TCL’s new phones and tablets are easy on the eyes

TCL’s mission for 2024 appears to be making sure their users don’t get a headache.

Ahead of the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the company unveiled an extensive lineup of smartphones and tablets, most of them using the company’s NXTPAPER tech which reduces blue light and implements an anti-glare coating to make the displays easy on the eyes.

Very few things are strictly new here, as TCL previewed these devices at CES in January; but the company now shared the detailed specs and pricing for all of the new phones and tablets, as well as announced some additional variants.

There are 9 (yes, nine) new phones in TLC’s new lineup, as well as three new tablets, but several of these models differ only by whether they have the NXTPAPER tech, and whether they support 5G or not.

The new TCL 50 XL 5G offers a 6.8-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a triple 50-megapixel camera, stereo speakers, a massive 5,010mAh battery, and 5G support while retailing for under $169 when it becomes available at Metro by T-Mobile in the U.S. in the third quarter of 2024. The NXTPAPER version of the same phone will be available from TCL for under $229, also in Q3 2024.

As for tablets, the most powerful device in this bunch is the TCL NXTPAPER 14 Pro, a 14-inch tablet that retails for $549. There’s also the new, slightly cheaper TCL NXTPAPER 14, which retails for under $400, while the TCL TAB 10 NXTPAPER 5G (yes, TCL really likes caps) is an entry-level $250 tablet that should hit North America in the second quarter of the year.

You don’t want or need to know the specs of all these devices. These are the sort of phones that you’ll probably buy from a carrier when you need something that doesn’t break the bank. But I can share some hands-on experience with TCL’s NXTPAPER tech, which is actually pretty cool.

You can choose between Regular mode, Color Paper mode, and Ink Paper mode.
Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

I’ve had some hands-on time with all of TCL’s new products, and I can say that the difference in the NXTPAPER ones is noticeable. From the get-go, their displays really do look like photos printed on actual paper. They’re matte, and thus better to use in sunlight than the displays on most phones and tablets. They appear perfectly still and perfectly flat, for lack of better words.

Additionally, the displays can be shifted into several different modes, with the ColorPpaper mode being even easier on the eyes. The most extreme one, called Ink Paper, turns the display into something that really looks like e-ink, even though it isn’t. These display modes do take a while to load, but someone who has headaches from phone/tablet use will probably appreciate the option.

Right now, TCL doesn’t have a true flagship competitor, so you’ll have a hard time replacing your Samsung Galaxy phone or an iPhone with one of TCL’s NXTPAPER phones. But the NXTPAPER tech does work. It’s something I didn’t know I needed, but now I wish other manufacturers followed suit.