iPhone SE 2020 gets a new challenger: the TCL 10 Pro

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The TCL 10 Pro and TCL 10L are now on sale in the US

TCL 10 Pro
(Image credit: TechRadar)

TCL is continuing its phones expansion with the release of its TCL 10 Pro in the US, just in time to rival the iPhone SE 2020 for the mid-range market – as well as the TCL 10L to contend with the best budget phones.

TCL first showed off these phones at CES 2020, and we were impressed. After releasing budget Alcatel phones for years, the display maker’s second wave of TCL-brand phones are the first to hit the US. And they couldn’t come at a better time as folks tighten their phone budgets.

The TCL 10 Pro is the big contender here with a 6.47-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display featuring waterfall curves, a design flourish that’s rare in mid-range phones. It’s powered by a Snapdragon 675 chipset, 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage (expandable to 256GB via microSD), as well as an in-screen fingerprint scanner.

The real selling point is the quad rear camera array, which includes a 64MP main camera, 5MP macro camera, ultra-wide camera with 123-degree field-of-view, and a super low-light video camera. Two flash nodes on either side bookend the cameras, purportedly offering more balancing flash coverage, though they also provide a hefty amount of illumination in flashlight mode. A front-facing 24MP camera is nestled in a central punch-hole.

The TCL 10 Pro will cost $449 and be available on Amazon starting May 19, as well as Best Buy and Walmart later in the month.

And now, the budget TCL 10L

The TCL 10L, on the other hand, shaves off a few of its pricier sibling’s features to come in at a low enough price to contend with other budget phones. For $249, the handset rivals other cheap phones like the Moto G8 line.

The TCL 10L has a 6.53-inch Full HD+ display, a Snapdragon 665 chipset, and 6GB of RAM with 64GB of on-device storage (expandable to 256GB via microSD). It packs a triple rear camera: a 48MP main shooter, ultra-wide lens with 118-degree field-of-view, a 2MP macro camera, and a 2MP depth sensor. Combine that with a 16MP front-facing camera and TCL’s budget phone has better photo capability than some mid-range phones.

The TCL 10L will be available on Amazon starting May 19, then Best Buy and Walmart later in the month.

David Lumb
David Lumb

David is now a mobile reporter at Cnet. Formerly Mobile Editor, US for TechRadar, he covered phones, tablets, and wearables. He still thinks the iPhone 4 is the best-looking smartphone ever made. He's most interested in technology, gaming and culture – and where they overlap and change our lives. His current beat explores how our on-the-go existence is affected by new gadgets, carrier coverage expansions, and corporate strategy shifts.