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One of the cheapest mmWave phones just launched in the US
- Verizon and TCL have released the TCL 30V in the US.
- This phone promises mmWave connectivity for $300.
TCL has slowly been making a name for itself in the US, first offering Alcatel and BlackBerry-branded phones but then offering phones under its own name. The company announced the TCL 30V at CES as one of its latest phones in the US, but didn’t dish out pricing or release details.
Now, Verizon has listed the phone on its website (h/t: ZDNet), confirming that the phone will have a full retail price of $300. Furthermore, the product listing reveals that the phone will indeed support mmWave, C-Band, and sub-6GHz 5G standards. In other words, this is one of the more affordable phones if you want to take advantage of blazing-fast mmWave speeds.
Fast 5G, but what else?
The rest of the TCL 30V is pretty budget though. There’s a Snapdragon 480 5G SoC (being the least capable Snapdragon 5G silicon around), 4GB of RAM, 128GB of expandable storage, and a 6.67-inch FHD+ LCD panel running at 60Hz. A 4,500mAh battery keeps things running, although you’ll have to make do with ho-hum 18W wired charging.
In terms of photography, the TCL device packs a seemingly budget 50MP main camera, a 5MP ultrawide sensor, and the 2MP macro lens that everyone is clamoring for (not really). A 16MP camera handles selfies and video calls.
Other notable specs include Gorilla Glass 3 protection, a rear fingerprint scanner, a 3.5mm port, and Android 11 (no Android 12 here).
There are quite a few phones on the market that might give you more bang for your buck, even in the US. These devices include the OnePlus Nord N10, OnePlus Nord N200, and Motorola One 5G Ace. Nevertheless, this is worth adding to your wishlist if a cheap mmWave-capable phone is what you’re after.