TCL NXTPaper Phone US Release: Why Americans Need This Revolutionary 5G Smartphone

Budget phones are usually, well, boring. That’s because top brands like Google with the Pixel 8a or Samsung’s FE phones sell for less than $500, but they’re just stripped-down versions of their better phones with nothing extra to offer.

But TCL’s 50 NXTPaper devices have a feature that could be more than just a gimmick – it could actually shake up the staid budget phone market. The device has a switchable E-Reader mode that allows you to flip the phone into a black-and-white e-reader with the press of a button. And I’m not just talking about a simple app that converts your screen to monochrome; I’m talking about a full-on reading experience that’s as immersive as it is unique.

I got to play around with the 50 NXTPaper phones and the fidget-finger-friendly NXTPaper key, and while I’m not sure if the CPU and software package could handle all the demands of the North American market, I do know that it’s a device I’d want to have in my life for reading on the go. The bad news is that the 50 NXTPaper 5G or the 50 NXTPaper Pro 5G aren’t coming to the US… yet. But TCL told me that they’re working with carriers over here and hope to launch the device in the US within the next year.

When you flip the switch, you’re offered a choice of “Colour Paper Mode,” “Ink Paper Mode,” or “Max Ink Mode.” Colour Paper Mode dulls the look of your apps, while Ink Paper Mode turns everything black and white. Max Ink Mode also transforms the phone into a black-and-white device, limiting what you can do to just e-reading and journaling. You can enable a few non-book apps, like YouTube or Netflix, but you’re limited to a selection of 10.

Enabling Max Ink Mode is the way to go if you want a distraction-free reading experience. The mode disables notifications, but still lets you access the internet, make calls, and send texts. And, allegedly, the phone’s battery life is massively extended in this mode, with TCL promising you can go a full week or more on a single charge.

I was so curious to learn more about the phone that I hounded TCL until they showed me it in person. It was available on the IFA show floor, and I chatted with some company execs about the phone’s features and what they mean. The whole point of the device is to make it more “immersive,” with an animation that plays every time you flip the NXTPaper key, which adds or removes color from the phone screen. Even on the default, Van Gogh-esque wallpaper, the transition animation doesn’t look as smooth as it could – hopefully, that’ll get improved with time.

Some apps will still show color in black-and-white mode, like YouTube, which remains in monochrome, but your pictures will maintain their color. Both the Pro and non-Pro phones have a 108 MP rear sensor, but I couldn’t test the camera’s capabilities or compare them to other, much more expensive devices. I’m also concerned that the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chip won’t have the same staying power as mid-range phones that cost just a few hundred dollars more.

The phones use the NXTPaper 3.0 display, which is the same tech I own in my NXTPaper 11 tablet. It’s got a unique quality and subtle fine texture that makes it enticing, and the display is certainly colorful, but it’s not ideal for watching videos – the colors are too diluted. You’re best off using it for browsing or reading, but that’s also the problem – how easy it is to get distracted by notifications or social apps.

While the company is currently restricting the phone to Europe and Asia, TCL told me they’re working with carriers in the US and hope to bring the device to the pond in the coming year. It makes sense – the US market has access to some of TCL’s tablets, but most Americans know the brand through its budget TV lineup. The 50 NXTPaper 5G retails for €229, or $253, and the Pro version will sell for €299, or $331. At those prices, it’s a steal.

As someone who’s a paper book reader through and through, I’m skeptical of e-readers. I always have been, and no E-Reader or Kindle has ever converted me. But there are times when I’m on the train home, standing room only, and I don’t have the space to reach into my backpack or hold my paperback up to my face. It’s times like those I wish I could read on my phone. Unfortunately, I hate tearing through pages on glossy screens after spending nine hours staring at one for work. This device could end those woes, even if it means giving up the power and prestige of my iPhone.