TCL 30 SE Review

TCL 30 SE Review – TCL launched another phone in the mid-range series, and this time it is the TCL 30 SE smartphone. Announced in February 2022, the budget-friendly smartphone brings decent specs and looks. Though, it’s the downgrade version of the TCL 30 5G. The TCL 30 SE is available only in one or two countries and has not been launched globally.

Although the phone does not support 5G connectivity, it has many other features under the lower price segment. It includes a decent screen, standard processing power, and robust battery life. But all of these are just the tip of the iceberg. Let’s start with a detailed review of the TCL 30 SE smartphone.

TCL 30 SE Review

Highlights

1. The handset presents a 6.52 inches IPS LCD panel with standard pixel density.
2. TCL 30 SE is powered by MediaTek MT6762G, granting a 2.0 GHz cloaking speed.
3. The software handling is done by the latest Android 12 OS along with TCL UI 4.0 customization.
4. The triple rear camera module channels a 50 MegaPixel primary camera and an 8MP front camera.
5. TCL 30 SE equips a Li-Po 5000 mAh battery accompanied by 15W fast charging support

Design and Display

TCL 30 SE sports a minimalistic and neat setup but is indeed tasteful. The glossy back has a camera module and a fingerprint scanner, which may collect fingerprint smudges. The front has a waterdrop notch and a bit large bezels and chins on the screen. But for some reason, the overall design feels a bit underwhelming due to the plastic build. Yet, the phone thickness reaches up to 8.9 mm.

Apart from this, the 190 grams device is comfortable to hold in hand due to its plastic edges. The smartphone is available in attractive colors, including Atlantic Blue, Space Gray, and Glacial Blue. You may select one that best suits your personality. If we have to recommend something from this, we will choose Space Gray for its classic look.

The 6.52 inches IPS LCD panel offers a decent display with the standard 60Hz refresh rate. Though, the brightness levels may irritate outdoors in sunny weather. Whereas despite the low pixel density, the graphics and content are okay. Overall, the screen might not level up to the mark if you expect something fabulous from the start. But if you have aimed a bit lower, it might give manageable results.

Memory and Internal

For the hardware, TCL 30 SE packs a 12nm MediaTek Helio G25 chipset that reaches up to a max of 2.0GHz clocking speed, which is decent for everyday use and light gaming. The processor is obviously not excellent, but considering the price, the performance is apt for average daily use. Although, you can’t expect anything significant result from the GPU configuration.

The TCL 30 SE runs on a TCL UI 4.0 user interface based on the latest Android 12 OS. The interface is pleasant, allowing a few customization options and shortcuts. Aside from this, you will notice a few system apps here and there. Though they don’t interfere with your UI experience, they aren’t anywhere near the stock android experience. Besides this, the phone offers an eMMC 5.1 memory type.

With that memory type, you will receive an average performance experience. On the other hand, you attain two variants, one with 4 GB RAM and in-built storage of 64 GB & the other is again 4 GB RAM with 128 GB. Also, there is a dedicated secondary storage unit. So, there’s nothing to worry about it.

Camera

It is well known that the smartphones in this segment furnish an average camera quality. The same is the case here. TCL 30 SE on the rear packs a triple camera setup featuring a 50MP primary lens with a 2 MP macro and 2 MP depth sensor. The rear camera setup has features like autofocus, LED flash, HDR, etc.

The camera should be the last reason for a person to buy this Android phone because the main lens pictures are average with fewer details, decent sharpness, and accurate colors. Low-light images are not satisfactory. Additionally, there is no ultra-wide lens, which is a bummer.

Alongside, the 8 MP front camera gives ideal results under daylight, but they lack details when zoomed in. You can only record up to 1080p resolution videos using the rear camera module. Footage will not be outstanding but also not like that of some entry-level phones. Therefore, the camera is manageable for basic use.

Battery and Others

TCL 30 SE equips a robust Li-Po 5000 mAh battery which is a fair provision in this price range. You will receive 5+ hours of screen time in simultaneous usage. Moreover, in the box, you get a 15W fast charger. Thus, users can easily pull it through a working day. Although, the charging speed might be slow as compared to the competitors. But you can’t expect more in this budget range.

As far as the network is concerned, the phone supports 4G connectivity. Sensors on the phone include an accelerometer, proximity sensor, and fingerprint sensor among others. The fingerprint sensor is not so quick yet reliable. Speakers deliver moderate audio quality & loudness. Talking about the pricing, TCL 30 SE’s base variant is expected to be available at $150 (Rs. 11,990 in India) approx. Well, the specs are not under-whelming, but the price could have been a bit lower.

TCL 30 SE Pros and Cons

TCL 30 SE Specifications Detail

Down below you can see the full specifications of the TCL 30 SE smartphone.

Conclusion

TCL 30 SE is a viable option for those who require a new phone at a reasonable price range. However, there are no premium features like IP resistance, Glass protection, 5G connectivity, or an AMOLED screen. Some of these features & even better specs can be seen in various other handsets under INR 15000 range.

Also, TCL 30 SE is still not available globally, so you must not wait for it as this segment has ample options. Check out other alternatives like Samsung Galaxy M12 or Realme 9i that come with decent specs in almost the same price range. Despite all the different options, it’s up to you and budget which smartphone you want to buy.