TCL now has no fewer than three new smartphones for users to consider with the launch of the TCL 10-series, including the 10L, 10 5G, and 10 Pro. As the branding implies, each of the new handsets is part of a cohesive family on offer from the Chinese OEM. That means that differences between the devices will be mostly minor, intended to deliver price options for just about any prospective buyer.
TCL also says that each of the new 10-series smartphones delivers a refined experience with a few new features onboard for consistency.
Dubbed TCL Smart Experiences, the features take advantage of the company’s expertise in screen technology. But they also leverage a number of other technologies. For instance, the new smartphones include a feature TCL is calling Super Bluetooth. That works like standard Bluetooth but allows audio-streaming to up to four Bluetooth devices at once for a shared experience.
The new TCL UI, conversely, provides customizations and intuitive interactions across each of the three handsets. Incorporated as part of that is a new “Smart Key” hardware button on the TCL 10-series smartphones. The dedicated button is customizable for access to Google Assistant, system-level functions, and apps. Users can single-press the button, hold it down, or double-press it, with different shortcuts individually assignable to those actions.
On the display front, TCL’s Eye Comfort Display delivers a variety of ‘eye care modes’. The company expressly lists Adaptive Tone, Reading Mode, and Eye Comfort Mode as part of the new feature. Those are intended to provide a more comfortable, dynamic viewing experience based on lighting conditions and other factors such as user preference.
Where do these TCL 10-series handsets differ?
Now, the variances in each of these TCL-branded 10-series smartphones are sometimes subtle. But there are key differences that are immediately apparent. The TCL 10 Pro, for example, delivers a slightly smaller, curved AMOLED panel. That means it has a slightly higher pixel density, with better contrast that sets it apart and above its counterparts.
Each of the new TCL 10-series smartphones brings TCL NXTVISION to the table. That’s a solution that combines the camera and screen technology to deliver more realistic clarity, contrast, and color enhancements to the panel in real-time. That also makes the devices Netflix-certified to stream HDR10 videos, as well as capable of SDR to HDR real-time conversion.
TCL’s 10 Pro also packs an under-display fingerprint scanner. The other two handsets feature rear-mounted scanners. The curved edges also deliver a fuller experience via a higher screen-to-body ratio and Edge Bar shortcuts for apps and tools.
Another top selling point for the TCL 10 Pro is its AI-driven 64-megapixel quad camera, as compared to the 48-megapixel quad snapper in the TCL 10L and 10 5G.
Each device will capture in 4K with slow-motion capture features and the cameras are arranged in a horizontal configuration. But the 10-pro delivers a better experience across the board with higher pixel resolution in its primary cameras as well as super low light video and super wide-angle video capabilities. A 24-megapixel selfie snapper is part of the Pro package too. The TCL 10L and 10 5G each pack 16-megapixel front-facing cameras.
By contrast, the TCL 10L comes with a more budget-friendly chipset, a flat display panel, and glossier, almost pearlescent colorations. That’s compared to the Pro model’s more capable chipset and more matte color options. The 5G variant follows the TCL 10L’s lead but delivers faster 5G speeds where available.
Specs
For a deeper examination of the details, the chart below includes the exact specifications provided by TCL.
| Screen size | TCL 10L – 6.53-inch LCD Dotch displayTCL 10 5G – 6.53-inch LCD Dotch displayTCL 10 Pro – 6.47-inch curved AMOLED display |
| Screen resolution | TCL 10L – FHD+ resolution (1080×2340 pixels), 395PPI, 19.5:9 ratioTCL 10 5G – FHD+ resolution (1080×2340 pixels), 395PPI, 19.5:9 ratioTCL 10 Pro – FHD+ resolution (1080×2340 pixels), 398PPI, 19.5:9 ratio |
| SoC | TCL 10L – Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 octa-core Qualcomm Kyro 260 (4x Gold 2.0GHz, 4x Silver 1.8GHz)TCL 10 5G – Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G octa-core Qualcomm Kryo (1x Gold Prime 2.4GHz, 1x Gold 2.2GHz, 6x Silver 1.8GHz)TCL 10 Pro – Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 octa-core Qualcomm Kryo 460 (2x Gold 2.0GHz, 6x Silver 1.7GHz) |
| RAM | TCL 10L – 6GB RAMTCL 10 5G – 6GBTCL 10 Pro – 6GB |
| Storage | TCL 10L – 64/128GB Supports Micro SD card, up to 256GBTCL 10 5G – 128GB Supports micro SDXC card up to 1TBTCL 10 Pro – 128GB UFS 2.1 Supports Micro SD card, up to 256GB |
| Cameras | TCL 10L – Video capture: 4K at 30FPS, 1080P at 120FPS, 720P at 240FPSQuad Cam – 48-megapixel, ƒ/1.8, 0.8μm pixel size 8-megapixel super-wide, ƒ/2.2, 1.12μm pixel size 2-megapixel macro, ƒ/2.4, 1.65μm pixel size 2-megapixel depth, ƒ/2.4, 1.65μm pixel sizeFront Camera – 16-megapixel fixed-focus, ƒ/2.2, 1.0μm pixel size TCL 10 5G – Quad Cam – Front Camera – TCL 10 Pro – Quad Cam – Front Camera – |
| Camera Features | TCL 10L – Google Lens, HDR, in-recording snapshots, Light Trace Mode, Macro Mode, Panorama Mode, Portrait Mode, Pro Mode, real-time bokeh, scene detection, Slow-Mo Video Mode, Stop-Motion Video Mode, Wide-Angle ModeFront Camera – Face Beautification, Portrait ModeTCL 10 5G – Auto-zoom, Google Lens, HDR, in-recording snapshots, Light Trace Mode, Panorama Mode, photo filters, Portrait Mode, Pro Mode, scene detection, Stop-Motion Video Mode, Super Macro Mode, Super Macro video, Super Night Mode, Super Wide-Angle Mode, Slo-mo Mode Front Camera – Face Beautification, photo filters TCL 10 Pro – Front Camera – Face Beautification, photo filters |
| Sensors | TCL 10L – GPS Galileo, A-GPS, Accelerometer, Proximity sensor, RGB Light sensor, face unlock, fingerprint sensor, torch light, NFCTCL 10 5G – GPS(GPS L1+L5 support), Galileo, GLONASS, QZSS, AGPS, BeiDou, Accelerometer, E-Compass, Face Key, fingerprint sensor, Gyro, Proximity sensor, RGB Light sensor Face Key, torch light, NFC TCL 10 Pro – |
| Audio | Single speaker, Dual-mic noise cancellation, 3.5mm audio jack |
| Battery | TCL 10L – 4000mAhTCL 10 5G – 4500mAhTCL 10 Pro – 4500mAh |
| Charging | TCL 10L – Type-C USB 2.0 (Charging time: 145 minutes) Talk time: 49 hours(2G), 34 hours(3G), 27 hours(4G) typical use Standby time: 559 hours typical useTCL 10 5G – Type-C USB 9V/2A Quick Charger 3.0 (Charging time: 2 hours) Talk time: 31hours (2G), 26 hours (3G), 33.6 hours (4G) typical use Standby time: 401 hours (2G),580 hours (3G), 529 hours (4G) typical useTCL 10 Pro – Type-C USB 9V/2A Quick Charge 3.0 (Charging time: 100% (121 mins) 50% (35 mins)) OTG reverse charging: 5V/1.5A Talk time: 20 hours (2G) 28 hours (3G) 18 hours (4G) typical use Standby time: 600 hours typical use |
| Connectivity | TCL 10L – Wi-Fi / WLAN 802.11 b/g/n for 2.4GHz, 802.11 a/n/ac for 5GHz Wi-Fi Direct, WiFi Display, 4G Mobile Hotspot, VoLTE, VoWifi (optional), FM Radio (optional), Type-C USB 2.0, NFC Bluetooth 5.0T770H: Single SIM 4FF Nano SIM + Micro SD Dual SIM 4FF Nano SIM + Micro SD / 4FF Nano-SIM T770B: Single SIM 4FF Nano SIM + Micro SDTCL 10 5G – Wi-Fi: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac 2×2 MIMO Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Casting, 4G/5G Mobile Hotspot, Type-C USB 2.0, USB OTG, Data transfer, NFC Bluetooth 5.0 SIM + External Storage: 1 4FF Nano SIM + 1 MicroSDXCTCL 10 Pro – Wi-Fi / WLAN 802.11 b/g/n for 2.4GHz, 802.11 a/n/ac for 5GHz , Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Display, 4G Mobile Hotspot, GPS with A-GPS VoLTE, VoWifi (optional), Type-C USB 2.0, USB OTG, Data transfer, NFC Bluetooth 5.0T799B: Single SIM 1 4FF Nano SIM + 1 Micro SD T799H: Single SIM 1 4FF Nano SIM + 1 Micro SD Dual-SIM 1 4FF Nano SIM + 1 4FF Nano-SIM/ 1 Micro SD |
| OS | Android™ 10 (upgrade to Android 11 by FOTA), TCL UI |
| Colors | TCL 10L – Arctic White, Mariana BlueTCL 10 5G – Chrome Blue, Mercury GrayTCL 10 Pro – Forest Mist Green, Ember Gray |
| Dimensions | TCL 10L – Length: 6.38 in (162.2 mm) Width: 2.97 in (75.6 mm) Height: 0.33 in (8.4 mm)TCL 10 5G – Length: 6.44 in (163.65 mm) Width: 3.01 in (76.56 mm) Height: 0.35 in (9.05 mm)TCL 10 Pro – Length: 6.24 in (158.5 mm) Width: 2.85 in (72.4 mm) Height: 0.36 in (9.2 mm) |
| Weight | TCL 10L – 180gTCL 10 5G – 210gTCL 10 Pro – 177g |
| Accessories | TCL 10L – TP Protect Film, PSI, SIM card pin, TPU case, Charger (5V2A), USB cable, Quick Guide, Wire headset(optional), Fabric case (optional)TCL 10 5G – Film display protector, protective caseTCL 10 Pro – Protective case (default), Flip cover, film display protector, headset (optional) |
Pricing and availability
Now, the exact details about pricing and availability for the new TCL smartphones haven’t been revealed just yet. But TCL does provide some information on that front.
The most affordable of the new handsets will be the TCL 10L. That will be available in Europ, North America, Australia, and the UK in the second quarter of 2020. Prices will start out at €249, $249, or £199, depending on the sales region. The handset will be sold in Arctic White or Mariana Blue.
Stepping up from there, the 5G variant of the TCL 10-series will be available in “select” regions and not until “later” in 2020. But it is priced to sell at a slightly lower cost than the Pro variant and will be available in Chrome Blue or Mercury Gray. The suggested retail cost of the TCL 10 5G is €399 or £399, indicating that it won’t likely be available in the North American region.
Finally, the TCL 10 Pro comes in Ember Gray and Forest Mist Green color options. It will be sold in Europe, North America, Australia, and the UK starting in Q2 2020. Pricing will be set at €449, $449, or £399, depending on the sales region.
