I Tried A $400 Android Phone That Looks Dull On Paper, And I Couldn't Put It Down

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The TCL Nxtpaper 60 Ultra is presently disposable successful Europe for €449 for nan 256GB type aliases €499 for 512GB.
• It has a large, 7.2-inch surface pinch a 120 Hz refresh complaint that mimics an e-Ink show and a pleasant penning acquisition pinch nan stylus.
• It's not yet disposable successful nan US.

TCL's Nxtpaper exertion is genuinely unique, but aft reviewing nan TCL 60 XE Nxtpaper 5G, I realized its imaginable has been constricted to lower-end smartphones. 

The TCL Nxtpaper 60 Ultra changes that, integrating nan latest type of Nxtpaper 4.0 exertion into a larger-format mid-range device. This is not a spec-chasing flagship for illustration nan Galaxy S25 Ultra aliases nan Pixel 10 Pro, alternatively positioned arsenic an "Ultra" successful position of comfortableness and size alternatively than sheer performance. 

A surface built for oculus comfort

The first point I noticed erstwhile I unboxed nan Nxtpaper 60 Ultra was its unmistakably ample 7.2-inch panel, which dwarfs nan Galaxy S25 Ultra I carry. One-handed usage is astir impossible, and I had to beryllium judge my pockets could grip nan footprint of nan device, particularly erstwhile equipped pinch nan lawsuit that besides stores a stylus. 

Also: This $200 Android telephone pinch a paper-like show made my Pixel look overbearing

The LCD sheet features a 120 Hz refresh for soft navigation, and achromatic levels impressed maine much than I expected from LCD. In fact, overmuch of nan colour subject resembled an OLED display. The tech that drives Nxtpaper's eye-soothing show adds other layers connected top, which tin springiness contented a subtle haze. The matte decorativeness kills immoderate reflections and astir fingerprints, but besides makes it somewhat difficult to position successful nonstop sunlight.

For oculus comfort, 2 things guidelines out. First, nan Nxtpaper exertion is effective down to astir 3.4% artillery life according to TCL, a characteristic that doesn't require colour tinting aliases package settings. 

Another important statement is nan full deficiency of pulse-width modulation to execute its debased brightness capability. This is awesome for anyone who suffers from headaches aliases strain from flickering displays. The sheet tin dim each nan measurement down to 2 nits, which for maine meant bedtime scrolling stayed serene moreover pinch nan lights out.

Changing modes astatine nan flick of a switch

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Nxtpaper devices for illustration nan 60 Ultra see a beingness move connected nan broadside to unlock different show modes pinch adaptable colour characteristics, on pinch deeper strategy adjustments meant to summation artillery capacity and limit distraction.

Max Ink Mode is nan astir drastic change, pinch everything turning achromatic and achromatic while nan strategy is reduced to a fewer cardinal apps. This mode was nan cleanable prime for no-distraction reading. It's not E Ink technology, but it judge looks for illustration it, and it increases artillery life to hundreds of hours connected a afloat charge. While I didn't push it that far, I logged rather a fewer hours of reference and scheme to return this connected my upcoming travel to Ireland for precisely this purpose.

Also: The tablet that successfully replaced my Kindle and iPad now has a worthy follow-up

Ink Paper Mode besides goes to grayscale but keeps nan afloat Android operating strategy intact. I recovered it perfect for news and casual browsing. Switching to Google Photos aliases nan Camera app temporarily returns nan instrumentality to afloat color, and that abrupt burst of colour from achromatic and achromatic really helped maine admit conscionable really vibrant this sheet tin be. 

Color Paper Mode mutes saturation without eliminating it. This is possibly my favourite mode because it keeps everything easy connected nan eyes while still letting maine watch videos aliases browse Instagram without emotion for illustration I'm utilizing a monochromatic e-ink device.

Writing feels great

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Using a stylus connected a smartphone isn't basal successful my experience, but I admit nan lengths TCL has gone to merge a tin stylus acquisition into nan 60 Ultra. The T-Pen, sold separately, uses electro-magnetic resonance, nan aforesaid tech down Wacom and Samsung's S Pen. The passive stylus has nary battery, though you'd ne'er cognize it. A short hover complete nan show presents a cursor, and nan T Pen offers 4,096 levels of unit sensitivity. I had a difficult clip detecting immoderate latency.

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What stands retired is really nan T Pen feels connected this screen. The matte texture gives nan pen paper-like friction, and I noticed a faint sound erstwhile penning that adds to nan illusion. 

My biggest vexation is that nan T Pen doesn't shop successful nan telephone itself, for illustration connected Samsung's Galaxy S Ultra phones. TCL does waste a bulky lawsuit pinch a side-mounted attachment point, but that makes an already immense smartphone that overmuch larger successful mundane use.

AI features autumn short

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Inside nan Nxtpaper 60 Ultra is simply a MediaTek Dimensity 7400 paired pinch 12 gigabytes of RAM. I recovered this midrange spot to execute good crossed modular OS functions, and PUBG ran smoothly pinch nary noticeable heat. Lag tended to creep up much erstwhile taking tons of pictures and maneuvering done nan camera interface. Switching Nxtpaper show modes pinch nan toggle besides takes longer than expected.

The artillery is simply a patient 5,200 mAh, which easy lasted done afloat days pinch accordant use. Features for illustration Max Ink Mode thief relieve artillery anxiety, peculiarly since it's a elemental flick of nan move away. Wired charging tops retired astatine 33 watts, reaching 50% successful 30 minutes. However, there's nary wireless charging, which feels for illustration a missed opportunity connected a telephone branded arsenic "Ultra."

Also: I recovered a fund Android tablet qualified to switch my Kindle (and nan value is right)

TCL includes a fistful of AI features, galore of which are array stakes. Summaries, transcriptions, Magic Eraser, and Circle to Search are each present. A unsocial Bookshelf app appears wrong Max Ink Mode that tin move immoderate book into an audiobook aliases two-person podcast pinch AI-driven text-to-speech. I could not perceive to "The Odyssey" for much than a fewer minutes earlier becoming irritated by nan overseas sound characteristics and robotic delivery.

On nan positive side, package support is stronger than I expected. TCL promises 3 awesome Android OS updates on pinch 7 years of information patches. That's a coagulated update committedness for a mid-range smartphone for illustration this one.

A uncommon mid-range telephone pinch periscope zoom

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The rear camera strategy features a 50-megapixel periscope lens offering 3x optical zoom, on pinch 6x optical value zoom. That lens tin spell each nan measurement to 100x, though I would ne'er urge utilizing those settings. Unlike Google's sharpening connected 100x photos changeable pinch nan Pixel 10 Pro series, TCL's processing is harsh and unusable.

Also: Want nan Pixel 10 Pro? I urge buying these 5 phones alternatively - here's why

That said, I'm ever happy to person an optical zoom successful my toolset, and  I enjoyed utilizing nan periscope for macro photography of nutrient and flowers. The superior 50MP lens tin seizure bully results successful bully lighting, but TCL's post-processing often leaves images looking washed out. The 8MP ultrawide is forgettable and an easy show that immoderate corners were cut.

ZDNET's buying advice

The Nxtpaper 60 Ultra performs good arsenic a little costly replacement to nan Samsung S25 Ultra, pinch a amazingly tin stylus integration and an impressively differentiated display. There are compromises successful nan camera system, nan AI features committedness much than they tin deliver, and nan larger size mightiness beryllium a polarizing creation choice. 

Another large downside for US buyers is that TCL has yet to denote whether it plans to bring nan telephone to nan States. Currently, it tin beryllium recovered successful Europe, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific, and priced astatine €449 for nan exemplary pinch 256GB of storage, aliases €499 euros for 512GB. 

Follow my latest tech reviews and projects crossed societal media. You'll find maine connected YouTube at YouTube.com/@JasonHowell, connected X (formerly Twitter) at @JasonHowell, and connected Instagram at Instagram.com/thatjasonhowell.