Compare TCL mobile phones

TCL's phones target the mid-range phone buyer, with a focus on value and bang for buck.

Updated Mar 30, 2021. What changed?

Fact checked

We’re reader-supported and may be paid when you visit links to partner sites. We don’t compare all products in the market, but we’re working on it!

Name	Display	Display	Rear camera	Battery size	More info	More info
TCL 10L	6.53 inches 1080 x 2340	Display 6.53 inches 1080 x 2340 Rear camera 48MP + 8MP + 2MP Battery size 4,000 mAh	48MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP	4,000 mAh	Buy at eBay View details	Buy at eBay View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
TCL Plex	6.53 inches 1080 x 2340	Display 6.53 inches 1080 x 2340 Rear camera 48MP + 16MP + 2MP Battery size 3,820 mAh	48MP + 16MP + 2MP	3,820 mAh	Buy at eBay View details	Buy at eBay View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
TCL 20 5G	6.67 inches 1080 x 2400	Display 6.67 inches 1080 x 2400 Rear camera 48MP + 8MP + 2MP Battery size 4,500 mAh	48MP + 8MP + 2MP	4,500 mAh	Buy now<.html> View details	Buy now<.html> View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
TCL 20 SE	6.82 inches 720 x 1640	Display 6.82 inches 720 x 1640 Rear camera 16MP + 48MP + 2MP Battery size 5,000 mAh	16MP + 48MP + 2MP + 2MP	5,000 mAh	Buy now<.html> View details	Buy now<.html> View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

Compare up to 4 providers

Fast TCL phone facts

TCL also makes phones under the Alcatel brand.
TCL makes its own phone displays and is one of the very few phone makers to do so.

What to consider when choosing a TCL phone

TCL is arguably better known in Australia as a brand of affordable TVs, but the reality is that it has been selling phones in Australia for many years now. It's just that it didn't sell them as "TCL" phones. Its primary phone brand in Australia is Alcatel, but it has also sold phones with Palm and BlackBerry branding in the past. In 2019, it announced its intention to start producing and selling phones with the TCL brand front and centre.

Unlike its highly affordable, budget-centric Alcatel phones, TCL-branded phones are placed and priced in the mid-range, with more features and power than you'd find on an Alcatel phone. Still, TCL hasn't given up that value-focused ideology for its own mid-range devices. With a focus on basic features and value, here's what you need to consider when choosing a TCL phone:

TCL makes its own display panels – which is why the brand is also a seller of TVs, among other products – with a mix of its own LCD and AMOLED displays used on the higher-end phone models. That's still higher-end in the mid-range, mind you. TCL phones tend to have slightly larger displays, averaging around 6.5 inches with small front-facing hole-punch cameras that TCL refers to as "Dotch" displays. While you can still often get lower-quality displays in the mid-range, this is an area where TCL tends to stand out, with higher than average resolutions and good colour clarity.
TCL talks a big game for the camera quality of its own branded phones, and on paper, it certainly seems to have a story to tell. For example, it features quad rear cameras on its flagship 2020 models. In our testing, however, we've found TCL's output to be a little lacking compared to much of what's available in the mid-range right now. Mid-range phone cameras have become quite good quite rapidly, and TCL has some work to do here to catch up. That being said, with multi-lens as standard, there's certainly a lot of scope for photographic creativity with TCL's phones.
TCL has used resolutely mid-range processors in its phones to date, sometimes bolstered with a little more RAM than usual for phones in this price bracket. Still, what we've found with TCL's phones is distinctly mid-range performance; little that's terrible but not much that really pushes the envelope either. That's fine, though, because what you can get out of a mid-range processor these days is generally more than enough for most user's needs.
TCL does load up a few pre-installed apps and its own launcher on top of Android, although you can delete the former, and the latter doesn't appear to have that much of an impact on expected performance.

Looking for a TCL phone on a plan?

So far we haven't seen any telco brands offering TCL phones on contract terms, with all of its models selling on an outright basis. It's worth doing your calculations carefully in this regard, as you can often save serious money by buying a handset outright and pairing it up with either a prepaid or month-to-month SIM-only plan.

Here's what you could get for just $50 per month on a postpaid SIM-only plan to pair up with a TCL Phone:

Thank you for your feedback!

Alex Kidman

twitter facebook

A multi-award winning journalist, Alex has written about consumer technology for over 20 years. He has written and edited for virtually every Australian tech publication including Gizmodo, CNET, PC Magazine, Kotaku and more. He has also been the Editor of Gizmodo Australia, PC Mag Australia, CNET.com.au and the Tech and Telco section at Finder. Alex has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of New England and a serious passion for retro gaming.

More guides on Finder

TCL 20SE Review: Great display but otherwise unremarkable
If you're after a low-cost mobile with a quality display, the TCL 20SE is appealing, but you'll otherwise be left wanting for app performance, camera quality and battery life.
TCL 20 5G review: Great display, fair cameras but poor battery life
The TCL 20 5G brings the essential features that you’d expect in a mid-range 5G handset at a good price, but it’s not a standout phone at this price point.

Ask an Expert

Click here to cancel reply.

Display Name

Your Email (will not be published)

Your Question

Subscribe me to Finder’s free weekly newsletter for budgeting tools, timely news and savings essentials to take control of your finances

Finder only provides general advice and factual information, so consider your own circumstances, or seek advice before you decide to act on our content. By submitting a question, you're accepting our Terms of Use, Disclaimer & Privacy Policy and Privacy & Cookies Policy.

Find a better energy deal right now.

Find our monthly picks of the best mobile plans.

Find the best NBN plan for your needs

Check out the 10 top budget phones you can buy right now

Already on the NBN? We've broken down the best providers.

Discover your next favourite show

Compare TCL mobile phones

TCL's phones target the mid-range phone buyer, with a focus on value and bang for buck.

Smartphones

Best Phones

Mobile Phone Brands