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I try to test as many products as possible, but as I work alone, I can't test more than twenty phones a year. So I have to make choices and that doesn't leave me much room for products from lesser-known brands. However, I try to set aside time to find interesting products from lesser-known brands and this, among other things, allowed me to discover the TCL brand. I first tested an excellent smartphone (the TCL 10 Pro) and then I tested a tablet (the TCL 10 Tab Max) and now I'm back to an entry-level smartphone with the TCL 30 SE. [b][b] The prices of telephones have risen sharply over the past 6 months and faced with this price increase, the entry level takes on all its interest. Besides that, there's an audience for simple smartphones that aren't all about performance or anything like that. I think that this TCL 30 SE will undoubtedly find its audience at the crossroads of the search for price and simplicity. [b][b]
I test the phones according to a pre-established structure (see below) to provide you with as much information as possible. Unfortunately, this takes a long time. Some tests like network performance tests take several days and for photo tests I sometimes have to wait until the weather is suitable to take pictures in good conditions. I am therefore obliged to publish the tests step by step, so I invite you to come back if the test is not complete at the time of your visit.[b] How are my tests different from others on the web?
- I usually buy the devices with my own money, so price is just as important as you are! - I keep the devices for at least a few weeks (sometimes more) to see what they are worth in real conditions. - I answer (when possible) your questions to help you decide before you buy - no one pays me to do these reviews, so I'm completely neutral and independent... - My pages are not filled with ads
The list below shows the prices for the TCL 30 SE from more than 50 sites around the world. If you are not satisfied with any price, you can subscribe to a price alert to be the first to be notified when the price drops.[b]bb
TCL 30 SE - 128GB - Atlantic Blue (Unlocked) (Single SIM)...
helpThe above links are affiliate links from companies such as Amazon, Gearbest, Aliexpress,... If you appreciate my work, I would be grateful if you could purchase these products through these links. It costs you absolutely nothing but I get a small commission that allows me to buy the material I test. Thank you very much!
Timeline
February 17, 2022: reception of the phone, the test can begin. [b] February 24, 2022: Phone launch.[b]
Why this phone?
As I write in the introduction, I was positively surprised by the TCL 10 Pro that I tested two months ago and I was eager to be able to test other products from the brand. I then had the opportunity to test a tablet that is worth the detour and it is now the turn of the TCL 30 SE. [b][b] I tested other entry-level phones like the Redmi 9C or the Oukitel C21, these phones have a real reason for being because they are real smartphones that are not limited only by their lack of performance but they offer everything you would expect from a smartphone for a much lower price. The TCL 30 SE offers the same level of performance as a Redmi 9A with more memory, better screen, better battery, better camera and more for around 150€. On paper, this TCL 30 SE therefore has great potential ahead of it. [b][b][b]
Unpacking
After having tested more than forty telephones in 3 years, I must note that the shape of the boxes and their contents have become highly standardized. All the boxes look alike and all contain more or less the same thing. So I was quite surprised by the box of this TCL because it looks like no other. The box is designed in a thick cardboard and looks more like a complex assembly of cardboard slices that fit together. I don't know if this choice responds to an economic problem or if it's a choice to stand out, but if that was the reason, it's a success. The box contains the smartphone, a manual, a charger and its cable and wired headphones. It's been a long time since I've seen headphones in a box and even less on the entry level!
5add_a_photo
[b]
Length : 165.2 Width : 75.5 Thickness : 8.9 Weight : 190 Jack output : Yes USB Type : Type C
First configuration
The TCL 30 SE is marketed under Android 12, it is one of the first phones under Android 12 that I am testing. The configuration procedure does not really differ from what I have seen on Android 11, some screens have been added by TCL for in particular the configuration of the colors on the screen (with NXT Vision, as on other phones and tablets from this brand). TCL won't try to sign you up for any service during the start-up process even though later you can sign up with TCL, so they won't force your hand. Some applications will be pre-installed but I don't know if it's a choice of TCL, there are notably LinkedIn, Tiktok, a browser and some other utilities.
26add_a_photo
[b]
Finish
The TCL 30 SE is an entry-level phone and like other phones in this price bracket, the phone is mostly made of plastic. This does not prevent this phone from having good finishes. At the back we find a plastic with a metallic effect which is only interrupted by a fingerprint sensor and a photo block which barely stands out by a few millimeters. The level of finish of the Redmi 9A was much more brutal than this one, the TCL is much more elegant.
The photo module is made up of 3 sensors, including a 50 million pixel Samsung sensor as the main sensor. This photo module is relatively well integrated into the back of the phone. [b]
On the right we find the usual volume buttons and the ignition button. These buttons are also plastic and only stick out a millimeter or two on the right side. These buttons are placed quite high, higher than what I'm used to seeing on other brands.
On the other side we find the sim drawer with the possibility of installing two sim cards and a memory card. The drawer is therefore quite long.
Below there are two sound grids but only one is used, so the sound is in mono. The audio output jack is on the top of the phone.
The selfie sensor is placed at the top and in the middle of the screen, it is integrated in a teardrop shape, it's been a long time since I've seen this format, it was fashionable there at 2 years old.
The bottom border is quite thick, which is often the case on entry-level phones.[b]
Specifications
[b]The information below comes from the Device Info HW application. The application provides detailed technical information about the tested phone. I tested the 4Gb/64Gb version of this smartphone, you will find all the characteristics of the phone in the following screenshots. I did not notice anything unusual, the phone is equipped with basic functionality.
[b][b]The TCL 30 SE takes up the basics of the Redmi 9A that I tested two years ago. It uses a Mediatek Helio G25 CPU and an IMG PowerVR GE8320 600MHz GPU, these are entry-level components that do not offer very high-level performance. This phone is therefore not designed to play 3D games and there is a noticeable latency when switching from one screen to another or when loading an application.[b]
Benchmark Antutu/3DMark
No surprises in terms of the Antutu score, I got just over 100,000 points, I haven't tested such poor performance phones for a long time but this phone's vocation is not to break records anyway . This phone is designed for basic use of smartphone functionality.
[b]
Antutu score : 107223 Antutu CPU : 40521 Antutu GPU : 14161 Antutu UX : 20518 Antutu Mem : 32023
[b]Top 10 - performance ranking based on Antutu 1. Poco F5 - 910362 2. Poco F4 Gt - 853016 3. Realme Gt - 811858 4. Black Shark 4 Pro - 759986 5. Poco X4 Gt - 714577 6. Oppo Find X2 Pro - 605184 7. Oneplus 8t - 595000 8. Poco F3 - 589677 9. Xiaomi Mi 10t Pro - 581650 10. Oneplus 8 Pro - 579417
Number of smartphones in the ranking:155 Position of this smartphone in the ranking:127/155
Note: this ranking only contains the phones I tested as well as a few others that I added for reference. [b]Gaming[b]To test the performance in game, I download the mobile PUBG game and evaluate the in-game experience, graphics level and depth of vision. This game is quite demanding and should help you evaluating the performance of a phone. The TCL 30 SE is not a phone designed for gaming but that does not mean that you cannot play with this phone. Most small, simple games will work like they do on most phones, but bigger games might work too if you have the option of lowering the level of detail. I played PUBG Mobile in this video and the gaming experience is quite correct, there are of course some slowdowns here and there and the fluidity is not exemplary but unless you are a hard core gamer , this shouldn't be a problem for you.[b][b][b]
Network performance
The TCL 30 Se offers fairly average but sufficient frequency coverage to be used anywhere in Europe. B28a and B28b frequencies are supported.[b]
3G frequencies :
B1 (2100), B2 (1900), B5 (850), B8 (900) 4G frequencies : B1 (2100), B3 (1800), B5 (850), B7 (2600), B8 (900), B20 (800), B28b (700), B28a (700), B38 (TDD 2600), B40 (TDD 2300), B41 (TDD 2500) Bluetooth : Bluetooth 5.0 Volte : Yes Number measurements : 567 Average signal (reference) : -92.11 Average signal (telephone) : -92.85 Average deviation reference/telephone : -0.74 Min/Max signal (reference) : -88 / -98 Min/Max signal (phone) : -99 / -93
Choose your country to check if your phone is compatible:
The frequencies displayed below will allow you to see if this phone is compatible with your operator or if you will be able to use it in the country where you are going on vacation.
Signal 4G (from December 2020)[b]I decided to change the methodology for measuring the network because I noticed that the configuration of the mobile network changes over time. This makes it more difficult to compare phones because the conditions are no longer exactly the same.[b][b]To overcome this problem, I set up a device that captures 24 hours a day about ten parameters from the mobile network (ex: cell id, rssi, rsrq, snr, frequency,...). I then place the phone next to the device for 24 to 48 hours taking the same measurements so that I can compare them. [b][b] Overview of the phones tested with this methodology[b][b]
Phone tested:
Measurements
Avg signal (reference)
Avg signal (phone)
Min/Max (reference)
Min/Max (phone)
Samsung Galaxy S10+
457
-93.06
-97.39
-89 / -98
-97 / -99
Xiaomi Mi 9t Pro
669
-93.69
-95.84
-90 / -95
-92 / -98
Poco F2 Pro
1438
-91.02
-94.99
-89 / -94
-94 / -96
Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5g
1645
-90.77
-95.02
- 88 / -98
-95 / -100
Poco X3
821
-94.89
-103.19
-91 / -97.7
-101 / -104
Umidigi Bison
2343
-92.71
-96.46
-90 / -99
-94 / -102
Oukitel C21
1101
-92.04
-94.99
-90 / -97
-92 / -95
Poco M3
1116
-92.09
-91.74
-88 / -98
-90 / -99
Xiaomi Mi 10t Pro
1071
-90.61
-94.03
-88 / -94
-94 / -96
Umidigi A9 Pro
981
-90.40
-94.01
-88 / -95
-93 / -95
Redmi Note 9t
1201
-92.149
-91.71
-90 / -97
-91 / -97
Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
999
-92.35
-93.99
-88 / -97
-92 / -98
Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
877
-89.72
-90.56
- 88 / -92
-89 / -95
Poco X3 Pro
1876
-91.45
-92.91
-90 / -94
-90 / -96
Poco F3
1382
-90.79
-94.2
-89 / -94
-93 / -98
Oneplus Nord N100
896
-91.23
-96.005
-88 / - 99
-96 / -99
Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite
2875
-91.36
-91.49
-87 / -96
-90 / -96
Samsung Galaxy A52
1427
-89.27
-93.39
-87 / -98
-92 / -96
Doogee S96 Pro
1259
-94.2
-91.21
-90 / -102
-88 / -95
Xiaomi Redmi Note 10s
957
-92.07
-97.62
-90 / -102
-96 / -102
Poco M3 Pro
1247
-91.76
-102.97
-99 / -104
-88 / -98
Realme Gt
843
-96.49
-94.02
-93 / -101
- 92 / -96
F150 R2022
1002
-92.4
-105.1
-90 / -97
-98 / -110
Umidigi Bison Pro
936
-94.2
-104.98
-91 / -98
-95 / -105
Redmi 10
2141
-94.74
-100.92
-92 / -98
-99 / -101
Tcl 10 Pro
871
-93.43
-94.001
-92 / -96
-93 / -95
Poco M4 Pro
570
-93.71
-96.78
-91 / -98
-95 / -99
Google Pixel 5
1444
-91.02
-97.02
-90 / -94
-97 / -101
Xiaomi 11t
1576
-92.305
-92.003
-90 / -96
-92 / -93
Redmi Note 11
1223
-92.5
-91.32
-92/-97
-90 / -93
Black Shark 4 Pro
2383
-95.178
-95.42
-90 / -100
-93 / -101
Redmi Note 11 Pro
349
-95.33
-93
-89 / -101
-92 / -94
Poco M4 Pro 4g
1202
-90.85
-88.95
-87 / - 95
-88 / -98
Tcl 30 Se
567
-92.11
-92.85
-88 / -98
-99 / -93
Poco X4 Pro
562
-92.06
-94.01
-90 / -95
-95 / -93
Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus 5g
945
-93.5
-93.54
-91 / -97
-92 / -97
Poco F4 Gt
832
-95.02
-93.09
-90 / -99
-93 / -97
Oukitel Wp18
1351
-95.94
-92.92
-91 / -97
-92 / -97
Poco X4 Gt
387
-96.99
-96.505
-96 / -98
-95 / -98
Poco F4
524
-95.78
-95.04
-93 / -99
-94/-96
Oneplus Nord 2t
1340
-98.83
-96.305
-95 / -102
-90 / -99
Redmi 10a
707
-89.026
-97.97
-87 / -91
-97 / -103
Poco M5
762
-95.18
-95.07
-98 / -93
-99 / -94
Unihertz Tank
1426
-91.21
-93.97
-90 / -95
-89 / -96
Poco X5 5g
2234
-92.3
-99.1
-91 / -95
- 100 / -98
Google Pixel 6a
853
-91.8
-95
-90 / -94
-95 / -97
Redmi Note 12
1023
-89.6
-96.99
-88 / -93
-95 / -97
Redmi Note 12 Pro
1576
-91.96
-94.93
-89 / -96
-93 / -95
Unihertz Luna
1133
-91.7
-91.94
-89 / -95
-92 / -94
Poco F5
1321
-91.69
-95.05
-90 / -97
-94 / -97
[b][b]I performed 567 measurements to assess the quality of the 4G signal of this phone and obtained an average signal of -92.85 dBm. In parallel I obtained an average signal of -92.11 dBm with my probe at the same time and over the same duration. The values are very close and this indicates that TCL 30 SE has good network sensitivity and this is expected from a phone that is not performance oriented.[b][b][b]Download/Upload speed[b]To test the download speed, I have identified some 4G cells offering good performance where I test all my devices several times to see what download and upload speed they can achieve.[b]Top 10 - speed ranking in download 1. Samsung Galaxy S20 D:351Mbps U: 20Mbps 2. Poco X3 D:232Mbps U: 55Mbps 3. Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5g D:223Mbps U: 52Mbps 4. Poco F2 Pro D:207Mbps U: 53Mbps 5. Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite D:153Mbps U: 68Mbps 6. Xiaomi Mi A3 D:150Mbps U: 60Mbps 7. Xiaomi Redmi Note 9s D:150Mbps U: 60Mbps 8. Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite D:149Mbps U: 60Mbps 9. Samsung Galaxy A21s D:147Mbps U: 51Mbps 10. Huawei Y6 2019 D:145Mbps U: 61Mbps
Number of smartphones in the ranking:30 Position of this smartphone in the ranking:0/30
Note: the theoretical maximum speed of a telephone is often limited by the configuration of the mobile network and the congestion of the network at the time of the measurement. So maybe you could get a higher speed on another network [b][b]
Wifi performance
To test a phone's ability to receive the network properly, I take measurements near my router and then remotely (and always at the same place). This gives me an average in dBm where a value of -90 dBm indicates poorer performance than a value at -30 dBm.[b]
Wifi frequencies : 802.11a , 802.11b , 802.11g , 802.11n , 802.11n 5GHz , 802.11ac Download speed : 65 Signal / close : -27 Signal / distant : -76
Wifi signal[b]I measured an average signal of -27dBm near the router and an average signal of -76dBm at a distance. These are unfortunately quite mediocre results, so the TCL 30 SE will have to be used in an area where the wifi is of good quality to be able to take advantage of it properly.[b][b]Top 10 - wifi sensitivity ranking 1. Poco F2 Pro -11dBm 2. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro -12dBm 3. Realme Gt -12dBm 4. Redmi Note 12 Pro -13dBm 5. Samsung Galaxy A21s -13dBm 6. Redmi Note 11 Pro -13dBm 7. Poco F5 -14dBm 8. Oneplus Nord N100 -15dBm 9. Poco X3 Pro -15dBm 10. Poco F3 -15dBm
Number of smartphones in the ranking:74 Position of this smartphone in the ranking:58/74
[b]Download/Upload speed[b]To test the speed in Wifi, I connect to my router in 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz (if available) and use the Ookla application to measure the speed.[b]Top 10 - wifi download speed ranking 1. Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus 5g 866Mbps 2. Redmi Note 12 Pro 866Mbps 3. Poco F4 866Mbps 4. Google Pixel 6a 866Mbps 5. Poco F4 Gt 866Mbps 6. Poco X4 Gt 866Mbps 7. Oneplus Nord 2t 866Mbps 8. Black Shark 4 Pro 866Mbps 9. Poco F5 866Mbps 10. Poco M4 Pro 4g 433Mbps
Number of smartphones in the ranking:72 Position of this smartphone in the ranking:65/72
Note: I have a 400Mbps line and a modem capable of delivering higher speed, but I can never be sure how much bandwidth is available when doing a test. [b]
GPS performance
[b]To test the accuracy of the GPS signal, I use two positioning applications to evaluate the difference between the actual position and the position indicated by the phone. This test is done outdoors with nothing to obstruct the signal. An accuracy level of up to 3 meters can easily be corrected by an application (e.g. Google Maps).[b][b] The TCL 30 SE uses a Mediatek GPS chip which gives it an accuracy of around 1 meter, it is a very good level of accuracy and in addition it quickly reaches this level precision.[b][b]Top 10 - GPS accuracy ranking 1. Poco M5 1m 2. Poco X4 Gt 1m 3. Unihertz Tank 1m 4. Oukitel C21 1m 5. Redmi 9a 1m 6. Redmi 10a 1m 7. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10s 1m 8. Doogee S96 Pro 1m 9. Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 1m 10. Umidigi Bison Pro 1m
Number of smartphones in the ranking:44 Position of this smartphone in the ranking:12/44
Note: An accuracy of 3 meters or less can easily be corrected by a good GPS application. Phone performance also plays a role in how fast your display updates, so good accuracy could be compromised by too slow a display. [b]
Battery range
To test battery life I developed an application that measures the battery level minute by minute until the battery is empty. This application consumes about ten percent of the phone's resources and I do a test with 100 brightness. This test aims to reproduce a contemplative use of a phone (e.g. surfing the internet, reading articles, spending time on social networks). These results are not valid for intensive gaming/streaming use.
Capacity : 5000 Fast charge : Yes W max : 15 Range (100% brightness) : 650 Range (50% brightness) : 1 225.00 Charging time : 172 Discharge speed (100%) : 0.15 Discharge score (100%) : 7.69 Discharge speed (50%) : 0.08 Discharge score (50%) : 4.08 Charging speed : 0.58 Charging score : 29.07
From March 2020, I replaced my subjective battery test with a technical test to better measure the real behaviour of the battery. Now I test the autonomy and charging time under absolutely identical conditions. I perform several measurements, so this test alone takes several days during which I cannot use the phone for anything else.
Battery life - methodology To test the battery life, I measure the battery consumption every minute in strictly identical conditions to be able to compare phones and also to allow you to evaluate your phone in the same conditions. I rule out any influence of applications that could interfere with the measurement. The autonomy is not linear, the battery sometimes discharges much faster at the end. This is a frustrating phenomenon but with my measurements, you will know if you need to find a charger quickly.
Battery life The battery of the TCL 30 SE has a capacity of 5000 mAh and has discharged from 100% to 1% in 650 minutes with 100% brightness, it has discharged from 100% to 1% in 1 225.00 minutes with 50% brightness. I obtain in this way an average discharge speed of 0.15% per minute with 100% luminosity and 0.08% per minute with 50% luminosity, the consumption is therefore 7.69 mA per minute with 100% luminosity and 4.08 with 50% luminosity. To be able to compare the efficiency of the phone and its influence on the battery, you have to compare the 7.69 (or 50%) score with that of other smartphones, the figure should be as low as possible.
Charging time - methodology To test the charging time, I always use the same charger with the same cable. I measure the charging time minute by minute to see the evolution of the charge as well as the charging speed. The charging speed of a battery is not linear, it is often faster at the beginning and slower at the end. The charger is compatible with fast charging.
Charging time The battery of the TCL 30 SE has a capacity of 5000 mAh and has been charged from 1% to 100% in 172 minutes. This gives me an average charging speed of 0.58% per minute and therefore an increase of 29.07 mA per minute. To compare the performance of the TCL 30 SE compared to other phones, you should use the 29.07 per minute score, this score should be as high as possible.
Important note: the charging speed is not always linear, the graph below gives you an indication of the battery behaviour.
The following table lists the phones tested with the technical battery test, they are ranked in order of efficiency. A higher battery capacity should logically result in a higher battery life but it is not always the case and it does not give any indication of the efficiency of a phone.
Smartphone
Capacity (mAh)
Battery life (minutes)
Efficiency Score
Battery life (minutes) / 50%
Efficiency Score / 50%
Charging time
.Score charging
Honor 9x
4000
770.00
5.19
1333.00
3.00
151.00
26.49
Nokia 5.3
4000
549.00
7.29
1096.00
3.65
199.00
20.10
Samsung Galaxy S20
4000
565.00
7.08
1217.00
3.29
136.00
29.41
Oukitel C21
4000
497.00
8.05
1324.00
3.02
167.00
23.95
Google Pixel 5
4080
773.00
5.28
1559.00
2.62
81.00
50.37
Umidigi A9 Pro
4150
552.00
7.52
1562.00
2.66
112.00
37.05
Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5g
4160
749.00
5.55
1541.00
2.70
163.00
25.52
Realme 6
4300
704.00
6.11
1104.00
3.89
162.00
26.54
Google Pixel 6a
4410
534
8.26
1935
2.28
111
39.73
Samsung Galaxy A52
4500
652.00
6.90
1239.00
3.63
165.00
27.27
Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus 5g
4500
525.00
8.57
1211
3.72
24
187.50
Realme Gt
4500
574.00
7.84
1057.00
4.26
87.00
51.72
Tcl 10 Pro
4500
465.00
9.68
889.00
5.06
133.00
33.83
Poco F4
4500
554.00
8.12
1141
3.94
98
45.92
Black Shark 4 Pro
4500
425.00
10.59
937.00
4.80
29.00
155.17
Oneplus Nord 2t
4500
693
6.49
1492
3.02
121
37.19
Poco F3
4520
657.00
6.88
1840.00
2.46
122.00
37.05
Poco F4 Gt
4700
365.00
12.88
1082
4.34
38
123.68
Poco F2 Pro
4700
1150.00
4.09
1536.00
3.06
180.00
26.11
Xiaomi Redmi Note 10s
5000
636.00
7.86
1556.00
3.21
161.00
31.06
Poco M3 Pro
5000
657.00
7.61
1647.00
3.04
131.00
38.17
Poco X4 Pro
5000
643.00
7.78
1361
3.67
74
67.57
Umidigi Bison Pro
5000
610.00
8.20
1632.00
3.06
255.00
19.61
Redmi 10
5000
664.00
7.53
1684.00
2.97
165.00
30.30
Poco M4 Pro
5000
634.00
7.89
1600.00
3.13
123.00
40.65
Xiaomi 11t
5000
476.00
10.50
1204.00
4.15
97.00
51.55
Redmi Note 11
5000
592.00
8.45
1 376.00
3.63
69.00
72.46
Oneplus Nord N100
5000
808.00
6.19
1278.00
3.91
663.00
7.54
Xiaomi Redmi Note 10
5000
691.00
7.24
1728.00
2.89
193.00
25.91
Poco X5 5g
5000
493
10.14
1058
4.73
228
21.93
Motorola G8 Power
5000
912.00
5.48
2792.00
1.79
311.00
16.08
Redmi Note 12 Pro
5000
618
8.09
1294
3.86
120
41.67
Redmi Note 12
5000
637
7.85
1517
3.30
81
61.73
Samsung Galaxy A21s
5000
729.00
6.86
1283.00
3.90
166.00
30.12
Redmi Note 9t
5000
766.00
6.53
2054.00
2.43
148.00
33.78
Redmi 9a
5000
694.00
7.20
1902.00
2.63
195.00
25.64
Redmi 9c
5000
656.00
7.62
1915.00
2.61
170.00
29.41
Redmi 10a
5000
682
7.33
1820
2.75
163
30.67
Umidigi Bison
5000
550.00
9.09
1471.00
3.40
238.00
21.01
Tcl 30 Se
5000
650
7.69
1 225.00
4.08
172
29.07
Poco M4 Pro 4g
5000
723.00
6.92
1 500.00
3.33
77.00
64.94
Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro
5020
625.00
8.03
1557.00
3.22
213.00
23.57
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9s
5020
663.00
7.57
1876.00
2.68
224.00
22.41
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9
5020
650.00
7.72
1808.00
2.78
162.00
30.99
Poco X4 Gt
5080
726.00
7.00
1538
3.30
113
44.96
Umidigi F2
5150
927.00
5.56
1854.00
2.78
299.00
17.22
Poco X3
5160
653.00
7.90
1654.00
3.12
181.00
28.51
Poco X3 Pro
5160
648.00
7.96
1688.00
3.06
138.00
37.39
Doogee S58 Pro
5180
845.00
6.13
1908.00
2.71
177.00
29.27
Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite
5260
827.00
6.36
1609.00
3.27
208.00
25.29
Ulefone Armor 7e
5500
768.00
7.16
1140.00
4.82
179.00
30.73
Poco M3
6000
842.00
7.13
1898.00
3.16
217.00
27.65
Doogee S96 Pro
6350
929.00
6.84
1405.00
4.52
424.00
14.98
F150 R2022
8300
879.00
9.44
1498.00
5.54
243.00
34.16
Oukitel Wp18
12500
2 733.00
4.57
2859
4.37
362
34.53
helpHow to read these figures? The battery capacity is an important element in determining the autonomy of a phone but it is not the only factor. A phone with a large battery may have a shorter battery life if it consumes more power. If I had to take an example from everyday life, I would use the universe of the car. If a car has a large fuel tank, it should be able to drive a longer distance unless its average fuel consumption is higher. The battery efficiency score works the same way, it should be as low as possible and represents the energy consumption of the phone. These differences in efficiency are often related to the brightness of the screen, large bright screens will tend to consume more energy and even if they have a large battery, their range will be shorter.
In summary
The TCL 30 SE has a fast charge of 15W, it's a little below what we find on the market today except that in this price range, it is not necessarily Standard. It took me 172 minutes to charge the battery from 1 to 100% with my UGREEN 100W charger. The charging speed is linear up to around 80%, the charging speed drops sharply. It takes about 30 minutes to load the first 20 percent, it takes more than 50 minutes to load the last 20 percent.
I got a battery life of 1225 minutes with the screen on at 50%, it's a good level of autonomy that should allow you to last 2 to 3 days without having to recharge (in normal use) . The autonomy that I measured does not seem linear, however, the curve changes inclination several times and the last 20 percent fly away faster. It is therefore better to know this so as not to think that you have a margin once you reach 20%, you should on the contrary have a charger at hand.[b]
Photo camera test
To test the quality of photos produced by a phone, I do a technical test (resolution, sharpness, chromatic aberration,...) in studio (identical conditions) to evaluate the technical part objectively. From the second half of 2020, I built my own laboratory to take completely objective technical measurements. I then take pictures in real conditions to see how the camera performs. I then evaluate these photos according to my criteria but I publish the photos so that you can evaluate the result according to your criteria.[b]
The TCL 30 SE is equipped with a 50 million pixel Samsung S5KJN1 main sensor, this sensor is also present in other phones like the Nokia G21, Redmi Note 11, Motorola G31 or the Samsung Galaxy A13. This photo sensor isn't the best on the market but it's far from being the worst, I'm even quite surprised to find it in an entry-level phone like this. [b][b] The phone has two other sensors but I don't have any technical information about them.[b]
Photo quality
Photo quality (indoor/studio)[b]The studio test is carried out under the same conditions so that the results can be compared on an equal basis. I calibrate my lighting for each test to obtain the same brightness and colour temperature. This test is a preliminary analysis of the technical qualities of a camera. Most phones fail this test, so you should also read the results of the other tests in the following paragraphs.[b][b]
The photo test of the TCL 30 SE is going to be a little faster than usual because I only have one sensor to test and it is a sensor that I have already tested in other phones. The photo taken above is a photo taken in manual mode which demonstrates that this sensor is capable of doing some interesting things and is able to do better than the basic settings which result in a darker photo. With the automatic mode, I get this:
The pro mode makes it possible to obtain a fairer exposure even if there are missing gradations in the settings and the RAW mode is not available. The result in automatic mode follows somewhat the same trend as the other phones tested by producing photos that are a little too dark under artificial light. The sharpness is average, the colors are influenced by the exposure but I notice that the photo is quite noisy, this is something that I had not noticed with other phones using the same sensor. [b][b]
On this photo we can better see the sharpness, in the center it is good, the Canadian banknote is very well detailed and the small text at the bottom of the banknote is perfectly readable. This sharpness decreases on the periphery, I will have to do a technical test to measure exactly the impact of this decrease. [b][b] This Samsung S5KJN1 sensor is able to take good pictures when the conditions are good, it's not the best in its category but in this price range, it does its job properly.
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[b][b]Photo: technical test[b]I was inspired by industrial technical tests to create my own technical test to evaluate the technical quality of a camera. This test is an objective assessment of a camera's ability to render a scene correctly. [b][b]I test the following elements:[b]- centre sharpness, peripheral sharpness[b]- colour fidelity based on 24 reference colours[b]- level of chromatic aberration[b]- dynamic range (ability to capture dark and light areas without loss)[b]- distortion[b][b]The technical evaluation may differ from the subjective evaluation as the feeling of a photo will be influenced by the processing provided by each manufacturer.[b][b]
The photo test of the TCL 30 SE is going to be a little faster than usual because I only have one sensor to test and it is a sensor that I have already tested in other phones. The photo taken above is a photo taken in manual mode which demonstrates that this sensor is capable of doing some interesting things and is able to do better than the basic settings which result in a darker photo. With the automatic mode, I get this:
The pro mode makes it possible to obtain a fairer exposure even if there are missing gradations in the settings and the RAW mode is not available. The result in automatic mode follows somewhat the same trend as the other phones tested by producing photos that are a little too dark under artificial light. The sharpness is average, the colors are influenced by the exposure but I notice that the photo is quite noisy, this is something that I had not noticed with other phones using the same sensor. [b][b]
On this photo we can better see the sharpness, in the center it is good, the Canadian banknote is very well detailed and the small text at the bottom of the banknote is perfectly readable. This sharpness decreases on the periphery, I will have to do a technical test to measure exactly the impact of this decrease. [b][b] This Samsung S5KJN1 sensor is able to take good pictures when the conditions are good, it's not the best in its category but in this price range, it does its job properly.
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[b][b]Outdoor photo quality[b]
The light was not very good when I went out to take these photos, I took advantage of a lull in the storm Eunice but the sky was dark and the scenery was rather muddy. Despite everything, I was positively surprised by this photo sensor because even if the photos are a little too dark, there are not too many overexposure/underexposure zones. The processing of the sharpness is clearly visible on the branches, it does not pose a problem if you do not zoom in and on the scale of the screen of the telephone, it is not visible at all. [b][b] I had not had such bad conditions to test other phones with the same sensor, so this adds a little value to this photo sensor which does better than what the usually found in the entry level.
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[b][b]Test photo / night[b]Not yet available / tested[b][b][b]
Video quality
Stabilisation[b] Like the vast majority of phones in this price range, the TCL 30 SE is not capable of stabilizing videos, vibrations are very visible.[b]Video normale conditions The TCL 30 SE is capable of filming in 1080p with 30 frames per second. The quality of the videos produced is good for this type of device. Focusing is fast, exposure jumps are noticeable but not problematic, and I find the dynamic range to be quite good. The video is a little too dark like the photos, I had already noticed this point with other phones using the same sensor, it's a question of settings rather than a technical inability.[b]Video low light[b]Not yet available / tested[b][b]
External audio quality
[b]This test is intended to give you an overview of the volume and sound quality during calls and when listening to music through the external speakers. [b][b] The TCL 30 SE is equipped with a single loudspeaker placed on the lower edge of the phone. This loudspeaker produces a sound of medium power and this sound is very focused on the treble as is often the case for this type of configuration. So it's not a phone for those who like to listen to music without headphones, but I think it's an assumed choice for this kind of phone. [b][b] The sound quality in communication is correct, here too I find that the sound is quite high-pitched. The volume with the listening loudspeaker is not very high, on the other hand the volume is average with the external loudspeaker.[b]
Audio quality (headphones)
To test the quality of the phone's audio output, I connect the device's audio output to a measuring tool, then play sounds on all frequencies and measure the differences between the original sound and the sound produced by the phone. In this way I measure the phone's ability to correctly reproduce all sounds.[b]
The sound produced by the headphone output of this phone is relatively powerful but this power causes significant distortion, so you have to lower the volume a few notches to hope to return to sound of acceptable quality. If I analyze the frequency coverage, I see that the TCL does not reproduce the sound correctly at full volume. I compared it here with a Redmi Note 11 and we see that the white line of the TCL does not stop jumping where that of the Redmi remains very stable on all frequencies. The differences don't seem to be significant but they are audible.[b]
Screen quality
To test the screen, I use a colorimetric probe that measures the color accuracy of a screen, as well as other parameters to see if a screen is able to correctly reproduce an image. I also test the brightness level to determine if the screen will be able to display an image in full sunlight.[b]
Screen size : 6.52 Resolution : 720 x 1600 Ratio : 20:9 Type : LCD IPS % occupancy : 82 dE white : 5.7 dE red : 3.7 dE green : 2.1 dE blue : 3.3 dE jaune : 1.2 dE cyan : 2.9 dE magenta : 2.8 White temperature : 6246 Contrast : 2108:1 Brightness : 565
Colorimetry[b]
The other two TCL products I tested had a very good screen, I wondered if that would also be the case with an entry-level product. Yes and no. Yes, because at the entry level, you don't find extraordinary screens and this one is probably above average. No because at Redmi there is better. I obtained a dE of 3.11 on average which in itself is not bad but I have a significant gap on the white. In brilliant mode (in NXT Vision), I have a dE greater than 10 for white and in natural mode, this dE drops to 5.7 and that's still a bit too much. White is slightly too warm with a color temperature of 6246K where it should ideally be 6500k. [b][b][b][b]Top 10 - ranking of the best screens by colorimetry 1. Poco X4 Gt dE = 0.6 2. Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5g dE = 0.73 3. Xiaomi Mi 10t Pro dE = 0.83 4. Redmi Note 11 dE = 0.91 5. Redmi Note 12 Pro dE = 0.97 6. Google Pixel 6a dE = 1.01 7. Google Pixel 5 dE = 1.11 8. Realme Gt dE = 1.17 9. Redmi Note 12 dE = 1.17 10. Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite dE = 1.19
Number of smartphones in the ranking:75 Position of this smartphone in the ranking:47/75
Note: the colorimetric difference is measured in dE. After three, the human eye will perceive a colorimetric difference, so the dE should be the lowest. The tests were all carried out with a colorimetric probe. [b]Brightness / Contrast[b]I measured quite a high contrast ratio in natural mode and with NXT Vision optimization I've never had such high contrast (2108:1) on an IPS LCD screen. [b][b] Natural light is good as I measured 465 cd/m² and flooding the sensor with light and with adaptive light I measured 565 cd/m². So you will be able to use this phone under the sun without having to strain too much to read the screen.[b]
Biometry
The TCL 30 SE is equipped with a fingerprint sensor on the back, I no longer test many phones with a sensor there but I find that it is still one of the most suitable places for this kind of sensor . This sensor works well and is quite responsive.[b]
Operating system
[b]This TCL runs Android 12, it's one of the first Android 12 phones that I tested. Beyond the operating system, TCL has brought some additional elements to personalize your phone. TCL has added a few more apps but these aren't as intrusive as Xiaomi's, so the overlay is lighter. For some of these apps, I'm not even sure if they are from TCL because they may be natively available in Android 12.[b]
Encoutered bugs
Not yet available / tested[b][b]
Accessories TCL 30 SE
To better enjoy your experience with your smartphone, I offer links to all kinds of accessories that you might find useful
I assigned a score of 1 to 10 for each test that determines the strengths and weaknesses of a product. I am using 0 for criteria that have not (yet) been tested. A score of 1 to 3 indicates poor performance (and yes, it does), a score of 4 to 6 indicates average performance, a score of 7 to 8 indicates good performance, and a score of 9 and 10 indicates exceptional performance. . The score is calculated based on my measurements and when there are no measurements, it is a subjective opinion based on my experience.
The scores are not static, they change over time because the performance of new products changes and this must be taken into account.
TCL 30 SE
Finish quality
7.00
6.00
Battery performance
7.00
8.00
CPU performance
5.00
6.5
GPU performance
5.00
6.5
Screen quality
7.00
7.00
Photo quality
6.00
5.00
Video quality
6.00
5.00
Wi-Fi performance
7.00
7.00
Mobile download speed
7.00
5.00
Mobile network sensitivity
7.00
6.00
Frequency coverage
7.00
7.00
Audio quality
7.00
6.00
GPS performance
7.00
6.00
Operating system
7.00
8.00
Overall score
92
89
Global ranking 1. Black Shark 4 Pro 114 / 140 2. Realme Gt 112.5 / 140 3. Poco F2 Pro 111.5 / 140 4. Oneplus Nord 2t 111.5 / 140 5. Poco F5 111 / 140 6. Samsung Galaxy S20 111 / 140 7. Poco F4 Gt 110.5 / 140 8. Google Pixel 5 109.6 / 140 9. Poco F3 108.5 / 140 10. Poco X4 Gt 108 / 140 11. Google Pixel 6a 108 / 140 12. Poco X3 Pro 107.5 / 140 13. Samsung Galaxy S10+ 107 / 140 14. Xiaomi 11t 107 / 140 15. Redmi Note 11 Pro Plus 5g 106.5 / 140 16. Redmi Note 12 Pro 106 / 140 17. Xiaomi Mi 9t Pro 106 / 140 18. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 Pro 105.5 / 140 19. Samsung Galaxy A52 104 / 140 20. Tcl 10 Pro 104 / 140 21. Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 104 / 140 22. Redmi Note 11 Pro 103 / 140 23. Poco X4 Pro 102.5 / 140 24. Poco M4 Pro 4g 102 / 140 25. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10s 102 / 140 26. Poco M4 Pro 101.5 / 140 27. Unihertz Luna 101.5 / 140 28. Redmi Note 11 101 / 140 29. Xiaomi Mi 10 Lite 5g 101 / 140 30. Poco X3 101 / 140 31. Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 101 / 140 32. Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite 101 / 140 33. Redmi Note 9t 100.5 / 140 34. Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro 100 / 140 35. Unihertz Tank 99 / 140 36. Poco X5 5g 98.5 / 140 37. Poco M5 98.5 / 140 38. Xiaomi Mi 9 Lite 98 / 140 39. Doogee S96 Pro 98 / 140 40. Xiaomi Redmi Note 9s 98 / 140 41. Poco F4 98 / 130 42. Poco M3 Pro 98 / 140 43. Redmi 10 97.5 / 140 44. Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 97 / 140 45. Redmi Note 12 95.5 / 140 46. Umidigi Bison Pro 95 / 140 47. F150 R2022 95 / 140 48. Poco M3 94.5 / 140 49. Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 94 / 140 50. Realme 6 93 / 140 51. Umidigi A9 Pro 92 / 140 52. Umidigi Bison 92 / 140 53. Tcl 30 Se 92 / 140 54. Oukitel C21 89.5 / 140 55. Motorola G8 Power 89 / 140 56. Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 89 / 140 57. Nokia 5.3 89 / 140 58. Xiaomi Mi A3 89 / 140 59. Oneplus Nord N100 88.5 / 140 60. Honor 9x 88 / 140 61. Redmi 10a 88 / 140 62. Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite 86 / 140 63. Meizu Note 9 86 / 140 64. Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 85 / 140 65. Umidigi S3 Pro 83 / 140 66. Umidigi F2 82 / 140 67. Samsung Galaxy A21s 82 / 140 68. Redmi 9a 81 / 140 69. Oukitel Wp18 81 / 140 70. Redmi 9c 80 / 140 71. Ulefone Armor 7e 80 / 140 72. Doogee S58 Pro 78.5 / 140 73. Honor 8x 78 / 140 74. Umidigi F1 77 / 140 75. Huawei Y6 2019 74 / 140 76. Xiaomi Mi 10t Pro 57 / 70 77. Samsung Galaxy S23 8 / 10 78. Elephone U5 0 / 0
Test / Review conclusion
[b]Before going into the details of my conclusion, I just have to remember that this phone is an entry-level phone, so it cannot compete with a 250€ phone, but in its niche around 150€ it is very good. positioned against the competition. [b][b] The TCL 30 SE is mainly made of plastic but it manages to stand out from the entry level with a good level of finish, it is sober and elegant. The Redmi 9A/9C that I tested over a year ago were much more basic. The TCL 30 SE is aimed at a wide audience looking for a smartphone with all the basic features without breaking the bank. With its introductory price around €150, it must be noted that with the increase in the price of telephones, there is not much left in this price zone. The TCL 30 SE provides sufficient performance for normal use, I just find there is some latency when interacting with the phone. If you come from a faster phone, it will be seen, if on the other hand you have never had a faster phone, you probably won't see it. [b][b] The TCL camera is the same as in the Redmi Note 11, although this one costs a little more. It is an entry-level camera that is capable of producing good quality photos for this price range. If the photo is important to you, the Redmi Note 10 is probably a better alternative (but it is more expensive). [b][b] The TCL 30 SE offers a large screen with good entry-level colorimetry and excellent contrast (one of the best) thanks to NXT Vision optimization. The screen has a slightly lower resolution than Redmi, but the image is of good quality. [b][b] 4G network sensitivity and GPS accuracy are two other strengths of this phone, these are basic features that we tend to forget when choosing a phone but TCL has not forgotten it. The TCL 30 SE will lose the 4G signal less quickly than the average phone, this is undoubtedly an important criterion for those who call a lot with their phone. [b][b] On the other hand, I was quite disappointed with the wifi, I didn't manage to get a good signal or a good download speed, the two are often linked. The sound quality is also not extraordinary, the small external speaker is not very powerful and produces high-pitched sound. The sound with headphones could also have been a little better too, the frequency reproduction is not among the best. [b][b][b]Strengths[b]4G sensitivity [b] GPS accuracy [b] Screen contrast [b] Finish [b] Price/performance [b] Photo quality (entry level) [b][b][b]Weaknesses[b]Wifi sensitivity [b] Speaker sound quality [b] Sound fidelity with headphones [b] Buttons a little too high [b][b][b]Alternatives to this product[b][b]Not yet available / tested[b][b]
Laurent Willen Instead of watching nonsense on TV or YouTube, I spend my time in the evenings testing products and sharing my passion for technology, travel and photography.
I run this site in my own name and completely independently, no one pays me to do so.
I have more than 20 years of experience in the digital world, I have managed and developed many high traffic websites in companies in Belgium such as Mobistar, Microsoft, Immoweb, BrusselsAirlines, Proximus, Orange,...
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Laurent Willen
