The smartphone landscape is littered with budget options, but choosing the right one can be tough. Today, we pit the modern TCL 408 against the older, but surprisingly capable, Motorola Moto X Style. Can a newer phone truly outshine a classic?
🏆 Quick Verdict
The Motorola Moto X Style wins this comparison, primarily due to its significantly more powerful chipset and faster charging. While the TCL 408 offers a more modern design, the Moto X Style's performance and impressive battery life make it the better overall value, especially considering its age.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - all versions |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - T507A, T507U, T507U1, T507U2, T507J | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100 / 900 - EU (XT1572) |
| 4G bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 13, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41 - T507U, T507U1, T507U2 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 25, 28, 29, 40, 41 - EU (XT1572) |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/11.5 Mbps, LTE Cat4 150/75 Mbps | HSPA, LTE (2CA) Cat6 300/50 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE |
| | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28 - T507D1 | - |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2023, January 05 | 2015, July. Released 2015, September |
| Status | Available. Released 2023, March 31 | Discontinued |
| Body |
|---|
| Dimensions | 164.7 x 75.4 x 9 mm (6.48 x 2.97 x 0.35 in) | 153.9 x 76.2 x 11.1 mm (6.06 x 3.00 x 0.44 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 190 g (6.70 oz) | 179 g (6.31 oz) |
| Display |
|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Resolution | 720 x 1612 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~267 ppi density) | 1440 x 2560 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~520 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.6 inches, 104.6 cm2 (~84.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 5.7 inches, 87.9 cm2 (~74.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD, 400 nits (typ) | IPS LCD |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A53 & 4x1.5 GHz Cortex-A53) | Hexa-core (4x1.4 GHz Cortex-A53 & 2x1.8 GHz Cortex-A57) |
| Chipset | Mediatek MT6762G Helio G25 (12 nm) | Qualcomm MSM8992 Snapdragon 808 (20 nm) |
| GPU | PowerVR GE8320 | Adreno 418 |
| OS | Android 12 | Android 5.1.1 (Lollipop), 6.0, upgradable to 7.0 (Nougat) |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | microSDXC (dedicated slot) |
| Internal | 64GB 4GB RAM, 64GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM | 16GB 3GB RAM, 32GB 3GB RAM, 64GB 3GB RAM |
| | eMMC 5.1 | - |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Dual | 50 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 0.7µm, PDAF
Auxiliary lens | - |
| Features | LED flash | Dual-LED dual-tone flash, panorama |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, 27mm (wide), 1/4", 1.12µm | 21 MP, f/2.0, 27mm (wide), 1/2.4", 1.1µm, PDAF |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, HDR |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Features | - | LED flash |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, 27mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | 5 MP, f/2.0, 1/4.0", 1.4µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, LE | 4.1, A2DP, EDR, LE, aptX |
| NFC | Yes (T507U only) | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS, GLONASS |
| Radio | FM radio | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | microUSB 2.0 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, hotspot |
| Features |
|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer | Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| | Virtual proximity sensing | - |
| Battery |
|---|
| Charging | 10W wired | 15W wired, 34% in 15 min |
| Type | Li-Po 5000 mAh | Li-Ion 3000 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Gravity Grey, Midnight Blue | Black lens/Dark Gray Frame and accents/ Black Soft Feel InlayWhite lens/Silver Frame and accents/Bamboo Inlay |
| Models | T507D1, T507A, T507U, T507U1, T507U2, T507J | XT1572, XT1575 |
| Price | About 130 EUR | About 260 EUR |
| SAR | - | 0.99 W/kg (head) 1.43 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.39 W/kg (head) 0.73 W/kg (body) |
| Tests |
|---|
| Audio quality | - |
Noise -93.5dB / Crosstalk -92.7dB |
| Battery life | - |
Endurance rating 63h
|
TCL 408
- Very Affordable
- Modern Design
- Decent Display (likely IPS)
- Sufficient for Basic Tasks
- Weak Performance
- Slow Charging
- Lower Camera Quality
- Limited Features
Motorola Moto X Style
- Powerful Chipset
- Excellent Battery Life
- Vibrant AMOLED Display
- Fast Charging
- Good Camera
- Older Design
- Potentially Outdated Software Updates
- May be harder to find new
Display Comparison
The Moto X Style boasts a 5.5-inch AMOLED display with vibrant colors and deep blacks, a significant advantage over the TCL 408's likely IPS LCD. While the TCL 408 may have a slightly higher resolution, the Moto X Style's display quality is noticeably superior.
Camera Comparison
The Moto X Style features a 21MP rear camera capable of capturing detailed photos in good lighting. The TCL 408 likely has a lower resolution camera, but modern software processing might compensate somewhat. Image quality will likely be better on the Moto X Style, especially in low light.
Performance
Here, the Moto X Style truly shines. Its Snapdragon 808 chipset is considerably more powerful than the TCL 408's Helio G25, resulting in smoother multitasking, faster app loading, and a more responsive user experience. Gaming performance will also be significantly better on the Moto X Style.
Battery Life
Both phones offer excellent battery life, with the Moto X Style achieving an impressive 63-hour endurance rating. While the TCL 408's battery capacity might be slightly larger, the Moto X Style's efficient chipset and optimized software contribute to its longevity. The Moto X Style also has significantly faster charging.
Buying Guide
The TCL 408 is best suited for users prioritizing a very budget-friendly device for basic tasks like calls, texts, and light social media. The Motorola Moto X Style is ideal for those seeking a phone with decent performance, a good camera, and exceptional battery life, even if it's a slightly older model.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Is the TCL 408 worth buying if I only need a basic phone?
If your needs are extremely limited and budget is the absolute top priority, the TCL 408 can suffice. However, the Moto X Style offers significantly more value for a slightly higher price (if you can find one).
❓ Will the Motorola Moto X Style still receive software updates?
The Moto X Style is an older device and likely won't receive major Android updates. However, Motorola historically provided decent security updates for a reasonable period.
