Budget phones are too often boring. The top brands like Google with the Pixel 8a or Samsung with its FE phones sell for less than $500 and go on sale often enough, but in every way, they’re pared-down renditions of better phones and nothing else. TCL’s 50 NXTPaper devices have a switchable E-Reader mode that could be more than a mere gimmick. It could be enough to shake up the staid budget phone market.
I’ve played around with The 50 NXTPaper phones and the fidget-finger-friendly NXTPaper key. While I’m unsure if the CPU and software package could meet all the demands of the North American market, it’s still the kind of device I want in my life for reading on the go. The bad news is: no, the 50 NXTPaper 5G or the 50 NXTPaper Pro 5G are not coming to the U.S. Still, TCL told me that, give it a year, and the company said we might be seeing something arriving stateside soon enough.
The first time you flip the switch, you’re offered the choice of “Colour Paper Mode,” “Ink Paper Mode,” or “Max Ink Mode.” The color paper mode dulls the look of your apps, whereas ink paper turns everything black and white. Max Ink Mode also transforms the phone into black and white, severely limiting what you can do on your device. Swiping left will show you all the E-Books on your device rather than your Google App. It disables all apps that save for e-readers and journaling. You can enable a spare few non-book apps—even YouTube or Netflix—but you’re limited to a selection of 10.
Enabling Max Ink Mode is recommended if you want a distraction-free experience. The mode disables notifications but still allows for internet, calls, and texts. The model also promises to massively extend battery life with all the phone’s features pared down. TCL promises you can go a full week or more when the phone is in Max Ink settings.
I was so curious to learn more about the phone I hounded TCL until they showed me it in person. It was available from the IFA show floor, but I talked to some company execs about the phone’s features and what they mean. The entire point is to make the device more “immersive.” An animation plays every time you flip the NXTPaper Key, which siphons or adds color to the phone screen. Even on the default, Van Gogh-esque default wallpaper, the transition animation doesn’t look as clean as it could. Hopefully, improvement comes with time.
Some applications will still show color, even in black-and-white mode. YouTube stays in monochrome, but your pictures will maintain their color look, not the Google Photos UI. Both the Pro and non-pro phones have a 108 MP rear sensor, though I couldn’t test the camera’s capabilities or compare their quality to other, much more expensive devices. I’m also concerned that the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chip won’t have as much staying power as mid-range phones that cost just a few hundred dollars more.
The phones use the NXTPaper 3.0 display, which TCL is so fond of. I own an NXTPaper 11 tablet, so I’m already used to layers and filters that limit blue light and make it easier to look at for longer. The tablet is too slow for everyday use, but the matte screen has a unique quality and subtle fine texture that makes it enticing. The display is certainly colorful, but it’s not best for watching YouTube or Netflix. The colors are too diluted for video. You’re best off using it for browsing or reading. The problem with that, and all Android tablets, is how easy it is to get distracted by notifications or the siren call of social apps.
While the company is currently restricting the phone to Europe and Asia, TCL told me that they were working with carriers in the U.S. and are hoping to hop the pond in the coming year potentially. It makes sense. The U.S. 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. The Pro version will sell for €299, or $331. If the same or next-gen NXTPaper phones come to the U.S. with similarly budget chips, we wouldn’t expect them to be much more expensive.
I’m a paper book reader. I always have been, and no E-Reader, Kindle, or E Ink display has converted me. I carry a book with me at all times, but there are times when I am on the train home, standing room only, and I don’t have the space to reach into my backpack or even hold my paperback up to my face. It’s times like these 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.