TCL 40R vs Samsung Galaxy A32: A Budget Showdown

The budget smartphone market is fiercely competitive, offering incredible value for money. Today, we're pitting two popular contenders against each other: the TCL 40R and the Samsung Galaxy A32. Both promise a lot, but which one delivers the best overall experience?

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy A32 edges out the TCL 40R thanks to its brighter display and generally more refined software experience. While the TCL 40R boasts a slightly more powerful chipset, the A32's strengths in display and software make it the more compelling choice for most users.

PHONES
Phone Names	TCL 40R	Samsung Galaxy A32

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
4G bands	LTE	1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41
5G bands	1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 78 SA/NSA - T771K, T771K1	-
Speed	HSPA, LTE, 5G	HSPA, LTE
Technology	GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G	GSM / HSPA / LTE
	7, 28, 66, 71, 78 SA/NSA - T771A	-

Launch
Announced	2022, October 26	2021, February 25
Status	Available. Released 2022, October 21	Available. Released 2021, February 25

Body
Build	Glass front, plastic frame, plastic back	Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frame, plastic back
Dimensions	164.5 x 75.4 x 9 mm (6.48 x 2.97 x 0.35 in)	158.9 x 73.6 x 8.4 mm (6.26 x 2.90 x 0.33 in)
SIM	· Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM	· Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight	192 g (6.77 oz)	184 g (6.49 oz)

Display
Protection	-	Corning Gorilla Glass 5
Resolution	720 x 1612 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~267 ppi density)	1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~411 ppi density)
Size	6.6 inches, 104.6 cm2 (~84.4% screen-to-body ratio)	6.4 inches, 98.9 cm2 (~84.6% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	IPS LCD, 90Hz, 400 nits (typ)	Super AMOLED, 90Hz, 800 nits (HBM)

Platform
CPU	Octa-core (2x2.2 GHz Cortex-A76 & 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55)	Octa-core (2x2.0 GHz Cortex-A75 & 6x1.8 GHz Cortex-A55)
Chipset	Mediatek Dimensity 700 (7 nm)	Mediatek MT6769V/CU Helio G80 (12 nm)
GPU	Mali-G57 MC2	Mali-G52 MC2
OS	Android 12, TCL UI 4.0	Android 11, upgradable to Android 13, One UI 5

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

Main Camera
Features	LED flash, HDR, panorama	LED flash, panorama, HDR
Quad	-	64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 123˚, (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 5 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens
Single	8 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/4", 1.12µm	20 MP, f/2.2, (wide)
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	20 MP, f/2.2, (wide)
Video	1080p@30fps	1080p@30fps

Sound
3.5mm jack	Yes	Yes
35mm jack	Yes	Yes
Loudspeaker	Yes	Yes
	24-bit/192kHz audio	-

Comms
Bluetooth	5.1, A2DP, LE	5.0, A2DP, LE
NFC	Yes	Yes (market/region dependent)
Positioning	GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS	GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO
Radio	FM radio	FM radio, RDS, recording
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, Wi-Fi Direct

Features
Sensors	Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, proximity, compass	Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, compass
	-	Virtual proximity sensing

Battery
Charging	15W wired	15W wired
Type	Li-Po 5000 mAh	Li-Ion 5000 mAh

Misc
Colors	Stardust Purple, Starlight Black	Awesome Black, Awesome White, Awesome Blue, Awesome Violet
Models	T771K, T771K1, T771H, T771A	SM-A325F, SM-A325F/DS, SM-A325M, SM-A325N
Price	About 240 EUR	€ 124.99 / £ 89.38
SAR EU	-	0.45 W/kg (head) 1.30 W/kg (body)

Tests
Battery life	-	Endurance rating 119h
Camera	-	Photo / Video
Display	-	Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker	-	-30.3 LUFS (Below average)
Performance	-	AnTuTu: 286666 (v8) GeekBench: 1277 (v5.1) GFXBench: 8.1fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

TCL 40R

Slightly more powerful chipset
Clean Android experience
Competitive price

Lower display brightness
Slower charging
Less refined camera

Samsung Galaxy A32

Brighter display
Excellent battery life
Reliable software support
Established brand reputation

Less powerful chipset than TCL 40R
15W charging speed
Can be slightly more expensive

Display Comparison

The Samsung Galaxy A32 takes a clear lead here. Its measured 814 nits max brightness is significantly higher than what we'd expect from the TCL 40R, offering better visibility in sunlight. While the A32's contrast ratio is nominally 'infinite,' the real-world brightness advantage is the key differentiator. The TCL 40R likely has a decent display, but it won't match the A32's vibrancy.

Camera Comparison

Both phones offer capable camera systems, but the Galaxy A32 likely has a more refined image processing pipeline. While specific camera specs are not detailed, Samsung's reputation for camera quality suggests a slight edge in image quality and consistency. The TCL 40R's camera is likely adequate, but not exceptional.

Performance

The TCL 40R's Mediatek Dimensity 700 chipset holds a slight advantage over the Galaxy A32's Helio G80. The Dimensity 700's 7nm process and Cortex-A76 cores offer better performance in demanding tasks and gaming. However, Samsung's software optimization often mitigates hardware differences, so the real-world difference might not be massive.

Battery Life

The Galaxy A32 boasts an impressive endurance rating of 119 hours, indicating exceptional battery life. While the TCL 40R has a similarly sized battery, the A32's power efficiency likely contributes to its superior longevity. Both phones share the same 15W charging speed, which is relatively slow by modern standards.

Buying Guide

The TCL 40R is a good choice for users prioritizing raw processing power and a clean Android experience on a tight budget. The Samsung Galaxy A32 is ideal for those who value a vibrant display, reliable software support, and a well-established brand reputation.