TCL's been on a hot streak, releasing a number of devices for the US market. The company announced its 40 series devices during CES 2023, and also released its extremely affordable Tab 8 LE Android tablet. Now, it will offer a new smartphone on Metro starting tomorrow in the US dubbed the Ion X.

The TCL Ion X is powered by a MediaTek HelioG25 octa-core processor, 3GB RAM, and has 32GB of internal storage. For most, 32GB of storage might not be enough and luckily, there's a way to expand through a microSD slot, supporting up to 512GB. In addition to the guts that power this device, you get a 6-inch 720p display, a 13MP rear camera, and a 5MP front-facing camera. When it comes to video, you can shoot 1080p video at 30 frames per second. This resolution and frame rate also applies to the front camera as well.

As far as battery life goes, you should be able to get through a full day, depending on your use. Thankfully, the TCL Ion X offers a removable battery, meaning you'll be able to swap out the 3,000mAh unit while you're on the go. The handset will not offer support for 5G, but will support a variety of LTE bands. In addition, it will offer Wi-Fi connectivity with support for 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.1, USB-C for charging and data, and a 3.5mm headphone jack for audio.

As far as pricing goes, it looks like it will be available for $119 from Metro in the United States. The handset will make its debut on the wireless carrier starting on January 26, and we'll update the price when the handset is launched, as it could be cheaper after promotions. If you're looking for an affordable handset off contract, we have some recommendations. Furthermore, we also have some great options for under $300 as well.