This phone is much stylus that people think that this is a Samsung Galaxy note or the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.
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| TCL Phone Stylus 5G |
The TCL
Stylus 5G is a budget phone that includes a stylus, similar to the Samsung
Galaxy Note and Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. However, the similarities between the
TCL Stylus 5G and these high-end devices end with the inclusion of the stylus.
The TCL Stylus 5G has a garaged stylus built
into the body of the phone, which means it is always with the phone and ready
to use. However, the phone itself has significantly lower specifications and
features compared to the Samsung Galaxy Note and S22 Ultra.
For example, the TCL Stylus 5G has a smaller
and lower-resolution display, less powerful processor, and less advanced camera
system than the Samsung Galaxy Note and S22 Ultra. Additionally, the TCL Stylus
5G lacks some of the advanced features found on these higher-end devices, such
as water resistance, wireless charging, and advanced biometric security
options.
The most significant difference between the
TCL Stylus 5G and the Samsung Galaxy Note and S22 Ultra, however, is the price.
The TCL Stylus 5G is a budget phone that costs almost one-fifth the price of
the Samsung Galaxy Note and S22 Ultra, making it a much more affordable option
for people who want a phone with a stylus but don't want to pay a premium price
for high-end features and specifications.
Based on the statement, it seems that the TCL
Stylus 5G is not a high-end or premium phone, but it is also not a bad phone.
It is a mid-range phone that is priced at $258 and comes with some good
features like a great screen, nice software, and a stylus. The price point of
the TCL Stylus 5G is also significantly lower than other phones with a stylus
like the Moto G Stylus 5G, which is almost double the price.
It is important to note that while the TCL
Stylus 5G may not have all the advanced features and specifications of high-end
phones, it offers good value for its price point. The phone comes with a stylus
that is garaged in the body of the phone, which is a convenient feature for
those who need to take notes or draw frequently.
The TCL Stylus 5G also has a good screen, which is important for a good user experience, and nice software that makes it easy to navigate the phone. The phone's performance may not be as powerful as higher-end devices, but it is adequate for most daily tasks like browsing the web, using social media apps and taking photos.
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| TCL Phone Stylus 5G |
Overall, the TCL Stylus 5G is a compelling
offering for those who want a phone with a stylus at an affordable price point.
However, it is important to understand that the phone has limitations and may
not offer all the advanced features and specifications found on higher-end
devices.
PROS
The stylus on the TCL Stylus 5G is
exceptionally well-designed, with a comfortable grip and easy-to-use features.
The battery life is impressive, lasting all
day and beyond, and the textured sides make it easy to hold.
The phone's software includes a range of
thoughtful features that make it easy to use the stylus for tasks like
note-taking and drawing.
CONS
The software has some bugs and lags at times,
and the phone only has 4GB of RAM which can affect performance.
The camera quality is also only average and
may not be sufficient for those looking for high-quality photos.
TCL Phone Stylus 5G: The Stylus
The main feature that sets the TCL Stylus 5G
apart from other phones is its built-in stylus, which is designed to offer a
convenient and natural way to interact with the device. By building the stylus
into the phone itself, TCL has made it more likely that people will use it
since they won't have to carry an extra accessory around with them.
Although the stylus on the TCL Stylus 5G is
passive and does not have Bluetooth functionality or a battery, it still works
well for writing and taking notes. There is minimal latency when using the
stylus, which makes it feel responsive and natural. The phone also allows you
to start a quick note without first unlocking it, which can be a time-saver for
those who need to jot down a quick idea or note.
To further enhance the stylus experience, TCL has bundled in two apps - Nebo for TCL and MyScript Calculator 2. Nebo is a handwriting recognition tool that can transcribe handwritten notes into copyable text.
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| TCL Phone Stylus 5G |
This is useful for taking notes or jotting down phone numbers, which can
then be easily shared or copied to other apps. MyScript Calculator 2 is an app
that recognizes handwritten calculations and computes them on the fly, making it
easy to do quick calculations without having to type them out.
Overall, the stylus on the TCL Stylus 5G is a
key feature that offers a convenient and natural way to interact with the
device, and the bundled apps add to its functionality and usefulness.
The TCL Stylus 5G's stylus functionality is
not as extensive as the Samsung Galaxy Note or the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra,
and it lacks Bluetooth functionality and usable palm rejection. However, the
phone still offers basic functionality that covers the bulk of actions that
people may use a stylus for, such as taking notes and jotting down phone
numbers.
While the TCL Stylus 5G has a toggle for palm
rejection, it doesn't work as well as it does on more expensive phones.
However, given the budget price point of the TCL Stylus 5G, this is not
surprising. It's important to note that the phone is not designed to be a
direct competitor to the higher-end Samsung models, but rather a more
affordable option that offers basic stylus functionality.
Overall, while the TCL Stylus 5G may not have
all the bells and whistles of more expensive phones with stylus functionality,
it still offers a decent experience for those who need a stylus for basic
tasks. And for a phone that costs less than $300, the inclusion of a built-in
stylus is a noteworthy feature that could make it an attractive option for
budget-conscious consumers.
TCL Phone Stylus 5G: Display
The TCL Stylus 5G has a large 6.81-inch
display with a 1080p resolution. While the display is good, with good color
reproduction and high enough brightness to see in direct sunlight, it lacks the
high refresh rate that some newer budget phones have.
As TCL is a display manufacturer, it could
have taken advantage of this to make a vastly superior display to those of
other OEMs at this price point, but instead, the display is almost identical in
size, resolution, and overall quality to the one found in the $250 Moto G
Stylus, but at a lower refresh rate of 60Hz instead of 90Hz. However, the TCL
Stylus has darker blacks than the Moto G Stylus, although the bezels and chin
on the TCL phone are noticeable.
The primary focus of the TCL Stylus 5G is, as
its name suggests, its stylus. The stylus has a thicker, more rectangular shape
than other capacitive styli, making it easier to hold firmly. The shape is
similar to that of a carpenter's pencil, and it even has a magnet in it to pull
it into the phone, making it more convenient to carry. Overall, while the
display is good, the stylus is the main draw of the phone, and TCL paid
attention to its design to make it more comfortable to use.
TCL Phone Stylus 5G: Hardware, Performance, & Battery
The TCL Stylus 5G is also equipped with a
Mediatek Dimensity 700 system-on-chip (SoC) and 4GB of RAM, which are mid-range
specs. It has 128GB of internal storage, which is a decent amount for a phone
in this price range. The 4,000mAh battery is also adequate for most users,
though heavy users might find themselves needing to recharge during the day.
In terms of performance, the phone is decent,
but not exceptional. Its scores on the Geekbench benchmark test are similar to
older flagship phones, but it may struggle with more memory-intensive apps. The
reviewer experienced crashes when trying to open the game Call of Duty: Mobile,
which prompted TCL to acknowledge the issue and promise a forthcoming software
update to fix the problem. In the meantime, a factory reset can solve the
issue, but this is inconvenient for users.
Overall, the TCL Stylus 5G offers decent performance for the price, but it is not a high-end device. Its main selling point is its built-in stylus, which may appeal to users who need to take handwritten notes or make sketches on their phones.
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| TCL Phone Stylus 5G |
The TCL Stylus 5G's performance is not very
impressive. It is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 700 SoC and 4GB of RAM, which
results in some lag when performing everyday tasks like launching apps and
switching between them. The phone's performance is not suitable for playing
graphically intensive games like Asphalt 9, but it can handle puzzle games like
Sudoku and Knotwords.
In terms of battery life, the phone's 4,000mAh
battery is sufficient but not great. The reviewer's work-from-home lifestyle
means that they can leave the phone off the charger for a night and still have
enough battery life for the following day. However, they found that the TCL
Stylus 5G did not provide the same battery life, which means that it may need
to be charged more frequently.
The battery life of the TCL Stylus 5G is
average at best, with the phone lasting through a typical workday for someone
who primarily uses it at home or in areas with Wi-Fi. However, if you are a
heavy user, you may find yourself needing to charge the phone before the end of
the day.
For example, during a particularly demanding
day when the reviewer used the phone extensively, including driving for a few
hours, spending several hours at a theme park, listening to podcasts, making
phone calls, and using the phone while waiting in line, the battery life of the
phone barely lasted until 10 pm, with only about 10% of the battery remaining.
If you have a similar usage pattern or tend to use your phone heavily while
away from Wi-Fi or on the go, you may need to charge the phone before the end
of the day.
TCL Phone Stylus 5G: Software
The TCL Stylus 5G comes with the latest
version of Android, Android 12, but the device is promised only one year of OS
upgrades and two years of security updates. This means that while the phone
will receive security patches for two years, it may not get any new Android
versions after the first year, which can be disappointing for users who want to
keep their devices up-to-date with the latest features.
Another issue with the phone is creating
folders, which can be a tedious task. The easiest way to create folders on the
TCL Stylus 5G is to first create them inside the app launcher, dragging apps
one by one until they are all in the desired folder. Then, the folder can be
dragged onto the home screen. The downside is that all the apps in the app
launcher are also in the same folders, making it difficult to find them in a
huge list or alphabetical order.
Additionally, after setting up the phone
initially, the reviewer experienced an issue where all folders disappeared and
everything went back to the way it was before. This was a frustrating
experience, but it only happened once.
One positive aspect of TCL folders is the ability to scroll between them. Apps are arranged in vertical columns within a folder, but users can also scroll horizontally to move between folders, which can be helpful if a user accidentally opens the wrong folder.
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| TCL Phone Stylus 5G |
The TCL Stylus 5G's quick toggles in the
notification shade have a cool tech vibe to them, with a modern Tron interface
that's similar to Android 12 but with a more squared circle execution. The
brightness and media quick toggles are sliders that can be adjusted, which adds
to the phone's aesthetic appeal.
In addition, the phone has a feature called
Smart App Recommend which recommends your music or podcast player when you
connect headphones to the phone.
It's a
small perk, but it adds convenience and can be helpful for users who frequently
listen to music or podcasts. The feature has worked well in the past on other
TCL devices, and while it works on the Stylus 5G about 75% of the time, it's
still a nice touch.
TCL Phone Stylus 5G: Camera
The TCL Stylus 5G has a camera setup that
includes four sensors on the back and one on the front, with a total value of
$258, which is the same as the phone's cost.
However, only the 50MP PDAF sensor is the one
that produces good results in terms of taking stills. The ultra-wide sensor has
poor performance, and the macro lens can produce decent stills but isn't as
impressive as the main sensor.
In good lighting conditions, the main camera sensor is capable of capturing good stills that are about average in terms of quality compared to other smartphones in this price range. However, when zooming in to the photos at full resolution, dark areas tend to become pixelated quickly. Overall, the camera is suitable for social media usage, but it's not recommended for professional photography. It's a decent camera that's good enough for Instagram. The low-light performance of the camera is surprisingly good, which is a plus point of the device.
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| TCL Phone Stylus 5G |
Burst mode is a camera feature that allows you
to take multiple shots in quick succession, usually by holding down the shutter
button. The TCL Stylus 5G has burst mode, and the author of the review found that
it can produce surprisingly decent photos. In particular, they were able to
capture some shots of a roller coaster in motion that turned out well. However,
they caution that these photos are not high-quality enough for printing at
large sizes, but would be suitable for posting on social media platforms like
Instagram.
The TCL Stylus 5G's low-light performance is
surprisingly good, considering the phone's price point. Even in dimly lit
environments, stationary subjects can be captured with relatively good detail,
and highlights are not overblown. However, the dark areas of the photos may
appear grainy, and the overall focus is soft. Nevertheless, given the device's
affordable price tag, the camera's night-time capabilities are commendable.
However, the video performance in low-light environments is not as good, and
may not meet the expectations of some users.
The TCL Stylus 5G's camera setup is capable of
taking decent photos in good lighting conditions, and can even perform well in
low-light situations. The camera's burst mode is especially useful for
capturing action shots, and the photos taken with the main sensor are good
enough for sharing on social media.
Video capture during the day is also pretty
decent, and the selfie camera is capable of taking smooth walking shots.
However, the rear camera is limited to 1080p/30fps, which may be a drawback for
some users.
Overall, considering the price of the TCL
Stylus 5G, the camera setup is impressive, especially in low-light conditions
where most budget phones struggle. While the camera may not be as good as those
found on higher-end devices, it is more than capable of producing photos and
videos that are good enough for sharing on social media.
TCL Phone Stylus 5G: SPECIFICATIONS
SoC refers to the System on a Chip, which is
essentially the processor powering the phone. The TCL Stylus 5G uses a MediaTek
Dimensity 700, which is a mid-range processor.
The display has a resolution of 1080x2460,
with a refresh rate of 60Hz. This is a decent display for the price point,
though it doesn't have the higher refresh rates seen on more expensive devices.
The phone has 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.
This is a decent amount of storage for a mid-range device, though the amount of
RAM may limit the phone's performance when running multiple apps or tasks
simultaneously.
The battery has a capacity of 4000 mAh, which
is a decent size for a phone of this price. The phone supports 18W charging,
which is a relatively standard charging speed.
The phone has a Type-C USB 2.0 port and a
headphone jack, which is a nice inclusion for those who still use wired
headphones.
The phone runs Android 12, which is the latest
version of Android as of this writing. It's good to see that the phone is
running the latest software.
The front camera has a resolution of 13MP,
which is decent for a mid-range phone.
The phone's dimensions are 6.67 inches by 3
inches by 0.35 inches, and it weighs 213g. This is a fairly large phone, though
it's not unusual for a device with a 6.7-inch display.
As you mentioned, the rear camera setup
includes a 50MP main sensor, a 5MP ultra-wide sensor, a 2MP macro sensor, and a
2MP depth sensor. The main sensor is the standout here, while the other sensors
are more limited in their usefulness.
The phone supports microSD card expansion up
to 2TB, which is a nice feature for those who need more storage.
The stylus included with the phone is capacitive, which means it doesn't have the advanced features of some more expensive styluses (such as the S Pen on Samsung Galaxy devices). Nonetheless, it's a nice inclusion for a phone at this price point.
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| TCL Phone Stylus 5G |
TCL Phone Stylus 5G: Verdict
The TCL Stylus 5G is a great choice for anyone
in search of a budget phone that doesn't feel cheap or compromised in any
significant way. The phone features a bright display that is easy to use even
in bright sunlight, a long-lasting battery, and TCL's software is both
user-friendly and feature-rich. The phone's performance is excellent,
especially considering its price point.
However, the phone is marketed as a cheap
alternative to the Samsung Galaxy Note, and this is where it falls short. The
stylus that comes with the phone is not active, so writing on the screen can be
frustrating. If you were looking for a true Galaxy Note-style phone, this may
not be the phone for you.
But if you're looking for a phone with a
stylus for more accurate input, and you value a well-designed device, then the
TCL Stylus 5G is a great choice. It's worth noting, however, that for just $30
more, the OnePlus phone offers a better display, processor, and camera, making
it a more attractive option for some users.
