TCL 30 V 5G review: even on a budget, you can do better

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If you find yourself in a store or on the internet looking at the phone, chances are you are looking at it as a free phone. It's nice to be free. It may be too steep for the 30 V 5G.

The full retail price of the 30 V 5G is $299. A big, full HD display, a healthy 128GB of storage, 4GB of RAM, and a 4,500mAh battery are all included in this package. It's good for a budget phone that has low-res 720p screens and only 64GB of storage.

laggy performance in almost every aspect of using this phone, from scrolling through menu screens to streaming video is a major gripe. The components of the phone perform well enough on paper, but the day-to-day use tells a different story. Even when the phone is free, life doesn't need to be this way.

One of the key selling points for the 30 V 5G is the screen and the image processing behind it. The feature enhances color and contrast in the media you view on your phone and can convert standard definition content to high definition quality. I was too distracted by the frequent framerate drops to pay attention to what I was seeing.

The screen is bright enough to be used in sunny conditions. It has a big display with enough resolution to keep things looking sharp, which is great in a $300 phone. At this price point, other manufacturers are adding features like higher refresh rates or contrast-rich OLEDs, rather than using the same type of panels. These aren't necessarily must-haves, but they are more compelling than NXTVISION.

The 30 V 5G uses the same processor as the 480 5G. This is not the worst processor / memory combination in the budget class, but, for whatever reason, it makes for noticeably sluggish performance in this device. When scrolling through the app screens, it's noticeable that the apps are close in the background, and that they stutter when playing video.

There is a bright spot on the report card. I was able to use a single charge for two days. It would likely stand up to a full day of heavy use, but it would be a challenge. The box also contains a wall charger, which is very rare these days. There is no wireless charging in the budget category.

The rear-panel fingerprint sensor of the TCL 30 V 5G is reliable and quick. I'm not happy with the weak haptics. I don't feel the phone vibrates in my pocket when I hear the phone buzzing. There is no option to adjust the strength of the vibrations.

You can get all flavors of 5G, including the C-band, which is much faster than 4G with a wide-ranging signal. The millimeter wave is very fast but not plentiful. If your phone plan includes Ultra Wideband, you'll want to check it out, because some only offer access to the C-bandless Nationwide 5G. If your plan doesn't include Ultra Wideband and you don't upgrade to one that does, you might be fine with a 4G-only phone for now.

One of my least favorite things about this phone is that it isn't the fault of TCL. Since it's a carrier-locked phone, it's been loaded with all sorts of proprietary cloud storage and call filters, as well as a bunch of pre-downloaded games like Game of Thrones Slots Casino. Setting up the phone is a lot more time consuming than it would be if Word Trip and CrossWord Jam could be uninstalled, but that is a real pain.

It's not unusual for a carrier-specific device to have this, but it's even more unusual for it to be set as the default text messaging app. If you sign up for a six-month free trial through your phone plan, you'll be able to keep paying for Apple Music after you forget about it. Apple Music! On this phone!

The 30 V 5G is pre-installed with the latest version of the operating system. There isn't an update to Android 12 available right now, and there isn't confirmation that it will get one. The company hasn't confirmed how long it will support this device with security updates, but two years has been the standard for the company in recent history.

When running navigation with the screen turned off and the phone locked, it drops the gps signal. Most people use their phone in a cradle, or use their car's touchscreen to use their maps. I like to play it fast and loose, punch in my destination, start navigation, lock my phone, and leave it on the seat next to me with my virtual co-pilot guiding me. This is the first phone I have encountered that won't work like this, and it's a little odd. This seems to be a problem with a locked phone and a gps signal.

There are three rear cameras on the 30 V 5G, all of which have a wide angle lens. There is a 16-megapixel camera around front. If a little oversharpened, the photos look fine.

The technical term for the main camera is a little squirrely. Even though the subject matter hadn't changed, I would move the camera just the tiniest between shots and end up with a noticeably darker or lighter image. I like the choices the phone makes for exposure and color, but sometimes it takes a few shots to get the right answer.

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• Ultrawide
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• Selfie camera
• Ultrawide
• Macro
• Night mode

The 30 V 5G struggles in low light, but no more than any other budget phone. It isn't really cut out for photographing people in low light. Slow shutter speeds make subjects blurry and smoothed over from noise reduction, which isn't a good look. In very dim conditions, a night mode will kick in and do a good job with subjects that aren't moving.

Video resolution is capped at 30p so there is no 4K, which is becoming more common in phones at all price points. There is a lot of camera shake in my video clips, and the lack of electronic image stabilization is very noticeable.

The 30 V 5G is a good phone. It does everything I need it to do, and it wakes me up in the morning. It's hard to recommend it because it's not very good, and there are better options at this price point. It is well-known for its good quality TVs. Maybe the company is still trying to figure out what the quality equation looks like for phones.

Things aren't adding up right now. The screen is good, but choppy performance makes it hard to enjoy. Your phone plan might not include the 5G bands. The interface is cluttered with pre-downloads and services.

The TCL 30 V 5G is only suitable for someone who doesn't want a phone from a company that doesn't offer 5G, but still wants a big, high-resolution display and a healthy amount of built-in storage. They don't want to pay anything out of pocket.

At the time I am writing this, I think that the best choice is the free version of theSamsung A42 5G. Right now, that offer is good for a new line on any unlimited plan, not the more expensive ones. The A42 5G's performance and camera quality are a little better, and it's already available for download. Another option is to buy an unlocked A32 5G for $279. The screen isn't as good as it could be and you'll need to expand the storage with a microSD card, but the camera system is better, C-band Ultra Wideband is supported, and it's currently being updated to Android 12.

There is no such thing as a free phone. There is a lot of value in securing your business for the next 36 months. I think you should use that currency on another device if it's the currency you're spending.

Allison Johnson is a photographer.

Every smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it. It is impossible for us to read and analyze all of these agreements. We started counting how many times you have to agree to use devices when we review them.

You must agree to use the TCL 30 V 5G.

• Google Terms of Service
• Google Privacy Policy
• Google Play Terms of Service

You need to agree to the following to add a Google account.

• Install updates and apps: “You agree this device may also automatically download and install updates and apps from Google, your carrier, and your device’s manufacturer, possibly using cellular data. Some of these apps may offer in-app purchases.”

If you don't use Google Assistant, you can skip the two optional agreements.

• Google Assistant
• Hey Google Voice Match

You need to accept and read among the last steps of your phone setup.

• TCL Terms of Service
• TCL Privacy Policy

Some carrier specific agreements are included in this phone.

• Verizon Digital Secure Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy
• Verizon Cloud Terms and Conditions
• Verizon Services including Location Info and Apps Info

You have to accept at least six agreements when setting up the TCL 30 V 5G.