TCL 20 Pro 5G – 256GB (Unlocked) Smartphone

Reviews

1. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   wayfarer05 – 2018-02-19

   I purchased the TCL 20 Pro in Moondust Gray to replace my TCL 10 Pro. Although specs alone won’t suggest a major leap forward, I can attest this generation is truly an upgrade.First thing to note is the screen. It’s a little taller than the TCL 10 Pro and I really like the extra real estate. TCL’s known for making excellent TVs and that display expertise is evident in the 20 Pro. The display is bright, colorful, and is easy on the eyes, no matter what I’m watching or reading. Improved processing also makes it smoother while jumping between apps or scrolling through long pages.The camera is much improved over the 10 Pro. Again, on paper it doesn’t seem like much. However, clearly TCL made key improvements in all the right places, most notably with the Sony-sourced lenses and updated camera software. Not sure what else they tweaked, but it’s a big improvement over the 10 Pro and it takes pics that are vibrant and clear, regardless of lighting conditions.One of my favorite features is carried over from the 10 Series and that’s the SmartKey. It’s an extra button on the side that can be programmed to do quick tasks. Unlike other manufacturers, TCL makes it so easy to quick launch just about anything with SmartKey. It’s a little higher up on the body than on the 10 Pro so it’s placement doesn’t feel quite right yet, but I’m sure I’ll get used to it.Processing is greatly improved. So far the phone is fast, smooth, and shows no signs of sluggishness moving between apps or while browsing the web. Even the camera processing for Portrait and Super Night photos seems quicker than in the 10 Series.Something that might get lost in other reviews, but that I really appreciate as a former Pixel user, is the lack of bloatware. Beyond some basic software like TCL’s excellent NXTVISION, or theme improvements, the phone isn’t too far off from stock Android. VERY big plus.TCL is known for creating products that punch above their respective weight classes, with performance that belies their price tags. I can attest that the phone’s performance (not to mention the incredible build quality) stays true to that reputation. In some ways it naturally isn’t going to rival flagship phones from other brands that cost twice as much, but trust me it punches far above its weight class.
2. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   ShomariShomari – 2018-10-27

   You’ll see allot mentioned about the phone’s looks and camera, but this device actually has some beneficial privacy features added as a bonus.To add to a very stable and smooth software experience, there’s what TCL calls a Privacy Protection dashboard.In it you’ll be able to set notifications (via colored pills in the status bar) to alert you when apps use privacy-sensitive permissions in the background, such as microphone, location, or camera permissions.You can also feed fake data to apps, for example apps that require contacts permission to run.A log of sensitive background behavior is also included in the Privacy Protection dashboard, letting you see which apps use privacy-sensitive permissions, and how often those permissions are used.I will add that the display on this phone is superb, and it actually doesn’t bother me that it’s a 60hz display, as TCL did a very good job of tuning the firmware for overall smoothness.Battery life and connectivity have been good.Definitely recommend this device to anybody that’s seeking a value-packed alternative to the Samsung’s of the world.

   

3. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   CP – 2018-12-12

   I usually only purchase Samsung Cell phones, my latest was the S10e, and really loved it but it broke, and had to find a replacement. When I found this one I was skeptical, I looked at Samsung, but the S21 if very expensive and I really did not want to spend that much money. So I took my chances and to my surprise, I Love this phone. The camera could use a little improvement, not as good as the Samsung, but it is very good, so I am satisfied. Now I just purchased it so we will see how it lasts.I love the slick design, the size is a little larger, but I will adjust. The screen is very smooth, the fingerprinter reader is perfect, now that is way better than the Samsung also the Facial recognition is spot on. I also love that I can uninstall any app, like Netflix, Samsung must have a contract with them you can only disable them. But this phone lets you uninstall them completely. I love that. So far the connection to the network is Awsome. I have TMobile and getting 5G. It has an external SD card that supports up to 1 TB. That is awesome as well. The wireless charging is a little slow at charging, but that is fine with me.I will update in a few months to see how it is working.
4. 

   Rated 2 out of 5

   Jesse K. – 2019-01-17

   Pros:* Great display* headphone jack & MicroSD slot on a 2021 phone* Programmable button* Side app drawer independent of launcher.* Google Dialer built-in with working visual voicemail.* Doesn’t feel cheap or slow (can run dolphin & RetroArch) except Edge stutters* little to no bloatware* privacy options.* Eye Comfort mode is very good (and adjustable)Cons:* Stock camera app is abysmal (use BSG’s GCam port instead)* “Helpful” optimization app kills processes immediately, making LIFX, Flic, etc. useless.* No TWS+ support* Wireless Android Auto audio stutters* Can’t set separate voicemail & text notification* Persistent nag when developer options are enabled* No stereo speakers* Auto brightness is nowhere near as good as the OnePlus 7 Pro* Doesn’t display Bluetooth battery level* Picky wireless charging* Can’t set accent color other than the default blue* One security update as of 10/22/21 which made random unlocks, bluetooth and AA worse* No Voice-over-WiFi* Persistent notifications like music or podcast apps will turn into an all-black bar if the screen turns off & on or the phone is locked.* Randomly locks itself even with smart lock/on-body detection disabled and bluetooth unlock enabled.Sadly, this phone is better on paper than reality. It has a few unique features that make it stand out from other budget/mid-tier phones, but those don’t compensate for all the odd omissions & problems I’ve come across.Some of these issues are minor or took a few weeks to appear, but I should’ve gone for a more established brand. I think the hardware is solid but it’s obvious TCL is still getting the hang of Android support.
5. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Mikeyt1818 – 2019-06-04

   I usually buy mid range phones. I upgrade annually. This year I decided to get something similar (but better) than my previous phone which was the Motorola Edge. The TCL 20 Pro 5G also has an edge screen but it is not constantly interfering with my web browsing as my prior phones screen did. With 6GB memory and 256GB storage you get a very solid performance and the snapdragon 750 is more than ample horsepower for just about anything including using several apps at a time and gaming. The UI is pretty darn close to stock Android. The camera so far is solid and I love that there’s no camera hump. The glass back is able to wirelessly charge unlike my previous phone with the heavily scratchable plastic back. The Marine Blue looks like a cross between sky blue and aqua. This phone feels, looks and acts as if it’s a top tier thousand dollar phone but at $499.99 I feel like I made a great purchase. The AMOLED screen is sharp and the colors are amazing and the black is very deep and makes reading on this 6.67 inch screen a pleasure. Battery life here you through a day with ease. No battery anxiety here. I highly recommend this phone!!