The verdict
Your pick: TCL 501, ahead on Design & display and Connectivity. Unless Battery & charging decides it for you.
| Category | 501 | 503 |
|---|---|---|
| Design & display | 4.8 | 4.5 |
| Performance & hardware | 2.3 | 2.0 |
| Camera | 2.2 | 2.3 |
| Connectivity | 5.5 | 4.0 |
| Battery & charging | 2.0 | 5.1 |
Which one is for you?
TCL 501, if you care about…
- Wi-Fi Standards
- Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
- against Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
- Bluetooth Version
- Bluetooth 5.1
- against Bluetooth 4.2
TCL 503, if you care about…
- Battery Capacity
- 5,000 mAh
- against 3,000 mAh
- RAM Capacity
- 3 GB
- against 2 GB
- Maximum Storage Capacity
- 64 GB
- against 32 GB
- Display Pixel Density
- 267 ppi
- against 203 ppi
Specification comparison
Performance
| Specification | 501 | 503 |
|---|---|---|
| Processor Model | MediaTek Helio G36 | Unisoc SC9863A |
| Processor Process Size | 12 nm Best value | 28 nm |
| Graphics GPU | PowerVR GE8320 | PowerVR GE8322 |
| Storage Type | eMMC 5.1 | eMMC 5.1 |
| Maximum CPU Clock | 2.2 GHz Best value | 1.6 GHz |
| Maximum Storage Capacity | 32 GB | 64 GB Best value |
| CPU Description | Octa-core CPU with four 2.2 GHz Cortex-A53 cores and four 1.6 GHz Cortex-A53 cores. | Octa-core CPU with four 1.6 GHz Cortex-A55 cores and four 1.2 GHz Cortex-A55 cores |
| Processor Type | Octa-Core | Octa-Core |
| RAM Capacity | 2 GB | 3 GB Best value |
| Expandable Storage | Yes | Yes |
Design
| Specification | 501 | 503 |
|---|---|---|
| Body Colors | Black, Blue | Grey, Blue |
| Body Thickness | 9.7 mm | 8.9 mm Best value |
| Body Width | 74.9 mm | 75.5 mm |
| Body Height | 156.5 mm | 163.9 mm |
| Weight | — | 185.5 g |
| Usable Surface | 78.7 % | 84.6 % Best value |
| Body Materials | — | Glass, Plastic |
Battery
| Specification | 501 | 503 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery Capacity | 3,000 mAh | 5,000 mAh Best value |
| Fast Charge Power | 10 W | 10 W |
| Battery Features | Fast Charging | Fast Charging |
Display
| Specification | 501 | 503 |
|---|---|---|
| Display Aspect Ratio | — | 20:9 |
| Display Technology | IPS LCD | IPS LCD |
| Peak Display Brightness | — | 350 nits |
| Display Diagonal | 6″ | 6.6″ Best value |
| Display Horizontal Resolution | 540 px | 720 px Best value |
| Display Vertical Resolution | 1,092 px | 1,612 px Best value |
| Display Pixel Density | 203 ppi | 267 ppi Best value |
| Display Features | IPS LCD | IPS LCD |
Sensors
| Specification | 501 | 503 |
|---|---|---|
| Fingerprint Sensor Placement | — | Rear |
Sensor
| Specification | 501 | 503 |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor Features | Accelerometer | Fingerprint Sensor, Accelerometer |
Software
| Specification | 501 | 503 |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Android 14 | Android 14 |
| OS Family | Android | Android |
| OS Version | 14 | 14 |
Connectivity
| Specification | 501 | 503 |
|---|---|---|
| SIM Configurations | Dual Nano-SIM | Single Nano-SIM, Dual Nano-SIM |
| Cellular Bands | 2G GSM 850, 2G GSM 900, 2G GSM 1800, 2G GSM 1900, 3G UMTS B850, 3G UMTS B900, 3G UMTS 1900, 3G UMTS 2100, 4G LTE B1, 4G LTE B3, 4G LTE B5, 4G LTE B7, 4G LTE B8, 4G LTE B20, LTE B28, 4G LTE B38, 4G LTE B40, 4G LTE B41 | 2G GSM 850, 2G GSM 900, 2G GSM 1800, 2G GSM 1900, 3G UMTS B850, 3G UMTS B900, 3G UMTS 1900, 3G UMTS 2100, 4G LTE B1, 4G LTE B3, 4G LTE B5, 4G LTE B7, 4G LTE B8, 4G LTE B20, 4G LTE B26, LTE B28, 4G LTE B38, 4G LTE B40, 4G LTE B41 |
| Cellular Technologies | GSM, HSPA, LTE | GSM, HSPA, LTE |
| Wi-Fi Standards | Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Best value | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n |
| Wi-Fi Features | Dual Band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n |
| Bluetooth Version | Bluetooth 5.1 Best value | Bluetooth 4.2 |
| Bluetooth Profiles | A2DP, LE | A2DP |
| Navigation Systems | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou |
| Connectivity Features | 3.5 mm Audio Jack, USB Type-C | 3.5 mm Audio Jack, Virtual Proximity Sensing, USB Type-C |
| USB Version | USB Type-C | USB 2.0 |
Audio
| Specification | 501 | 503 |
|---|---|---|
| Audio Features | A2DP, LE | A2DP, Loudspeaker |
Technical
| Specification | 501 | 503 |
|---|---|---|
| Model numbers | T433D | T442M, T442A, T442J |
