What you need to know
- TCL has announced four new phones, two new tablets, and more at MWC 2023.
- Of the devices announced, all of them are directed at the budget market for the respective categories.
- TCL also announced its NXTPAPER 2.0 technology which will first arrive on the NXTPAPER 11 tablet.
Over the past few months, TCL has been making waves in the industry following the announcement of a new partnership with the NFL. At CES 2023, the TCL 40 series was introduced, and now at MWC 2023, we are getting even more options that fall within the company's 2023 lineup.
New TCL 40 series phones
If you've been paying attention to the devices that TCL has been releasing over the last year or two, it's pretty obvious where the company's focus lies. Its trend of focusing specifically on ranking amongst the best cheap Android phones continues at MWC 2023, as the most expensive model, the TCL 40 X 5G, is priced at just $199.
For that price tag, you'll get a 6.56-inch HD+ NXTVISION display, complete with a 90Hz refresh rate and a 5,000mAh battery. Powering the TCL 40 X 5G is MediaTek's Dimensity 700 chipset paired with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. And in addition to the 90Hz refresh rate, you might be intrigued by the 50MP main camera headlining the triple rear camera setup.
Dropping down a step is the all-new TCL 40 XE 5G, which is practically identical to the TCL 40 X 5G. This includes a 6.56-inch HD+ display, Dimensity 700, and there's even a triple camera setup on the back. However, this is where TCL trimmed the budget, as the 40 XE 5G uses a 13MP lens as opposed to the 50MP main lens. With this, the pricing is even more affordable, coming in with a retail price of $169.
From there, the TCL 40 XL is the company's biggest phone announced at MWC 2023 with a 6.75-inch HD+ display. However, it shares much of the same DNA as the rest of the options in the 40 series, even down to using a 50MP main lens as part of a triple camera array. The big difference with the 40 XL is the processor, as it's powered by the MediaTek Helio G37 paired with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Pricing for the TCL 40 XL is expected to start at $149.
Rounding out the pack of new phones coming soon to a storefront near you is the TCL 406. This is being touted as the company's "most affordable Android 13 4G smartphone." It's primarily aimed at the prepaid market but sports a 6.6-inch HD+ display, along with a dual camera setup. Like every other phone announced by TCL, the 406 will last for a couple of days thanks to its 5,000mAh battery. If you're looking for a cheap Android phone running Android 13, the TCL 406 will set you back less than $120.
More budget-friendly tablets are on the way
In addition to the four new budget-friendly phones, TCL also announced two new tablets. The first of which is the TCL Tab 11, which is coming sometime in May 2023 with an asking price of $179 for the Wi-Fi model or $209 if you want LTE. The Tab 11 features a 10.95-inch IPS LCD display with a 200 x 1200 resolution.
Under the hood, you'll find MediaTek's Helio P60T at the helm, paired with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. And in order to make sure the tablet can keep up with you for as long as you need it to, the Tab 11 packs an 8,000mAh battery. You'll also enjoy a quad-speaker setup, making the Tab 11 an excellent option if you want to play some games or watch a movie.
Arguably the star of the show from TCL's announcement is the all-new TCL NXTPAPER 11. It shares all of the same specs as the Tab 11, but instead of using a nondescript IPS LCD panel, it uses TCL's NXTPAPER 2.0 display technology.
According to TCL, NXTPAPER 2.0 is capable of reaching up to 500 nits of brightness, which is 150% more than the original iteration. Additionally, the display has been TÜV Rheinland-certified to help keep your eyes protected from blue light emissions.
Both the TCL Tab 11 and NXTPAPER 11 are slated to take on the best cheap Android tablets when they launch sometime in May 2023. The Tab 11 will be priced at $179, while the NXTPAPER 11 will start at $249.
