I’ve always been a bit skeptical about free promotional devices offered by various carriers. I’ve found that they often have poor displays, poor build quality, and lackluster performance — all things you want to avoid in a new device. But surprisingly, that’s not the case with the T-Mobile Revvl Tab 5G.
Whether you get a free Revvl Tab when you add a new line to your T-Mobile service or pay the full $200 for an affordable tablet, I think there’s something here for everyone — just don’t expect to be too excited after that new feeling wears off.
T-Mobile Revvl Tab 5G
The T-Mobile Revvl Tab 5G offers the flexibility of 5G coverage with decent performance for its price range. Its 10.36-inch LCD screen looks good while watching content, and the MediaTek Dimensity 700 is surprisingly fast. The Revvl has the ability to keep the screen on for over 10 hours, making it ideal as a tablet for watching movies and TV shows.
- Excellent battery
- Good show
- Solid build quality
- slow shipping
- No expected updates
Price and availability
Exclusive to T-Mobile
The Revvl Tab 5G is available from T-Mobile (surprise!) for $200. However, if you’re adding a new line to your service, you can get the Revvl Tab for free as part of a promotion from the carrier. It’s not Fully It’s free, as you still need to have active service with T-Mobile for 24 months. Each month, you’ll receive a bill credit for part of the tablet, so if you terminate service early, the remaining credit will be due. It’s offered in one configuration: 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, with Dark Shadow being the only color option.
T-Mobile provides a fairly simple unboxing experience for the Revvl Tab. As you’d expect at this price point, you’ll find a USB-C to USB-C charging cable and a SIM card tray — no charging dock included.
design
It’s boxy but it gets the job done.
If you’re the type who walks into an ice cream shop and orders a big vanilla latte, the Revvl’s design will appeal to you. It’s a center-mounted tablet, with no obvious features, save for a faint T-Mobile logo on the back. The only touch of class comes from the purple power button — the color choice you’d expect from T-Mobile. The Revvl is big, with squared-off edges, and it’s a bit heavy, too, at 513 grams, but I never felt the extra weight bother me while using it.
The Revvl Tab has thicker bezels than you’d find on an iPad but they’re still thinner than similarly priced tablets, like the Amazon Fire HD 10. I’ve never minded bezels on tablets, as they give my hands a place to hold the device without obstructing the screen.
Along the outer frame, you’ll find stereo speakers and a SIM tray, which houses a microSD card slot if you have a compatible microSD card, as well as a nano SIM slot for 5G connectivity. The speakers aren’t the loudest out there, but they also don’t cause distortion. If you need more volume, you can always pair your favorite Bluetooth headset for a better listening experience.
Overall, the metal chassis feels solid, with tight tolerances, and while I would never recommend hitting your tablet, the Revvl Tab feels like it can handle repeated hits without falling apart. It’s exactly the build quality you’d expect in this price range, and I’m glad to see T-Mobile doing enough to maintain a sense of solidity while focusing more on other areas.
an offer
Better than expected for the price.
I appreciate that we’ve seen better displays on budget tablets over the past few years. Nothing ruins a user experience faster than a bad display, and I’m glad T-Mobile got the memo with the Revvl Tab. The spec sheet won’t surprise you; it’s a 10.36-inch LCD with a resolution of 1200 x 2000. At first glance, it doesn’t seem to be color accurate, with a cooler tone to the colors, but once you start watching content, any concerns go away. I found myself fully immersed in streaming videos and movies without feeling negatively distracted by the screen.
While it’s not the brightest screen (you’ll struggle in sunlight), the Revvl’s panel is perfectly acceptable for indoor viewing. With any tablet in this price range, I judge it first and foremost on its ability to watch content, and the Revvl Tab is a big winner—Marathons of Suits on Netflix are a joy. Games also look good on the Revvl Tab, with cars appearing onscreen as you play Asphalt 9.
programming
Beautiful Android experience
The Revvl Tab 5G runs Android 13. T-Mobile’s flavor of Android is fairly basic, with little aesthetic difference from the core Google Pixel experience. Unlike previous carrier devices we’ve seen, the Revvl Tab isn’t loaded with bloatware. You’ll find the T-Mobile app and T-Mobile Play preloaded, but it’s a far cry from the nightmare scenarios we’ve grown accustomed to with carrier software. If you haven’t had a dose of ’90s nostalgia lately, McAfee Anti-virus also comes on the Revvl Tab. Tablet-friendly UI elements, like the dock, are present, making multitasking easier.
I’m not too concerned about software support for the Revvl Tab because I don’t expect any. The latest and greatest Android features are a secondary concern, as this tablet should be used primarily for viewing content and light web browsing. I hope T-Mobile will update security patches on at least a quarterly basis, but I don’t expect to roll out full feature and monthly updates like they do with the Pixel.
performance
punches above their weight
Despite its reasonable price, performance on the Revvl Tab is very smooth. It’s powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 700 processor, which won’t turn heads much, but does a reasonable job with multitasking and social media apps. Even the great Genshin Impact audio equalizer works great on the Revvl Tab. You’ll be limited to low graphics settings, but it’s perfectly playable.
I didn’t experience any crippling lag, but I could easily see how the chipset might stutter under heavy load. If you keep your expectations in check, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how fast the Revvl Tab is when scrolling through Facebook or browsing show listings on Peacock. Try running Call of Duty Mobile on max settings, and your frame-limited experience will quickly remind you of the Tab’s price.
Battery life
The best part of Revvl Tab
T-Mobile claims the Revvl Tab has a “long-lasting” battery, and while that’s the most vague metric I’ve ever seen, the Revvl held up well in my testing. I consistently got over 10 hours of screen-on time, especially when using the tablet for frequent movie watching. The Revvl’s 7,040mAh battery also held up well on 5G, with outdoor streaming only taking an hour or two off that number. Standby drain is virtually nonexistent on it, so if you leave it unplugged one evening, you won’t end up with a dead tablet the next day.
Unfortunately, the Revvl Tab’s charging is limited to 15W, so recharging the large battery takes a while. On average, it took me over 3 hours to get a full charge, so the Revvl is definitely a tablet you’ll want to remember to plug in overnight if you’re a heavy user, as the battery can’t be recharged quickly during the day.
Contact
Covered no matter where you are (almost)
The 5G network works well on the Revvl Tab. I connected to T-Mobile’s Ultra Capacity service without issue and found similar signal strength to the T-Mobile service I’ve used on phones like the Samsung Galaxy A54 and Pixel 7a. Streaming worked well outdoors, and I didn’t experience any video buffering. If you’ve used T-Mobile before, I’d expect similar coverage and performance. It’s always convenient to take your tablet out on a bus or train and not have to worry about Wi-Fi connectivity.
camera
Exactly what you would expect from a tablet.
As you might expect, the Revvl Tab’s cameras aren’t very good. The main 8-megapixel sensor is fine for scanning documents, but don’t expect it to capture cute moments with your cat. T-Mobile includes a 2-megapixel depth sensor to support portrait mode, but the images are soft in anything but ideal lighting. Still, it’s nice to have portrait mode on such an inexpensive tablet — something I would have liked to see on Apple’s more expensive iPad.
The 8MP front-facing sensor takes care of selfies. Photos are easily blurry and harsh, but it will do the job when making video calls — just don’t expect great shots with friends.
a race
Quite a few options.
It’s hard to discuss tablets in the Revvl price range without mentioning the Amazon Fire HD 10. This year’s updated Fire HD offers an improved display and performance along with improved pen support. When you pair that with the often great discounts on the Fire HD, it’s hard to recommend anything else. I will say that the build quality of the Revvl Tab is superior and will hold up better to long-term wear and tear, so unless you’re married to the Amazon ecosystem, the T-mobile device is still worth considering.
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The Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Gen 2 is a great option if you’re willing to spend a little more. It’ll get you a better 120Hz refresh rate along with the boosted performance for about $100 more than the Revvl Tab. The Lenovo also features pen support and Office Mode software, making it a laptop replacement when you connect an external keyboard. It’s a close call, but if you’re just using your tablet to watch shows or respond to emails, it’s worth saving the money and sticking with the Revvl.
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Should you buy it?
If you’re picking up the Revvl Tab for free, it’s hard to miss. Unlike other promotional products, it’s no e-waste, with a sharp display and decent performance. Even if you’re paying full price, the Revvl still offers quality features. I love the build quality of the device, and the flexibility of 5G connectivity gives you peace of mind if you’re always on the go. When you add in the great battery life, you have the makings of a winner. It’s not a surefire win, but sometimes you just crave vanilla.
T-Mobile Revvl Tab 5G
The T-Mobile Revvl Tab 5G offers the flexibility of 5G coverage with decent performance for its price range. Its 10.36-inch LCD screen looks good while watching content, and the MediaTek Dimensity 700 is surprisingly fast. The Revvl has the ability to keep the screen on for over 10 hours, making it ideal as a tablet for watching movies and TV shows.
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