Technically, there are three phones in TCL’s 2021 smartphone lineup: TCL 20 Pro 5G ($500), TCL 20S ($250) and TCL 20 SE ($190). We’re skipping the latter two here because any of the other under $300 or $200 phones above is a better choice. But there are good reasons to use the TCL 20 Pro 5G.
It has the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G chip as Galaxy A52 5G, but its performance is a bit smoother. It’s powerful and easy the most beautiful and the equipment feels luxurious. It has an aluminum frame and glass on both sides, however that makes it more fragile. It’s also the only Android phone here that supports wireless charging.
The 6.67-inch AMOLED display is colorful and bright enough for outdoor viewing. The 4,500 mAh battery comfortably lasts more than a day of use, and it has the usual features like NFC, a headphone jack, and a MicroSD card slot. The only reason it’s not our top pick is because TCL only promises two OS upgrades and two years of security updates, so the Google and Samsung phones above will be support for a longer period of time.
Also, it has 5G access but not on AT&T and doesn’t have an IP rating for water resistance. It has a pretty good camera system, but it doesn’t as as good as the aforementioned competitors.
Works on all three major US carriers (5G doesn’t work on AT&T)
Motorola One 5G Ace
Photo: MotorolaThis Motorola phone is very rare. Unlike its similarly priced Moto G brethren, it actually has an NFC chip to make it possible to make contactless payments via Google Pay — great for when you’ve left your wallet at home. It has two days of battery life, 5G sub-6 connectivity, and pretty solid performance. Don’t expect much from the cameras, but if you don’t care about them or update the software much, this is sure to please.
Phones We Checked Recently
We tested Motorola’s new feature Moto G Power 2022 and Moto G Pure but don’t introduce them here because the Moto G Power 2021 makes them difficult in every way and costs almost the same (if not less). It’s a similar story with HMD’s Nokia G50. It is a strong phone, but it misses out on many of the features you’ll find on other $300 phones, including the Galaxy A32 5G and the OnePlus Nord N10 5G.
It’s correct. Every major smartphone maker has launched its low- and mid-range phones of the year, and we probably won’t see many new options until 2022.
Take a look at last year’s flagship phones
If none of these phones have the features you want, or they’re not as powerful as you’d like, your best bet is to look for last year’s flagship smartphones, which can be heavily discounted. Sometimes they are easy to find, but some manufacturers stop selling them altogether, such as 2020 Samsung Galaxy S20 or Google Pixel 5. Remember that you will lose one year of software support.
Check network compatibility
If you buy an unlocked phone on this list and try to take it to one of your wireless carrier’s retail stores, they may tell you that it’s not compatible with your wireless carrier. network. It is likely to be. Just use a paperclip or SIM eject tool to pull the SIM card out of your current phone, then slide it into your new phone. If it doesn’t work at first, restart your phone or wait a few hours.
If you need a new SIM, try ordering it online from your carrier, or try to get them to give you one when you activate a line in the store (if you’re starting to wave). Tell them you have a phone. Many times, reps will want to sell you a phone; that’s one potential reason they might bother you buying another device in the store.
