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The TCL 10 Series redefines affordable flagships (Update: North America date)

With the new TCL 10 5G, TCL 10 Pro, and TCL 10L, the company is clearly moving into the middle of the market.
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Published onMay 15, 2020

The TCL 10 series phones.

Update, May 15, 2020 (04:30 PM ET): Originally, TCL only gave us a vague idea of release dates for its new TCL 10 series of smartphones. Now, though, we have a more specific date for at least two of the phones in one area of the world.

According to GSM Arena, the TCL 10 Pro and 10L will hit stores in North America on May 19. As stated below, the two phones will cost $449 and $249 respectively. You’ll be able to buy the phones from the usual retailers, including Amazon.com. There’s no word on carrier partnerships here in the US yet, but there will be some carrier availability in Canada.


Original article, April 6, 2020 (09:00 AM ET): TCL gave us a sneak peak at its 10 Series smartphones during CES 2020. Today, the company fully revealed its affordable lineup, which includes three new phones: the TCL 10 5G, the 10 Pro, and the 10L. The trio shares the same basic mix of features, such as TCL Display-sourced screens, Snapdragon 700/600 series processors, and quad-camera setups on the rear.

Let’s dive in and see what makes the TCL 10 Series tick.

First to 5G

TCL 10 5G standing couch

The TCL 10 5G is, as the name suggests, a 5G-capable smartphone and the first such device from TCL. The 5G radio (bands n1/3/8/28/77/78) can handle up to 2.3Gbps downloads, as long as the network does. Speaking of networks, TCL is playing coy on naming in which markets the 10 5G will be able to surf at warp speed.

The phone has a 6.53-inch Full HD+ display with a 91% screen-to-body ratio. It is powered by a Snapdragon 765G processor with 6GB of memory and 128GB of storage. A 4,500mAh battery with QuickCharge 3.0 provides the TCL 10 5G with the juice it needs to get through the day.

TCL opted for a big megapixel count for its premier phone. Four cameras adorn the rear, a 64MP main, 118-degree 8MP ultra-wide, 5MP macro, and 2MP low-light sensor. The phone can capture video up to 4K at 30fps. On the front, you’ll find a 16MP selfie camera.

Other features include Android 10 and TCL UI, 3.5mm headphone jack, dual-band WiFi, and support for microSD cards. The TCL 10 5G will be available in select markets later this year for €399/£399.

See also: 5G networks deploying faster than 4G | Best 5G phones you can buy

Going Pro

TCL 10 Pro back standing up grey

The TCL 10 Pro is the first phone from the company to offer a curved AMOLED screen. The 6.47-inch Full HD panel is certified to support HDR10 content from the likes of Netflix, making the phone a natural for entertainment. TCL developed an Edge Bar that makes app shortcuts easy to locate. Bezels are kept to an absolute minimum, giving the phone a screen-to-body ratio of 93%. The screen also hides the phone’s fingerprint sensor, which is buried under the glass.

A Snapdragon 675 processor with 6GB of memory and 128GB of storage powers the phone. It’s a little concerning that TCL opted for a 2018-era processor. Hopefully, the decision won’t come back to bite it. The TCL 10 Pro has the same 4,500mAh battery with QuickCharge 3.0 found in the 5G model.

TCL changed up the camera equation a bit. The 10 Pro also has a 64MP main camera, but the 123-degree ultra-wide has a 16MP sensor. The 5MP macro and 2MP low-light sensors are the same, but the selfie camera jumps to 24MP. People who buy the 10 Pro will be able to capture video up to 4K at 30fps.

Other features mirror those of the 10G. That means Android 10 with the TCL UI (with a promise to update to Android 11), 3.5mm headphone jack, WiFi, Bluetooth 5.0, and support for microSD cards. It will be available in Europe, North America, Australia, and the UK beginning in the second quarter for €449/$449/£399.

See also: What’s new on Netflix April 2020

Taking the L

TCL 10L display

Last in this trio of TCL 10 Series phones is the 10L. It carries over the same 6.53-inch Full HD+ display with a 91% screen-to-body ratio as the 5G model, but drops the processor down to the Snapdragon 665. It offers the same 6GB of memory and 128GB of storage as the others, though a 64GB variant will also be available.

The camera configuration downgrades the sensors yet again. The 10L has a 48MP main camera, an 8MP ultra-wide, a 2MP macro, and a 2MP low-light. It can record 4K video at up to 30fps, or 720p video at up to 240fps for cool slow-motion footage. The selfie camera rates 16MP.

Rounding out the basics, the TCL 10L also features Android 10 with TCL UI, Bluetooth 5, WiFi, microSD card support, and a rear-mounted fingerprint reader. The 10L will be sold in Europe, North America, Australia, and the UK beginning in the second quarter for €249/$249/£199.

TCL 10 Series: Specs

TCL 10 5GTCL 10 ProTCL 10L
Display
TCL 10 5G
6.53-in LCD
Full HD+ (2,340 x 1,080)
19.5:9 aspect ratio
395ppi
91% screen-to-body
450 nits
TCL 10 Pro
6.47-in AMOLED
Full HD+ (2,340 x 1,080)
19.5:9 aspect ratio
398ppi
93% screen-to-body
TCL 10L
6.53-in LCD
Full HD+ (2,340 x 1,080)
19.5:9 aspect ratio
395ppi
Processor
TCL 10 5G
CPU:
Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G
Octa-core Kryo 460

GPU:
Adreno 620
TCL 10 Pro
CPU:
Qualcomm Snapdragon 675
Octa-core Kryo 460

GPU:
Adreno 612
TCL 10L
CPU:
Qualcomm Snapdragon 665
Octa-core Kryo 260

GPU:
Adreno 610
RAM
TCL 10 5G
6GB
TCL 10 Pro
6GB
TCL 10L
6GB
Storage
TCL 10 5G
128GB
MicroSD up to 1TB
TCL 10 Pro
128GB
MicroSD up to 256GB
TCL 10L
64 / 128GB
Cameras
TCL 10 5G
Rear:
64MP main: 79.8-degree FoV, f/1.89, 0.8 micron pixel size, 1/1.72-inch sensor size
8MP ultra wide: 118-degree FoV, f/2.2, 1.12 micron pixel size, 1/4-inch sensor size
5MP macro: f/2.2, 1.12 micron pixel size, 1/5-inch sensor size
2MP depth: f/2.4, 1.75 micron pixel size, 1/5-inch sensor size

Front:
16MP: 79-degree FoV, f/2.2, 1.0 micron, 1/3.06-inch sensor size

Video: 1080p @ 30fps, 720p @ 30fps
TCL 10 Pro
Rear:
64MP main: 79-degree FoV, f/1.79, 0.8 micron pixel size, 1/1.7-inch sensor size
16MP ultra wide: 123-degree FoV, f/2.4, 1.0 micron pixel size, 1/3-inch sensor size
2MP macro: f/2.2, 1.12 micron pixel size, 1/5-inch sensor size
2MP depth: f/1.8, 2.9 micron pixel size, 1/2.8-inch sensor size

Front:
24MP: 79.6-degree FoV, f/2.0, 0.9 micron, 1/2.8-inch sensor size

Video: 4K @ 30fps, 1080p @ 30fps, 720p @ 30fps
TCL 10L
Rear:
48MP main: 79-degree FoV, f/1.8, 0.8 micron pixel size, 1/2.25-inch sensor size
8MP ultra wide: 118-degree FoV, f/2.2, 1.12 micron pixel size, 1/4-inch sensor size
2MP macro: f/2.4, 1.65 micron pixel size, 1/5-inch sensor size
2MP depth: f/2.4, 1.65 micron pixel size, 1/5-inch sensor size

Front:
16MP: 76-degree FoV, f/2.2, 1.0 micron, 1/3.1-inch sensor size

Video: 4K @ 30fps, 1080p @ 120fps, 720p @ 240fps
Battery
TCL 10 5G
4,500mAh
Quick Charge 3.0
9V2A
TCL 10 Pro
4,500mAh
Quick Charge 3.0
OTG Reverse Charging 5V/1.5A
TCL 10L
4,000mAh
Wireless
TCL 10 5G
Sub-6GHz 5G (Bands n1, n3, n8, n28, n77, n78)
LTE 4G
Dual-band WiFi
Bluetooth 5 w/aptX, LDAC, Super Bluetooth
TCL 10 Pro
LTE 4G
Dual-band WiFi
Bluetooth 5 w/aptX, LDAC, Super Bluetooth
TCL 10L
LTE 4G
Dual-band WiFi
Bluetooth 5 w/aptX, LDAC, Super Bluetooth
Colors
TCL 10 5G
Chrome Blue, Mercury Gray
TCL 10 Pro
Forest Mint Green, Ember Gray
TCL 10L
Arctic White, Mariana Blue
Dimensions
TCL 10 5G
163.65 x 76.56 x 9.05mm
TCL 10 Pro
158.5 x 72.4 x 9.2mm
TCL 10L
162.2 x 75.6 x 8.4mm
Weight
TCL 10 5G
210g
TCL 10 Pro
177g
TCL 10L
180G

TCL 10 5G

TCL 10 Pro

TCL 10L

TCL 10 Series: Moving the bar

TCL is clearly moving into the middle of the market with these phones. Where it forged a solid reputation making entry-level fare under the Alcatel brand and flagship class with its foray into BlackBerry, we now see TCL looking to take advantage of its growing brand power. We look forward to seeing just how well these phones perform in the months ahead.


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