Lava Play Ultra vs TCL 503
The Lava Play Ultra (2025) runs on the MediaTek Dimensity 7300, while the TCL 503 (2024) runs on the Unisoc SC9863A; launch prices were $175 and $115. By overall MobileRank rating, the Lava Play Ultra leads — 53/100 vs 20/100 (a 33-point difference). Key differences: the main camera is 64 MP vs 8 MP; the Lava Play Ultra is faster in AnTuTu (879,714 vs 153,667); the Lava Play Ultra has NFC for contactless payments, the TCL 503 doesn't; the Lava Play Ultra is thinner (7.8mm vs 8.9mm).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Lava Play Ultra
TCL 503
What makes Lava Play Ultra better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 879714 vs 153667
- Better Geekbench Single: 1011 vs 205
- Better Geekbench Multi: 2813 vs 846
- Faster charging: 33W vs 10W
- Better main camera: 64MP vs 8MP
- Higher refresh rate: 120Hz vs 60Hz
- Lighter: 182g vs 185g
- Higher performance (55/100 vs 9/100)
- Better camera (39/100 vs 10/100)
- Longer battery life (46/100 vs 43/100)
- Better display (79/100 vs 32/100)
- Better portability (71/100 vs 58/100)
What makes TCL 503 better?
- Cheaper at launch: $115 vs $175
- Overall rating 20/100
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Lava Play Ultra vs the TCL 503, the Lava Play Ultra scores 33 points higher (53/100 vs 20/100). In the "performance" category, the Lava Play Ultra leads (55/100 vs 9/100). In the "camera" category, the Lava Play Ultra leads (39/100 vs 10/100). Value score: Lava Play Ultra — 74/100, TCL 503 — 24/100; it shows how far a model sits above or below the usual level for its price, and is not part of the overall rating. In the "performance" category, the Lava Play Ultra significantly outperforms the TCL 503 (55/100 vs 9/100). In the "display" category, the Lava Play Ultra significantly outperforms the TCL 503 (79/100 vs 32/100). In the "camera" category, the Lava Play Ultra notably outperforms the TCL 503 (39/100 vs 10/100). In the "battery" category, the Lava Play Ultra and the TCL 503 are nearly equal (46/100 vs 43/100). In the "portability" category, the Lava Play Ultra is a bit better (71/100 vs 58/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Lava Play Ultra | TCL 503 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | MediaTek Dimensity 7300 | Unisoc SC9863A | |
| AnTuTu | 879714 | 153667 | |
| Geekbench Single | 1011 | 205 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 2813 | 846 | |
| Display | 6.7" AMOLED | 6.6" IPS LCD | |
| Resolution | 1080x2400 | 720x1612 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 60 Hz | |
| Battery | 5000 mAh | 5000 mAh | |
| Charging | 33W | 10W | |
| Main camera | 64 MP | 8 MP | |
| Front camera | 13 MP | 5 MP | |
| RAM | 6GB / 8GB | 3GB | |
| Storage | 128GB | 64GB | |
| OS | Android 15 | Android 14 | |
| Brightness (peak) | 1000 nits | 350 nits | |
| NFC | yes | no | |
| Protection | IP64 | — | |
| Dimensions | 162.1×75.4×7.8 mm | 163.9×75.5×8.9 mm | |
| Weight | 182 g | 185 g | |
| Launch price | $175 | $115 |
Camera comparison
Lava Play Ultra
- Main: 64MP
- Front: 13MP
TCL 503
- Main: 8MP f/2.0
- Front: 5MP
Display comparison
Lava Play Ultra
- 6.7" AMOLED
- Resolution: 1080x2400
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
TCL 503
- 6.6" IPS LCD
- Resolution: 720x1612
- Refresh rate: 60 Hz
Battery and charging
Lava Play Ultra
- 5000 mAh
- Wired: 33W
- No wireless charging
TCL 503
- 5000 mAh
- Wired: 10W
- No wireless charging
Overall performance score
We compared Lava Play Ultra and TCL 503, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Lava Play Ultra leads TCL 503 by 472.5% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Launch price difference: $60. TCL 503 was $60 cheaper at launch.
Detailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Lava Play Ultra significantly outperforms the TCL 503 (55/100 vs 9/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Lava Play Ultra significantly outperforms the TCL 503 (79/100 vs 32/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Lava Play Ultra notably outperforms the TCL 503 (39/100 vs 10/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Lava Play Ultra and the TCL 503 are nearly equal (46/100 vs 43/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Lava Play Ultra is a bit better (71/100 vs 58/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Lava Play Ultra or the TCL 503?
The Lava Play Ultra significantly outperforms the TCL 503 by 33 points (53/100 vs 20/100).
What is the rating of the Lava Play Ultra and the TCL 503?
The Lava Play Ultra has a MobileRank rating of 53/100, the TCL 503 — 20/100.
Which has the better camera: the Lava Play Ultra or the TCL 503?
The Lava Play Ultra leads on camera score (39/100 vs 10/100).
Which is more powerful: the Lava Play Ultra or the TCL 503?
The Lava Play Ultra leads on performance (55/100 vs 9/100).
Should you choose the Lava Play Ultra over the TCL 503?
Neither model stands out enough to recommend it for a specific use case: the clearest difference is display — better on the Lava Play Ultra (79/100 vs 32/100).