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Tcl Unveils Affordable 5G Phones — and they're coming to Verizon and T-Mobile

Smartphones

Update (January 7): the TCL 30 XE and 30 V are the two most interesting phones announced at CES 2022.

CES is not usually a big event for cell phones, but that did not stop TCL from announcing several new handsets at CES 2022. For smartphone buyers in the U.S., there are two new TCL models to look out for. In fact, TCL's goal is to bring 5G to everyone, regardless of budget.

Neither the TCL 30 XE nor the TCL 30 V seem to have much buzz, which is certainly admirable. Nevertheless, customers looking for the best 5G phone at an affordable price will be offered an alternative to the cheap 5G phones offered by Samsung and OnePlus once TCL's devices appear.

The specifications of the TCL 30 XE and TCL 30 V are as follows.

At first glance, the specs for TCL's 5G phones seem a bit confusing. For example, why does the 30 XE, which is clearly an entry-level model, have a 90 Hz display?The camera on the TCL 30 XE is unimpressive. Every time we see a depth sensor or a macro sensor, we lose a little faith in that device.TCL also does not specify the charging speed of the 30 XE (the 30 V states 18W). This is odd.

TCL may not enjoy the same impact as Samsung, but the budget smartphone segment is a good place to build a brand. People in that segment are hungry for high-end features, so it is good to see more companies prioritize that market. Whether these two phones have achieved what they set out to do remains to be seen, but who knows?

We should know more about these phones in the coming weeks, including the prices of the TCL 30 CE and TCL 30 V. The TCL 30 XE is expected to cost less than $300, while the TCL 30 V is expected to support Verizon's mmWave 5G network (which is getting a serious upgrade this month Verizon is paying a premium for the license fee. Verizon charges a premium for licensing fees, so phones that carry that honor usually cost more.

Time will tell if these TCL phones will be successful, but we hope to get our hands on one to give them a try. Budget phones are not always very exciting, but we should not always focus on the best money can buy. Sometimes we just need a basic phone and there are other good things out there.