TCL gets it right with the value TCL 30+ and TCL 30SE
TCL has released two 2022 model upper-entry level smartphones, TCL 30+ and TCL 30SE, that share many specification similarities – rear camera, RAM/Storage, 4G modem and TCL’s UI over Android 12. We wanted to show you a side-by-side specs comparison.
CyberShack is reviewing each separately (links below)
TCL 30+ – OLED screen and NFC at $399 (review)
TCL 30SE – entry-level mid-range (review)
The manufacturing differences/quality are evident. The 30+ has a bottom 3.5mm jack, stereo sound, and is quite svelte/slim/elegant with a PMMA back and chrome finish plastic frame.
The 30SE has a top 3.5mm jack, mono sound, is thicker and nowhere near as elegant. So, they may both be part of the 2022, 30-series but that is where it ends.
We have updated Best Android phones under $500 – some are real gems! (May 2022) to show you where these two sit.
Update: Having reviewed both now it is clear that while both are 30-series they are in fact chalk and cheese. The TCL30+ is superior all around, has a faster processor for better performance; OLED screen; comes with earbuds and a bumper case; 18W charging; better build and security updates to December 2023. While the MediaTek TCL30+ SoC G37 is entry-level the TCL 30SE MediaTek G35 has about 20% less power so that means less AI image processing and more lag and stutter under load.
The 30+ is worth the extra $70 but hey, spend what you have!
TCL 30+ and TCL 30SE
Same refers to the left column.
| TCL 30+ Model T676K-2BIZAU12 | TCL 30 SE Model 6165H1-2BIZAU12 |
| Website | Website |
| $399 | $329 |
| 6.7” 2400×1080 60Hz OLED | 6.52” 1600×720 LCD |
| Tech Black Muse Blue (light sky blue, matte finish) | Atlantic Blue (darker navy Blue, gloss finish) Space Gray |
| MediaTek Helio G37 12nm | Helio G25 12nm |
| TCL UI 4.0 and Android 12 | Same |
| 4GB LPDDR4x 128 GB eMMC MicroSD to 1TB | Same Same MicroSD to 512GB |
| Dual Sim Bands 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41 | Same |
| Rear Camera: 50MP+2MP+2MP 1080p@30fps | Same |
| Front Camera: 13MP 1080p@30fps | Front: 8MP Same |
| Wi-Fi 4 N BT 5.0 NFC | Same |
| Steady Snap, High Pixel, Portrait Mode, Movie Mode, Stop Motion, Art effects, AI scene detection 2.0 | Portrait mode, Macro, Pro mode, High pixel mode, Panorama mode, AI scene detection |
| 2D Face unlock Fingerprint (side) | Same Fingerprint (back) |
| Battery: 5010mAh | 5000mAh |
| 9V/2A/18W USB-C 2.0 charger inbox 2.1 hours | 5V/2A/10W charger inbox (15W capable) 3 hours |
| 165.54×75.24×7.74x184g | 165.2×75.5×8.9x190g |
| Harvey Norman Officeworks (late May) Big W Target Amazon | Same |
