The verdict
Your pick: TCL 40 XE, ahead on Design & display, Performance & hardware, Camera and Battery & charging. Unless Connectivity decides it for you.
| Category | 40 XE | 501 |
|---|---|---|
| Design & display | 5.0 | 3.6 |
| Performance & hardware | 3.9 | 2.4 |
| Camera | 3.0 | 2.2 |
| Connectivity | 4.6 | 5.0 |
| Battery & charging | 5.4 | 2.2 |
Which one is for you?
TCL 40 XE, if you care about…
- Battery Capacity
- 5,000 mAh
- against 3,000 mAh
- RAM Capacity
- 4 GB
- against 2 GB
- Maximum Storage Capacity
- 64 GB
- against 32 GB
- Display Pixel Density
- 269 ppi
- against 203 ppi
TCL 501, if you care about…
- OS Version
- 14
- against 13
Specification comparison
Performance
| Specification | 40 XE | 501 |
|---|---|---|
| Processor Model | MediaTek Dimensity 700 | MediaTek Helio G36 |
| Processor Process Size | 7 nm Best value | 12 nm |
| Graphics GPU | Mali-G57 MC2 | PowerVR GE8320 |
| Storage Type | eMMC 5.1 | eMMC 5.1 |
| Maximum CPU Clock | 2.2 GHz | 2.2 GHz |
| Maximum Storage Capacity | 64 GB Best value | 32 GB |
| CPU Description | Octa-core CPU with 2 Cortex-A76 cores at 2.2 GHz and 6 Cortex-A55 cores at 2.0 GHz. | Octa-core CPU with four 2.2 GHz Cortex-A53 cores and four 1.6 GHz Cortex-A53 cores. |
| Processor Type | Octa-Core | Octa-Core |
| 64-Bit Processor | Yes | — |
| RAM Capacity | 4 GB Best value | 2 GB |
| RAM Type | DDR4 | — |
| Expandable Storage | Yes | Yes |
Design
| Specification | 40 XE | 501 |
|---|---|---|
| Body Colors | Black | Black, Blue |
| Body Thickness | — | 9.7 mm |
| Body Width | 75.4 mm | 74.9 mm |
| Body Height | 164.5 mm | 156.5 mm |
| Weight | 195 g | — |
| Usable Surface | 83.4 % Best value | 78.7 % |
| Body Materials | Glass, Plastic | — |
Battery
| Specification | 40 XE | 501 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery Capacity | 5,000 mAh Best value | 3,000 mAh |
| Battery Type | Li-Ion | — |
| Fast Charge Power | 18 W Best value | 10 W |
| Battery Features | Fast Charging, Battery Level Indicator, Rechargeable | Fast Charging |
Display
| Specification | 40 XE | 501 |
|---|---|---|
| Display Aspect Ratio | 20:9 | — |
| Display Technology | IPS LCD | IPS LCD |
| Display Diagonal | 6.56″ Best value | 6″ |
| Display Horizontal Resolution | 720 px Best value | 540 px |
| Display Vertical Resolution | 1,612 px Best value | 1,092 px |
| Display Pixel Density | 269 ppi Best value | 203 ppi |
| Display Refresh Rate | 90 Hz | — |
| Display Features | IPS LCD, 90Hz, Capacitive Touch | IPS LCD |
Sensors
| Specification | 40 XE | 501 |
|---|---|---|
| Fingerprint Sensor Placement | Side | — |
Sensor
| Specification | 40 XE | 501 |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor Features | Fingerprint Sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity Sensor, Compass | Accelerometer |
Software
| Specification | 40 XE | 501 |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Android 13 | Android 14 |
| OS Family | Android | Android |
| OS Version | 13 | 14 Best value |
Connectivity
| Specification | 40 XE | 501 |
|---|---|---|
| SIM Configurations | Single Nano-SIM, Dual Nano-SIM | Dual Nano-SIM |
| Cellular Bands | 2G GSM 850, 2G GSM 900, 2G GSM 1800, 2G GSM 1900, 3G UMTS B5, 3G UMTS 1700 AWS, 3G UMTS 1900, 4G LTE B2, 4G LTE B4, 4G LTE B5, 4G LTE B12, 4G LTE B13, 4G LTE B25, 4G LTE B26, 4G LTE B41, 4G LTE B66, 4G LTE B71, 5G NR bands unspecified | 2G GSM 850, 2G GSM 900, 2G GSM 1800, 2G GSM 1900, 3G UMTS B850, 3G UMTS B900, 3G UMTS 1900, 3G UMTS 2100, 4G LTE B1, 4G LTE B3, 4G LTE B5, 4G LTE B7, 4G LTE B8, 4G LTE B20, LTE B28, 4G LTE B38, 4G LTE B40, 4G LTE B41 |
| Cellular Technologies | GSM, HSPA, LTE, 5G Best value | GSM, HSPA, LTE |
| Wi-Fi Standards | Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g | Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac |
| Wi-Fi Features | Dual Band, Wi-Fi Direct | Dual Band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Bluetooth Version | Bluetooth 5.1 | Bluetooth 5.1 |
| Bluetooth Profiles | A2DP, LE | A2DP, LE |
| Navigation Systems | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou |
| Connectivity Features | 3.5 mm Audio Jack, FM Radio, USB Type-C | 3.5 mm Audio Jack, USB Type-C |
| USB Version | USB 2.0 | USB Type-C |
| SAR American Head | 1.38 W/kg | — |
| SAR American Body | 1.12 W/kg | — |
| Max. download speed | 2,770 Mbps | — |
| Max. upload speed | 1,250 Mbps | — |
Audio
| Specification | 40 XE | 501 |
|---|---|---|
| Microphone Count | 1 | — |
| Audio Features | A2DP, LE, Loudspeaker | A2DP, LE |
Technical
| Specification | 40 XE | 501 |
|---|---|---|
| Model numbers | T609SPP | T433D |
