LG Rebel 4 vs TCL A1X: Specs Comparison

Thorough and detailed spec comparison between LG Rebel 4 and TCL A1X, looking at their performance speed, camera resolution, and battery performance.

The competition between affordable phones is fierce. So many models are available out there, more than consumers know how to decide.

That’s why we made this spec comparison between LG Rebel 4 (L212VL) and TCL A1X (A503DL). Hopefully, it sheds some light for people who are confused when deciding between the two.

As an overview, LG Rebel 4 key features include a 5-inch HD display along with an 8 MP camera and a quad-core processor. On the other hand, TCL A1X features a larger display at 5.5 inches, and also with 13 MP camera. For a more detailed comparison, we’re going to take a look at every area with more depth.

Design

There are some obvious differences between the two phones about their design. You can immediately notice them. The first thing is their size. It’s clear that TCL A1X is a lot bigger, as it also houses a bigger display. On top of that, TCL A1X features an edge-to-edge design that looks more attractive.

LG Rebel 4 is by no means less attractive. But it has a greater screen-to-body ratio which when compared to A1X, it looks slightly outdated. Especially when having an infinity display is all the craze right now. However, Rebel 4 still retains its premium look thanks to the sleek design LG phones are known for.

They both use plastic material for the casing. And the color options available are only black. TCL has a glossy finish, while Rebel 4 is more matte. Each has its own quirk.

For example, TCL A1X glossy casing reflects light more beautifully. Meanwhile, Rebel 4 casing is more grease resistant. Both phones, in general, look more expensive than they are.

Being the smaller between the two, LG Rebel 4 is more comfortable to hold. You can easily operate the phone using one hand. It is also slim but not too light in weight. Therefore you will retain a nice grip when you’re holding it.

TCL A1X is undoubtedly larger. It weighs pretty much the same as Rebel 4, but due to its size, you might need to use both hands when operating it.

Display

LG Rebel 4 features a 5.0″ HD TFT display. It has a resolution of 1280 x 720 px. On the other hand, TCL A1X offers a 5.5″ screen with a resolution of 720 x 440 px.

As you can see here, TCL A1X is winning in terms of size. The extra space on the display gives more room for browsing apps, watching videos, and playing games. In addition to that, the narrow bezel gives a better viewing experience overall.

But unfortunately, TCL A1X only offers size. The resolution is higher in Rebel 4. Therefore, the latter gives better display quality since it has more pixels per density. Images come out sharper in Rebel 4 than in TCL A1X.

When you pull out the phones outside, LG Rebel 4 also fares better in terms of brightness. Especially when both phones had to deal with bright sunlight.

LG Rebel 4 also gives better details. It means when you zoom out pictures or texts, Rebel 4 is less likely to give you pixelated results. The same thing doesn’t apply to TCL A1X. It’s easy to notice imperfections when you look at the screen closely, such as pixelated edges on texts and icons.

So, when deciding, it’s better to consider what’s your priority is either size or quality. In our opinion, LG Rebel 4 is winning by a mile, although its display size is smaller. TCL A1X can’t beat Rebel 4 in display quality.

Camera

There are several aspects to consider when doing the camera specs comparison between LG Rebel 4 and TCL A1X.

First, it’s the resolution. LG Rebel 4 comes with an 8-MP rear camera and 5 MP front camera. On the other hand, Alcatel equips TCL A1X with a 13 MP camera on the back. The main camera is not alone as you’ll also find a second 2 MP lens. For its front-facing camera, the phone provides a 5 MP shooter.

LG Rebel 4 offers decent results with its camera. But here, TCL A1X is ahead of Rebel 4 with its dual-camera setup. The second camera provides a lot of possibilities to be creative with pictures. You can take pictures with a blurred background, for example. Unfortunately, you can’t achieve such results with LG Rebel 4.

Image results on optimal lighting don’t differ much between Rebel 4 and TCL A1X. Although it has a smaller resolution, LG doesn’t fall behind too far on image quality. In low light situations, there’s the LED flash which you can find on either phone. Results for night more are passable for both.

Both phones are on par on their front-facing cameras. Both have a 5 MP front camera without LED flash. There is a screen flash feature to light up the screen. You can find it in either LG Rebel 4 or TCL A1X. Lastly, the front camera on both phones doesn’t come with portrait mode as well.

Storage

LG Rebel 4 offers 16 GB of internal storage with 10 GB usable space as 6 GB is reserved by system files. TCL A1X also comes with almost identical internal storage setup (16 GB with 10 GB is available for users). In this case, both phones have nothing to compare.

The same thing applies to their expandable storage option. Both Rebel 4 and TCL A1X allow users to add an SD card if 16 GB is not enough. The maximum capacity is also similar between the two phones. Users are allowed to add up to 32 GB of SD card.

Performance

The significant difference between LG Rebel 4 and TCL A1X is the type of processor each is using. LG Rebel 4 runs on a 1.4 GHz Snapdragon processor. The Quad-core processor is accompanied by 2 GB of RAM. Meanwhile, TCL A1X runs on a 1.5 GHz Mediatek processor. It also has a similar capacity of RAM at 2 GB.

We favor LG Rebel 4 more in terms of performance. On paper, TCL A1X should process tasks faster since it offers more speed. But the Snapdragon processor is somehow more efficient. It’s apparent when opening or closing apps. Rebel 4 experienced less lags than TCL A1X. LG Rebel 4 also performs better when multitasking several apps at once.

In general, both phones target consumers who look for a device to do basic tasks. So, in terms of calling, texting, and internet browsing, both phones are equally adequate and do their job well.

For more demanding tasks, things get a bit tough. There’s only so much they can do. Especially with TCL A1X, it struggles when used for gaming, for example. Rebel 4 is a bit better but it’s best to use it for light games only.

As for software, LG Rebel 4 and TCL A1X share several things in common. The first is being the Android version they use. Both phones feature Android 8 Oreo as its operating system. There’s a slight difference in version as Rebel 4 uses the 8.0 version while A1X runs on the 8.1 version. But it doesn’t matter a lot.

The next similarity is they both use the Android vanilla version without any modification from the manufacturer. Manufacturers like LG usually pack the Android with custom themes and skins, as well as some bloatware. But it’s not the case with LG Rebel 4. As a result, you get a better performance and more space on the storage.

TCL A1X also comes with unmodified Android. But you’ll still find apps such as Facebook that are pre-installed. It can work both ways. If you use social media, you find it helpful since you won’t need to download it. Otherwise, you’ll find the apps as unnecessary clutter.

Rebel 4 is not entirely free from pre-installed apps, though. Here, you’ll find LG custom apps such as QuickMemo+. But the number of custom apps is still fewer here than in other LG phones. LG also focuses more on productivity apps.

To conclude, there’s little to compare on software between LG Rebel 4 and TCL A1X. Both deliver the same user experience. For sensors, they also don’t offer anything remarkable other than the basics such as proximity sensor and accelerometer. Both phones support a number of accessibility features such as Hearing Aid Compatibility and Google Assistant.

Connectivity

The network features on both LG Rebel 4 and TCL A1X meet today’s demand for communication. Both of them are LTE-ready. Customers can enjoy uninterrupted calls with crystal clear audio.

These phones also come with similar other features, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Mobile Hotspot. GPS is provided on both, where you can easily access location-based features using apps like Google Maps. Both phones are also similar down to the type of USB they use (Micro-USB) and the lack of NFC.

In conclusion, you don’t need to decide between anything here. The two phones are pretty much similar to each other in terms of connectivity.

Battery

LG Rebel 4 comes with a 2500 mAh cell. TCL A1X’s battery is slightly bigger at 3000 mAh.

Comparing the battery performance between them, TCL A1X’s battery is clearly better in its capacity alone. But it’s important to take note here that A1X has a larger screen, therefore requiring more power to run.

As it turns out, LG Rebel 4 is the one that actually needs more energy. It’s because the Rebel 4 display is sharper and brighter (has more pixel per density). It shows in their standby time.

TCL A1X can go up to 12.5 days. Meanwhile, Rebel 4 limit is 11.5 days. It’s not much of a difference. And in real-life applications, both phones have average battery performance. They tend to last until the end of the day under normal use.

Wrap-up

Finally, after this spec comparison between LG Rebel 4 and TCL A1X, we need to mention one more deciding factor. And that deciding factor is the price.

Coincidentally, these phones have the exact same price. Whether it’s the retail price at $59.99 and the discounted price at $39.99. You won’t need to worry about a price difference.

Instead, potential buyers would rely on several key points when deciding which phone to purchase. TCL A1X is better at the camera and display size. On the other hand, LG Rebel 4 is the winner for performance and display quality. In the end, it’s up to buyers to decide which specs are the priority for them.