T-Mobile has announced the REVVL 6, one of two new budget 5G smartphones in its REVVL range of devices, but is it worth buying instead of the OnePlus Nord N20 5G? Carriers are known to sell phones and tablets from different manufacturers, but a few carriers have their own branded products for customers to purchase. One such operator is T-Mobile, which sells its own brand of smartphones under the REVVL brand.
T-Mobile launched the first REVVL smartphone in August 2017, which had entry-level specifications at a super-affordable price of just $125. A few months later, it launched the REVVL Plus, which shared some key specs with the REVVL but came with a larger display and battery capacity. Since then, T-Mobile has continued to launch new models, including the $200 REVVL V Plus 5G announced in 2021.
T-Mobile’s new smartphone has a design partly inspired by the iPhone. It features a flat display, curved frame, triple rear camera setup, and plastic casing. REVVL 6 comes in one color – Chinese Blue. OnePlus phones also borrow some designs from the iPhone. Its display is also flat, as is its frame. However, its rear triple cameras are separate. It’s also made of plastic and available in a solid color called “Blue Smoke.” Neither phone has any form of water resistance.
Nord N20 costs more
REVVL 6 features a 6.5-inch display with a waterdrop notch that houses a 5MP front-facing camera. That’s slightly larger than the 6.43-inch display of the Nord N20, which houses a 16MP selfie camera in the top left corner. Additionally, T-Mobile uses an HD+ resolution LCD display to keep costs down, but it can’t compete with the Nord N20’s AMOLED FHD+ panel. Despite these differences, both phones have a 60Hz refresh rate. REVVL 6 is powered by a Dimensity 700 processor, paired with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of expandable storage (up to 2TB). The Nord N20, on the other hand, has a more powerful Snapdragon 695 processor, 6GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage. It also has a MicroSD card slot for adding up to 512GB of storage space.
Both phones feature triple rear cameras, but not only are they arranged differently, but so are the sensors. There is a 13MP main camera on the REVVL 6, paired with a 2MP depth camera and a 2MP macro camera. In comparison, the Nord N20 has a 64MP f/1.79 main camera, a 2MP macro camera, and a 2MP black and white camera. On both phones, buyers will find a speaker, an audio jack, and a USB-C port for charging. Both phones feature fingerprint scanners, but the Nord N20’s fingerprint scanner is buried under the display, while the REVVL 6 has its own fingerprint scanner on the side, under the red power button. They also both support face unlock. Both T-Mobile and OnePlus have the same 4500mAh battery capacity, but the Nord N20 charges faster when empty as it supports 33W fast charging, unlike the REVVL 6 which charges at 15W. OnePlus also gets extra points for including a charger in the box, whereas those buying the REVVL 6 will have to provide their own. The REVVL 6 runs Android 12 with a UI close to stock Android and comes with multiple Google apps and services pre-installed, while OnePlus offers Android 11-based OxygenOS for the Nord N20. While T-Mobile didn’t reveal how many REVVL 6 units will get the OS upgrade, the Nord N20 is eligible for an OS upgrade that brings it to Android 12. OnePlus also promises three years of security updates. At $169, the REVVL 6 is dirt cheap, but that low price comes at the expense of a low-resolution display, a mediocre camera array, and a weak processor. It also doesn’t have a charger.
By comparison, the $282 Nord N20 ($299, unlocked) proves its worth with a sharper screen, better camera, more RAM and storage, faster charging, and a bundled charger. The price is reasonable, but its outdated Android version is disappointing. Still, for anyone looking to buy a cheap 5G smartphone for their kids or as a second smartphone, the REVVL 6 may be enough. The TCL Stylus 5G is a great option for those who want a better device than the REVVL 6 but don’t want to spend nearly $300 on a Nord N20. It’s $258 on T-Mobile, and buyers get a 6.81-inch FHD+ screen, 50MP quad cameras, a smaller 4000mAh battery with 18W charging speed (charger included), Android 12, and a built-in stylus.
Source: T-Mobile, OnePlus