TCL Ion V review
The Ion V is for someone on a tight budget who needs basic Android features and can live with short battery life, sluggish performance, and a dim screen. Anyone who can spend €50 more should: the jump in performance, battery, and display quality at €150 makes this feel like a step backward.
This review is based on TCL’s published specifications and public benchmark data for the TCL Ion V, and the rating is spec-based. GoSolo does not physically test devices; where we estimate real-world behaviour such as battery life or charge time, we say so. How we rate phones.
Overview
The TCL Ion V is a no-frills entry-level Android phone aimed squarely at users who need calls, texts, and light browsing on a strict budget. The 3000 mAh battery and basic Helio G25 chip mean you get a working phone for about €100, but battery life is short and anything beyond casual use will feel sluggish.
Design & Build
At 177.4 g and 8.9 mm thick, the Ion V is slim and light enough to slip into a pocket without complaint. The phone feels compact in hand—a 6-inch screen on a body this size isn't unwieldy. There's little to say about materials or finish from the spec sheet, but at this price point, durability is a lottery. The removable battery is a practical win if you can find a spare: you can swap it on the road instead of hunting for a charger. That alone sets it apart from most modern phones, even cheap ones.
Display
The 6-inch 720×1440 IPS LCD is 1.5 steps down from today's baseline. Pixel density of 268 ppi is sharp enough at normal viewing distance, but the resolution feels dated even for 2023. Scrolling is smooth at 60 Hz, which is all you get. The 18:9 aspect ratio is friendly for one-handed grip, and the 78.9% screen-to-body ratio suggests reasonable bezels. Without a brightness spec, it's safe to assume outdoor visibility is weak; IPS panels at budget prices rarely push hard against sunlight. If you are mostly indoors or in shade, the display will not annoy you. In bright daylight, you'll squint.
Performance
The MediaTek Helio G25 running at up to 2.0 GHz is a 2020-era chip by 2023. With 3 GB RAM and 32 GB storage, this phone handles messaging, calls, and light browsing without lag. Open multiple apps and switch between them, and you will feel the slowdown. Casual games run, but demanding 3D titles will choke. The dedicated microSD slot is a real mercy: onboard storage evaporates fast once the system claims its share, leaving you with maybe 15 GB free. A cheap memory card buys you breathing room for photos and files.
Software
TCL UI sits on top of Android. The spec sheet does not name the Android version, which is telling for a January 2023 phone: if it shipped on Android 12 or earlier, it is already behind. TCL's overlay is minimal, which is good—bloat chokes performance on weak hardware. Updates are unlikely to be frequent or long-lived on a €100 phone. Security patches may lag. This is a phone you should not rely on for sensitive financial or personal data without caution.
Camera
The 13 MP main camera with PDAF and LED flash is ordinary for the money. It will shoot passable daylight photos and 1080p video at 30 fps, which is enough for snapshots you do not intend to print. Indoors or in low light, expect noise and softer detail. The 5 MP selfie camera is adequate for video calls but nothing more. There is no ultrawide, macro, or zoom camera; what you see is what you get. For a €100 phone, the camera is not a selling point—it is just a checkbox.
Battery & Charging
The 3000 mAh battery is small by today's standards. On light use—messaging, calls, and casual browsing—expect to stretch into early evening. Heavy video, gaming, or screen-on-time will push you toward a midday charge. The spec sheet lists no charging wattage, which almost certainly means a slow 5W or 10W charger in the box, if one comes at all. Charge times are likely measured in hours, not minutes. The removable battery is the saving grace: carry a spare and you sidestep the charger hunt entirely.
Value & Verdict
At around €100, the Ion V hits a price point where choice is sparse and expectations must be low. It is not a value phone that punches up in its class; it is the absolute bare minimum. You are trading battery life, performance, and display quality for the lowest entry fee to Android. For a user in a market where €100 is real money—someone who needs a phone for calls, texts, and WhatsApp, with no gaming or heavy media use—this works. It is slow, the screen is dim, and you'll charge it often. But it is small, light, has expandable storage, and a removable battery. Whether that is worth €100 depends entirely on whether you have the money and the patience for the compromises.
Verdict
The Ion V is for someone on a tight budget who needs basic Android features and can live with short battery life, sluggish performance, and a dim screen. Anyone who can spend €50 more should: the jump in performance, battery, and display quality at €150 makes this feel like a step backward.
- Removable battery lets you carry a spare and avoid the charger altogether
- Dedicated microSD slot on just 3 GB RAM means local storage expansion is not a luxury, it is a necessity made practical
- Lightweight at 177 g and thin at 8.9 mm, genuinely pocketable without bulk
- 3000 mAh battery will not last a full day under any realistic use; light users get to early evening, heavy users need a midday charge
- Helio G25 and 3 GB RAM make multitasking choppy and any demanding app sluggish
- 720p display looks soft and pixelated compared to even mid-range phones, and no brightness spec suggests poor outdoor visibility
TCL Ion V Key Specifications
The essentials at a glance. See the full spec sheet.
| Released | 2023, January 26 |
|---|---|
| Display | 6.0 inches, 92.9 cm2 (~78.9% screen-to-body ratio), IPS LCD |
| Resolution | 720 x 1440 pixels, 18:9 ratio (~268 ppi density) |
| Chipset | Mediatek MT6762G Helio G25 (12 nm) |
| RAM & storage | 32GB 3GB RAM |
| Main camera | 13 MP, (wide) 1/3.06", 1.12µm, PDAF |
| Selfie camera | 5 MP, (wide) 1/5.0", 1.12µm |
| Battery | 3000 mAh |
| Software | Android, TCL UI |
| Dimensions | 156.5 x 75.2 x 8.9 mm (6.16 x 2.96 x 0.35 in) |
| Weight | 177.4 g (6.24 oz) |
| Network | GSM / HSPA / LTE |
| NFC | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0 |
TCL Ion V FAQ
Common questions, answered from the spec sheet.
Does the Ion V support 5G?
No. The Ion V tops out at GSM / HSPA / LTE, without 5G.
What chipset does the Ion V use?
The Ion V runs on the Mediatek MT6762G Helio G25 (12 nm).
What display does the Ion V have?
A 6.0 inches, 92.9 cm2 (~78.9% screen-to-body ratio) IPS LCD, 720 x 1440 pixels, 18:9 ratio (~268 ppi density).
How big is the Ion V battery?
The Ion V has a 3000 mAh battery.
Does the Ion V have NFC?
No, the Ion V does not list NFC support.
Does the Ion V support a microSD card?
Yes, the Ion V supports expandable storage (microSDXC (dedicated slot)).
Alternatives to consider
If the Ion V isn’t quite right, these are the closest calls.
Ion X
503
ION Z
502
Galaxy XCover 7
