TCL has just announced a new TCL 30 5G line of smartphones releasing exclusively in the U.S., and from the sounds of it, it’ll include two of the more affordable high-end, 5G-enabled options out there. They’re showing off the TCL 30 XE 5G and the TCL 30 V 5G during CES 2022, and while they’re impressive, you’ll have to be with the right carriers at launch.
With the two new phones, TCL is trying to bring 5G to more folks who haven’t adopted the new standard yet. The TCL 30 XE 5G and TCL 30 V 5G will be carrying affordable price tags alongside the rest of the 30-series devices set to be revealed at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona later this year, although we don’t know exactly what those prices are just yet.
What we do know is that you’ll want to be on T-Mobile or Verizon — the TCL 30 XE 5G and TCL 30 V 5G will launch on those respective carriers as exclusives at launch, although TCL says the former will come to more carriers eventually.
While the phones are similar, it’s not quite the case of the same phone going to two different carriers. The T-Mobile device, the TCL 30 XE 5G, will have a 6.52″ HD+ AMOLED screen featuring a 90Hz refresh rate and TCL’s NXTVISION display tech. Internally, it’s powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 700 with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage, expandable to 512GB thanks to the all-too-often neglected microSD slot. The 4500mAh battery should keep it going all day, and can reach a full charge in under 2.5 hours.
For its camera system, the TCL 30 XE 5G is equipped with a 13-megapixel main sensor with a 2-megapixel sensor for depth, and macro lenses alongside it. For the front, it has an 8-megapixel shooter.
The TCL 30 V 5G has a 6.67-inch Full HD+ display with NXTVISION display tech as well. It has Gorilla Glass 3 for protection and offers a 60Hz refresh rate.
The camera system seems a little more impressive on this one — we’re looking at a triple camera system headlined by a 50-megapixel main camera, partnered with a 5-megapixel sensor with a super wide angle lens and a 2-megapixel sensor with a macro lens. In front is a 16-megapixel selfie camera.
The TCL 30 V 5G is powered by a Snapdragon 480 5G processor with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. It can support up to 1TB memory expansion using the microSD card slot. Similar to the 30 XE 5G, the 30 V 5G also carries a 4500mAh battery with 18W fast charging.
Both devices are expected to launch in the coming weeks. The TCL 30 XE 5G will be exclusive to T-Mobile while the TCL 30 V 5G will be exclusively available through Verizon. More details on pricing will be announced later on.