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TCL unveils 3 sub-$200 Alcatel phones for CES

Alcatel's 3L, 1L and 1S are set to release in February and March.

Sareena Dayaram Senior Editor
Sareena is a senior editor for CNET covering the mobile beat including device reviews. She is a seasoned multimedia journalist with more than a decade's worth of experience producing stories for television and digital publications across Asia's financial capitals including Singapore, Hong Kong, and Mumbai. Prior to CNET, Sareena worked at CNN as a news writer and Reuters as a producer.
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Sareena Dayaram
2 min read
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The Alcatel 3L is coming in March. 

TCL

In a world where $1,300 phones quickly sell out, it's comforting to know there are companies still launching basic handsets for just a few hundred bucks.

Alcatel, which has been selling entry-level smartphones for years, added three new sub-$200 phones to its portfolio. The phones, which manufacturer TCL announced Monday, at CES are the 1S, 1L and 3L. They're aimed at cost-conscious people who need a basic Android phone with a decent camera, and not necessarily the fancier features seen on phones like the iPhone 12 or Galaxy S20, for instance.

Although Alcatel didn't share a complete specs with us yet, we do know the Alcatel 3L is the highest-end model, boasting a triple rear camera set-up headlined by a 48-megapixel shooter. The 1L and 1S fall in a similar price range of approximately $130, but the 1S appears to have the edge with a larger battery and more extensive camera module. The 1L also runs on Android Go, a version of Android designed for phones with lower-end specs. 

Read more: TCL shows off 20 series phones at CES: TCL 20 5G and TCL 20 SE

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Alcatel 1S.

TCL

The Alcatel 1L will be released internationally in February, priced at 109 euros (converts to approximately $130, £100 or AU$170). In March, the Alcatel 1L and 3L will hit shelves in "select markets around the world." 

For more details on these three new budget phones, here are some key specs.

Watch this: TCL unveils its new 20 series phones

Alcatel 3L

  • 6.52-inch screen; HD Plus; 20:9 aspect ratio
  • Rear camera: 48-megapixel main lens, a 2-megapixel macro lens, a 2-megapixel depth lens
  • Price: 149 euros (approximately $180, £130 or AU$235) 
  • Colors: Jewelry black and jewelry blue
  • RAM: 4GB
  • Processor: Unspecified octa-core processor

Alcatel 1L

  • 6.1-inch display; HD Plus; 19.5:9 aspect ratio
  • Battery: 3,000 mAh
  • Rear camera: 13-megapixel main lens, 2-megapixel macro lens
  • Runs on Android 11 (Go edition)
  • Price: $135
  • Colors: Power grey and twilight blue
  • Processor: Unspecified, "multi-core" processor

Alcatel 1S

  • 6.52-inch; HD Plus; 20:9 aspect ratio
  • Rear camera: 13-megapixel main lens, a 2-megapixel depth lens,  2-megapixel macro lens.
  • Battery: 4000 mAh
  • Price: 109 euros (converts to approximately $130, £100, AU$170)
  • Colors: Elegant black and twilight blue