TCL launched three 20-series phones in the US in June. One of these phones is the TCL 20S, a mid-range Android phone that looks nice and comes with a decent set of specifications. If you’re in the market for a new Android phone and are wondering whether you should buy the TCL 20S, or save some money and get the Motorola Moto G Power (2021), we can help. In this article, we'll pit the TCL 20S vs the Moto G Power (2021) to see how the two phones stack up against each other.

Navigate this guide:

• Specifications
• Design and Display
• SoC, RAM, and Storage
• Cameras
• Battery and Connectivity
• OS Version and Updates
• Pricing and Colors
• Conclusion

TCL 20S vs Moto G Power (2021): Specifications

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Design and Display

The TCL 20S and Moto G Power share a number of design elements, like the hole-punch cutout for the selfie camera, shiny back, and fingerprint sensor on the power button. But the two phones still look different, mainly because of their back designs. While the 20S’ back panel is embedded with micron-sized prismatic crystals that offer a gleam, Motorola has gone with a giant fingerprint-like pattern. Moreover, there are barely any bezels on the 20S, whereas the Moto G Power features a thicker chin as well as other noticeably bigger bezels.

The TCL phone scores on the display front because of its 6.67-inch full-HD+ (1,080 x 2,400 pixels) display, while the Moto G Power packs a 6.6-inch HD+ (720 x 1,600 pixels) display. Both phones use LCDs and come with a 20:9 aspect ratio.

If display is important to you and you want things to look crisp and clear, the TCL 20S is undoubtedly a better option.

SoC, RAM, and Storage

There isn’t a whole lot of difference between the SoCs of these two phones. Whereas the TCL 20S is powered by Snapdragon 665, the Motorola phone comes with Snapdragon 662. Both SoCs have Cortex-A73 and Cortex-A53 CPU cores, clocked at 2GHz and 1.8GHz, respectively. They also share the GPU, type of RAM, and manufacturing process. But the S665 has a newer LTE modem and supports 4K video capture. Overall, the 20S is just marginally better than the Moto G Power in terms of the SoC.

While the TCL phone features 4GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage, the Moto G Power is offered in two variants -- 3GB RAM + 32GB storage and 4GB RAM + 64GB storage. Although both phones include microSD card slots, if you want more internal storage, TCL has an edge, but Motorola’s 64GB model should be enough for most people.

TCL 20S vs Moto G Power (2021): Cameras

TCL has gone with a quad-camera setup on the back of the 20S, headlined by a 64MP shooter. The Motorola Moto G Power, on the other hand, comes with a triple rear camera setup that includes a 48MP main camera. Both phones also have a 2MP depth sensor and a 2MP macro camera, but the Motorola phone lacks a wide-angle shooter. TCL has put in an 8MP wide-angle camera that might not be a big deal for most consumers, but there are quite a few people who love to take photos with the wide-angle shooter.

Moreover, the main rear camera is capable of capturing 4K 30fps videos on the TCL 20S. The Moto G Power can only take up to 1080p 60fps videos. For your selfie needs, you’ll get a 16MP shooter on the 20S, and an 8MP shooter on the Motorola phone.

Overall, if a wide-angle camera and 4K videos are important to you, the TCL 20S is your buddy. But if you don’t really care about both of those things, the Moto G Power can also be a decent option.

Battery and Connectivity

Battery and connectivity are two areas where both the TCL 20S and the Moto G Power are pretty much at the same level. Both phones come with 5,000mAh batteries. While the TCL phone supports up to 18W fast charging, the Moto G Power can be fast-charged up to 15W.

The phones also pack a USB Type-C port and have the same set of connectivity options, including 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, and Bluetooth 5.0. The TCL 20S also includes NFC connectivity, something that's missing from the Motorola phone. In terms of carrier support, both the 20S and the Moto G Power can be used on AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon.

OS version and Updates

The TCL 20S runs on Android 11 with TCL UI, whereas the Moto G Power (2021) comes with Android 10 and My UX. If TCL’s Canada website is any indication, the phone will be getting the Android 12 update as well as security updates till April 2024. Moto G Power (2021) is expected to get the Android 11 update but nothing is known beyond that. Motorola doesn’t say anything about until when the Moto G Power will continue getting the security updates.

TCL clearly has an edge on the operating system front, as it comes with newer software out-of-the-box, and will get security updates for almost three years. So if you care about the Android version, getting the TCL 20S makes more sense.

Pricing and Colors

TCL sells only one storage variant of the 20S in the US, and it costs $250. The Moto G Power comes in two storage variants -- 3GB + 32GB and 4GB + 64GB. While the Motorola Moto G Power was launched starting at $200, it has since got discounted, and its 3GB RAM model now sells for $190 and the 4GB RAM model goes for $230. So if you’re looking to save some money, you can get both Moto G Power variants cheaper than the TCL 20S.

In terms of colors, the TCL 20S is sold in North Star Blue and Milky Way Black, whereas you’ll get the Moto G Power in Polar Silver and Flash Grey.

Conclusion

It must be clear to you by now that although the TCL 20S and the Moto G Power (2021) have a lot of similarities, the TCL phone outshines the Motorola phone in two key departments -- display and software. One more thing that the Moto G Power lacks is a wide-angle shooter.

So if these three things are important to you -- and they are to a lot of people -- the TCL 20S is a better phone. But if you can live without a full-HD screen and an older version of Android, the Moto G Power can help you save some bucks.

If you've purchased the phone, do check out our recommendations on accessories, cases, screen protectors, and more:

• TCL 20S:
  • Best Cases
  • Best Screen Protectors
• Best Fast Chargers
• Best Wireless Chargers
• Best MicroSD Cards

Which phone of the two are you planning to buy? Let us know in the comments section.