TCL 40 SE Review: Bargain Battery Champ

From a model that sponsors the Spanish nationwide soccer crew, you count on this TCL telephone to have the intelligence of Pedri, the grit of Gavi, the velocity of Balde and the arrogance of Rodri.

However for lower than £200/€200, you’ll be able to perceive if it doesn’t shine in all departments and doesn’t win the smartphone World Cup.

My expectations earlier than I obtained my palms on the TCL SE 40 had been low: an inexpensive telephone, with considerably easy specs, and from a producer that doesn’t have the popularity of different firms like Samsung or Apple.

I’ve to say that I got here away with extra optimistic surprises than destructive ones, maybe exactly as a result of I didn’t count on a lot from this handset. This can be a price range telephone with a giant battery, essential digital camera, however a display that could possibly be improved.

Design and construct

• Ergonomic and light-weight design
• Easy however sturdy plastic casing
• Slot for 2 SIM playing cards and one microSD card

We like to start out our opinions with what we should always by no means do in actual life: choose the outside. On this case, it’s essential as a result of, whilst you shouldn’t base your smartphone buy on aesthetics alone, the design additionally speaks to its ruggedness, ergonomics and practicality.

After I took the telephone out of the field, I used to be shocked at how gentle it felt in my palms. I’m used to the 204 grams of my iPhone 13 Professional and, whereas it could not seem to be a lot of a distinction, these 14 grams much less are noticeable. My palms additionally needed to get used to the totally different dimensions, particularly because the TCL is taller.

That’s the tip of my comparisons with a telephone that value virtually ten occasions as a lot. It’s higher to remember different fashions in our rating of one of the best price range telephones, for instance. Probably the most I can demand of it at this worth is that it’s sturdy and doesn’t simply present fingerprints and smudges – verify.

The TCL 40 SE’s casing is fabricated from plastic, which implies it gained’t get broken as simply as if it had been fabricated from glass. This doesn’t compromise an excessive amount of on aesthetics, because it’s fairly elegant within the gray color I examined (it’s additionally out there in a much less discreet purple end).

TCL doesn’t specify IP certification, so we assume it’s not waterproof or dustproof.

This telephone is simple to grip and the curved edges of the body across the display assist with this, though I’ve virtually at all times had to make use of each palms to carry it effectively when utilizing it.

The buttons on the correct aspect of the handset are simpler to make use of with only one hand. These are the quantity rocker and the unlock button, which doubles as a fingerprint reader. It’s large sufficient to position your thumb comfortably so that you just don’t make a mistake when unlocking the telephone (or no less than not usually).

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

On the opposite aspect, there’s a slot for 2 SIM playing cards and a microSD card. On the high there’s a speaker and a microphone, whereas on the backside there’s one other speaker, the USB-C port for charging and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

On the again is a digital camera module with a peculiar format as he cameras are inside a rectangle within the high left nook. Inside it, there may be one other rectangle for the primary digital camera, a secondary lens and the flash, whereas there’s a third lens beneath.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Show and audio system

• 720p-only show
• 90Hz refresh fee is enough
• Stereo sound high quality is as anticipated

The display takes up virtually your complete entrance floor of the handset. The bezels are nonetheless current, however they’re slim and don’t detract from the expertise.

Neither does the waterdrop-shaped notch on the high, which serves to deal with the front-facing digital camera. It’s true that there are different, extra fashionable strategies of gaining a couple of millimetres of display actual property, however I didn’t miss them.

The display is 6.75in IPD LCD though what’s most placing is that TCL nonetheless opts for an HD+ decision (1600 x 720, 260 ppi). It’s true that it doesn’t have an effect on day-to-day use, but it surely’s extra noticeable if you need to watch video. 720p is low decision by in the present day’s smartphone requirements.

The size are perfect for audio-visual content material, however at this level I’m asking for greater than 720p. There are different low-end fashions with Full HD+, such because the Moto G62 or the Nokia G60. Alternatively, the 120Hz of the Xiaomi Redmi Notice 10 Professional shouldn’t be mandatory, because the 90Hz of the TCL 40 SE is greater than sufficient.

In any other case, the show is sort of good. You shouldn’t be shocked that it’s tougher to see what’s on it in vivid daylight (I set the brightness to most for finest outcomes if the automated operate doesn’t work effectively), whereas indoors all the pieces appears fairly good.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

The TCL 40 SE has two audio system, one on the highest and one on the underside. When you use the telephone in panorama mode to observe sequence and flicks, which means you’ll have audio on each side and get stereo sound.

The audio high quality of the audio system is what you’ll count on from a telephone underneath £200/€200, and even only a telephone. You gained’t be utilizing it to hearken to loud music whereas doing issues round the home (not to mention at an outside social gathering), however it will likely be enough for having fun with audio or video whilst you’re stretched out on the couch.

You’ll desire the expertise if you join headphones to your telephone, though bass will nonetheless be conspicuous by its absence. I didn’t discover a lot distinction between the sound when utilizing wired or Bluetooth headphones, as each are fairly crisp and clear (though this can even depend upon the standard of the headphones themselves, after all).

Specs and efficiency

• MediaTek Helio G37 chipset
• 4GB RAM and 128GB storage
• First rate efficiency with some crashes and lags

My first expertise with the TCL 40 SE was not good.

One of many first issues I do once I get a brand new telephone to check is to hyperlink it with my Google account and obtain the apps that I’ll later use for benchmarking efficiency.

It took me a number of tries to have the ability to log in to the Play Retailer efficiently, as it might shut unexpectedly. Finally I managed to take action and from right here on my expertise with TCL’s newest telephone was much less bumpy.

First, right here’s what the Geekbench and GFX Bench assessments say concerning the energy of this handset, which makes use of the MediaTek Helio G37 chipset together with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.

These figures assist us to check it with different theoretically comparable units in the identical worth vary. Efficiency-wise, it retains up with the earlier technology, the TCL 30 SE. In distinction, each are outperformed by different fashions from Moto, Nokia and Xiaomi that had been launched even longer in the past.

On a day-to-day foundation, the TCL 40 SE affords good efficiency contemplating the worth, regardless of the dearth of 5G. It will likely be enough for browsing the Web, utilizing social media, answering emails and watching the occasional video.

The chipset used doesn’t embrace high-performance cores and that is noticeable when some functions take a very long time to load or if you attempt to use greater than one by one. Though it doesn’t at all times occur, generally apps do crash or shut instantly.

You’ll be able to’t count on it to be ideally suited for players both. It isn’t, nor does it fake to be. You’ll have the ability to play video games like Name of Obligation: Cell and even play them with respectable sufficient graphics high quality, however efficiency is a great distance off extra highly effective telephones.

Cameras

• Good 50 MP essential digital camera
• Unhealthy depth lens and macro lens
• Entrance digital camera lives as much as expectations

The TCL 40 SE’s cameras haven’t modified a lot from the earlier mannequin, which implies we nonetheless don’t have an ultra-wide-angle or telephoto lens. Some low-cost telephones already provide such lenses, so we don’t perceive why TCL hasn’t taken the plunge but.

For now, you’ll must make do with a 50Mp essential/macro digital camera (1/2.55in sensor, f/1.8), a 2Mp depth digital camera (1/5in sensor, f/2.4) and a 2Mp macro digital camera (1/5in sensor, f/2.4). In entrance, there may be an 8Mp selfie digital camera (1/4in sensor, f/2.0).

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

There’s no higher approach to check the capabilities of a smartphone lens than to get on the market and begin taking pictures. Listed here are a few of my outcomes:

General the TCL 40 SE’s digital camera is okay for the worth. The outcomes, given good lighting situations, are acceptable, with balanced colors and good definition. There’s a little an excessive amount of oversaturation for my liking, though that is already the popular fashion of Android manufacturers resembling Samsung.

This all adjustments, unsurprisingly, if you begin to zoom in. The digital camera setup doesn’t embrace a telephoto lens, so the zoom you get is digital. And that, unluckily, implies that zoomed footage (as much as x4) are unusable.

That is particularly the case when zooming at evening. The evening mode normally is sort of good. As you’ll be able to see within the evening shot of a bush, the picture is sort of effectively lit (the actual atmosphere was utterly darkish). However if you happen to zoom in, it doesn’t assist. The photographs will likely be brighter than the actual factor, however utterly blurred.

The evening mode, which is a brand new characteristic for the TCL 40 SE, is mechanically activated if you attempt to take an image in a really darkish atmosphere. There isn’t a approach to activate it manually. As well as, you’ll have to stand nonetheless for a very long time to get consequence, as ought to the item you might be portraying (though in case you are photographing a motorcycle, as in my case, the consequence might be fairly cool).

This telephone additionally has a macro lens and a depth lens. The primary one can’t be activated manually both, however the telephone will detect that you just need to take a close-up image and can solely then current you with a button so you should use it. The consequence? Nothing nice. You in all probability gained’t use it because it’s that dangerous.

The depth lens works somewhat higher and the portrait mode photographs, though not nice, are simply OK. The identical high quality in colors and sharpness is maintained, though it’s a bit too blurry at occasions.

That is additionally the case when utilizing portrait mode on the entrance digital camera, and much more evident as software program is used to realize the bokeh impact and never an additional lens. Simply check out the selfie I took, the place there are a couple of strands of hair that it didn’t detect correctly.

TCL has additionally included a Professional mode so you’ll be able to modify the ISO, saturation, publicity, black and white and focus your self. Actually, I don’t suppose you’ll be utilizing it, and if you happen to actually care about these settings, you’ll desire a extra highly effective smartphone with higher cameras.

Video seize is 1080p at 30fps most on each the entrance and rear cameras. There’s not a lot to touch upon the standard. It’s high quality and can serve you effectively for saving particular moments and sharing them together with your family and friends by way of social networks and WhatsApp.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Battery life and charging

• All-day battery life
• Gradual charging (3 hours from 0% to 100%)
• Solely a cable within the field

The TCL 40 SE has a 5,010 mAh battery. That will not inform you a lot, but it surely means it will likely be capable of fulfill your want for all-day battery life with out an excessive amount of bother. In reality, in sensible assessments it has finished simply that.

PCMark’s Work 3.0 battery check gave a results of 7 hours and 25 minutes, however that’s underneath very demanding circumstances which are unlikely to be wherever close to your day-to-day actuality. It’s effectively behind its predecessor (11 hours and 12 minutes) and in addition rivals such because the Redmi Notice 11.

In actual life use, I used to be capable of make average use of the smartphone for an entire day away from residence (that included utilizing it for social media, the odd name, photographs, and so on.) and go to mattress with no need to cost it (though I knew I might achieve this the following morning earlier than going out once more).

I used to be positively shocked by the battery lifetime of this telephone, once more, contemplating that it prices lower than £200/€200. Alternatively, its charging velocity is somewhat poor. It took me three hours to cost it from zero (10% in quarter-hour; 20% in half-hour), which is much slower than many present Android telephones.

Within the field you’ll solely discover a USB-C cable for charging so that you’ll want to make use of an influence adapter you’ve at residence (or purchase one), though this has develop into the norm within the trade.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Software program and apps

• Android 13 with TCL UI 5.0
• Polished, however easy interface
• No bloatware

Software program is vital in a smartphone for 4 causes. On the one hand, you’ll be able to assess the standard or practicality of a handset in accordance with whether or not it affords extra or fewer software program features and at what stage.

On this respect, the TCL 40 SE depends on the essential features that everyone knows, and it doesn’t embrace bloatware (solely the Google apps that you’ll in all probability need to use). There are additionally a number of customisation choices from panel settings to recreation optimisation, and the flexibility to clone apps.

You’ll be able to unlock the display with the fingerprint sensor on the aspect button. Though its use is dependable, I’ve usually discovered that the operate was disabled for a couple of minutes as a result of I had tried a number of occasions, when in truth I had solely held the telephone in my hand and positioned one other finger (or the identical one) on the button by mistake.

The facial recognition it affords isn’t excellent both, but it surely performs inside expectations. In good lighting situations, unlocking is sort of quick and error-free, though that is totally different in darkish environments.

Throughout the time I’ve examined the telephone, I haven’t had an excessive amount of bother navigating the interface easily and the options are the place you’d count on them to be.

Foundry

Personally, I connect significance to aesthetics and whether or not an interface is kind of fairly (however to every their very own!). I had promised to not deliver up Apple once more, however I’m too used to the nice style with which iPhones care for these particulars.

When you don’t care as a lot as I do, then you definitely gained’t thoughts the design of the TCL UI 5.0 (on Android 13), the model of the corporate’s customisation layer that comes with this mannequin. TCL has made some easy little tweaks, but it surely’s recognisably Android. The menus adapt to the colors of the wallpaper, as ordinary, and there may be additionally darkish mode.

Software program should provide safety and privateness, and biometrics is just one means to do that. One other is thru common updates. TCL doesn’t specify how lengthy the 40 SE will obtain the most recent Android model and safety updates, which is worrying. I doubt it will likely be wherever close to the 4 or 5 years provided by different manufacturers like Samsung.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Value and availability

The TCL 40 SE is a low-end telephone, so it ought to come as no shock that it prices solely £139.99/€140.

Within the UK you should buy it from Amazon, Very, or Argos.

In Spain you’ll discover it in lots of different shops like MediaMarkt, PcComponentes, Carrefour or Electropolis. It’s additionally out there in different European international locations.

You’ll wrestle to discover a extra reasonably priced smartphone. TCL’s telephone rivals different fashions such because the Xiaomi Poco M4 Professional 5G, the Moto G62 or the Nokia G60 5G, though we suggest you check out our rating of one of the best price range telephones to see the variations.

Verdict

When you’re contemplating shopping for a telephone underneath £200/€200, you’ll perceive that you just’ll must make some sacrifices. However if you happen to’re proud of good efficiency, a modest display and an OK essential digital camera, the TCL 40 SE is a mannequin to contemplate.

The design TCL has opted for is as anticipated for a handset on this worth vary. The display, then again, might have finished with a barely higher decision (there are rivals that provide it), however the telephone makes up for it with all-day battery life.

Are there higher telephones available on the market? Sure. Are there higher low-end telephones? Sure, however that doesn’t detract from the TCL 40 SE. It’s simply one in every of many choices.

Specs listing

• Android 13 with TLC UI 5.0
• 6.75-inch NXTVISION HD+ show (1600 x 720, 90 Hz, 20:9)
• MediaTek Helio G37
• 4 GB RAM
• 128 GB storage (microSD appropriate as much as 1 TB)
• Cameras:
  • 50 MP (f/1.8) essential digital camera
  • 2 MP depth digital camera (f/2.4)
  • 2 MP macro digital camera (f/2.4)
  • 8 MP entrance digital camera (f/2.0)
• 4G, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.1, NFC
• Twin SIM
• 5,010 mAh battery
• 167.91 x 76.5 x 8.45 mm
• 190 g
• Colors: Darkish gray, Twilight purple

This text initially appeared in Spanish on Tech Advisor Spain.