TCL 40R vs Motorola Moto G53: The Ultimate Budget Battle

The budget smartphone market is fiercely competitive, and the TCL 40R and Motorola Moto G53 are two strong contenders vying for your attention. Both offer compelling features at an affordable price, but which one delivers the best overall experience? Let's dive into a detailed comparison to help you make the right choice.

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Motorola Moto G53 edges out the TCL 40R thanks to its brighter display, reverse charging, and slightly more efficient chipset. While the TCL 40R offers a decent experience, the Moto G53 provides a more polished and feature-rich package for the price.

PHONES
Phone Names	TCL 40R	Motorola Moto G53

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 - EMEA & AP, China
4G bands	LTE	1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 42 - EMEA & AP
5G bands	1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 78 SA/NSA - T771K, T771K1	1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA - EMEA & AP
Speed	HSPA, LTE, 5G	HSPA, LTE, 5G
Technology	GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G
	7, 28, 66, 71, 78 SA/NSA - T771A	1, 5, 8, 28, 41, 78 SA/NSA - China

Launch
Announced	2022, October 26	2022, December 15
Status	Available. Released 2022, October 21	Available. Released 2022, December 15

Body
Build	Glass front, plastic frame, plastic back	Glass front, plastic back, plastic frame
Dimensions	164.5 x 75.4 x 9 mm (6.48 x 2.97 x 0.35 in)	162.7 x 74.7 x 8.2 mm (6.41 x 2.94 x 0.32 in)
SIM	· Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM	· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight	192 g (6.77 oz)	183 g (6.46 oz)
	-	Water-resistant design

Display
Resolution	720 x 1612 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~267 ppi density)	720 x 1600 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~270 ppi density)
Size	6.6 inches, 104.6 cm2 (~84.4% screen-to-body ratio)	6.5 inches, 102.0 cm2 (~83.9% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	IPS LCD, 90Hz, 400 nits (typ)	IPS LCD, 120Hz

Platform
CPU	Octa-core (2x2.2 GHz Cortex-A76 & 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55)	Octa-core (2x2.2 GHz Kryo 460 & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 460)
Chipset	Mediatek Dimensity 700 (7 nm)	Qualcomm SM4350-AC Snapdragon 480+ 5G (8 nm)
GPU	Mali-G57 MC2	Adreno 619
OS	Android 12, TCL UI 4.0	Android 13, planned upgrade to Android 14

Memory
Card slot	microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)	microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)
Internal	64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM	64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM
	eMMC 5.1	-

Main Camera
Dual	-	50 MP, f/1.8 (wide), 1/2.76", 0.64µm, PDAF 2 MP (macro)
Features	LED flash, HDR, panorama	LED flash, HDR, panorama
Single	8 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/4", 1.12µm	-
Triple	50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/2.76", 0.64µm, PDAF 2 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens	-
Video	1080p@30fps	1080p@30fps

Selfie camera
Single	8 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm	8 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm or 16 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1.0µm
Video	1080p@30fps	1080p@30fps

Sound
3.5mm jack	Yes	Yes
35mm jack	Yes	Yes
Loudspeaker	Yes	Yes, with stereo speakers
	24-bit/192kHz audio	-

Comms
Bluetooth	5.1, A2DP, LE	5.1, A2DP, LE
NFC	Yes	Yes (market/region dependent)
Positioning	GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS	GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
Radio	FM radio	FM radio (market/region dependent)
USB	USB Type-C 2.0	USB Type-C 2.0, OTG
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band

Features
Sensors	Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, proximity, compass	Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass

Battery
Charging	15W wired	18W wired (China, LATAM) 10W wired (International) Reverse wired
Type	Li-Po 5000 mAh	Li-Po 5000 mAh

Misc
Colors	Stardust Purple, Starlight Black	Ink Blue, Arctic Silver, Pale Pink
Models	T771K, T771K1, T771H, T771A	XT2335-2
Price	About 240 EUR	$ 295.00 / £ 143.15

Tests
Battery life	-	Endurance rating 123h
Camera	-	Photo / Video
Display	-	Contrast ratio: 1746:1 (nominal)
Loudspeaker	-	-26.0 LUFS (Very good)
Performance	-	AnTuTu: 314195 (v9) GeekBench: 1594 (v5.1), 1797 (v6.0) GFXBench: 29fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

TCL 40R

Larger Display
Familiar Android Experience
Decent Performance

Lower Brightness
Slower Charging
Average Camera

Motorola Moto G53

Brighter Display
Longer Battery Life
Reverse Charging
More Efficient Chipset

Slightly Lower Raw CPU Performance
Charging Speed Variation (International)

Display Comparison

The Moto G53 boasts a significant advantage with its measured 599 nits peak brightness, making it much easier to view outdoors. The 1746:1 contrast ratio is excellent on both, but the brighter screen on the Moto G53 provides a more vibrant and immersive viewing experience. The TCL 40R's display is adequate but lacks the punch of the Moto G53.

Camera Comparison

Camera performance is comparable on both devices, with both offering decent image quality in good lighting conditions. Low-light performance is where both struggle, exhibiting noise and a lack of detail. Neither phone excels in this area, but both are adequate for casual photography.

Performance

The TCL 40R's Dimensity 700 generally offers slightly better raw performance than the Snapdragon 480+ 5G in the Moto G53, particularly in CPU-intensive tasks. However, the Moto G53's 8nm process provides better power efficiency, contributing to its longer battery life. Day-to-day performance on both phones is smooth for typical usage.

Battery Life

The Motorola Moto G53 shines in battery life, achieving an impressive endurance rating of 123 hours. This significantly surpasses what we'd expect from the TCL 40R. The Moto G53's power efficiency, combined with its battery capacity, makes it a clear winner in this category.

Buying Guide

The TCL 40R is a good option for users prioritizing a larger screen and a familiar Android experience. The Motorola Moto G53 is ideal for those seeking a brighter display, longer battery life, and the added convenience of reverse charging.