TCL 20 Pro 5G Review: Battery blues

Battery life is easily one of the most important considerations for any phone purchase. No one wants a handset that dies on them too soon. After all, our phones can feel like our tethers to the wider world. Sometimes it's easier to forgive poor battery life if it's a trade-off for a cool feature or an interesting form-factor, but even then, it can be tricky.

So let's get this out of the way first. The TCL 20 Pro 5G's battery is flat out awful. With 5G on, I got less than three hours of screen time per charge. That translates to less than a full day of usage; I found I'd typically get a low battery alert by 7pm. Disabling 5G took this to between four and five hours per charge, which makes it a little easier to get a full day of usage, but it's still underwhelming. Phones like the Motorola Edge 20 Fusion don’t have any issue hitting over five hours of screen time with 5G on, for comparison.

Other than 5G, none of the TCL 20 Pro 5G's functionality justifies its poor longevity. It doesn't have a high refresh rate display, which is a common source of battery drain. It's not packing a smaller than average battery so it can fold in half. It isn't tiny like the iPhone mini. It doesn't have a top-of-the-line super demanding processor. There's no real way to explain the problem away.

Battery aside, the TCL 20 Pro 5G is a fairly average midrange phone. Its nicest feature is its design. The back has a lovely two-tone finish that blends glossy and matte glass for a distinctive look and a gradient effect. Unfortunately, the matte section isn't quite as good as resisting fingerprints as Apple or Samsung's matte glass. And while the flash juts out slightly, TCL has managed to avoid using a camera bump all together - a novel change in 2021.

On the front, you'll find a curved screen. While curved screens are rather divisive, they're not a common feature for a phone in this price category. And at the very least, I didn't have issues with accidental touches.

While the overall design is nice, I have a few durability concerns. During my testing, the TCL 20 Pro 5G managed to pick up two significant scratches on its back and one on its screen. These have seemingly occurred during my standard day-to-day use; there wasn't a specific experience like a drop or accidentally putting it in the same pocket in my keys that would have caused them. While most phones pick up micro-abrasions from just being used, it's been some time since I've tested a phone that's racked up genuine scratches. If I were to hazard a guess, this would be because TCL seems to be using its own protective glass rather than the industry standard Gorilla Glass.

When it comes to performance and camera quality, the TCL 20 Pro 5G performs well enough, but doesn't excite. The phone is zippy enough for day-to-day usage, but I also had the odd hitch every now and again. In a similar vein, the TCL 20 Pro can take decent photos - even at night - the resulting images can look flat and the colours a tad unnatural.

At $799, the TCL 20 Pro 5G firmly fits into the semi-premium part of the midrange, but other than a sleek design and curved screen, it doesn't really justify the price tag. A high refresh rate display is a major omission, especially considering we've started seeing them on phones that cost less than $499. There's no water resistance. The fast charging is still on the slower side. At the least, you get 256GB of storage out of the box.

For comparison, Samsung's Galaxy A52 5G starts at $649, has the same processor as the TCL 20 Pro but also includes a high refresh rate display protected with Gorilla Glass 5, faster charging, and IP67 water-resistance. Even opting for a 256GB model will only set you back $749. All you really miss out on is a glass back, and well, a curved screen, if that's your thing.

TCL 20 Pro 5G - Final Thoughts

The TCL 20 Pro 5G is a case of style over substance. It looks nice, but it isn't worth the $799 price tag. It simply doesn't keep up with features offered by the competition. Weak battery life is the biggest issue, and an immediate red flag, but the TCL 20 Pro 5G isn't a bad phone otherwise. It’s just average. And in a crowded, highly competitive market, being average just isn't enough.

TCL 20 Pro 5G camera samples

Alex Choros

Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor | X | Instagram | Threads | LinkedIn

Alex Choros is the Managing Editor of WhistleOut Australia and an award-winning journalist. He's been writing about consumer technology for over a decade and is an expert on the Australian telco sector, to the point where he knows far too many phone and internet plans by heart. In addition to leading the WhistleOut editorial team, Alex is responsible for ruining the office Sonos with his troubled taste in music.

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