I got this phone just to try it out, and it's really a TERRIBLE device.
The display, while it's "higher resolution" (compared to other Android phones on the service) at either 800x400 or 800x480... the screen is just atrocious. The viewing angles are such that you have to be staring DIRECTLY at it held out in front of your face or else the colors completely and totally wash out. Even tipping it slightly everything starts to look like it's a negative picture. It's simply terrible and among the worst I've ever seen in any smartphone I've ever used since 2009.
And the performance... it's abysmal as well. It just chugs with even the most basic of uses. With benchmarking scores, it typically scored with numbers that were HALF of what another similarly priced, slightly cheaper phone does (the LG Optimus Fuel).
Depending on whether or not you think benchmarking makes a difference or not, here's the score I got with Quadrant comparing over four devices:
If you want a cheap Tracfone branded Android phone, the LG Optimus Fuel for it's price is just the way to go for the money. Then, of course, higher up there's the LG Ultimate 2 and that Alcatel.
Just don't even bother with this stinker.
January 30, 2015 at 9:48 AM
Anonymous said...
I agree, this phone is NOT right. Got it for my son, thinking it would be game oriented, where prices of entering everything is just nuts. I can not view the date of due time to buy minutes, nor can view them. I have an LG and like that MUCH better. I never should have purchased an android/wifi/web oriented phone. He doesn't need that.
February 8, 2015 at 1:01 PM
Anonymous said...
I have found the MAXPATROIT to be of (1) limited reception, (2) commands on the screen unresponsive in a consistent manner, (3) the service phone 949-748-7485 to give the "mail box full" recording and (4) the infor@unimaxcomm.com email box to not give a reply. This is non-supported piece of junk. I have had some good experiences with TracFone in the past, but that may be jeopardized for future business.
February 16, 2015 at 9:51 AM
Anonymous said...
just bought this phone, people tell me that when I am talking to them , they hear a tapping noise, I do not hear it while I am on the phone but others that call me do...............not a good phone in my opinion
March 15, 2015 at 8:17 PM
Anonymous said...
does anyone know if the Unimax MaxPatriot cell phone will accept 64GB microSDXC cards?
March 19, 2015 at 7:59 PM
Anonymous said...
Hate hate hate this phone. As soon as I can get another one it's going back!!
March 20, 2015 at 6:04 PM
Anonymous said...
Hate it you Cant have a plan tottaly getting something new is a month can't wait to get rid of this piece of shit
March 28, 2015 at 8:32 PM
Anonymous said...
I hate it slow it is just stupid getting a new one in a month can't wait to get rid of this shit
March 28, 2015 at 8:33 PM
Anonymous said...
I use this as a back up phone and I am quite happy with it, then again, I'm an old guy so this new fangled radio telephone technology is cool
Me, too! I am just learning to navigate with icons, and touch. It will be good for this golden oldie who finds herself grossly deficient with applications of techo stuff.
April 18, 2015 at 12:10 PM
Anonymous said...
My maxpatriot android phone goes completely black when I make or receive calls. Tutorial says to press the pwr/lock key but when I do that it just turns the phone off. This phone is a stinker!
May 1, 2015 at 10:33 AM
Anonymous said...
I have had so much trouble with this phone. It shuts down by itself!!! When talking people tell me that I sound garbled. I have talked to Tracfone many times about problems I have been having with this product and they don't want to listen. No more Tracfone for me, and I have been a customer for over 10 years.
THIS IS TO ALL YALL PEOPLE THAT ARE WANTING TO GET RID OF THE UNIMAX MAX PATRIOT 4.1 ANDRIOD PHONE..... IM LOOKING TO HAVE THAT PHONE. ITS A NICE LOOKING PHONE. SO IF YALL ARE JUST WANTING TO GET RID OF THAT PHONE, ILL TAKE IT. BUT IT HAS TO BE BRAND NEW IN BOX. HAS TO HAVE ALL THE PAPER WORK AND A CHANGER WITH IT. IM IN GIBSONTON FLORIDA. SO SEND ME EMAIL AT JILLDARLIN1@GMAIL.COM. AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT ME GETTING THE PHONE FROM U.....JILLY
June 3, 2015 at 9:17 AM
Anonymous said...
I just bought this phone 30 days ago and it is junk! It is my first smartphone. I should have done more research before buying one. The problem I'm having is that it gets really hot with just a short phone conversation. (5 mins or less) battery time is poor also. I called Tracfone to get my money back and they only offer a free replacement. They are sending me a new phone which I may not use and can't sell because my minutes and phone number will transfer automatically when I make the first call. Seriously, don't but a phone because it looks good, especially this piece of junk.
well yes ive been threw that were tracfone sends u a replacement phone.. but didn't they tell u that u have to send your other phone back to them, or they will disconnect your phone or turn it off to not work,. cause when i got the replacement phone it told u right with the paper work to send the other phone back to them within 30 days.......
ive read all the reviews of this phone. and hey im one who hardly uses a damn phone okay. the only reason I have a cell phone is for emergency only. like when im driven and the vehicle im driven breaks down. well I have a phone right there with me, I don't have to walk to a damn phone 10 or 15 miles ahead of me...
and well if u still have the other phone u hate so much. then like I sayed inm y post. im looking for someone who just want to get rid of that phone, and im sorry but if I take another phone in from someone, well there has to be no scratches on the phone whats so ever. and it has to be like brand new.. and has to have all the paper work with it and a charger with the phone as in if it was a brand new phone....
so if u have that phone, and its like brand new. and all u wanna do Is just get rid of it.then like I sayed I will take it off your hands. cause ive been looking at this phone, and ive seen all the features it has and talked to trace phone people about the features, and they say its a good phone to have for what I want it for, then ill take it off your hands for free!!!! I live in gibsonton florida. so if u wanna get rid of that phone for free then like I sayed all take it....JILLY
June 6, 2015 at 4:46 AM
Anonymous said...
What a waste of money this thing was. my 2nd one was no better than the "brand new" one it replaced. tons of apps you cant get rid of.just a power hog that thats slow and unreliable.
June 17, 2015 at 8:04 PM
Anonymous said...
terrible phone. has ongoing issues with trying to add units (minutes) and service days. very low battery life. and does'nt go into lock mode during conversation so you can either accidently hang up on the person you're conversing with or hit buttons making noises causing you to miss what the other person has said.
July 5, 2015 at 11:11 AM
Anonymous said...
Got this phone as a gift/upgrade from a zte. Call quality was good but my banking app crashed the phone every time. Most of my other apps would not run. Always gave some kind of error message. Ended up buying a Samsung phone to replace it.What a difference!! Don't waste your money with the Max Patriot.
July 8, 2015 at 8:51 PM
Anonymous said...
I agree this is not a phone that you can even make a simple phone call on. My LG840G has good reception. So why can't I make a call with the Max Patriot?? In phone information it say mobile is disconnected. I have another that says No Carrier. What's up with this crap?? Been a customer of Tracfone since they first started offering service in the area. Long time! They will talk to me but take my minutes. This is not my problem, it's Tracfone's problem and they should not take away my minutes to take care of a piece of crap phone. I have called the FCC on them before, looks like I will have to do it again.
July 9, 2015 at 11:23 AM
Anonymous said...
After using simple Tracfone flip phones for years I bought this phone just on a lark. Price was 40 dollars. So it is my first "smart phone." What do I think? Well, at nearly age 59 I think it is pretty damn cool for the most part! But I have nothing to compare it to, really! IT seems to work fine....yes, it does get too hot and you have to recharge the battery fairly often. I have only downloaded a few apps but they seem to work fine. I think the picture screen looks GREAT! I cannot understand why so many do not like the way the screen looks! It looks sharp and clear and very easy to read. I guess you could call this my starter phone. The only thing I HATE is the stupid fact you have to go to Google Play to download the "My Account" App. This should be built into the phone! I tried to download it and it failed! Glad it failed! After reading the reviews apparently the app is JUNK and messes up your minutes. OVERALL RATING: Not bad at all, but then again this is my first smart phone and I am pushing 60 years of age! To me this is a miracle! I am sure the other older folks on here will agree with me. To me this is a good cheap starter phone! But yes, it does have issues!
I have to agree with everyone comments . I got this phone for the Android system only to find it's got preinstalled Apps that I don't need and can't uninstall them. When trying to bring up an app ,it doesn't want to respond . Then if I touch one by accident ,it come right up. Such as when my ear touches the screen after answering , it may hang up or dial another number. Sometimes when I answer my phone, the caller on the other end is already saying hello as if the a delay in my answering. As one other commenter says you have to download an app in order to check the phone status such as remaining minutes, That's just Stupid. But I do praise the internet surfing . Don't have many problem in that usage. It can be set to use the internet even with a wifi near by. I'm going to a battery specialty store to if I can get a longer lasting one. I just not use to charging a phone everyday. My tracfone 840lg could go up two three weeks before charging . This phone can't go past a wall socket without wanting to plug in. I think that enough for now.
I agree with every single one of the comments. I was so excited when i got this phone, less than 2 days i HATE IT. I ha 360 minutes, i barely called people and my minutes were gone. OVERALL Rating:50. This phone is really trash and a waste of money. DONT BUY IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
All I can say is that my daughter loves it! She has been wanting a smartphone for awhile so for $40 I got her this one. Only using WiFi for apps and it works as well as my tablet. So far so good especially for the price.
September 15, 2015 at 9:19 PM
Anonymous said...
Just bought one for $5 at Fry's Grocery Store today. We'll see what happens.
Just got a replacement android from tracfone and it's junk it won't connect to wifi,calling is poor. I,be been in contact with tracfone 4times they tell me it's my wifi but it works fine the phone is junk. The first phone stopped working in less than 30 days and this is junk out of the box. Asked for an upgrade was told they don,t do that. Stay Away From Tracfone they suck
September 23, 2015 at 6:35 PM
Anonymous said...
This phone is pure junk; slow as molasses even with minimal apps. I'm 50 and don't do gaming or texting, just wanted a "gasp" TELEPHONE THAT WORKS. Even the phone doesn't work half the time because it's non-responsive to touching the pad most of the time. AVOID THIS PIECE OF S**T!
September 30, 2015 at 12:51 PM
Anonymous said...
Is anyone else having trouble getting the headphones working? Plugged it in and the sound still emmits from the phone speaker.
October 9, 2015 at 12:45 AM
Anonymous said...
I like many other bought this phone it is my first touch screen one. I was typing a text to my son and this message popped up "Unfortunately Google search has stopped". Now every time I touch the screen it pops up and doesn't let me do anything. I can make and receive a call but that is about it. I want to throw it at the wall sometimes. I have no idea what happened. HELP!!!!!
I had the misfortune of getting one of these,battery life is terrible.It will only communicate about one third of the time.Most of the time the other party can't hear me or I can't hear them. Sometime they hear themselves being echoed back.Out of desperation I switched to another tracfone, Tracfone took my 500 minutes in the process which took 30 hrs. to complete.This being my first smartphone I asssumed they were all junk and reverted back to a cheaper phone.
I LOVE my phone! It's the first Android I've had and it does everything I want; it could use more memory of course, but it's adequate! As long as I charge it overnight, it's fine for me... I do have another tracfone I use for texting and calling; this one is mainly used as an e-reader, diet and med. log, and a link to my Google Voice account... Guess I could look for a better phone?!
As I said, I got this Android to use mainly as a Kindle reader. But it is so slow, loses it's "mind" and drops my book about 3 to 5 times and every time it takes ten minutes or more to reload the book. THAT sucks. I'm hoping it's just the limitations of the phone and not a general Android issue. :-( Otherwise, I still love having an Android. Looking into the LG Power phone....
I bought the Unimax Patriot in the spring of 2015. Since it was an upgrade and I'm not tech savvy, I didn't notice some of the issues an "expert" may find with it. 6 months later, "Google search has stopped" pops up, I click ok and it keeps popping up. This has lead to my qwerty board disappearing! All tracfone could do was guide me through factory resetting, which lost all my contacts. This happened 3 times and I'm ready to throw it out a window!
November 22, 2015 at 12:58 PM
Tibiafinger said...
Be sure to write down all your number first. Then reset to factory. during the set up it will ask you if you want google to back up your apps and contacts. CLICK YES, please CLICK YES. Then continue reset. This way should you need to reset again ,all you contact numbers apps email accounts will load in automaticly.
I'm back to using it again, and it's growing on me.
I bought an actual Kindle when they went on sale for $50 but it's too big to read in bed, so the UNIMAX it is! I love the size. Still hating it as a phone-phone because I usually never get to the swipe thing to answer a call in a timely manner... :-( When I DO connect with someone, I'm told that the sound on their end is not good... Fine for me, but not for the person I'm talking to. :-P The charging port is getting loose, somehow!, and the cover has a crack/chip from being dropped... Time to look for a new phone, I guess!
December 2, 2015 at 9:49 AM
Anonymous said...
Can't stop Google from updating. Uses up battery, get's extremely hot. As soon as I can replace it, the shredder is waiting. Worthless!
January 4, 2016 at 9:04 AM
Anonymous said...
Same problem...Unfortunately Google Search, etc....how did you fix?
WOW. I am surprised at all the problems with this phone. I have been using mine for a year and a half with no big problems. But then I am not a power user. Just read the news, sports scores and make and receive phone calls. I was looking at this blog to see if any one has a solution for my problem. To delete a message from my voice mail I have to listen to it three times. If I don't answer a call in time it puts the message in a skipped message box. I listen twice to get the message out of this box. Then it goes into the voice mail box where I have to hear it again before I get the delete option. I any one has a solution to this please respond.
January 5, 2016 at 11:28 PM
Anonymous said...
me too. my first smart phone and plunge into the youngster hip stuff.
February 22, 2016 at 2:55 PM
Anonymous said...
Oh my goodness! Me too! I thought I just got a "bad" phone.
March 16, 2016 at 10:03 AM
Anonymous said...
Well, it looks like I'm not alone. I bought this hunk of junk some months back thinking it was going to be a better quality phone than what I already had. WRONG!!! Where to start? The battery life stinks, the phone overheats even when talking for a few minutes, there is a tapping noise constantly when you're having conversations with somebody, phone always freezes, voices on the phone sound garbled and threaten to cut out, and too many other things to list. The phone may look well on the outside, but that's about it. If you want a phone that works, stay away from this one. I had to get another one of a different brand. It was cheaper by considerable, but works a million times better than the Unimax. Whoever manufactured this phone ought to be ashamed of themselves for taking advantage of the consumer.
This Phone makes the first cell phone look amazing. This Phone is very terrible. For one tracphone lied about the RAM. They said it has 1GB of ram......pff hahahaha what a lie. This Phone has only 380MB that's barely enough RAM to even have the phone function. Plus this Phone overheats a lot.....I mean a lot. This Phone has even stopped responding. It wouldn't open an app or even respond to my touch or anything. Even after I took the Battery out because I couldn't turn it off normally. This Phone can barely run YouTube, and even Google. This Phone is just terrible all the way around. If I was you I'd just go buy an old Razer phone. That would be more valuable. But it's your money so do what you want with it.
Just get rid of the phone. It would do you more good then harm. I can promise you that. Get phones like the LG Power, or the LG K7, etc... They would be perfect for what you do. You can get the LG Power 50%-70% depending on where you buy it. It costs around $30. The LG K7 is around $70. Like I said before, it will do you more good then harm to buy a different phone. That's all I can say.
April 14, 2016 at 10:45 PM
Anonymous said...
Wish I'd read these comments BEFORE I purchased this phone. Recorded voice mail announcement is totally garbled no matter how many times you re-record. Sometimes the buttons don't even work. Manual not very helpful-all sorts of buttons on this thing with no hint at what they're for. Almost all the info provided lists all the wonderful things you can do, but no info on how to actually do them. Needless to say-I'm shopping for a replacement.
May 1, 2016 at 2:42 PM
Anonymous said...
Yes! Same here!!!
May 13, 2016 at 6:56 AM
Anonymous said...
I'm actually really surprised by all these negative comments. I think my Max Patriot is the only one of a very fair few that works great. I'm a 22 year old hairstylist who just got the phone a few weeks ago because I was getting tried of the old smaller tracfone I was given by my friend. I'm not of a power user, and in truth I'm really use to using iPods and iPhones (most of my friends use them) and I really like this phone cause it does fit my needs. The screen takes getting use to but overall, it's really nice. I also wanted to adress a few things. I'm noticing that everyone is complaining about the overall machine itself; when I first got mine, I tinkered with it for days making sure I knew what it could do. It was fun! One commenter said that downloading the TracFone app is stupid to find out what your minutes and what not are. I LOVE THAT!! IT'S NOT ON MY DAMN SCREEN REMINDING ME AND FEELS LIKE A REAL PHONE AND NOT A TRACFONE!! I have no issue with the battery life, I just plug it in when I go to bed and unplug it when I wake up, plus I know exactly where it is at all time when it's plugged in; either it's on me or it's plugged in (one or the other). As for the memory; I was told there are apps you can get to help work around that that can make it easier to run. Plus, with the SD card holder, I can just move what I can (or what is allowed on an SD card) over to free up more space. Bascially using the internal memory of the phone as what it can use to run. It's pretty easy. I can make decent phone calls, nothing extravagant, which is what I like. I also didnt have to pay over $40-$70 for the phone, I mean that's insane! I got mine for $10 and it works like a charm, and I love it! I think that's really the ONLY REASON everyone is upset about the phone is that they paid too much for this phone and feel like they got screwed. I think it was worth the money I bought it for and I plan on taking good care of it. I highly reccommend this phone for anyone who is starting out with an android phone! It's cute!
May 31, 2016 at 3:56 PM
Anonymous said...
I still have mine for 2 years now and I am about ready to get a new phone. I will share you the things I dislike and like about mine right now. Let's start with my favorite things about it, (1) I like the caller ID as it tells you what state called. (2) I like getting YouTube. (3) I like how you can set up LED reminders about a text or something. Now for the things I just dislike about it that makes me throw it against the wall and such. (1) The keypad disappears and doesn't show up right away. (2) I hate how everything updates around the clock. (3) The camera won't always work and after I restart it to take a photo, my camera roll is missing. (4) I dislike how it stops responding on apps or the internet and goes back to home screen most of the time. (5) YouTube does not always want to work for me because sometimes says it has trouble loading and then tap to retry and still won't work after I done this and have to keep restarting my phone or lock it off and on again just to keep YouTube working. (6) And last thing I dislike about it is that after I read a text, the number won't dissapear as that I got a new text sitll after I have read it which made me restart it. And this is my first smartphone too. In the past, my first two phones were Tracfone flip phones and my old former one was touchscreen, small screen, and couldn't play videos. And right now, I am looking for a new phone.
Is there a way to display your remaining minutes and due date on this phone?? I can't find it anywhere
June 19, 2016 at 5:48 PM
Anonymous said...
I never really took the time to review any phones or even this one before I went with my dad to Walmart to look for my new phone, but I loved the look of this phone while I was looking around and decided I wanted this phone. And I am in the same boat with you with this phone as I still have it for 2 years now and I am also having all the cons about this phone that you listed and I now regret not reading reviews and getting this phone and I amn too in the market for a new phone myself. But after the bad experiences with this faulty prone phone per say. I am currently looking for phones that have both touchscreen and a QWERTY keyboard and so far I am looking into the Priv, but for now, I have 35 phones saved on my Pinterest to look into and read all the reviews before I go after the BlackBerry Priv. The BlackBerry Priv has a slide out keyboard and it is a touchscreen too.
This is my first phone that does more than talk and text. I wondered why it was so slow and now I know. I even tried to find a new battery for it thinking I overcharged it. There is no such thing as another battery. I bought this because it was advertized on Tracfone. As soon as I get another one I will bury this one or better yet cremate it and flush the ashes.
March 21, 2017 at 8:18 PM
Review of the Unimax MaxPatriot Android Phone from Tracfone
This review will provide specs and features for the Tracfone UNIMAX 671c MaxPatriot, as well as a comparison to other phones available, and is provided by TracfoneReviewer.
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UNIMAX MaxPatriot with Tracfone
The UNIMAX MaxPatriot is an Android powered smartphone offered by Tracfone Wireless for use on their prepaid cell phone network. Tracfone offers a variety of phones and prepaid service options, which you can learn more about by reading our Beginners Guide to Tracfone.
Tracfone continues to release smartphones running the Android Operating System. These phones provide more features and functionality, with the ability to download and use applications on them.
Not a lot of information is available about the UNIMAX company, or sometimes UMX Mobile. They appear to be based in China, and are expanding into the Android mobile phone market quickly. Quality may not be quite on par with more established brands like Samsung, LG and Motorola.
The UNIMAX MaxPatriot comes with a 4" screen, Android 4.1, and a 5 MP camera. You also get Triple Minutes for Life, which all Android phones from Tracfone come with.
There are several other options for smartphones with Tracfone, including the Tracfone BYOP program, where you can bring certain phones to use with Tracfone. Also take a look at our Tracfone Android List for a complete of the smartphones available through Tracfone.
Some of the current top phones from Tracfone are the LG Ultiamte 2, Moto E, and Alcatel Onetouch Icon Pop. We will briefly compare these with the MaxPatriot a little further on.
Let's jump into the features and specs on the UNIMAX phone.
UNIMAX MaxPatriot Features
Android 4.1.2
3G on Verizon Networks
WiFi
5 MP Rear Camera
GPS
Bluetooth
MP3 Player
Micro SD Card compatible up to 64GB
Triple Minutes for Life
Hearing Aid Compatible
Voicemail, SMS, MMS and Voice dialing
UNIMAX MaxPatriot Specs and Technical Details
Size: 4.80" x 2.46" x 0.41"
4" Touchscreen
1.2 Dual Core processor
1 GB RAM
1.5 GB Internal Memory, about 1 GB Usable
Weight: 4.6 ounces
Battery: Talk Time 7 Hours, Standby 8 Days
The features are fairly straight forward and similar to many of Tracfone's other Android devices. The UNIMAX has WiFi, Triple Minutes for life, Micro SD card slot, GPS, and more.
The technical specs are where we get a little disappointed.
The MaxPatriot comes with a 4" touchscreen, which larger than some other Tracfone devices, but smaller than some as well. The Dual Core processor sounds good, but the internal memory is very disappointing, with only about 1 GB actually usable. Some apps can be loaded on an external SD card, but we would still like to see closer to 8 GB.
The LG Ultimate 2, for example, has more than 4 GB internal memory.
Before we get ahead of ourselves, let's go over some of our likes and dislikes about the UNIMAX, and then we will compare it with some other phones.
UNIMAX MaxPatriot Review - Likes and Dislikes
What we like about the MaxPatriot
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UNIMAX MaxPatriot with Maps
The UNIMAX 671c has many of the standard features of an Android smartphone with Tracfone service.
We like that it comes with the Android OS, which allows users access to over a million apps. These apps have huge potential, and give the phone many added benefits and features.
While it is great that the MaxPatriot has Android, it isn't the latest version.
The screen size is another good point for the phone. At 4", it is mid-sized in the Tracfone lineup, which will be exactly what some users are looking for. Not everyone wants a large phone, although it is nice sometimes. The LG Optimus Fuel, for example, has a smaller, 3.5" screen while the Alcatel Onetouch Has a much larger screen, at 5".
We do think that the price, listed at $70, is more or less reasonable. And it is likely to be available for much less online, which makes this a very affordable phone.
Let's move on to our dislikes for this phone, of which there are a few.
What we Dislike about the UNIMAX MaxPatriot
We do have a handful of grips against the MaxPatriot, partially because it is an older phone, and there are much more advanced phones currently available with Tracfone.
The rear camera on the UNIMAX has 5 MP, which is good. But it doesn't have a front facing camera, which we find disappointing.
Internal Memory is probably one of our biggest disappointments with the UNIMAX MaxPatriot. At only 1.5 GB total internal space, and less than 1 GB actually usable, we're not sure how useful this phone will actually be for most people. Unless you can move a large number of apps to the external SD card, you will be limited in your options.
Battery life seems poor on the UNIMAX, with 7 hours talk time listed, but often even less actually achieved. The Moto E, which has great battery performance, has more than double the talk time of the MaxPatriot, at 16.5 hours. If you can stay close to a charger, then it isn't a worry, but otherwise you may look elsewhere.
Finally, we've noticed a number of consumers echoing dissatisfaction with the overall quality and design of the phone. For some users, it works great, but others report various bugs, or a completely dead phone after just a few months.
The UNIMAX MaxPatriot has some decent features, but it doesn't seem to be a phone that will be too popular.
Using Android Phones with Tracfone
We want to highlight some important points about using an Android phone with Tracfone, that you might not be aware of.
First, All Android phones with Tracfone currently use Verizon CDMA cell towers. Tracfone has some sort of contract with Verizon. This means that if Verizon service isn't available in your area, then you can't use a Tracfone smartphone there either.
All Tracfone Android devices come with Triple Minutes for Life, and minutes are split into three pools: calling, texting, and data.
UNIMAX MaxPatriot Comparison to Other Androids
We will quickly compare the UNIMAX to some of the other popular smartphones available with Tracfone.
Basically, the Moto E, Alcatel Onetouch Icon Pop, and LG Ultimate 2 are all better than the UNIMAX MaxPatriot. They all have larger screens, similar or better processors, more internal memory, similar or better cameras (and front facing), newer Android OS, longer battery life, and more, compared to the UNIMAX.
The only area where the MaxPatriot has an edge that we can find, is in it's lower initial retail price.
But if you compare the UNIMAX to the LG Optimus Fuel, which can be found for $20, we would go with the Optimus Fuel for the lower cost, and newer Android OS.
Conclusion and Where to Find the UNIMAX MaxPatriot
As you can probably tell, we don't find the UNIMAX to be a very inspirational phone, and there are other options which will be a much better choice for most consumers. However, it is probably better than some of Tracfone's first Android devices, like the ZTE Valet, and LG Optimus Dynamic.
The MaxPatriot is available on the Tracfone website, and in some stores. We haven't found it on other online retailers yet.
Please read the comments below before you consider this phone, as many users are reporting a lot of dissatisfaction with this device. We strongly recommend choosing another device, as there are plenty of other Android options from Tracfone at a similar price, with much better performance.
Take a look at the interactive tutorial to learn more about how this phone works.
We hope this information is accurate and useful. Leave a comment below with your thoughts or questions about this phone.
56 Comments
Close this window Jump to comment formI got this phone just to try it out, and it's really a TERRIBLE device.
The display, while it's "higher resolution" (compared to other Android phones on the service) at either 800x400 or 800x480... the screen is just atrocious. The viewing angles are such that you have to be staring DIRECTLY at it held out in front of your face or else the colors completely and totally wash out. Even tipping it slightly everything starts to look like it's a negative picture. It's simply terrible and among the worst I've ever seen in any smartphone I've ever used since 2009.
And the performance... it's abysmal as well. It just chugs with even the most basic of uses. With benchmarking scores, it typically scored with numbers that were HALF of what another similarly priced, slightly cheaper phone does (the LG Optimus Fuel).
Depending on whether or not you think benchmarking makes a difference or not, here's the score I got with Quadrant comparing over four devices:
Unimax MaxPatriot: 2021
LG Optimus Fuel: 5649
Moto Luge (Verizon Prepaid, rebranded Droid Razr M): 6598
2012 Nexus 10 tablet: 7395
And here are the numbers I got with Antutu.
Unimax MaxPatriot: 9342
LG Optimus Fuel: 14812
Moto Luge: 18862
2012 Nexus 10 tablet: 30087
If you want a cheap Tracfone branded Android phone, the LG Optimus Fuel for it's price is just the way to go for the money. Then, of course, higher up there's the LG Ultimate 2 and that Alcatel.
Just don't even bother with this stinker.
January 30, 2015 at 9:48 AM
I agree, this phone is NOT right. Got it for my son, thinking it would be game oriented, where prices of entering everything is just nuts. I can not view the date of due time to buy minutes, nor can view them. I have an LG and like that MUCH better. I never should have purchased an android/wifi/web oriented phone. He doesn't need that.
February 8, 2015 at 1:01 PM
I have found the MAXPATROIT to be of (1) limited reception, (2) commands on the screen unresponsive in a consistent manner, (3) the service phone 949-748-7485 to give the "mail box full" recording and (4) the infor@unimaxcomm.com email box to not give a reply. This is non-supported piece of junk. I have had some good experiences with TracFone in the past, but that may be jeopardized for future business.
February 16, 2015 at 9:51 AM
just bought this phone, people tell me that when I am talking to them , they hear a tapping noise, I do not hear it while I am on the phone but others that call me do...............not a good phone in my opinion
March 15, 2015 at 8:17 PM
does anyone know if the Unimax MaxPatriot cell phone will accept 64GB microSDXC cards?
March 19, 2015 at 7:59 PM
Hate hate hate this phone. As soon as I can get another one it's going back!!
March 20, 2015 at 6:04 PM
Hate it you Cant have a plan tottaly getting something new is a month can't wait to get rid of this piece of shit
March 28, 2015 at 8:32 PM
I hate it slow it is just stupid getting a new one in a month can't wait to get rid of this shit
March 28, 2015 at 8:33 PM
I use this as a back up phone and I am quite happy with it, then again, I'm an old guy so this new fangled radio telephone technology is cool
April 4, 2015 at 12:03 AM
Ditto to all the bad reviews.
April 13, 2015 at 11:17 AM
Me, too! I am just learning to navigate with icons, and touch. It will be good for this golden oldie who finds herself grossly deficient with applications of techo stuff.
April 18, 2015 at 12:10 PM
My maxpatriot android phone goes completely black when I make or receive calls. Tutorial says to press the pwr/lock key but when I do that it just turns the phone off. This phone is a stinker!
May 1, 2015 at 10:33 AM
I have had so much trouble with this phone. It shuts down by itself!!! When talking people tell me that I sound garbled. I have talked to Tracfone many times about problems I have been having with this product and they don't want to listen. No more Tracfone for me, and I have been a customer for over 10 years.
May 12, 2015 at 5:47 PM
THIS IS TO ALL YALL PEOPLE THAT ARE WANTING TO GET RID OF THE UNIMAX MAX PATRIOT 4.1 ANDRIOD PHONE..... IM LOOKING TO HAVE THAT PHONE. ITS A NICE LOOKING PHONE. SO IF YALL ARE JUST WANTING TO GET RID OF THAT PHONE, ILL TAKE IT. BUT IT HAS TO BE BRAND NEW IN BOX. HAS TO HAVE ALL THE PAPER WORK AND A CHANGER WITH IT. IM IN GIBSONTON FLORIDA. SO SEND ME EMAIL AT JILLDARLIN1@GMAIL.COM. AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT ME GETTING THE PHONE FROM U.....JILLY
June 3, 2015 at 9:17 AM
I just bought this phone 30 days ago and it is junk! It is my first smartphone. I should have done more research before buying one. The problem I'm having is that it gets really hot with just a short phone conversation. (5 mins or less) battery time is poor also. I called Tracfone to get my money back and they only offer a free replacement. They are sending me a new phone which I may not use and can't sell because my minutes and phone number will transfer automatically when I make the first call. Seriously, don't but a phone because it looks good, especially this piece of junk.
June 4, 2015 at 9:34 AM
well yes ive been threw that were tracfone sends u a replacement phone.. but didn't they tell u that u have to send your other phone back to them, or they will disconnect your phone or turn it off to not work,. cause when i got the replacement phone it told u right with the paper work to send the other phone back to them within 30 days.......
ive read all the reviews of this phone. and hey im one who hardly uses a damn phone okay. the only reason I have a cell phone is for emergency only. like when im driven and the vehicle im driven breaks down. well I have a phone right there with me, I don't have to walk to a damn phone 10 or 15 miles ahead of me...
and well if u still have the other phone u hate so much. then like I sayed inm y post. im looking for someone who just want to get rid of that phone, and im sorry but if I take another phone in from someone, well there has to be no scratches on the phone whats so ever. and it has to be like brand new.. and has to have all the paper work with it and a charger with the phone as in if it was a brand new phone....
so if u have that phone, and its like brand new. and all u wanna do Is just get rid of it.then like I sayed I will take it off your hands. cause ive been looking at this phone, and ive seen all the features it has and talked to trace phone people about the features, and they say its a good phone to have for what I want it for, then ill take it off your hands for free!!!! I live in gibsonton florida. so if u wanna get rid of that phone for free then like I sayed all take it....JILLY
June 6, 2015 at 4:46 AM
What a waste of money this thing was. my 2nd one was no better than the "brand new" one it replaced. tons of apps you cant get rid of.just a power hog that thats slow and unreliable.
June 17, 2015 at 8:04 PM
terrible phone. has ongoing issues with trying to add units (minutes) and service days. very low battery life. and does'nt go into lock mode during conversation so you can either accidently hang up on the person you're conversing with or hit buttons making noises causing you to miss what the other person has said.
July 5, 2015 at 11:11 AM
Got this phone as a gift/upgrade from a zte. Call quality was good but my banking app crashed the phone every time. Most of my other apps would not run. Always gave some kind of error message. Ended up buying a Samsung phone to replace it.What a difference!! Don't waste your money with the Max Patriot.
July 8, 2015 at 8:51 PM
I agree this is not a phone that you can even make a simple phone call on. My LG840G has good reception. So why can't I make a call with the Max Patriot?? In phone information it say mobile is disconnected. I have another that says No Carrier. What's up with this crap?? Been a customer of Tracfone since they first started offering service in the area. Long time! They will talk to me but take my minutes. This is not my problem, it's Tracfone's problem and they should not take away my minutes to take care of a piece of crap phone. I have called the FCC on them before, looks like I will have to do it again.
July 9, 2015 at 11:23 AM
After using simple Tracfone flip phones for years I bought this phone just on a lark. Price was 40 dollars. So it is my first "smart phone." What do I think? Well, at nearly age 59 I think it is pretty damn cool for the most part! But I have nothing to compare it to, really! IT seems to work fine....yes, it does get too hot and you have to recharge the battery fairly often. I have only downloaded a few apps but they seem to work fine. I think the picture screen looks GREAT! I cannot understand why so many do not like the way the screen looks! It looks sharp and clear and very easy to read. I guess you could call this my starter phone. The only thing I HATE is the stupid fact you have to go to Google Play to download the "My Account" App. This should be built into the phone! I tried to download it and it failed! Glad it failed! After reading the reviews apparently the app is JUNK and messes up your minutes.
OVERALL RATING: Not bad at all, but then again this is my first smart phone and I am pushing 60 years of age! To me this is a miracle! I am sure the other older folks on here will agree with me. To me this is a good cheap starter phone! But yes, it does have issues!
July 17, 2015 at 10:23 AM
I have to agree with everyone comments .
I got this phone for the Android system only to find it's got preinstalled Apps that I don't need and can't uninstall them.
When trying to bring up an app ,it doesn't want to respond .
Then if I touch one by accident ,it come right up.
Such as when my ear touches the screen after answering ,
it may hang up or dial another number. Sometimes when I answer my phone, the caller on the other end is already saying hello as if the a delay in my answering.
As one other commenter says you have to download an app in order to check the phone status such as remaining minutes,
That's just Stupid. But I do praise the internet surfing .
Don't have many problem in that usage.
It can be set to use the internet even with a wifi near by.
I'm going to a battery specialty store to if I can get a longer lasting one.
I just not use to charging a phone everyday.
My tracfone 840lg could go up two three weeks before charging .
This phone can't go past a wall socket without wanting to plug in. I think that enough for now.
August 11, 2015 at 9:34 PM
I agree with every single one of the comments. I was so excited when i got this phone, less than 2 days i HATE IT. I ha 360 minutes, i barely called people and my minutes were gone. OVERALL Rating:50. This phone is really trash and a waste of money. DONT BUY IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 22, 2015 at 5:38 PM
I agree with all coments phone sucks trash. OVERALL RATING:50
August 22, 2015 at 5:39 PM
Wrong it's awesome
September 5, 2015 at 12:13 PM
All I can say is that my daughter loves it! She has been wanting a smartphone for awhile so for $40 I got her this one. Only using WiFi for apps and it works as well as my tablet. So far so good especially for the price.
September 15, 2015 at 9:19 PM
Just bought one for $5 at Fry's Grocery Store today. We'll see what happens.
September 17, 2015 at 12:51 AM
Just got a replacement android from tracfone and it's junk it won't connect to wifi,calling is poor. I,be been in contact with tracfone 4times they tell me it's my wifi but it works fine the phone is junk. The first phone stopped working in less than 30 days and this is junk out of the box. Asked for an upgrade was told they don,t do that. Stay Away From Tracfone they suck
September 23, 2015 at 6:35 PM
This phone is pure junk; slow as molasses even with minimal apps. I'm 50 and don't do gaming or texting, just wanted a "gasp" TELEPHONE THAT WORKS. Even the phone doesn't work half the time because it's non-responsive to touching the pad most of the time. AVOID THIS PIECE OF S**T!
September 30, 2015 at 12:51 PM
Is anyone else having trouble getting the headphones working? Plugged it in and the sound still emmits from the phone speaker.
October 9, 2015 at 12:45 AM
I like many other bought this phone it is my first touch screen one. I was typing a text to my son and this message popped up "Unfortunately Google search has stopped". Now every time I touch the screen it pops up and doesn't let me do anything. I can make and receive a call but that is about it. I want to throw it at the wall sometimes. I have no idea what happened. HELP!!!!!
October 22, 2015 at 11:10 AM
I had the misfortune of getting one of these,battery life is terrible.It will only communicate about one third of the time.Most of the time the other party can't hear me or I can't hear them.
Sometime they hear themselves being echoed back.Out of desperation I switched to another tracfone, Tracfone took my 500 minutes in the process which took 30 hrs. to complete.This being my first smartphone I asssumed they were all junk and reverted back to a cheaper phone.
October 24, 2015 at 9:33 AM
I LOVE my phone! It's the first Android I've had and it does everything I want; it could use more memory of course, but it's adequate! As long as I charge it overnight, it's fine for me... I do have another tracfone I use for texting and calling; this one is mainly used as an e-reader, diet and med. log, and a link to my Google Voice account... Guess I could look for a better phone?!
November 2, 2015 at 10:09 AM
I download a battery saving app that increase my battery life 3X. It's called "IBattery".
November 2, 2015 at 7:42 PM
As I said, I got this Android to use mainly as a Kindle reader. But it is so slow, loses it's "mind" and drops my book about 3 to 5 times and every time it takes ten minutes or more to reload the book. THAT sucks. I'm hoping it's just the limitations of the phone and not a general Android issue. :-( Otherwise, I still love having an Android. Looking into the LG Power phone....
November 18, 2015 at 9:17 AM
I bought the Unimax Patriot in the spring of 2015. Since it was an upgrade and I'm not tech savvy, I didn't notice some of the issues an "expert" may find with it. 6 months later, "Google search has stopped" pops up, I click ok and it keeps popping up. This has lead to my qwerty board disappearing! All tracfone could do was guide me through factory resetting, which lost all my contacts. This happened 3 times and I'm ready to throw it out a window!
November 22, 2015 at 12:58 PM
Be sure to write down all your number first. Then reset to factory. during the set up it will ask you if you want google to back up your apps and contacts. CLICK YES, please CLICK YES. Then continue reset. This way should you need to reset again ,all you contact numbers apps email accounts will load in automaticly.
November 23, 2015 at 8:12 PM
I'm back to using it again, and it's growing on me.
I bought an actual Kindle when they went on sale for $50 but it's too big to read in bed, so the UNIMAX it is! I love the size. Still hating it as a phone-phone because I usually never get to the swipe thing to answer a call in a timely manner... :-( When I DO connect with someone, I'm told that the sound on their end is not good... Fine for me, but not for the person I'm talking to. :-P The charging port is getting loose, somehow!, and the cover has a crack/chip from being dropped... Time to look for a new phone, I guess!
December 2, 2015 at 9:49 AM
Can't stop Google from updating. Uses up battery, get's extremely hot. As soon as I can replace it, the shredder is waiting. Worthless!
January 4, 2016 at 9:04 AM
Same problem...Unfortunately Google Search, etc....how did you fix?
January 4, 2016 at 3:18 PM
WOW. I am surprised at all the problems with this phone. I have been using mine for a year and a half with no big problems. But then I am not a power user. Just read the news, sports scores and make and receive phone calls. I was looking at this blog to see if any one has a solution for my problem. To delete a message from my voice mail I have to listen to it three times. If I don't answer a call in time it puts the message in a skipped message box. I listen twice to get the message out of this box. Then it goes into the voice mail box where I have to hear it again before I get the delete option. I any one has a solution to this please respond.
January 5, 2016 at 11:28 PM
me too. my first smart phone and plunge into the youngster hip stuff.
February 22, 2016 at 2:55 PM
Oh my goodness! Me too! I thought I just got a "bad" phone.
March 16, 2016 at 10:03 AM
Well, it looks like I'm not alone. I bought this hunk of junk some months back thinking it was going to be a better quality phone than what I already had. WRONG!!! Where to start? The battery life stinks, the phone overheats even when talking for a few minutes, there is a tapping noise constantly when you're having conversations with somebody, phone always freezes, voices on the phone sound garbled and threaten to cut out, and too many other things to list. The phone may look well on the outside, but that's about it. If you want a phone that works, stay away from this one. I had to get another one of a different brand. It was cheaper by considerable, but works a million times better than the Unimax. Whoever manufactured this phone ought to be ashamed of themselves for taking advantage of the consumer.
March 24, 2016 at 9:55 PM
Me also. Can't figure out how to fix it. Feh!
April 10, 2016 at 12:19 PM
not bad enough the phone doesn't work well you can't get a refund, all you can do is get another crappy phone!!!
April 12, 2016 at 9:55 AM
This Phone makes the first cell phone look amazing. This Phone is very terrible. For one tracphone lied about the RAM. They said it has 1GB of ram......pff hahahaha what a lie. This Phone has only 380MB that's barely enough RAM to even have the phone function. Plus this Phone overheats a lot.....I mean a lot. This Phone has even stopped responding. It wouldn't open an app or even respond to my touch or anything. Even after I took the Battery out because I couldn't turn it off normally. This Phone can barely run YouTube, and even Google. This Phone is just terrible all the way around. If I was you I'd just go buy an old Razer phone. That would be more valuable. But it's your money so do what you want with it.
April 14, 2016 at 10:39 PM
Just get rid of the phone. It would do you more good then harm. I can promise you that. Get phones like the LG Power, or the LG K7, etc... They would be perfect for what you do. You can get the LG Power 50%-70% depending on where you buy it. It costs around $30. The LG K7 is around $70. Like I said before, it will do you more good then harm to buy a different phone. That's all I can say.
April 14, 2016 at 10:45 PM
Wish I'd read these comments BEFORE I purchased this phone. Recorded voice mail announcement is totally garbled no matter how many times you re-record. Sometimes the buttons don't even work. Manual not very helpful-all sorts of buttons on this thing with no hint at what they're for. Almost all the info provided lists all the wonderful things you can do, but no info on how to actually do them. Needless to say-I'm shopping for a replacement.
May 1, 2016 at 2:42 PM
Yes! Same here!!!
May 13, 2016 at 6:56 AM
I'm actually really surprised by all these negative comments. I think my Max Patriot is the only one of a very fair few that works great. I'm a 22 year old hairstylist who just got the phone a few weeks ago because I was getting tried of the old smaller tracfone I was given by my friend. I'm not of a power user, and in truth I'm really use to using iPods and iPhones (most of my friends use them) and I really like this phone cause it does fit my needs. The screen takes getting use to but overall, it's really nice. I also wanted to adress a few things. I'm noticing that everyone is complaining about the overall machine itself; when I first got mine, I tinkered with it for days making sure I knew what it could do. It was fun! One commenter said that downloading the TracFone app is stupid to find out what your minutes and what not are. I LOVE THAT!! IT'S NOT ON MY DAMN SCREEN REMINDING ME AND FEELS LIKE A REAL PHONE AND NOT A TRACFONE!! I have no issue with the battery life, I just plug it in when I go to bed and unplug it when I wake up, plus I know exactly where it is at all time when it's plugged in; either it's on me or it's plugged in (one or the other). As for the memory; I was told there are apps you can get to help work around that that can make it easier to run. Plus, with the SD card holder, I can just move what I can (or what is allowed on an SD card) over to free up more space. Bascially using the internal memory of the phone as what it can use to run. It's pretty easy. I can make decent phone calls, nothing extravagant, which is what I like. I also didnt have to pay over $40-$70 for the phone, I mean that's insane! I got mine for $10 and it works like a charm, and I love it! I think that's really the ONLY REASON everyone is upset about the phone is that they paid too much for this phone and feel like they got screwed. I think it was worth the money I bought it for and I plan on taking good care of it. I highly reccommend this phone for anyone who is starting out with an android phone! It's cute!
May 31, 2016 at 3:56 PM
I still have mine for 2 years now and I am about ready to get a new phone. I will share you the things I dislike and like about mine right now. Let's start with my favorite things about it, (1) I like the caller ID as it tells you what state called. (2) I like getting YouTube. (3) I like how you can set up LED reminders about a text or something. Now for the things I just dislike about it that makes me throw it against the wall and such. (1) The keypad disappears and doesn't show up right away. (2) I hate how everything updates around the clock. (3) The camera won't always work and after I restart it to take a photo, my camera roll is missing. (4) I dislike how it stops responding on apps or the internet and goes back to home screen most of the time. (5) YouTube does not always want to work for me because sometimes says it has trouble loading and then tap to retry and still won't work after I done this and have to keep restarting my phone or lock it off and on again just to keep YouTube working. (6) And last thing I dislike about it is that after I read a text, the number won't dissapear as that I got a new text sitll after I have read it which made me restart it. And this is my first smartphone too. In the past, my first two phones were Tracfone flip phones and my old former one was touchscreen, small screen, and couldn't play videos. And right now, I am looking for a new phone.
June 12, 2016 at 2:33 PM
Is there a way to display your remaining minutes and due date on this phone?? I can't find it anywhere
June 19, 2016 at 5:48 PM
I never really took the time to review any phones or even this one before I went with my dad to Walmart to look for my new phone, but I loved the look of this phone while I was looking around and decided I wanted this phone. And I am in the same boat with you with this phone as I still have it for 2 years now and I am also having all the cons about this phone that you listed and I now regret not reading reviews and getting this phone and I amn too in the market for a new phone myself. But after the bad experiences with this faulty prone phone per say. I am currently looking for phones that have both touchscreen and a QWERTY keyboard and so far I am looking into the Priv, but for now, I have 35 phones saved on my Pinterest to look into and read all the reviews before I go after the BlackBerry Priv. The BlackBerry Priv has a slide out keyboard and it is a touchscreen too.
October 26, 2016 at 3:59 PM
This phone is absolutely horrid
January 23, 2017 at 1:26 PM
This is my first phone that does more than talk and text. I wondered why it was so slow and now I know. I even tried to find a new battery for it thinking I overcharged it. There is no such thing as another battery. I bought this because it was advertized on Tracfone. As soon as I get another one I will bury this one or better yet cremate it and flush the ashes.
March 21, 2017 at 8:18 PM