TCL’s Bringing 120Hz Displays to Its Cheaper Phones, Debuts New AR Glasses

TCL’s 50 series includes the 50 XE 5G (pictured here) and the 50 XL 5G. Both phones include 90Hz and 120Hz refresh rate displays respectively

TCL

TCL is unveiling its new line of cheaper phones at CES 2024 on Monday alongside a step-down model of the company’s augmented reality glasses. The TCL 50 series of phones put particular focus on the screens, with handsets that have a 120Hz refresh rate and the company’s paperlike NxtPaper technology. Meanwhile, the company’s RayNeo X2 Lite glasses tout its ability to do real-time translations and a newer Qualcomm chip.

The TCL 50 series is led by the TCL 50 XL 5G, which includes a 6.8-inch 120Hz refresh rate display, dual speakers, a 50-megapixel main camera, a 5,010mAh battery and 128GB of storage. The device itself also includes a leather-like back. 

The TCL 50 XL 5G.

TCL

The step-down TCL 50 XE 5G includes a slightly smaller 6.6-inch 90Hz refresh rate display, but otherwise also the same speakers, camera, battery and storage options.

TCL’s NxtPaper phones feature the company’s paperlike display and will be coming to the US for the first time.

Tara Brown/CNET

TCL is also announcing NxtPaper versions of the XL and XE phones, which are both the first US-bound devices from TCL to include its paperlike display. TCL claims those displays reduce blue light by 61%, and my colleague Lisa Eadicicco notes from her hands-on time that the screens have a more matte look in comparison to traditional screens.

The TCL 50 LE is a 4G-only phone that will round out the low end of the company’s lineup and is targeted at the prepaid phone market. That phone will include a 6.6-inch 90Hz refresh rate display, a 13-megapixel camera and 64GB of storage.

TCL did not reveal pricing for its new phone lineup, but last year’s 40 Series of phones all priced for under $200.

Watch this: TCL’s New Phone Has a Paperlike Screen 01:37

Alongside the phones, TCL’s RayNeo X2 Lite glasses are a step-down model to the original RayNeo X2 but still include the live translation feature those glasses spotlighted. The company touts that the Lite glasses include Qualcomm’s Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 chip, which powers features like its AI assistant, photography and object detection. Availability and pricing were not yet announced for these glasses. The original RayNeo X2 is also going global through crowdfunding, with TCL announcing Monday that it will hit the Indiegogo platform in February.

The RayNeo X2 Lite debuts hours after Apple announced preorders for its high-end Apple Vision Pro headset, which will be released on Feb. 2. Both TCL and Apple’s devices compete against headsets like the Meta Quest 2, all of which are bringing their spin on mixed reality experiences.