TCL has launched its first 5G smartphone, the TCL 10 5G. With the new device the company offers a very solid spec sheet at an affordable price. It is TCL’s effort to bring 5G to the masses, without compromising on features and performance.
We’ve had the opportunity to use and test the TCL 10 5G and this is what we found:
The device sports a 6.53-inch LCD display at 1080 x 2340 pixels resolution (395 ppi density). Although a flat LCD screen with relatively thick bezels lags behind premium models in terms of design, the display provides excellent performance, with vivid and bright colours.
The Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 765G chipset provides great performance and fast 5G speeds. The CPU is octa-core and the GPU is Adreno 620.
The rear camera setup consists of 4 modules -- 64MP wide lens, 8MP ultra-wide lens, 5MP macro and 2MP depth cameras. While the camera bump on the back may seem a bit obtrusive for some refined tastes, the 16MP front camera is a single punch hole and it is barely noticeable on the screen.
TCL 10 5G is powered by a 4500 mAh battery, equipped with 18W fast charging and OTG reverse charging. Battery capacity is impressive and will be an advantage, especially compared to other 5G power-hungry mid-range devices.
Memory storage of 256GB can be expanded up to another 1TB via a MicroSD card, while 6GB of RAM should be able to handle even the most demanding apps and processes.
TCL is also one of the few companies to stick with the 3.5mm audio jack, which may prove to be a differentiation factor.
The most impressive thing about the device is probably its price. At €399/£399 (retail) TCL 10 5G offers a great value for your money, balancing between solid specs and affordability.
Despite the indisputable appeal of TCL 10 5G, the device will face some stern challenge from other similarly specced viable options already available on the market. While some are cheaper (Realme X50 for £299), or have a better display (OnePlus Nord with AMOLED 90hz display), TCL 10 5G with its superior camera and larger battery will undoubtedly become a hit on the market with users looking for an affordable and well balanced all-around 5G smartphone.
