TCL 10 Series: Good specs, lots of cameras, and 5G on a budget
TCL Communication is best known for its extensive TV lineup and making smartphones under the Alcatel brand. The company is determined to become a major player in its own right, though, and has now leveraged its know-how in the two industries to create the TCL 10 smartphone series.
Arguably the most impressive smartphone of the bunch is the TCL 10 5G. Next-gen network connectivity is a feature that’s typically reserved for the flagship segment, but this particular smartphone brings it down to the mid-range category.
That’s made possible by the powerful Snapdragon 765 chipset which features an integrated 5G modem. In this case, TCL has also paired it with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage as standard, and microSD cards of up to 1TB are supported.
To take full advantage of the 5G experience, customers need access to an impressive visual experience. TCL has this covered with a 6.5-inch punch-hole ‘Dotch’ display complete with a Full-HD+ (2340 x 1080p) resolution and an impressive 91% screen-to-body ratio.
Sitting inside the so-called dotch is a 16-megapixel selfie camera with support for ‘Face Beautification’ and 1080p video recording at 30fps. It’s coupled with a versatile quad-camera system on the rear.
The TCL 10 5G will be available in Chrome Blue and Mercury Gray in select regions later this year including Europe and the United Kingdom, where the smartphone will retail for €399 and £399 respectively.
Curved-edge screens are another feature often associated with premium flagship devices, but TCL has leveraged its know-how in the display business and equipped the TCL 10 Pro with a TCL-made curved-edge AMOLED panel.
It measures in a 6.47-inches, supports HRD10 content, and offers an even more impressive 93% screen-to-body ratio thanks to the slimmer bezels. As for resolution, TCL has stuck with Full-HD+ (2340 x 1080p) which should limit the impact on battery life.
The ‘dotch’ has been swapped out for a more traditional notch that houses a 24-megapixel selfie camera. It sits alongside a rear quadruple-camera setup which once again includes a 64-megapixel main camera, a 16-megapixel ultra-wide-angle, a 2-megapixel depth sensor, and a 5-megapixel macro camera.
Powering the TCL 10 Pro is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 675 chipset coupled with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of expandable internal storage. There is also Android 10, a 4,500mAh battery with support for 18W fast charging, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
The TCL 10 Pro will be available in Ember Gray and Forest Mint Green across Europe, North America, Australia, and the United Kingdom for €449 EUR/$449 USD/£399 GBP/$899 AUD in Q2 2020.
The TCL 10L targets a completely different price segment, more specifically the budget category. TCL has fitted it with the Snapdragon 665 chipset that powers rival devices such as the Nokia 5.3 and Motorola Moto G8 Plus.
There is also an impressive 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage as standard. This is combined with a 6.5-inch punch-hole display complete with the same 91% screen-to-body ratio and Full-HD+ resolution as the TCL 10 5G.
TCL 10L comes in Arctic White and Mariana Blue and will be available in Europe, North America, Australia, and the United Kingdom starting in Q2 2020 for €249 EUR/$249 USD/£199 GBP/$499 AUD.
TCL 10 5G: Less than half the price of a 5G flagship
That’s made possible by the powerful Snapdragon 765 chipset which features an integrated 5G modem. In this case, TCL has also paired it with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage as standard, and microSD cards of up to 1TB are supported.
Sitting inside the so-called dotch is a 16-megapixel selfie camera with support for ‘Face Beautification’ and 1080p video recording at 30fps. It’s coupled with a versatile quad-camera system on the rear.
The latter is home to a 64-megapixel primary camera, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle shooter with support for a 118-degree field-of-view, a 2-megapixel depth sensor, and a 5-megapixel macro camera that can shoot from only 2cm away.
Other TCL 10 5G features include Android 10 straight out of the box and a large 4,500mAh battery with support for 18W fast charging and reverse wireless charging. Headphone jack lovers will be pleased to hear the legacy port is included too.
The TCL 10 5G will be available in Chrome Blue and Mercury Gray in select regions later this year including Europe and the United Kingdom, where the smartphone will retail for €399 and £399 respectively.
TCL 10 Pro: A curved-edge display and four cameras
The ‘dotch’ has been swapped out for a more traditional notch that houses a 24-megapixel selfie camera. It sits alongside a rear quadruple-camera setup which once again includes a 64-megapixel main camera, a 16-megapixel ultra-wide-angle, a 2-megapixel depth sensor, and a 5-megapixel macro camera.
The rear system offers support for 4K video recording at 30fps and slow-mo 720p video at 240fps. Super Night Mode is also included, meaning low-light photos should look considerably better than usual.
The TCL 10 Pro will be available in Ember Gray and Forest Mint Green across Europe, North America, Australia, and the United Kingdom for €449 EUR/$449 USD/£399 GBP/$899 AUD in Q2 2020.
TCL 10L: A true budget smartphone
The TCL 10L targets a completely different price segment, more specifically the budget category. TCL has fitted it with the Snapdragon 665 chipset that powers rival devices such as the Nokia 5.3 and Motorola Moto G8 Plus.
The versatile quad-camera system has also been retained, although some changes have been made. Specifically, it now features a 48-megapixel primary sensor paired with an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle shooter, a 2-megapixel macro camera, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor.
TCL 10L comes in Arctic White and Mariana Blue and will be available in Europe, North America, Australia, and the United Kingdom starting in Q2 2020 for €249 EUR/$249 USD/£199 GBP/$499 AUD.
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