Kyocera Cadence LTE - Review 2022

The inexpensive Kyocera Cadence LTE for Verizon Wireless ($120) is the epitome of a elementary flip phone in 2022. It gets decent reception, has a fast interface, and connects to Verizon'southward modern 4G network. For the basic Verizon subscriber, that should be plenty.

Pattern

The Cadency is a basic, solidly built, nighttime bluish plastic flip phone. On the outside, a bright little monochrome OLED screen shows the time, engagement, battery, signal, and caller ID information. Flip information technology open up to get a ii.4-inch 240-by-320 screen and some nicely separated concrete buttons. The whole bundle is matte, and the back is grippy.

Information technology isn't waterproof or rugged, unlike the Kyocera DuraXV LTE, but information technology costs half what the DuraXV LTE does. And it tin can take a bit of a beating; I tossed it effectually a footling without a trouble.

Flipped open, information technology's about seven and a one-half inches long. That's a more comfortable size, in my estimation, than the LG Exalt LTE, which might be also long for some heads.

Network and Telephone Calling

The Cadency LTE, like the Exalt LTE, is a 4G-only telephone. Verizon has stopped investing in expanding its 3G network, so no one should be buying 3G-simply phones on Verizon whatever more; while the old network will stay live until 2022, all of the improved coverage and service volition come up on 4G from hither on out. Verizon'southward 4G coverage should exceed its 3G coverage right at present, even indoors. Encounter our Fastest Mobile Networks results for more than.

The phone uses 4G bands 4 and xiii, which are Verizon's chief bands. It also has GSM bands 2 and 5 for roaming within the US and Canada. It will not piece of work at all exterior of North America. If y'all're going to need roaming, look to the Exalt LTE, which has GSM roaming bands. If you need Verizon 3G, you'll have to step up to the Kyocera DuraXV, which has both 3G and 4G.

Signal forcefulness on the Cadence'southward limited bands was very skillful in testing. We compared information technology with the Exalt and DuraXV, and were pleasantly surprised to encounter that the Cadence oftentimes showed stronger signal than the DuraXV did, most on par with the Exalt.

This translates into good, but non great, voice quality. The Cadence supports both HD Voice and Wi-Fi calling, although its Wi-Fi is of the 2.4GHz-simply variety. Audio through the earpiece has a little more than treble than the DuraXV, more like the Exalt—voices sound precise, but with a flake of a groundwork hiss. The back-ported speakerphone is fine for indoor use. Noise cancellation through the mic is very good. You tin can trigger the telephone'due south voice dialing with the activeness button of your Bluetooth headset, and the Dash-powered voice dialing works fine.

Talk time was excellent at 9 hours, 3 minutes, and the battery is removable.

Apps

The phone runs a crippled version of Android on a ane.1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 processor, simply it is a fixed-function telephone with no downloadable apps. It has an electronic mail app that supports AOL, Yahoo!, and POP/IMAP; a bones browser; a reckoner; a multifunction clock; and a useless agenda that doesn't sync with annihilation.

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The contact book and Message+ texting app, on the other hand, sync with Verizon's deject arrangement, which lets yous collect your texts and enter contacts using a web interface, avoiding having to type on the number pad.

Text entry includes XT9 with word menus, so there's that. The phone tin receive emoji, and tin can ship and receive pictures, but information technology can't send or receive video. Group texts work equally office of the general MMS protocol.

Otherwise, at that place'south a hotspot manner to create a Wi-Fi hotspot. The Cadency has a Category iv modem on only two bands, which ways connections will be slower and less reliable than high-finish smartphones or dedicated hotspots. Expect speeds around 10Mbps.

Multimedia

The ii-megapixel camera is a total dud. It takes grainy, fuzzy, noisy photos, and is basically useless in depression light. Information technology doesn't tape video at all. And you know what? That'south okay.

While the Exalt and DuraXV accept 5-megapixel cameras that record video, those cameras are also quite bad. Y'all are not going to get a adept photo-taking experience with any of these vocalisation phones, and then yous might too ignore the existence of the camera. It's possible to apply the camera'due south zoom function as a magnifier, though, which is the best use for it.

There's 16GB of storage (11.5 GB bachelor), every bit well as a microSD slot under the back cover. Realistically, you'll use that storage for music. The Cadence played our MP3, OGG, M4A, and WAV music files, filing them into the right anthology folders and showing anthology art. Sound quality was fine through both a wired 3.5mm headset and Bluetooth headphones. Music plays when the phone is flipped closed, although it doesn't show the rails name on the external screen.

Comparisons and Conclusions

A voice phone should be inexpensive and let you make phone calls. The Kyocera Cadence LTE delivers on these fronts, without frills like apps and video. Information technology's a lilliputian better than the Exalt LTE, because that front screen gives you the caller ID information you need and then you can decide whether or non to flip the telephone open.

But recollect, a telephone similar the Cadency ways you aren't going to be able to view those video messages your grandchildren send. For that, you lot'll need to merchandise upward to the DuraXV or to a smartphone. But for basic use on the Verizon network, the Cadence fits the bill.