While we know TCL more as a TV manufacturer, the Chinese company is involved in many industries, including the smartphone business. It manufactures phones under the BlackBerry, Alcatel, and Palm names.

(Update, November 11: And it’s official! Read TV brand TCL’s 1st phone priced in PH, comes with free TV.)

Now, it wants to flex its muscles in the Philippines with the first self-branded handset it’s bringing in here: the TCL Plex. The phone, which debuted at IFA 2019 and is already being sold in Europe for €329 (around P18,661 or $365), will be launched November 11.

Take note that consumer electronics in Europe are more expensive because of higher taxes, so we expect the device to be priced lower locally.

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The TCL Plex comes with a 6.53-inch FHD+ LCD display with a 19.5:9 aspect ratio and around 90% screen-to-body ratio. Instead of a notch, it has a punch hole to house the 24-megapixel front-facing camera.

And since the company designs and works on its own panels, TCL introduces a dedicated display engine on the Plex and what it calls Nxtvision, which is a technology that improves color accuracy.

TCL promises pictures on the device will come out sharper with better contrast. With targeted contrast enhancement, what’s displayed won’t be overexposed. The handset also offers SDR to HDR real-time conversion, so the videos you watch get “increased contrast, amplified color, brighter highlights, and darker shadows.”

TCL Plex official video

The TCL Plex runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 processor, which powers the likes of the Vivo V15 Pro and Samsung Galaxy A70. It comes with 6GB of RAM, 128GB of expandable storage, and a 3,820mAh battery with support for 18-watt Quick Charge 3.0 and USB-C charging.

The Plex features three cameras on the back: a 48-megapixel Sony IMX582 primary shooter, a 16-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens with a 123-degree field of view, and a 2-megapixel low-light sensor with 2.9µm pixel size — which TCL claims is more for video than still photography.

The phone has a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, but it offers face unlock as well. It comes in Obsidian Black and Opal White.

TCL Plex specs

• 6.53-inch FHD+ LCD display, 19.5:9 aspect ratio, around 90% screen-to-body ratio
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 processor
• 6GB RAM
• 128GB expandable storage
• Triple cameras: 48MP Sony IMX582 sensor; 16MP ultra-wide; 2MP
• 24MP front camera
• Fingerprint sensor (rear-mounted)
• 3,820mAh battery
• Android 9

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