TCL 20 Review, Pros and Cons – Unlike a well-known brand TCL which is saturated in the European and Western markets, launched a new smartphone a few months ago. The new series is none other than the TCL 20 smartphone supported by 5G, in which other devices included TCL 20 SE smartphone.
The TCL 20 smartphone is the basic model and the company also plans to launch its older brother with the Pro title. Whether or not TCL puts any effort here and there. You will understand more by following the article. So, let’s move on to the review and primary highlights on TCL 20 phone.
Table of Contents
TCL 20 Review
Highlights
- A new Snapdragon 690 SoC from relativity comes with a combination of 5G technology.
- The 6.67 inches display comes with IPS LCD has HDR10, but has not received a 120Hz refresh rate.
- As it is an economical 5G device, the appropriate triple camera with a 48MP main camera is placed inside the board.
- Since the front camera obtains an 8MP lens with a dot notch.
- The charging power is increased through the 18W charger, while inside the body, it equips Li-Po 4500 mAh.
- TCL 20 5G is available exclusively in Italy and is expected to launch in the US soon.
Design and Display
The glossy design included an elegant appearance within the limits of the plastic body. Although it didn’t look cheap at all. But the configuration of the camera in a strip format is a remnant of the past. However, it can stand out because of its renewing perspective.
On the other hand, the TCL 20 smartphone has an adequate weight with a slight accumulation of volume, which must be suitable for large hands. However, using the phone with one hand would be difficult. There are two options of surrounding colors of Mist Gray and Placid Blue that most attract users. Both models give a professional aura, which is very beautiful at the same time.
Now, going forward, the device features a thin frame layout along with 450 nits brightness settings. Not to forget, the brightness setting will not disappoint you in broad daylight. Apparently, it has Full HD resolution, which is much better than 720p. In addition, the ratio between the canvas and the body is fabulous. Then, the IPS LCD technology panel intact on the 6.67 inches screen guarantees a compact, wide view. Instead of the rear panel, the fingerprint reader placed on the power button.
Memory and Internal
In terms of performance, the TCL 20 smartphone offers a 2.0 GHz processor that impressively manages daily tasks and multitasking effortlessly. In addition, the main executor is the Snapdragon 690 chipset that allows cutting-edge graphics. Yes, the visual effect of the Adreno 619L placed next to the chipset. So, you can play cutting edge games like PUBG and Call of Duty. In addition, the simple Android 10-based interface along with TCL’s custom UI grant brilliant features.
If you are new to the TCL UI, you may notice some random bloatware from the system. However, they are not annoying as they do not show a pop-up notification in the notification bar. However, it cannot be considered a lightweight interface. But on the other hand, there are many customization features waiting for your instructions to be activated.
The navigation handle through a set of 6 GB of RAM. Whereas you can select between 128 GB or 256 GB storage according to your budget and requirements. In addition, UFS 2.1 memory support is also present, which can take processing speed even further. But you need to use the shared SIM slot to expand storage. Check here the advantages and disadvantages of the TCL 10 5G UW smartphone.
Camera
The camera software may not have the dynamic range that is expected from a 5G smartphone. Still, the TCL 20 5G smartphone tries its best to render smart features that will extend the photographic experience to some extent. Thanks to the beauty of AI, the portrait and macro department has been enhanced. Whereas you can see graininess and over-smoothness in the images due to the low overall image processing.
Night mode is not that good, it dramatically improves most of the exposure aspect in proper light settings. However, the same thing cannot be said for close-up photos, as the phone takes some time to reorganize the focus. In short, the photo capture experience would be average.
Moving on to the technical aspect, we note that the main shooters of 48 MP work abundantly in video recording. You can record up to 4K with gyro-EIS support. Despite this, the image of the 8MP ultrawide effects cannot be overlooked. As for the last part, the 2MP macro generally does not come into use. But, the 8 MP selfie camera is not as miserable as you think. It can still record up to 1080p video, which is surprisingly
Battery and Others
The power supply via the 4500 mAh battery, which is the backbone of the TCL 20 5G, and surprisingly the 18W fast charging block decreases the fuel supply to some extent. You can charge your phone in less than an hour and a half in a typical case. On the other hand, the battery will provide two days of moderate use. You will have about 6 to 7 hours of battery life for intense gaming sessions.
In addition, 4.0+ fast charging technology will increase the supply process at the software level. The TCL 20 5G is available for about USD 300 (21,500 INR) in Italy as the base price of the product. For now, there is no news about the launch to global markets.
TCL 20 Specifications Detail
Down below you can see the full specifications of the TCL 20 smartphone.
| Specifications | TCL 20 |
| Network | 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G |
| Announced | November 2020 |
| SIM | Hybrid Dual SIM |
| Dimensions | 6.54 x 3.02 x 0.36 inches |
| Weight | 206 g |
| Size | 6.67 inches |
| Display | IPS LCD HDR10 450 nits brightness 20:9 ratio ~395 ppi density |
| Protection | No |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels |
| OS | Android 10, TCL UI |
| Chipset | 8nm – Qualcomm SM6350 Snapdragon 690 5G |
| CPU | Octa-core 2×2.0 GHz Kryo 560 Gold 6×1.7 GHz Kryo 560 Silver |
| GPU | Adreno 619L |
| Card slot | Yes (uses shared SIM slot) |
| RAM | 6GB |
| Internal | 128GB, 256GB UFS 2.1 |
| Camera | 48 MP (wide) 8 MP (ultrawide) 2 MP (macro) LED flash, HDR, panorama, gyro-EIS 4K@30fps |
| Selfie | 8 MP HDR 1080p@30fps |
| Loudspeaker | Yes |
| 3.5mm jack | Yes 24-bit/192kHz audio |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot |
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| GPS | Yes, with dual-band A-GPS, GLONASS BDS, GALILEO |
| NFC | Yes |
| Infrared port | No |
| Radio | Yes |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, USB On-The-Go |
| Sensors | side-mounted Fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro proximity, compass |
| Battery | Li-Po 4500 mAh Fast charging 18W Quick Charge 4.0+ |
| Colors | Mist Gray, Placid Blue |
| Expected Price | USD 300 (21,500 INR) |
TCL 20 Pros and Cons
Down below you can see the list of pros and cons (advantages and disadvantages) of the TCL 20 smartphone.
Pros
- Decent battery life and 18W charging speed.
- 4K video recording with gyro-EIS support.
- Can play cutting edge games.
- Full HD display and HDR 10 certification enabled.
- Decent camera performance.
- Impressive shiny design and side fingerprint sensor.
- USB On-The-Go.
- 5g support.
- Android 10 OS comes with TCL UI.
Cons
- Average low light photography experience.
- Only 60Hz refresh rate.
- Use the shared SIM slot for the SD card.
- USB Type-C 2.0 instead of 3.0.
- Lack of screen protection.
Conclusion
TCL intends to bring a decent and affordable 5G device under its hood. It draws attention to its latest TCL 20 5G smartphone. But other than that, everything seems a little superficial. After connecting the dots, we understand that the processor is relevant and useful. Still, the quality of the camera lacks in the significant section that the user expects nowadays.
Still, the custom features of the TCL UI would be attractive to interested buyers. In short, if you’re expecting something good on a low-cost 5G phone, then it’s a great deal. But, if you’re expecting a camera phone, it may not be the best choice.
