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2026 comparison
Updated Jan 16, 2026
|Sources: Amazon, ManufacturerTCL 50 XL 5G vs Apple iPhone 15
TCL 50 XL 5G vs Apple iPhone 15: which is the right fit? We cover performance, value, and use cases to make the call easier.
Ratings: 4.1★ vs 4.8★
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TCL 50 XL 5G
★4.1
(19)•Amazon
Operating System:Android
Software Support:1 Android OS upgrade (to Android 15) and 2 years of security updates
Processor:MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ (6nm octa-core)
Graphics:Mali-G57 MC2
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Apple iPhone 15
★4.8
(951)•Best Buy
Operating System:iOS
Software Support:Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades
Processor:Apple A16 Bionic chip (6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine)
Graphics:Apple 5-core GPU (A16 Bionic)
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Comparison: TCL 50 XL 5G vs Apple iPhone 15
TCL 50 XL 5G
★4.1(19)Amazon
Apple iPhone 15
★4.8(951)Best Buy
| Criterion | TCL 50 XL 5G | Apple iPhone 15 |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★4.1(19)Amazon | ★4.8(951)Best Buy |
Operating System | Android | iOS |
Software Support | 1 Android OS upgrade (to Android 15) and 2 years of security updates | Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades |
Processor | MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ (6nm octa-core) | Apple A16 Bionic chip (6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine) |
Graphics | Mali-G57 MC2 | Apple 5-core GPU (A16 Bionic) |
RAM | 6GB (Plus up to 6GB Virtual RAM Expansion) | 6 GB (LPDDR5) |
Storage | 128GB (Expandable via microSDXC up to 2TB) | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB (NVMe) |
Display Size | 6.78" | 6.1" (6.12" measured diagonally as a standard rectangle; actual viewable area is less) |
Screen Type | IPS LCD, 120Hz, NXTVISION Technology | Super Retina XDR OLED |
Resolution | 2460 x 1080 (FHD+) | 2556 x 1179 pixels (460 ppi) |
Refresh Rate | 120Hz (Adaptive) | 60 Hz |
Peak Brightness | 500 nits (Typical) / 550 nits (HBM) | 1000 nits max (typical); 1600 nits peak (HDR); 2000 nits peak (outdoor) |
Main Camera | 50MP, f/1.8, PDAF (1/2.76" sensor) | 48MP Main (26 mm, f/1.6), sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 100% Focus Pixels, support for super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP) |
Ultra-Wide Camera | 5MP, f/2.2, 115-degree FOV | 12MP Ultra Wide (13 mm, f/2.4, 120° field of view) |
Telephoto Camera | No (Not supported) — Includes 2MP Depth Sensor f/2.4 | No dedicated telephoto lens; 12MP 2x Telephoto enabled by 48MP quad-pixel sensor (52 mm, f/1.6), sensor-shift OIS |
Optical Zoom | No (Not supported) | 0.5x, 1x, 2x optical-quality zoom steps (4x optical zoom range) |
Digital Zoom | Up to 10x | Up to 10x |
Video Recording | 1080p @ 30fps | 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps; Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps; Action mode up to 2.8K at 60 fps |
Front Camera | 8MP, f/2.0, 1080p @ 30fps | 12MP TrueDepth (f/1.9), autofocus with Focus Pixels, 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps |
Battery | 5,010mAh (Typical) | 3349 mAh (Li-ion); Up to 20 hours video playback (16 hours streamed) |
Wired Charging | 18W Fast Charging (Charger included in box) | USB-C; Up to 50% charge in ~30 minutes with 20W adapter or higher |
Wireless Charging | No (Not supported) | MagSafe up to 15W; Qi2 up to 15W; Qi up to 7.5W |
Connectivity | 5G (Sub-6), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Bluetooth 5.3, NFC | 5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave) with 4x4 MIMO; Gigabit LTE; Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) with 2x2 MIMO; Bluetooth 5.3; Ultra Wideband (Second-generation); NFC with reader mode |
USB | USB Type-C 2.0 | USB-C connector with USB 2 speeds (up to 480 Mb/s); Native DisplayPort output |
Durability | No official IP rating | IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes); Ceramic Shield front; Aerospace-grade aluminum; Color-infused glass back |
Dimensions | 6.60 x 2.97 x 0.32 in (167.6 x 75.5 x 8.2 mm) | 5.81" x 2.82" x 0.31" (147.6 x 71.6 x 7.80 mm) |
Weight | 6.88 oz (195 g) | 6.02 oz (171 g) |
Biometrics | Side-mounted fingerprint sensor, Face Unlock | Face ID |
Extras | Stereo speakers (DTS Sound), 3.5mm Headphone Jack, microSD slot, 18W Charger included | Dynamic Island; Ring/Silent switch; Dual eSIM (US models); Emergency SOS via satellite; Crash Detection; Roadside Assistance via satellite |
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TCL 50 XL 5G
Rating:★4.1(19)Amazon
Operating System:Android
Software Support:1 Android OS upgrade (to Android 15) and 2 years of security updates
Processor:MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ (6nm octa-core)
Graphics:Mali-G57 MC2
RAM:6GB (Plus up to 6GB Virtual RAM Expansion)
Storage:128GB (Expandable via microSDXC up to 2TB)
Display Size:6.78"
Screen Type:IPS LCD, 120Hz, NXTVISION Technology
Resolution:2460 x 1080 (FHD+)
Refresh Rate:120Hz (Adaptive)
Peak Brightness:500 nits (Typical) / 550 nits (HBM)
Main Camera:50MP, f/1.8, PDAF (1/2.76" sensor)
Ultra-Wide Camera:5MP, f/2.2, 115-degree FOV
Telephoto Camera:No (Not supported) — Includes 2MP Depth Sensor f/2.4
Optical Zoom:No (Not supported)
Digital Zoom:Up to 10x
Video Recording:1080p @ 30fps
Front Camera:8MP, f/2.0, 1080p @ 30fps
Battery:5,010mAh (Typical)
Wired Charging:18W Fast Charging (Charger included in box)
Wireless Charging:No (Not supported)
Connectivity:5G (Sub-6), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Bluetooth 5.3, NFC
USB:USB Type-C 2.0
Durability:No official IP rating
Dimensions:6.60 x 2.97 x 0.32 in (167.6 x 75.5 x 8.2 mm)
Weight:6.88 oz (195 g)
Biometrics:Side-mounted fingerprint sensor, Face Unlock
Extras:Stereo speakers (DTS Sound), 3.5mm Headphone Jack, microSD slot, 18W Charger included
✓ Pros:
- • Huge 6.78-inch FHD+ 120Hz display is rare for this price
- • Includes 18W charger, cable, and sometimes a case in the box
- • 6GB real RAM + 128GB storage is generous for the budget tier
- • Features NFC for contactless payments (often cut in budget phones)
- • Retains user-favorite 3.5mm jack and microSD expansion
✗ Cons:
- • Ultrawide camera is low resolution (5MP) and muddy
- • No official IP rating for water or dust resistance
- • Software support is minimal (only 1 OS update guaranteed)
- • Display brightness struggles in direct sunlight (~500 nits)
- • Video recording capped at 1080p (No 4K support)
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Apple iPhone 15
Rating:★4.8(951)Best Buy
Operating System:iOS
Software Support:Minimum 5 years from release date (guaranteed security updates); historically supports 6+ years of OS upgrades
Processor:Apple A16 Bionic chip (6-core CPU: 2 performance + 4 efficiency; 16-core Neural Engine)
Graphics:Apple 5-core GPU (A16 Bionic)
RAM:6 GB (LPDDR5)
Storage:128GB / 256GB / 512GB (NVMe)
Display Size:6.1" (6.12" measured diagonally as a standard rectangle; actual viewable area is less)
Screen Type:Super Retina XDR OLED
Resolution:2556 x 1179 pixels (460 ppi)
Refresh Rate:60 Hz
Peak Brightness:1000 nits max (typical); 1600 nits peak (HDR); 2000 nits peak (outdoor)
Main Camera:48MP Main (26 mm, f/1.6), sensor-shift optical image stabilization, 100% Focus Pixels, support for super-high-resolution photos (24MP and 48MP)
Ultra-Wide Camera:12MP Ultra Wide (13 mm, f/2.4, 120° field of view)
Telephoto Camera:No dedicated telephoto lens; 12MP 2x Telephoto enabled by 48MP quad-pixel sensor (52 mm, f/1.6), sensor-shift OIS
Optical Zoom:0.5x, 1x, 2x optical-quality zoom steps (4x optical zoom range)
Digital Zoom:Up to 10x
Video Recording:4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps; Cinematic mode up to 4K HDR at 30 fps; Action mode up to 2.8K at 60 fps
Front Camera:12MP TrueDepth (f/1.9), autofocus with Focus Pixels, 4K Dolby Vision at 24/25/30/60 fps
Battery:3349 mAh (Li-ion); Up to 20 hours video playback (16 hours streamed)
Wired Charging:USB-C; Up to 50% charge in ~30 minutes with 20W adapter or higher
Wireless Charging:MagSafe up to 15W; Qi2 up to 15W; Qi up to 7.5W
Connectivity:5G (sub-6 GHz and mmWave) with 4x4 MIMO; Gigabit LTE; Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) with 2x2 MIMO; Bluetooth 5.3; Ultra Wideband (Second-generation); NFC with reader mode
USB:USB-C connector with USB 2 speeds (up to 480 Mb/s); Native DisplayPort output
Durability:IP68 (maximum depth of 6 meters up to 30 minutes); Ceramic Shield front; Aerospace-grade aluminum; Color-infused glass back
Dimensions:5.81" x 2.82" x 0.31" (147.6 x 71.6 x 7.80 mm)
Weight:6.02 oz (171 g)
Biometrics:Face ID
Extras:Dynamic Island; Ring/Silent switch; Dual eSIM (US models); Emergency SOS via satellite; Crash Detection; Roadside Assistance via satellite
✓ Pros:
- • High-resolution 48MP main camera with useful 2x optical-quality crop
- • Bright, color-accurate OLED display (up to 2000 nits outdoor)
- • Standardized USB-C port for charging and accessories
- • Dynamic Island interface replaces the notch
- • Comfortable, lightweight design with contoured edges
✗ Cons:
- • Display limited to 60 Hz (no ProMotion 120 Hz)
- • USB-C port limited to USB 2.0 data transfer speeds (480 Mb/s)
- • No dedicated telephoto lens (zoom beyond 2x is digital)
- • Always-On display feature is omitted
- • Charging speed is slower compared to competitors
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Which one is better?
Based on ratings and feature balance, Apple iPhone 15 has a slight edge for overall satisfaction. TCL 50 XL 5G remains a strong alternative if its strengths match your needs.
Who should buy each?
TCL 50 XL 5G excels at: Huge 6.78-inch FHD+ 120Hz display is rare for this price, Includes 18W charger, cable, and sometimes a case in the box
Watch for: Ultrawide camera is low resolution (5MP) and muddy
Apple iPhone 15 excels at: High-resolution 48MP main camera with useful 2x optical-quality crop, Bright, color-accurate OLED display (up to 2000 nits outdoor)
Watch for: Display limited to 60 Hz (no ProMotion 120 Hz)
Conclusion
TCL 50 XL 5G and Apple iPhone 15 are both solid choices. Match the strengths above to your budget and workflow to make the best call.
Frequently Asked Questions
+Which has better value?
TCL 50 XL 5G excels if you value huge 6.78-inch fhd+ 120hz display is rare for this price. Apple iPhone 15 is better if you prioritize high-resolution 48mp main camera with useful 2x optical-quality crop. Pick based on your budget and daily use.
+Is this an independent review?
Yes. We use affiliate links for monetization, but recommendations are research-driven and unbiased.
+Do newer models exist?
Check release timelines from the manufacturers and compare pricing before you buy. We refresh this page when major updates land.
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