you need to expand the storage. You can put external storage into the phone. The TCL Flip provides up to 32GB SD cards.
Performance
TCL Flip runs on a 1.3GHz Quad-core, Qualcomm Snapdragon 215. For us, this processor is refreshing for a flip phone. Thanks to this, the phone navigation can perform smoother. The user interface also becomes more fluid.
This phone works on 512MB of RAM. For the software, it runs on KaiOS 3.0. Since this phone was made for entry-level users, the combo pairs perfectly for non-hectic daily activities.
The KaiOS is an operating system built for basic phones. It has some features and functionalities that are similar to the modern mobile OS. You can access the email, set up any events on the calendar, etc.
For example, you can spot Google Search, Google Maps, and Youtube. The TCL Flip also already has the Twitter app pre-installed on the device. You can download more apps that you like through the KaiOS Store. But keep in mind that the KaiOS store doesn’t have a lot of app choices.
The TCL Flip has Music, FM Radio, Podcast, and Games apps installed for entertainment purposes. You can play any games that are perfectly made for flip phones. You will also be able to listen to any music with the phone’s speakers or through the headphone jack. This phone also supported HD voice and a dual microphone with noise cancellation.
The TCL Flip is user-friendly for anyone. This phone supported some features for people with sight and hearing limitations. It is WEA Enabled, TTY/TTD Enabled, and Hearing-Aid Compatible.
Unfortunately, the TCL Flip lacks any sensor features. Unlike today’s smartphones, this phone doesn’t have fingerprint and facial recognition. It also doesn’t come with Google Assistant and Speech-To-Text features. For some people, including us, it is a down-side point since we can use the phone more comfortably and flexibly with those features.
Connectivity
The TCL Flip supported 4G LTE connectivity. With this, the phone can be accessed at wide-range locations. On top of that, it delivers good communication and connectivity quality. We found no struggle when it comes to using the internet. It loads and runs fast enough for a basic phone.
Aside from the mobile network, users can also access the internet through Wi-Fi connectivity. The phone is equipped with VoLTE and VoWiFi for clearer audio output.
For other connectivity, there are also USB Type-C and Bluetooth. You can transfer any files or use external devices with these. However, the TCL Flip doesn’t come with an NFC feature yet.
Battery
The TCL Flip boasts an impressive battery for a basic flip phone. With a 1,850mAh battery capacity, we can use the phone throughout the day. It is a removable battery type, which is a good advantage. If the battery happens to have any damage, we can use a replacement.
The battery lasts up to 14 hours of talk before it runs out. It applies if you are on 4G connectivity activated. It can last up to 336 hours or 18 days max for standby time. It can last that long because this phone only supports basic activities.
The TCL Flip doesn’t support fast charging. Because of this, charging time on the TCL Flip takes some time. It took around 3 hours to fully charge the battery.
Is the TCL Flip a good phone?
If you are looking for a basic flip phone, the TCL Flip is one of the options on the market nowadays. However, we will explain the pros and cons included in the TCL Flip review.
Surprisingly, for $29.99, this phone has an impressive user interface. The feeling of using it is the same as using today’s smartphones. It has good fluidity. The TCL Flip also has a nice battery and good looking design.
However, there are a few drawbacks. The camera is not reliable enough, and the internal storage is low. It also lacks sensor features that are very useful for a phone.
TCL Flip Pros:
- Impressive user interface
- Nice battery
- Good looking design
TCL Flip Cons:
- Low camera solutions
- Small internal storage
- Lacks sensor features
