TCL Mobile first announced the 20 series devices back at CES, but now they’re headed to Australia. The 20 Series smartphones represent great performance at a really affordable price point and the 20 5G is one of the cheapest 5G-enabled devices on the market.
These offer a major upgrade to the existing smartphone range in the entry level and mid-tier smartphone categories. For less than $500 you can get a 20 Series 5G, while the 20 SE packs a punch at just $299 while still incorporating many of TCL’s display technologies and features.
Following TCL’s initial foray into the mid-market last year, the latest 20 Series of smartphones builds upon its premium yet affordable range. In addition to delivering 5G connectivity, the range features the next generation of TCL’s proprietary display and camera technology with NXTVISION 2.0, offering improved SDR to HDR conversion, enhanced colour calibration and more eye safety features.
“Following our successful launch of the TCL Mobile brand with our 10 Series range of smartphones, we looked to continue the strong momentum into 2021 by offering premium quality smartphone features to consumers that includes proprietary technology to bring our ‘Display Greatness’ mantra to life.
Our launch today is the start of an aggressive roadmap through the rest of 2021 and beyond, from new smartphones to tablets and wearables that we are excited to bring to Australia as the TCL brand cements itself as a high quality, high performance and affordable brand consumers can rely on.”
David Vieira, Director of Product Marketing, South East Asia, TCL Communication.
TCL 20 5G
For those seeking powerful 5G performance along with an enhanced display and video streaming experience, the TCL 20 5G features a large 6.67-inch FHD+ Dotch display with HDR10 video playback for streaming TV series, documentaries and films on Netflix. The 20 5G also comes with an SDR-to-HDR real time conversion tool for an outstanding visual experience, along with an exclusive piece-by-piece display calibration mode that further enhances the display’s colour accuracy.
Powered by an 8nm octa-core Snapdragon 690 5G chipset, the TCL 20 5G delivers a smooth user experience no matter what apps, games or services are being used, while its Smart 5G technology automatically switches between 4G and 5G bands based on data usage to help further stretch the built-in 4500mAh battery.
Beyond its 5G connectivity, the 20 5G also maintains all the qualities of a premium smartphone with an AI-powered triple camera setup with technology that enhance auto-focus and video image stabilisation, long with low-light, high-resolution shots. The 48-megapixel main rear camera takes detailed images for those looking to capture stunning photos and videos.
TCL 20 SE
Stunning video performance is delivered from the 20 SE’s 6.82-inch, V-notch display with 90 percent screen-to-body ratio for a maximized viewing experience, along with a 20.5:9 screen ratio which provides broad, cinematic-like viewing performance in a slim form factor. To further take advantage of the large display, the TCL 20 SE also features a Smart Floating Window, allowing users to browse the web or reply to messages while watching videos. This feature is triggered by swiping to the right or left corner, and can be adjusted in size or move to anywhere on the display.
Through its SDR-to-HDR technology, the 20 SE provides outstanding video playback with enhanced colour, contrast and clarity through its NXTVISION technology to enjoy videos in real time. While compatible with Hi-Res Audio certification, the device’s dual speaker design improves the audio experience with no speakers blocked when the device is being held in a user’s hand.
To power all of these features, the 20 SE has a Qualcomm octa-core chipset and a 5,000mAh battery. For those looking to keep their 20 SE fully-charged, the smartphone’s On-The-Go reverse charging capability allows users to top up the battery of a friend’s device or a smaller gadget.
While maximised video entertainment and power are the foundations of the TCL 20 SE, the device’s quad rear camera comes with AI-powered colour portrait and sky enhancement features, designed to automatically detect the intended subjects and adjust the background for more vibrant shots.
TCL Multi-Screen Collaboration
As unveiled at CES, the 20 Series will incorporate TCL’s upcoming multi-screen collaboration between its 20 Series smartphones, tablets, televisions and PCs. TCL make it possible to seamlessly transfer files and multimedia from one device to another through simple wireless connections like Bluetooth, Wifi or NFC.
Specifications
| TCL 20 5G | TCL 20 SE |
| 6.67-inch FHD+ Dotch display | 6.82-inch V-notch display |
| 5G | 4G |
| Mist Gray & Placid Blue | Nuit Black |
| 8nm octa-core Snapdragon™ 690 | Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 460 |
| TCL UI, Android™ 10 | TCL UI, Android™ 11 |
| 6GB RAM + 128GB, 6GB RAM + 256GB | 4GB RAM + 64GB (eMCP) / 4GB RAM + 128GB ROM (UFS2.1) 2 |
| Rear: 48MP + 8MP + 2MP | Rear: 48MP/16MP + 5MP + 2MP + 2MP |
| Front: 8MP | Front: 13MP/8MP |
| 10X digital zoom, Google Lens, EIS, HDR, in-recording snapshots, LED flash, Light Trace Mode, Panorama Mode, photo filters. | Dual LED flash (single tone), 4x digital zoom, HDR, Snapshot in video recording, Night mode. |
| Fingerprint (side-mounted) | Fingerprint (rear-mounted) |
| 4500mAh | 5000mAh |
| Fast charging 18W | Fast charging 18W |
| $499 | $299 |
Price & Availability
The TCL 20 5G is priced at A$499 and is available at Harvey Norman from the end of May and Officeworks from June.
The entry-level TCL 20 SE will cost you A$299 and will be available exclusively at retail from Officeworks in June.
