TCL 30E vs Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: A David vs. Goliath Battle

The smartphone landscape is vast, offering options for every budget and need. Today, we're pitting a budget champion, the TCL 30E, against a true flagship powerhouse, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G. Can the TCL 30E hold its own against such formidable competition?
Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G utterly dominates this comparison. Its superior performance, stunning display, advanced camera system, and faster charging make it the clear winner. The TCL 30E offers basic functionality at a significantly lower price, catering to users with minimal needs.

PHONES
Phone Names TCL 30E Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 - EMEA/APACHSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41 - EMEA1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - International
5G bands-1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - International
SpeedHSPA 42.2/11.5 Mbps, LTE Cat5 150/75 MbpsHSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (7CA) Cat20 2000/200 Mbps, 5G (5+ Gbps DL)
TechnologyGSM / HSPA / LTEGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 26, 28, 66 - LATAM1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 41, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA
Launch
Announced2022, February 272022, February 09
StatusAvailable. Released 2022, April 20Available. Released 2022, February 25
Body
BuildGlass front, plastic frame, plastic backGlass front (Gorilla Glass Victus+), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus+), aluminum frame
Dimensions165.2 x 75.5 x 8.9 mm (6.50 x 2.97 x 0.35 in)163.3 x 77.9 x 8.9 mm (6.43 x 3.07 x 0.35 in)
SIM· Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM + eSIM (max 2 at a time)
Weight190 g (6.70 oz)228 g / 229 g (mmWave) (8.04 oz)
 -IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Armor aluminum frame with tougher drop and scratch resistance (advertised) Stylus, 2.8ms latency (Bluetooth integration, accelerometer, gyro)
Display
Protection-Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+
Resolution720 x 1600 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~269 ppi density)1440 x 3088 pixels, 19.3:9 ratio (~500 ppi density)
Size6.52 inches, 102.6 cm2 (~82.3% screen-to-body ratio)6.8 inches, 114.7 cm2 (~90.2% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeIPS LCD, 450 nits (typ)Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1750 nits (peak)
 -Always-on display
Platform
CPUOcta-core (4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A53 & 4x1.5 GHz Cortex-A53)Octa-core (1x2.8 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A510) - EuropeOcta-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) - ROW
ChipsetMediatek MT6762G Helio G25 (12 nm)Exynos 2200 (4 nm) - EuropeQualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) - ROW
GPUPowerVR GE8320Xclipse 920 - EuropeAdreno 730 - ROW
OSAndroid 12Android 12, up to 4 major Android upgrades, One UI 8
Memory
Card slotmicroSDXC (dedicated slot)No
Internal64GB 3GB RAM128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM
 eMMC 5.1UFS 3.1
Main Camera
Dual50 MP, f/1.9, 28mm (wide), 1/2.76", 0.64µm, PDAF Auxiliary lens-
FeaturesLED flash, HDR, panoramaLaser AF, LED flash, auto-HDR, panorama
Quad-108 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.33", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 10 MP, f/2.4, 70mm (telephoto), 1/3.52", 1.12µm, PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom 10 MP, f/4.9, 230mm (periscope telephoto), 1/3.52", 1.12µm, PDAF, OIS, 10x optical zoom 12 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, Super Steady video
Single5 MP, f/2.2, 28mm (wide), 1/5", 1.12µm -
Video1080p@30fps8K@24fps, 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps, HDR10+, stereo sound rec., gyro-EIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR
Single5 MP, f/2.2, 28mm (wide), 1/5.0", 1.12µm40 MP, f/2.2, 26mm (wide), 1/2.82", 0.7µm, PDAF
Video1080p@30fps4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps
Sound
3.5mm jack YesNo
35mm jackYesNo
Loudspeaker YesYes, with stereo speakers
 -32-bit/384kHz audio Tuned by AKG
Comms
Bluetooth5.0, A2DP, LE5.2, A2DP, LE
NFCYes (6127l only)Yes
PositioningGPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDSGPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
RadioUnspecifiedNo
USBUSB Type-C 2.0USB Type-C 3.2, OTG
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Features
SensorsFingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, proximity, compassFingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
 -Samsung DeX, Samsung Wireless DeX (desktop experience support) Bixby natural language commands and dictation Samsung Pay (Visa, MasterCard certified) Ultra Wideband (UWB) support
Battery
Charging10W wired45W wired, PD3.0 15W wireless (Qi) 4.5W reverse wireless
TypeLi-Po 5000 mAhLi-Ion 5000 mAh
Misc
ColorsSpace Gray, Atlantic BluePhantom Black, White, Burgundy, Green, Graphite, Red, Sky Blue, Bora Purple
Models6127A, 6127lSM-S908B, SM-S908B/DS, SM-S908U, SM-S908U1, SM-S908W, SM-S908N, SM-S9080, SM-S908E, SM-S908E/DS
Price-€ 397.07 / $ 269.98 / £ 304.99 / ₹ 63,899
SAR-1.18 W/kg (head)     0.98 W/kg (body)
SAR EU-1.05 W/kg (head)     1.58 W/kg (body)
Tests
Battery life-Endurance rating 108h
Camera-Photo / Video
Display-Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker--27.3 LUFS (Good)
Performance-AnTuTu: 968359 (v9) GeekBench: 3657 (v5.1) GFXBench: 37fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

TCL 30E

  • Affordable
  • Decent battery life for its class
  • Lightweight design
  • Expandable storage

  • Slow performance
  • Low-resolution display
  • Basic camera
  • Slow charging

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G

  • Exceptional performance
  • Stunning display
  • Versatile camera system
  • Fast charging (wired & wireless)
  • Premium design
  • S Pen support

  • Expensive
  • Large and heavy
  • Can be power-hungry with intensive use

Display Comparison

The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra boasts a breathtaking 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 1266 nits. Its infinite contrast ratio delivers vibrant colors and deep blacks. The TCL 30E features a smaller 6.43-inch IPS LCD display with a standard 60Hz refresh rate and significantly lower brightness. The S22 Ultra's display is in a different league.

Camera Comparison

Samsung's Galaxy S22 Ultra features a versatile quad-camera system with a 108MP main sensor, offering exceptional image quality and zoom capabilities. The TCL 30E's dual-camera setup (13MP + 2MP) is adequate for casual snapshots but lacks the detail and features of the S22 Ultra.

Performance

The Galaxy S22 Ultra's Exynos 2200 (or Snapdragon 8 Gen 1) chipset, paired with ample RAM, provides blazing-fast performance for demanding games and multitasking. The TCL 30E's Helio G25 chipset struggles with anything beyond basic tasks. Expect noticeable lag and slower app loading times on the TCL 30E.

Battery Life

Both phones offer impressive battery life, with the S22 Ultra achieving an endurance rating of 108 hours. The TCL 30E's battery capacity is smaller, but its less demanding processor helps it last a full day. The S22 Ultra also supports 45W fast charging, 15W wireless charging, and reverse wireless charging, features absent on the TCL 30E.

Buying Guide

The TCL 30E is ideal for first-time smartphone users, those on a tight budget, or individuals needing a simple device for calls, texts, and basic apps. The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G is for power users, photography enthusiasts, and anyone who demands the best possible smartphone experience, regardless of price.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is the TCL 30E a good phone for gaming?
No, the TCL 30E's processor is not powerful enough for demanding games. It can handle basic games, but expect low frame rates and lag.
❓ Can the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra replace a tablet?
Its large display and powerful performance make it a viable tablet replacement for many tasks, although a dedicated tablet might still be preferable for media consumption.