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TCL ION X Review (Metro by T-Mobile)

The TCL ION X review concludes all important aspects of a casual smartphone. It also covers the phone’s key features to ensure your daily tasks are delivered nicely.

TCL ION X Review

The TCL ION X smartphone was released in January 2023. It’s one of the TCL smartphones that covers all users’ everyday needs. It doesn’t come into existence as a phone with top-notch features. It is merely for being a simple gadget.

At a glance, there is nothing that really catches our attention. However, a 6-inch display screen is still acceptable and has a high-definition visual quality. More on the device, the features reflect its affordable price; a single rear camera, a bare minimum battery quality, and a standard processor spec.

But here, we don’t want to make a quick judgment. That’s why we provide you this complete TCL ION X smartphone review. We discuss the device much, from its design to the deeper under the hood.

Key Specs

TCL ION X key specifications:

Weight170g
Dimensions156 x 75 x 8.9mm
OSAndroid 12
Screen size6-inch
Resolution720 x 1440
ProcessorMediatek Helio G25 (MT6762G)
CPUOcta-core (4×2.0 GHz Cortex-A53 & 4×1.5 GHz Cortex-A53)
RAM3GB
Storage32GB
Battery3,000mAh, Removable
Rear camera13MP
Front camera5MP
FeaturesFace Unlock

Design

TCL ION X

Design-wise, the TCL ION X smartphone leaves the impression of an old phone from a few years back. It has a quite good ergonomic shape with 170g of weight, 156mm in width, and 75mm in height. It features rounded corners, which gives comfort whenever we hold the device.

A trendy style is not the main priority of the phone. It can be instantly seen in the front area. This device still equipped large bezels at the top and bottom sides. The top bezel is a home for their front camera. Meanwhile, there is nothing at the bottom – which is useless and can be stretched slightly to make ample room for the screen.

The back area is kinda interesting with its textured black case. This texture makes the device feel cheap and not elegant at all. Even though it is an entry-level smartphone, we wish it had a nicer and more sleek appearance. This area is a home for its single rear camera and LED flash.

Read also: TCL ION X User Manual

Display

TCL ION X Display

A 6-inch display screen may become the main strength of the TCL ION X smartphone. Even though it looks modest, it is a better size than most other on-budget smartphones. You can play with your fingers freely on this adequate screen. 

Even better, this phone has an 18:6 screen ratio, giving you an impressive edge-to-edge screen. It means you get a chance to experience a panoramic view.

The smartphone is already equipped with a high-definition (HD+) screen quality. It has a 720 x 1440 pixel resolution known to deliver clarity and great color accuracy on the phone’s contents. The details are striking; no icons or images come out pixelated.

Camera

TCL ION X Camera

If you are looking for a dual or more camera on the back, the TCL ION X is definitely not for you. This phone still comes with a single 13MP rear camera. This spec is great enough to take a clear and well-toned picture.

As a budget smartphone, the camera’s color production is in the right category. The features inside the camera are also interesting. It has a light trace feature to give you a dramatic output while taking light trails pictures. The stop motion feature is also available to give you a more creative video output for your social media.

The 5MP front camera is another story. It is not a high megapixel, yet it still decently works for you to take some selfie by yourself or a group selfie. There is no LED flash on this camera; instead, you can try to have a brighter picture with its LCD flash.

Storage

The TCL ION X smartphone brings 32GB of internal storage. It is a plentiful space for an entry-level smartphone. Although most of the space portions are reserved for the system and preloaded apps–approximately, you only left 18GB for yourself.

We advise you to spare some cash to get additional storage for the device. You can make the room bigger by buying a MicroSD card up to 512GB and putting it into the external slot. By doing this, you will be satisfied with the results and can store as many files as you want.

Read also: Hot Pepper Tabasco Flip Phone Review

Performance

TCL ION X Side View

The TCL ION X performance is based on the Octa-core MediaTek Helio G25 MT6762G processor. The specs are typical that we mostly find in every entry-level smartphone. It ensures users can experience a smooth and reliable performance with this gadget.

The CPU runs fast with a 2GHz clock rate; no lags or glitches were found while we accessed some apps. To make it even better, this device is accompanied by 3GB RAM, a generous size for a budget smartphone.

It is responsible for the device to run smoothly as ever. Still, the problem is that you might struggle while you multitask. This phone is not built for opening apps simultaneously and for playing a highly intense gaming activity. Again, it is just for simple routines like communicating and staying updated on social media.

The operating system that runs on the TCL ION X is Android 12. Today, it is not the latest Android version, but trust us, the features on this OS are still way better and useful for your needs. It offers the safest experience and personal transformation that is a dynamically smooth and effortless experience.

In Android 12, you are the main control. You have a full right to customize and manage your phone’s notifications to make it more secure and more flexible as you want. After all, all of the updated features can be enjoyed nicely on this TCL ION X smartphone.

The TCL ION X carries several useful sensors, such as the gyroscope feature, G-sensor, compass, and barometer. These features have different roles in making your experience with the device better.

If you are aware, there is no fingerprint reader on this phone, physically or on the screen. Instead, it applies face recognition to unlock the TCL ION X. Theoretically, this feature is way faster than a fingerprint to open your phone, so we won’t complain much about this.

Connectivity

The TCL ION X smartphone applies a ‘norm’ connectivity: it is a 4G LTE-based network to let you stay in touch with your relatives and the world. 4G LTE is known for its stable and fast internet connection. More than that, VoLTE also gives you a clear quality every time you call anyone.

This device has an internet connection alternative, Wi-Fi. Other than that, you can also make your device a mobile hotspot. Bluetooth and USB Type-C are also available. Both can transfer connectivity to share some files.

Battery

As a budget-friendly smartphone, it is understandable to discover a standard 3,000mAh battery capacity. On paper, this battery promises to have a 363 hours or 15 days battery life in standby time and up to 17 hours while you use the device for talk time. It is not that huge, but still decent for most casual days.

In the end, the battery cycle depends on many factors. The main one is your digital behavior towards the device. The more frequently you use the device, the worse it gets, so you must watch your activity and treat the battery well. On the other note, this phone does not have fast charging support, so it may take some time to get your battery full from zero percent.

Verdict

At this point of the TCL ION X review, we’ve seen all the phones thoroughly. As mentioned above, this phone is supposedly made for everyday activities. It can provide you with all your lightweight needs, like calling, messaging, emailing, or any social media activities.

But for more than that, it is obviously not suitable. This phone costs $119, above the bare minimum for an entry-level smartphone. However, you can get this device for free if you are a new Metro by T-Mobile customer.

TCL ION X Pros:

  • Decent screen size
  • Decent screen quality
  • Face recognitions

TCL ION X Cons:

  • Low camera quality
  • Outdated design appearance