TCL TAB 10 Gen 4: Specs, Price, Pros & Cons
The TCL TAB 10 Gen 4 is a budget Android tablet, and on a site about reading devices it is worth being clear about what that means. It has a conventional backlit LCD, not electronic paper, so it is closer to a small television for books than to a Kindle. What it offers in exchange is colour, speed and every reading app in the Play Store on one inexpensive device.
Within that brief it gets the basics right. The screen is Full HD in a widescreen 16:10 shape that suits video well and magazines reasonably, the body is metal, and TCL includes a headphone jack and a microSD slot, two things that disappear quickly as tablets get more expensive. It ships with a current version of Android, which is not a given at this price.
For reading specifically, its strengths are comics, graphic novels, cookbooks, magazines and anything with colour photography, where E Ink still struggles. Kindle, Kobo, Libby and a web browser all run side by side, and a child can use the same device for school apps. TCL also sells an optional pressure-sensitive pen and a folio case, though neither is in the box.
The limitations are the usual ones for the class. A backlit screen is harder on the eyes over a long novel than E Ink, and it washes out in direct sun. The processor is an entry-level MediaTek chip, fine for reading and streaming but not for demanding games. And the charger in the box is slower than the tablet can accept. It makes sense as a first tablet or a family tablet that also reads. As a dedicated reader, it does not.
Category strengths
Where the TCL TAB 10 Gen 4 beats the average
- Has expandable storage (microSD) ?
- A lighter build ?395 g vs 477 g (avg)
Where the TCL TAB 10 Gen 4 trails the average
- A much lower-resolution front camera ?5 MP vs 12 MP (avg)
- A lower-resolution rear camera ?8 MP vs 12 MP (avg)
- Lower resolution ?1,920 px vs 2,360 px (avg)
- Lower peak brightness ?400 nits vs 500 nits (avg)
- A slightly smaller screen ?10.1" (25.65 cm) vs 11" (27.94 cm) (avg)
- A slightly thicker body ?7.55 mm vs 7 mm (avg)
How this VS Score was computed
Score 47: each known spec is measured against the median of all tablets (3 products, medians winsorised to the 10th–90th percentile), then weighted. 34% of the scoreable weight could be used; unknown values, features not applicable to this class and proxies (battery capacity where a rated life exists) add or remove nothing.
| Specification | This product | Cohort median | Score weight | Points moved |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Front camera | 5 | 12 | 1 | −29.0 |
| Expandable storage (microSD) | Yes | 33% of the class have it | 0.5 | +25.0 |
| Weight | 395 | 477 | 2 | +20.0 |
| Rear camera | 8 | 12 | 1 | −17.0 |
| Peak brightness | 400 | 500 | 1 | −10.0 |
| Wi-Fi standard | Wi-Fi 5 | Wi-Fi 6 | 0.5 | −8.5 |
| Screen size | 10.1 | 11 | 1.5 | −6.0 |
| Thickness | 7.55 | 7 | 1 | +0.0 |
| Internal storage | 128 | 128 | 1.5 | +0.0 |
Not scored: Biometric unlock (standard for the class (100% have it)); Resolution (one resolution dimension is not a sharpness measure; pixel density is scored instead); Pixel density (unknown: not scored); Refresh rate (too few comparable peers (1, need 3)); OLED display (not applicable: only 0% of this class have it); Laminated display (unknown: not scored); RAM (too few comparable peers (2, need 3)); AnTuTu benchmark (unknown: not scored); Battery capacity (too few comparable peers (1, need 3)); Battery life (unknown: not scored); Wired charging (too few comparable peers (1, need 3)); USB-C (standard for the class (100% have it)); Records 4K video (unknown: not scored); Stylus support (standard for the class (100% have it)); Keyboard support (unknown: not scored); 5G support (too few comparable peers (2, need 3)); Stereo speakers (standard for the class (100% have it)); Accelerometer (standard for the class (100% have it)); Gyroscope (unknown: not scored); Compass (unknown: not scored).
Editor’s note
I would recommend the TAB 10 Gen 4 to a specific household: one that wants a single cheap tablet for streaming, video calls, schoolwork and some reading, and would never spend flagship money on any of it. For that brief it is sensibly specified. The 6,000 mAh battery is large for a 395 g tablet, and 4 GB of RAM with 128 GB of storage plus a card slot is a more generous memory allowance than many rivals at this level offer.
The caveats are worth reading carefully. TCL rates brightness at 400 nits as a typical figure, adequate indoors and weak near a window. The panel refreshes at 60 Hz, so scrolling is ordinary. The adapter in the box is only 10 W, so the 18 W charging on the spec sheet needs a separate purchase. And the MediaTek MT8786 is an entry-level chip: comfortable with reading apps, video and browsing, slower with heavy multitasking.
As a reading device, the honest comparison is with E Ink. For novels and long sessions I would rather read on even a basic Kindle or Kobo, which are lighter, easier on the eyes and last weeks between charges. Where this tablet wins is colour – comics, magazines, children's picture books and recipe apps – and the freedom to run every store's app at once.
If reading is the main job, TCL's own NXTPAPER tablets, with matte anti-glare screens, are aimed more squarely at that use and worth the price difference. For a tablet that is mainly for video and the kids, with reading as a sideline, the Gen 4 is a reasonable, well-rounded buy.
Specifications
Quality bars are generated automatically against 2 other tablets.
Design
Display
Performance
Battery
Cameras
Productivity & connectivity
Sensors
Sources and verification
Where the specifications come from
- Official product pageus.tcl.com
- Retailer listing (cross-check)amazon.com
Verification
- First published
- Specifications last checked
- Sheet completeness
- 30 of 47 specifications verified; the rest show as Unknown and are never estimated or scored
- Page type
- Product specification page — Compiled from the manufacturer’s published specifications and the cited sources; this is not a hands-on test.
- Basis
- Research-based: specifications and editorial text were compiled from the documents listed here and the manufacturer’s published data. We have not tested this unit ourselves; where independent measurements are mentioned they belong to the linked publication.
Where to buy
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Price history
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The bottom line
The TCL TAB 10 Gen 4 earns a VS Score of 47 on the 34% of specifications we could compare like for like — an indication, not a ranking.
- Who it’s for
- A household that wants one inexpensive Android tablet for streaming, schoolwork and colour reading such as comics and magazines.
- Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone buying mainly for novels and long reading sessions – an E Ink reader is easier on the eyes and lasts far longer per charge – or anyone who reads outdoors.
- The trade-off that matters
- The low price buys a metal body, a card slot and a headphone jack, and it is paid for with an entry-level chip and a modest backlit screen.
- The main alternative
- TCL NXTPAPER 11 Plus, if reading is the main job – TCL's matte, anti-glare display is designed to be easier on the eyes than a standard LCD.
The VS Score is calculated from the weighted specifications above, compared with every other tablet we track — a shortlisting guide, not a substitute for your own priorities. See how we score.