TCL today announced a brand new device with a stylus, the TCL Stylus 5G. The new smartphone packs a large 6.81-inch FHD+ display and fast 5G connectivity, and it’s powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 700 5G chipset. The new phone packs a ton of features, and it offers a more affordable way to get access to the stylus than a Galaxy S22 Ultra.

The TCL Stylus 5G packs many features and has a large 6.67-inch LCD NXTVISION display. It has a 20:5:9 aspect ratio and 1,080 x 2,460 resolution. It’s powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 700 5G chipset with an octa-core 2.2GHz CPU and 4GB of RAM. It has 128GB of built-in storage, and there’s an expandable card slot for up to 2TB of storage.

When it comes to the camera department, it features a 50MP primary sensor, paired with a 2MP depth sensor and a 5MP ultrawide. There’s also a 2MP macro camera for close up shots. The rear camera also features AI-powered features to enhance the captured images further. The selfie camera is a 13MP sensor.

Source: TCL, Pocketnow

As for connectivity, there’s sub-6GHz 5G, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, and a USB-C port on the bottom. The fingerprint is built into the power key on the side, and the phone also supports facial recognition using the front camera. The TCL Stylus 5G supports 18W fast wired charging, and it has a 4,000 mAh battery. Fortunately, the power adapter and the USB-C cable are included inside the box.

The TCL Stylus 5G comes in a single color, Lunar Black, and it’s now available at T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile, starting at just $258.

How does it stack up against other stylus-enabled devices?

The TCL Stylus 5G is an affordable device; therefore, you shouldn’t expect flashy features that can be found on other devices costing three, four or five times more. It does, however, let you draw, and store e-signatures to eliminate repetitive and time-consuming tasks. If cutting down on time-consuming tasks is your primary purpose, the TCL Stylus is one of the best options at this price tag.

The stylus is located on the bottom, and it can easily pop out. TCL says that it’s excellent for note-taking, and users can use the Nebo app for free. The app can recognize handwritings using AI, and users can also easily jot down ideas on the fly. The phone also packs the MyScript Calculator 2 app, letting users easily calculate mathematical calculations.

Source: TCL, Pocketnow

It’s clear that the TCL Stylus 5G is targetted at those who want to use their devices in a more physical way, which is rare to see in a world where everything is digitalized, and we’re glad to see a device on the market offering the best of both worlds. Additionally, the TCL Stylus also allows users to doodle away and take notes without lighting up the screen. It enables users to magnify contents on the screen quickly, create screenshots and recordings, and even personalize GIFs for sharing with friends.

If you’re looking for a Galaxy Note and S22 Ultra like experience on a budget, the TCL Stylus 5G is shaping up to be an excellent competitor in the lower price segment. Obviously, if you’re a more demanding user, it’s perhaps best to look at the more expensive options on the market, but if you’re looking for something more affordable, and you only want to take some notes and use it for some light multitasking, it’s a great option to consider.

The cheap styluses that can be used with other traditional smartphones are not as responsive, and they can’t easily be stored inside the devices, making them a hassle to carry around. Having specific features built into the phone also lets users take advantage of them in a more seamless way.

TCL has been making some solid devices at the affordable price range in the past few years, and the TCL Stylus is joining the recently unveiled TCL 30 XE 5G and a bunch of other smartphones that were revealed at MWC 2022.