The TCL 50 XL 5G is an affordable smartphone that stands out with its unique textured back, adding grip and visual appeal. However, its design is relatively standard on the front. The rear of the phone features a textured material with a metallic sheen, which is a novel feature in this price range.
Sporting a large 6.78-inch LCD panel, the TCL 50 XL 5G offers a decent display thanks to TCL’s NXTVISION technology. With a 2460 x 1080-pixel resolution, about 396 pixels per inch (ppi) density, and a 120Hz refresh rate, the display provides sharp text, vibrant colors, and smoother animations. However, the bezels around the screen may be noticeable, especially the slightly thicker bottom bezel.
Inside, the TCL 50 XL 5G is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ chip, paired with 6GB of RAM and 6GB of virtual RAM expansion. While the storage capacity is limited to 128GB, users can expand it up to 2TB with a microSD card. The phone runs on Android 14 with TCL UI 7 out of the box, but its longevity is limited as it will only receive one major Android OS update to Android 15 and two years of security updates.
TCL UI 7 offers some unique customizations, such as rounded app icons and quick settings panels. The phone also comes with NXTVISION enhancements for photos, videos, and games, providing improved contrast, sharpness, and details. Other features include a Reading mode, Eye Comfort display mode, sunlight display mode, Smart Manager for device optimization, and a multitasking mode with floating app windows.
Despite its affordable price, the TCL 50 XL 5G delivers decent performance for basic tasks like checking email, social media, taking photos, and video streaming. It handles multitasking fairly well, but users may encounter occasional stutters when navigating the phone or switching between apps.
The TCL 50 XL 5G features a 50MP main camera, along with a 5MP ultrawide camera and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. However, the camera performance falls short of expectations, producing photos with overly vivid colors, washed-out areas, and soft details, even in well-lit conditions. The selfie camera is adequate for an 8MP lens, but the color accuracy is not always consistent.
Battery life is another drawback of the TCL 50 XL 5G. Despite its large 5,010mAh battery, the phone’s power efficiency is not impressive. With moderate usage, such as reading the news, checking messages, and taking photos, the battery level can drain rapidly. Charging is also relatively slow, with support for only up to 18-watt fast charging. The phone does not offer wireless charging.
The TCL 50 XL 5G has limited availability, being sold only in the U.S. through Metro by T-Mobile. This carrier lock is a significant disadvantage for users who prefer flexibility in choosing their service provider.
Overall, the TCL 50 XL 5G offers a unique design, a decent display, and basic performance. However, its unimpressive camera, mediocre battery life, and carrier lock are major drawbacks. For a slightly higher price, there are better options available in the market that provide a more well-rounded experience.
