Many times you don’t need to spend a lot of money to get a smartphone for your daily life. The TCL 20 SE (Special Edition) is a simple, but effective mobile for users who want a big screen. Its panel reaches 6.82 inches with HD resolution, so you can watch both YouTube videos and a series of platforms such as Netflix or HBO. This model also surprises with the main camera system in the back. Up to four different sensors, which will give us much to take detailed photos, large photos, or making blur effects. This mobile is crowned with an attractive design with a polymethacrylate back that comes very close to the glass and has a striking matte band on the left to give it a contrasting touch. And all this for EUR 150 (roughly $180) for all pockets. Here are the main features of the TCL 20 SE.
TCL 20 SE Features
| TCL 20 SE | |
|---|---|
| Screen | 6.82-inch HD + panel, 720 × 1,640 pixel resolution, 20.5: 9 aspect ratio, 450 nits brightness, 1,500: 1 contrast, 90% screen-to-body ratio |
| Main Camera | Four-camera system: · 16 MP main sensor with f / 1.8 aperture, PDAF autofocus · 5 MP ultra-wide angle with f / 2.2 aperture, 115º field of view · Macro camera with 2 MP resolution, 1.75 μm pixels and f / 2.4 aperture · Depth camera with 2 MP resolution, 1.75 μm pixels and f / 2.4 aperture Video recording up to 1080p at 30fps |
| Front Camera | 8 MP sensor, f / 2.0 aperture, 1.12 µm pixels, video recording up to 720p at 30 fps |
| Internal memory | 64 GB |
| Extension | MicroSD up to 256GB |
| Processor and RAM | Qualcomm Snapdragon 460, 4GB RAM |
| Battery | 5000 mAh with fast charge 4.0 up to 18W, 17.5 hours of use |
| OS | Android 11 with TCL customization layer |
| Connectivity | 4G, WiFi 802.11b / g / n, Bluetooth 5.0, USB Type C, NFC, 3.5 mm Jack for headphones |
| SIM | Dual Nano-SIM or Nano-SIM + SD |
| Design | 2.5D glass on the front, PMMA on the back (polymethacrylate) |
| Dimensions | 172 × 77.14 × 9.1mm, 206 grams |
| Featured Features | Hi-Res Audio Compatible |
| Release date | Soon |
| Official price | EUR 150(roughly $180) |
A Big Screen for Everything
It is the main attraction of the TCL 20 SE. This model is designed for users who want a really big screen. Specifically, its panel reaches 6.82 inches and has a format that is very close to that of a widescreen (20.5:9). However, you have to take into account that it has a lower HD+ resolution of 1640 x 720 pixels, so you are more likely to see the seams when watching videos. To its credit, it has a technology to automatically convert lower quality content to HDR for better color reproduction. It also has a good brightness level of 450 nits and its contrast of 1500:1 to make the blacks deeper.
By the way, an extra feature that TCL wanted to highlight for its TCL 20 SE is the inclusion of a floating screen where you can check your email or watch Twitter while watching a video. Within the design field, it must be said that a notch or eyebrow has been chosen to house the front camera. This does not prevent the model from achieving a very good screen-body ratio of 90%. But perhaps the most attractive design is its polymethacrylate back, a material that comes very close to the glass in appearance. Most of the back has circular reflections in the main color green or black, but a vertical band in matte color has been added to the left that gives a very attractive contrast to my understanding. And it differs from the rest of the models you can find in this price range.
On the back, you can also find the fingerprint reader. In the front, there is a 2.5D curved glass. By the way, despite the large screen the company has managed to keep this TCL 20 SE in a very competitive weight of 206 grams that facilitates its use to a hand, although it is clear that it is more designed for big hands.
Four Cameras in the Rear
Another of the great surprises that this model brings is the main photographic set. No less than four cameras in the back, something that is usually found in models that double and triple the price of the TCL 20 SE. However, they are sensors without great stridency, as expected. The main sensor is 16 megapixels, while the second sensor is a wide-angle type with a 5-megapixel resolution. This is the one that takes the widest pictures to capture a building, a monument, or a landscape. The third sensor we find here is of the macro type, for detailed photos, with 2 megapixels. While the last of the sensors is the one that specifically takes care of capturing details of the depth of field to be able to take bokeh or blur photos.
In the front camera, there are no surprises, with a single 8-megapixel sensor and the ability to record video in 720p. Although one would expect it, the technical section has not been cut much. Its processor is indeed more simple, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 460, but both the 4 GB RAM and its 64 GB internal memory maintain the standard. Where we do see some changes is in the field of connections. For example, it has WiFi b/g/n, i.e. it is not compatible with 5 GHz bandwidth networks and there is no trace of 5G. What we do have is Bluetooth 5.0 to be able to connect several peripherals at the same time and compatibility with high-resolution audio through headphones.
Big and Long Lasting Battery with a Reverse Charging
In the heart of the TCL 20 SE, we find a 5,000 milliampere battery. A high capacity that, according to the company’s data, will give us up to 17 and a half hours of use with the device. Besides, it includes the technology of reverse charge, that is to say, that it is possible to charge with the mobile devices like other mobiles or as peripherals of the type of loudspeakers without cables. It is also surprising that both the type C USB connector and the fast charge function of up to 18W have been retained, two of the points where it is usually cut in cheaper equipment.
Price and Availability
On the cheap side, the TCL 20 SE will be available in the coming weeks for a price of EUR 150 (roughly $180). In short, this is a model that attracts a lot of attention for its design, for its large screen, and for having a photographic set of four sensors in a model under EUR 200. Without a doubt, it points out ways to become a very important option if you’re looking for a cheap smartphone, but you’ll have to check how it responds to everyday use.
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