After announcing its “10” series of smartphones at CES 2020, TCL had promised a stellar set of midrange devices, with 5G capability, under $500. And now, it looks like the company has kept its promises after unveiling the spec sheet and the respective prices of the new TCL 10 5G, 10 Pro, and 10L. Well, not every entry under TCL’s 10 series has 5G connectivity but are impressive mid-range phones regardless.
TCL 10 Series
Though you may not have heard of TCL, the name itself isn’t anything new in the consumer electronics market. They have a wide portfolio of gadgets from TVs to soundbars. In fact, it has been one of the leading companies when it comes to display-panels and its Roku-powered 4K TVs have received worldwide recognition because of their inexpensive yet quality offering.
TCL didn’t have much going for it as far as the smartphones are concerned. It has worked for many smartphone brands including Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus and others. Most of it has been behind the curtains. The company has also released a good number of phones under brands such as Alcatel and Blackberry, but none of them were meant to overtake the existing smartphone leaders. At best, these phones were entry-level smartphones. Last year, TCL announced the first phone under its name – TCL Plex. And now, the new TCL 10 series look to present themselves as a competitive option in the mid-range smartphone market.
TCL 10 5G
The TCL 10 5G as the name implies, is the only 5G-capable device in this list, which is powered by the Snapdragon 765G. It is among the latest processor from Qualcomm to come with integrated 5G support. Though it has a lot of stuff in common with Snapdragon 765, it has been further enhanced and optimized with the gaming needs in mind. In terms of memory, it has 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage with SD card support available too.
Getting to the cameras, the TCL 10 5G has a quad-camera setup with a 64MP primary lens, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens, a 5MP macro sensor, and finally a 2MP depth sensor. I wish OEMs would dismiss macro and depth sensors for a telephoto lens instead, at this point but the trend is still going on. The 16MP front camera finds its place inside a punch-hole cutout at the top left corner of the display.
Talking about the display, it’s a 6.53-inches FHD+ LCD panel. That right there could be a little problematic as Xiaomi’s newly announced Mi 10 Lite 5G which has a very similar spec-sheet compared to the TCL 10 5G, has a much more desirable AMOLED panel instead. Battery wise, it’s got a sizeable 4500mAh cell with 18W Quick Charge 3.0 support.
TCL 10 5G Specifications:
- Body: 6.44 x 3.01 x 0.36 inches; 210 gm
- Display: 6.53-inches “NXTVISION” IPS LCD panel; 91% screen-to-body ratio
- Resolution: FHD+ (2340 x 1080 pixels); 19.5:9 aspect ratio
- Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G; 7nm Mobile Platform
- CPU: Octa-core (1×2.4 GHz Kryo 475 Prime & 1×2.2 GHz Kryo 475 Gold & 6×1.8 GHz Kryo 475 Silver)
- GPU: Adreno 620
- RAM: 6GB
- Storage: 128GB UFS 2.1 (expandable up to 1TB via a microSD card)
- Software & UI: Android 10 with TCL UI on top
- Rear Camera: Quad-camera;
– 64MP, f/1.9 primary Samsung GW1 sensor
– 8MP, f/2.2 ultra-wide-angle lens
– 5MP, f/2.2 macro lens
– 2MP, f/2.4 depth sensor
– Dual-LED flash - Front Camera: 16MP, f/2.2 aperture
- Security: Fingerprint sensor (rear-mounted)
- Audio: 3.5mm headphone jack, FM Radio, LDAC, aptX codec
- Connectivity: Hybrid Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by), MicroSD card, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS/AGPS/GLONASS/GALILEO/QSS, USB Type-C
- Battery: 4500 mAh battery with 18W Quick Charge 3.0 support (9V2A)
- Colors: Chrome Blue, Mercury Gray
TCL 10 PRO
Next up is the TCL 10 Pro. Boasting a curved 6.47-inches AMOLED display and a few camera upgrades compared to the 10 5G, the company has given this one a “Pro” title. The display also supports the HDR10 standard for better colors and contrast. But looking at its performance, it’s hard to justify that decision. Powered by the dated Snapdragon 675, it is not comparable to the mighty 765G in any way. Still, it’s a good enough chipset for a mid-range smartphone, with a 6/128GB memory configuration.
Besides performance, the TCL 10 Pro also has a similar quad-camera arrangement with a 64MP primary lens, a 5MP macro lens, a 2MP depth sensor, and a 16MP ultra-wide-angle lens. Moreover, TCL has gone with a traditional ‘U’ shaped notch instead of a punch-hole cutout for its 24MP camera. But because it’s an AMOLED panel, there’s an in-display (optical) fingerprint sensor instead of a physical one.
What’s more confusing is that the TCL 10 Pro is costlier than the 10 5G. If it had shared the same chipset, then I could see it. But since that’s not the case, I feel like the TCL 10 5G is a better choice, especially for customers abroad, as they can make use of its 5G prowess too.
TCL 10 Pro Specifications:
- Body: 6.24 x 2.85 x 0.36 inches; 177 gm
- Display: 6.47-inches “NXTVISION” curved AMOLED panel; HDR10; Always-on Display; 93% screen-to-body ratio
- Resolution: FHD+ (2340 x 1080 pixels); 19.5:9 aspect ratio
- Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 675; 11nm Mobile Platform
- CPU: Octa-core (2×2.0 GHz Kryo 460 Gold & 6×1.7 GHz Kryo 460 Silver)
- GPU: Adreno 612
- RAM: 6GB
- Storage: 128GB UFS 2.1 (expandable up to 256GB via a microSD card)
- Software & UI: Android 10 with TCL UI on top
- Rear Camera: Quad-camera;
– 64MP, f/1.8 primary Samsung GW1 sensor
– 16MP, f/2.2 ultra-wide-angle lens
– 5MP, f/2.2 macro lens
– 2MP, f/2.4 depth sensor
– Dual-LED flash - Front Camera: 24MP, f/2.0 aperture
- Security: In-display fingerprint sensor (optical)
- Audio: 3.5mm headphone jack, FM Radio, LDAC, aptX codec
- Connectivity: Hybrid Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by), MicroSD card, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS/AGPS/GLONASS/GALILEO/QSS, USB Type-C
- Battery: 4500 mAh battery with 18W Quick Charge 3.0 support (9V2A)
- Colors: Forest Mint Green, Ember Gray
TCL 10L
Last but not the least, there’s the TCL 10L. It is the most affordable of the bunch with pretty admirable hardware of its own. The TCL 10L features a 6.53-inches LCD panel with a punch-hole cutout at the top left corner just like the TCL 10 5G. Similarly, there’s a quad-camera setup here as well, with a 48MP primary lens, accompanied by an 8MP ultra-wide lens, a 2MP depth sensor, and a 2MP macro lens.
In terms of performance, the TCL 10L is powered by the Snapdragon 665 and is coupled with 6GB of RAM and either 64 or 128GB of internal storage. It’s got a slightly smaller battery as well, standing at 4000mAh that doesn’t support fast charging either.
TCL 10L Specifications:
- Body: 6.24 x 2.85 x 0.36 inches; 177 gm
- Display: 6.53-inches “NXTVISION” IPS LCD panel; 91% screen-to-body ratio
- Resolution: FHD+ (2340 x 1080 pixels); 19.5:9 aspect ratio
- Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 665; 11nm Mobile Platform
- CPU: Octa-core (4×2.0 GHz Kryo 260 Gold & 4×1.8 GHz Kryo 260 Silver)
- GPU: Adreno 610
- RAM: 6GB
- Storage: 64 / 128GB UFS 2.1 (expandable via a microSD card)
- Software & UI: Android 10 with TCL UI on top
- Rear Camera: Quad-camera;
– 48MP, f/1.8 primary Samsung GM1 sensor
– 8MP, f/2.2 ultra-wide-angle lens
– 2MP, f/2.4 macro lens
– 2MP, f/2.4 depth sensor
– Dual-LED flash - Front Camera: 16MP, f/2.2 aperture
- Security: Fingerprint sensor (rear-mounted)
- Audio: 3.5mm headphone jack, FM Radio, LDAC, aptX codec
- Connectivity: Hybrid Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by), MicroSD card, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS/AGPS/GLONASS/GALILEO/QSS, USB Type-C
- Battery: 4000 mAh battery
- Colors: Arctic White, Mariana Blue
TCL 10 Series Price and Launch Date
Finally, let’s talk about their prices & availability. The TCL 10 5G is priced at €399 (~$435 or NRs. 53,000) and will be available later this year, though the specific date hasn’t been confirmed yet. TCL 10 Pro will cost you €449/$449 (~NRs. 59,640). And yes, that’s €449 in the European and $449 in the US market. TCL 10L will go on sale in Q2 2020 at €249/$249 (~NRs. 33,080).
| TCL 10 Series – Model Name | Price | Availability |
| TCL 10 5G | €399 (~NRs. 53,000) | Later this year |
| TCL 10 Pro | €449 (~NRs. 59,640) | Later this year |
| TCL 10L | €249 (~NRs. 33,080) | Q2, 2020 |
And for our Nepalese audience, if you wish to get your hands on one of these phones, bad news because they certainly won’t be launching here. However, the TCL 10 series of smartphones may enter the country through unofficial channels at varying prices.
