TCL’s latest phones provide 5G connectivity without breaking the bank

We’ve already seen some pretty awesome announcements come out of CES 2022, and TCL is next up on the list. The company is debuting a set of budget-friendly smartphones that are definitely poised as contenders for best cheap Android phone.

Kicking things off, the TCL 30 XE 5G sports a 6.52-inch display complete with a 90Hz refresh rate and a 180Hz touch sampling rate. Helping to hide the 8MP selfie camera is TCL’s V-notch display, which ditches the hole-punch in favor of adding a bit of uniformity to the design.

Powering the device is MediaTek’s Dimensity 700, which was found in a few of the best Android phones of last year, including the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10. Not only does this bring 5G connectivity to another budget phone, but the Dimensity 700 is no slouch in the performance department. Paired with MediaTek’s budget chipset is 4GB of RAM and 64GB of expandable storage (up to 512GB).

On the back of the phone, TCL has included a triple camera array, headlined by a 13MP wide-angle sensor. This is accompanied by a 2MP depth sensor and 2MP macro lens, all of which will be able to provide 1080p video recording at 30fps.

Other features of the 30 XE 5G include a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, which seems to be another feature going to the wayside with new phone releases. We also have the beloved 3.5mm headphone jack at the top of the phone, so you’ll still be able to use your favorite wired headphones in the event that you don’t want to switch over to Bluetooth earbuds instead.

In terms of availability, pricing has not yet been revealed. However, TCL did confirm that the 30 XE 5G will be the company’s first phone launched on T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile. The phone will be officially released in the coming weeks.

Next up, TCL is also announcing the TCL 30 V 5G, complete with a larger 6.67-inch display and an FHD+ (2400 x 1080) resolution. Unfortunately, you won’t find faster refresh rates here, as TCL opted to stick with the old 60Hz refresh rate. TCL also opted to ditch the V-notch display in favor of a hole-punch cutout for the 16MP selfie camera.

Under the hood, the 30 V 5G is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 480 5G chipset, paired with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of expandable storage. Unlike the 30 XE 5G, you’ll be able to use up to a 1TB microSD card, instead of being limited to just 512GB.

Another triple camera setup graces the back of the phone, with a main 50MP wide-angle shooter. This is flanked by a 5MP “super wide” camera, and a 2MP macro lens, complete with LED flash at the bottom of the module.

Both of these phones offer a 4,500mAh battery, however, the 30 V 5G gains a leg up thanks to the 18W fast charging capabilties. TCL claims this will get your phone juiced back up to 100% in under 2 hours, while the phone should be able to last up to 24 hours on a single charge.

While the TCL 30 XE 5G is geared towards T-Mobile subscribers, the TCL 30 V 5G will handle Verizon subscribers. Again, pricing information has not yet been revealed, but both of these phones will launch in the coming weeks.