Display maker TCL has quietly launched a new budget phone in the global market dubbed the 40R 5G. It is a successor to the TCL 30 series that was unveiled earlier this year with similar specifications. Given the R in its name, we will likely get a vanilla model with better specifications soon.
The design is not a big leap from the previous models. The phone still has a waterdrop notch and a thick bottom bezel on top of a 6.6-inch IPS LCD with 720p resolution. Unfortunately, the refresh rate is limited to 60Hz, unlike its predecessor. The rear panel has a textured finish this time.
The chipset is no different from before. It is the same Dimensity 700 SoC with 5G support and it is paired with 4 to 6 GB RAM and only a single 128 GB storage option. You can expand storage through a microSD card slot.
For software, you get TCL UI 4.0 on top of Android 12.
The main camera setup remains unchanged with a 50MP primary lens, a 2MP depth sensor, and a 2MP macro lens. Video recording is limited to 1080p 30 FPS but there is a variety of AI features and filters to choose from.
The selfie camera is a slight downgrade from 13MP to 8MP but it can still capture 1080p footage.
Battery specs are no different either. The phone has a 5,000 mAh cell paired with 18W fast charging.
TCL 40R 5G will be available in Stardust Purple and Starlight Black at a starting price of €240 in Europe.