Verizon Adds New, Low-Cost 5G Phone for $120 – CNET [CNET]

The TCL 40 XE 5G is now available at a super-low price point.

Verizon has announced it’s the official carrier of TCL Mobile’s new phone, the 40 XE 5G. Even better, the already low price point has dropped by $50 since the phone’s announcement in February, meaning you can get your hands on a 5G phone for only $120. It has also launched a month earlier than originally projected.

The TCL 40 XE 5G phone comes with a 6.56-inch HD+ screen; a 13MP main camera, 2MP depth and 2MP macro lenses on the rear; an 8MP front-facing camera; 4GB of RAM; 64GB of storage with expandable memory of up to 1TB; and a 5,000 mAh battery. It runs on a MediaTek Dimensity 700 2.2GHz Octa-core 5G processor.

When announcing the phone at Mobile World Congress 2023 earlier this year, TCL chief marketing officer Stefan Streit said the mid-priced phone market is under pressure from inflation, leading TCL to create lower-priced devices. TCL at the same time announced the 40 X 5G, which is priced at $199 and set for release this June; the TCL 40 XL, priced at $149; and the $119 TCL 406 phone. 

For more low-cost mobile devices, check out CNET’s coverage of the best budget phones for 2023.

TCL has also teased its ability to create a higher-end phone concept or a foldable phone.

The company is known for creating TVs and makes some of CNET’s favorites, including the TCL 4-Series, which CNET has rated as the best budget TV right now.

Read more: TCL Considers Pitching a $750 Folding Phone, but Only if We Want It Enough