TCL 20 R 5G Deals - September 2026
1 refurbished deal available - SIM-free from £68.00.
TCL 20 R 5G Grey deals
The TCL 20 R 5G is in our catalog but no UK retailer currently stocks it.
Spec scores
£200-£399 Phones · 195 phones
Performance
1.6
/5
Display
2.1
/5
Rear Camera
1.1
/5
Front Camera
2.6
/5
Battery
2.2
/5
Color
All
Grey
Storage
All
64GB
Budget buyers who want the cheapest practical way onto a 5G network and still value a headphone jack, expandable storage and all-day battery over camera quality or screen sharpness.
TCL 20 R 5G SIM Free (1 deals)
Filters
Grade B
5G
20 R 5G 64GB (Grey)
Cost breakdown
Cashback:
£0.00
Upfront Cost:
£68.00
Photos
Tap any image to view full size
Images: TCL
About the TCL 20 R 5G
The TCL 20 R 5G was TCL's attempt to drag 5G down to the bottom of the market in 2021, and on that narrow brief it did the job. The MediaTek Dimensity 700 inside is the same chip a lot of far pricier budget 5G phones used at the time, so it handles messaging, streaming and light gaming without drama, and the 90Hz refresh rate makes scrolling feel smoother than the modest HD+ resolution suggests. The trade-offs are where you would expect them: the 6.52-inch panel is only 720p, so text and video never look genuinely sharp, and the 13MP main camera is strictly a daylight shooter that falls apart indoors. The 4,500mAh battery is the real strength, comfortably clearing a day of moderate use, though the 10W charging is slow enough that you will want to top up overnight. Several years on it is a phone for a very specific buyer, someone who needs a working 5G handset with a headphone jack, microSD support and NFC for contactless payments, and cares about nothing else.
Expert Rating
4.0
(1 review)
Price History
Tracking the best prices since 20 Jul 2026.
SIM-Free (Refurb)
Lowest price in 30 days (£68)
TCL 20 R 5G vs TCL 20Y - Key Differences
| Feature | TCL 20 R 5G | TCL 20Y |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.52-inch HD+ 720x1600, 90Hz | 6.52-inch HD+ 720x1600 IPS, 60Hz |
| Chipset | MediaTek Dimensity 700 (5G) | MediaTek MT6762D octa-core (4G only) |
| Main camera | 13MP f/2.2 + 2MP macro + 2MP depth | 48MP f/1.8 + 2MP macro + 2MP depth |
| Battery | 4,500mAh, 10W charging | 4,000mAh, 10W charging via Micro USB |
| Storage options | 64GB or 128GB, microSD to 1TB | 64GB, microSD to 512GB |
| Dimensions | 164.3 x 75 x 8.99 mm | 165.6 x 75.6 x 8.7 mm |
| Weight | 186 g | 194 g |
| SIM-free price | Not available | From £69.00 |
Frequently asked questions
Is the TCL 20 R 5G worth buying?
The TCL 20 R 5G is only worth considering if you want the cheapest possible route onto a 5G network and are happy with basic performance. The Dimensity 700 chip, 4,500mAh battery and 90Hz screen still cover everyday tasks, but the 720p display and weak 13MP camera show their age. Anyone who uses their phone for photography or gaming should look at a newer mid-range model instead.
Does the TCL 20 R 5G have a headphone jack and microSD slot?
Yes to both. The TCL 20 R 5G keeps a 3.5mm headphone jack for wired earphones, and its microSD slot accepts cards up to 1TB alongside the 64GB or 128GB of built-in storage. That combination is increasingly rare and is one of the phone's genuine practical advantages.
Is the TCL 20 R 5G camera any good?
The camera is adequate rather than good. The 13MP main sensor produces usable shots in bright daylight, but low-light photos are soft and noisy, and the 2MP macro and 2MP depth sensors add very little. Video tops out at 1080p at 30fps, so there is no 4K recording.
How long does the TCL 20 R 5G battery last?
The 4,500mAh battery paired with a power-efficient Dimensity 700 chip and a low-resolution 720p screen typically gets through a full day of mixed use with room to spare. Charging is the weak point at just 10W, so a full recharge takes a couple of hours and is best done overnight.
Will the TCL 20 R 5G still get Android updates?
No. The TCL 20 R 5G launched on Android 11 with TCL UI 3.0 and TCL never committed to a long-term update programme for its budget range, so you should assume no further Android version upgrades or security patches. If guaranteed software support matters to you, choose a newer handset.
What is the difference between the TCL 20 R 5G and the TCL 20Y?
The TCL 20 R 5G is the 5G model, with a MediaTek Dimensity 700 chip, a 90Hz screen and a larger 4,500mAh battery. The TCL 20Y is 4G only with a slower octa-core chip and a 4,000mAh battery, but it counters with a higher-resolution 48MP main camera. The 20 R 5G is the better all-rounder unless you specifically want more camera detail in daylight.
TCL 20 R 5G Specifications
Spec Scores
£200-£399 Phones · 195 phones
- Dimensity 700
- Octa-core (2x2.2 GHz Cortex-A76 & 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55)
This phone
32%
Avg
42%
Best
93%
This phone
32%
Avg
50%
Best
100%
Based on calibrated CPU benchmark rankings (60%) and GFXBench GPU scores (40%). Apple chipsets included via editorial calibration since AnTuTu under-represents Apple's architecture.
- 6.52 inches
- 720 x 1600 pixels
- IPS, 90Hz, 500 nits peak
This phone
41%
Avg
62%
Best
96%
This phone
41%
Avg
61%
Best
98%
Based on panel type (LTPO is the modern flagship gold standard), resolution, refresh rate, peak brightness, screen size, and HDR10+ / Dolby Vision support. Marketing peak-brightness claims are capped at 3500 nits to prevent inflation.
- Triple camera setup
- 13 MP main camera
- 1080p video recording
This phone
21%
Avg
39%
Best
70%
This phone
21%
Avg
41%
Best
95%
Based on main-sensor size (1-inch / 1/1.3" beats 1/2.0"), telephoto reach (periscope > 5x > 3x optical), image processing tier (Apple Pro, Pixel Pro, Galaxy Ultra, Honor Magic Pro, Xiaomi Ultra), pro video features (ProRes, Apple Log, Dolby Vision), camera-partnership branding (Leica, Hasselblad, Zeiss) and OIS. Older flagships are de-rated since image processing pipelines have advanced significantly each generation. Megapixel count is deliberately downweighted — it correlates poorly with real-world camera quality. Where DXOMARK has lab-tested the phone, its measured score replaces this estimate.
- 8 MP front camera
- 1080p selfie video
This phone
51%
Avg
59%
Best
90%
This phone
51%
Avg
60%
Best
93%
Based on the image-processing tier (Apple Pro, Pixel Pro, Galaxy Ultra and Honor Magic lead on computational processing), sensor resolution in tiers rather than raw megapixels, autofocus, aperture and max selfie-video resolution. Calibrated against DXOMARK's selfie protocol.
- 4,500 mAh
- 10W wired
This phone
44%
Avg
51%
Best
86%
This phone
44%
Avg
53%
Best
100%
Based on battery capacity (mAh) adjusted for platform efficiency calibrated against NotebookCheck, Tom's Guide, GSMArena and CNET reviewer tests. Apple A-series gets +45% (iOS process freezing + LTPO 1Hz + tuned panels make iPhone Pro Max outlast many 6500+ mAh Android phones in measured tests). Top Snapdragon / Dimensity flagships get +15%, budget chipsets are penalised −15% to −25% to reflect less efficient displays and looser background limits. Charging speed is excluded — see the separate Fast charging tag for that.
General
Dimensions
164.3 x 75 x 9
Weight
186 g
SIM
· Nano-SIM
Operating System
Android 11, TCL UI
Colours
Radio
Unspecified
Body
Gray, Blue
Camera
Primary Camera Megapixels
13
Primary Camera
13 , f/2.2, 27mm (wide) 1/3.0", 1.12µm, PDAF
Primary Camera Video
1080@30fs
Second Camera
13 , f/2.2, 27mm (wide) 1/3.0", 1.12µm, PDAF
Third Camera
13 , f/2.2, 27mm (wide) 1/3.0", 1.12µm, PDAF
Primary Selfie Camera
8 , f/2.0, 26mm (wide) 1/4.0", 1.12µm
Video Resolution
1080
Selfie Video Resolution
1080@30fs
Display
Type
IPS LCD, 90Hz, 500 nits (peak)
Display Size
6.52
Display Resolution
720 x 1600 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~269 ppi density)
CPU & Memory
Chipset
Dimensity 700
GPU
Mali-G57 MC2
CPU
Octa-core (2x2.2 GHz Cortex-A76 & 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55)
Memory Card Slot
microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)
Internal Storage
Sound
Loudspeaker
Yes
3.5mm Jack
Yes
Connectivity & Data
2G
GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G
HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G
1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41
5G
1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 40, 78 SA/NSA
Network Speed
HSPA 42.2/11.5 Mbps, LTE Cat13 400/100 Mbps, 5G 2.7 Gbps DL
Network Technology
GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Bluetooth
5.2, A2DP, LE
USB
USB Type-C 2.0
NFC
Yes
GPS
GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
Battery
Battery
4500
Charging
10W wired
Other
Sensors
Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, proximity, compass