TCL 10L Review: Bang For Your Buck

Purchase Price: $250

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Product Specs +

6.53 inch 1080p by 2340p
395ppi
IPS LCD display
Snapdragon 665
6GB of RAM
64 GB of storage
4000 mAH battery
TCL UI based on Android 10

Camera Specs +

Rear Cameras

48 MP F/1.8 Main
8 MP F/2.2, Ultrawide
2 MP, F/2.4, Macro
2 MP, F/2.4, Depth

Selfie Cameras

16 MP F/2.2

Video

Shoots 4k at up to 30 FPS

It's been a little over a month now since I've been using the TCL 10L as my daily driver. I'll admit I was a little skeptical going into my review because this was my first TCL phone and while the specs look good on paper, we know that doesn’t always translate to everyday life. So how was it? Let's take a look.

Almost Everything You Need

I purchased my TCL 10L from Amazon for $250 in the mariana blue color. This is currently the only colorway TCL offers for the 10L. Constructed with a plastic build, the TCL 10L is lightweight and comfortable to hold in the hand due to the 19.5:9 aspect ratio. That being said, as a $250 phone, it can’t quite compete in the premium phone material category, so the 10L relies on other aspects to satisfy its user.

The device is thin with small bezels, making it optimal to hold for long periods of time for media consumption. More on that in a bit. There's a headphone jack which we rarely see in 2020. There's also facial recognition and a fingerprint scanner, both of which work impressively fast. Seeing as this is a budget device, there is no water or dust resistance nor is there wireless charging. While this is to be expected seeing as it retails for $250, I do wonder when in the near future we may be seeing some of these features leak into the budget space.

This device has one design feature that enhances the user experience in which I thoroughly enjoyed using. Isolated on the left-hand side of the frame, TCL implemented a programmable physical button that they call the Smart Key. The Smart Key shortcut can be programmed to open proprietary apps through multiple configurations based on user preferences. During my time with the 10L, taking screenshots and opening up the camera has been a breeze thanks to the Smart Key.

Good battery life is essential for any mobile device and the 10L did not disappoint. TCL packed an impressive 4,000 mAH battery on the 10L. Despite averaging more than 700 notifications a day, the device kept up with my everyday use. I rarely had to charge the phone before bedtime.

Solid Overall

As for my experience playing games and watching media, the 10L has a 6.53" LCD display that has surprisingly good viewing angles for a budget phone. TCL has a long history of making affordable TVs and I definitely could see that heritage wrapping over to mobile for a solid viewing performance. For the 10L, the solid viewing experience may be a result of TCL’s proprietary software called NXTVISION, which is meant to enhance the screen and give it better contrast. I have been watching a lot of Netflix and YouTube videos on this phone, and I was not disappointed. In fact, the only negative aspect to consuming media on this device was the speakers. There’s definitely room for improvement here and while they were capable of being loud, sound was easily distorted or muffled depending on the placement of your fingers.

Not only is consuming media on the 10L pleasant, the performance on this budget device is pretty solid too. This phone has a Snapdragon 665 processor along with 6GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage. Currently running Android 10, TCL has also guaranteed an upgrade to Android 11, which is a nice bonus in the budget space. These specs, combined with a light-TCL UI skin, gives the 10L impressively solid performance. While I wouldn’t use this as a gaming phone, everyday tasks such as browsing with tabs, multitasking, switching between apps and social media run smoothly on the 10L.

The TCL 10L’s camera was one of the only features on the phone that I felt were good, but not great. There’s four cameras on the back of the 10L including a 48 MP main camera, a depth sensor, macro camera and wide-angle camera. Additional features include dual LED flash and a 16 MP front camera. Videos can be shot at 4K and up to 30 frames per second. Despite all this, photos looked oversaturated, which I personally was not a fan of. As long as you’re not an avid mobile photographer or videographer, for $250, this will work just fine.

A Very Good Buy

Despite some negatives, I would recommend the 10L in a heartbeat. This is a great device for an older family member or anyone looking for a budget device friendly on the wallet. It was evident that TCL put a lot of thought and care into how the 10L would be created and they’ve been able to build a solid performing phone for a very competitive price.

Shot on TCL 10L

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Lida

Always the number cruncher, the former narrative journalist turned data scientist, can’t help but find herself bursting with excitement with each new generation of tech gadgets. After all, predicting future trends is Lida’s forte. Any gadget that survives Lida’s torturous, adult working woman itinerary of over 700 notifications a day deserves praise!