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TCL 20 5G is the best mid-range 5G phone at CES 2021, easily taking this year’s Best of CES award.
TCL is not yet a household name when it comes to smartphones but its TCL 20 5G, launched at CES 2021, is a great step in that direction. And that’s not just because of its innovative display tech or pricing either. This phone’s predecessor series has been a mainstay on the Android Headlines Top 10 ranking for budget-friendly smartphones since its release. And it’s also been featured as a top 5G handset.
So there’s a lot more here than meets the eye.
For the TCL 20 5G, the company steps forward to cement its position as a true competitor — well deserving of this Best of CES award. At least in the mobile space. It has already been making TVs, soundbars, and other technology for years. As well as handsets for some other OEMs such as BlackBerry and Alcatel. Now, it’s bringing its in-house expertise to bear, delivering a top-quality display, great audio, respectable performance, and AI features not found anywhere else.
What sets TCL 20 5G apart to pick up our Best of CES 2021 award?
Now, as noted above, there’s a lot that sets TCL 20 5G apart from competitors. But the biggest selling point is going to be its display. Of course, that’s setting aside the 8nm Snapdragon 690, 6GB RAM, 256GB storage, and 4500mAh capacity battery — managed by AI with smart 5G/4G switching. The TCL 20 5G screen here is going to be better than just about anything available in the mid-range bracket.
To begin with, the 6.67-inch panel is rated at FHD+ resolution (1,080 x 2,400 pixels) and supports HDR10. That’s already going to set it apart from many in its price bracket. But TCL didn’t stop there. It also iterated on last year’s NXTVISION technology, offering SDR-to-HDR real-time conversion. And offering automatic adjustment to brightness, color temperature, and more based on the surrounding environment and lighting.
That’s been improved further, along with the addition of new tools. There is, for instance, better control over those aspects is included but the screen also uses AI to manage touch interactions. Namely, to ensure that false touches aren’t recognized during use.
Looking beyond the screen, battery, and build quality, TCL extends AI further still. TCL includes a 48-megapixel-led triple camera array at the back. And it set that up to be managed by AI for auto-focus and video image stabilization. Coupled with improvements to picture quality and low-light captures, TCL 20 5G promises to offer the best photo experience from the company to date.
TCL 20 5G proves that the company is one to watch
When it comes to budget and mid-range smartphones, the screen of the TCL 20 5G would help it stand out, all on its own. But the company has gone beyond that to offer an Android 11-ready handset that covers all of the bases. And joining that with a price tag of just €299 — roughly $363 — puts this phone in a category almost all its own.
Available now in either Mist Gray and Placid Blue, TCL 20 5G was an easy pick for the best mid-range smartphone at CES 2021.