One way to make a smartphone look totally different from all others is to change the display into something else, which is what the TCL 50 XE Nxtpaper aims to do.
It’s not just this phone itself, it’s the underlying Nxtpaper technology. With one tap, you can make it look like an E-Ink panel, or leave it as is and appreciate the paper-like finish. This isn’t an E-Ink panel with colour, like we’ve seen with devices like the Kobo Libra and Clara Colour. This is actually an LCD IPS panel layered with a distinct blue light filter and unique cover to give it its matte and textured appearance.
In essence, the screen is designed to be easier on the eyes without losing the visual flair an Android phone is supposed to have. The TCL 50 XE Nxtpaper is a more affordable device in the $320 range (as of this review), and it’s rare to see a phone at that price feel like it’s bigger and better. It’s not exceptional in many respects, but there’s no doubt it makes things easy for those who like to read a lot.
Design and hardware
The 6.56-inch screen is the natural focus here, with a modest 720p resolution (1612 x 720) and 90Hz refresh rate. These limitations become more obvious when watching video or speedily navigating the interface. But there’s also the fact it doesn’t get as bright as your typical LCD or OLED panel on other phones. Part of this is because of where the Nxtpaper technology currently stands but also a reflection of the 50 XE’s standing as a more affordable device. On the other hand, the finish is also more resistant to fingerprints and smudges so you won’t have to wipe or clean it as often.
It runs on a MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ processor with 128GB of storage and 4GB of RAM, though you can expand that to 8GB by utilizing 4GB of the onboard storage as virtual memory. The SIM card slot includes another for a microSD card to further expand available storage.
For the cameras, you get a 50-megapixel main camera in the rear, along with a 5-megapixel ultra-wide lens and 2-megapixel depth camera. On the front is an 8-megapixel for selfies and video calls. You’re limited to 1080p HD video recording at 30fps for both the rear and front cameras.
The power button on the side doubles as a fingerprint sensor, and I found it consistently responsive. There’s no wireless charging here, so you’ll need to plug in via USB-C to recharge.
Nxtpaper use cases
So much of what the TCL 50 XE Nxtpaper does centres on the screen, and that’s why it’s also important to understand what works and what doesn’t. TCL wisely includes an app called NxtVision as a shortcut to specific screen settings. It’s worth peering through everything available here because there’s a fair amount of customization involved.
The most obvious is switching to Reading mode, which removes all colour from the display to give it that black and white E-Ink look. Doing this really makes the display look totally different and is great for reading ebooks or long articles. It also applies when using dark mode, so proves equally pertinent whilst reading in darker settings. There is one caveat, and that’s colour temperature. Unlike eReaders that let you switch to a warmer tone to lessen blue light exposure in the dark, Eye comfort mode only works in colour on this phone. One workaround is to simply read the same ebook this way, since text won’t appear all that different under those conditions.
With Reading and Eye comfort off, you can use “enhancement” toggles for images, video and gaming. All of them add some level of increased contrast and detail, along with a more saturated set of colours. The matte finish on the screen makes everything look a little less vibrant than it would on an LCD or OLED scree, so playing around with these toggles is worth it. You can even make custom adjustments to the screen’s colour temperature.
Where Nxtpaper really shines is in text and images. Though it is smaller than a tablet, comic books look great on this phone. As does any visual medium of still images, including photos, where the matte finish helps give them a paper-like appearance.
Video will look more muted because of it, so there’s a compromise you have to make when consuming content. I would also suggest colours won’t appear as rich, which is a little more apparent when viewing animated content. Lower resolution plays a role in video limitations but it’s also just how this particular version of Nxtpaper works. It’s the first to offer this kind of rich colour palette, and while impressive, it’s still got room to improve.
Software and performance
The TCL 50 XE Nxtpaper isn’t a powerhouse by any stretch, and it’s not meant to be. But it can be a workhorse when you need it to cover all the basics. If we’re talking mixed use of browsing, messaging, social media, calls, music streaming and video playback, it will handle them all pretty well. It just won’t be as fast or smooth as more expensive devices owing to the more modest processor under the hood.
If you don’t need a phone to do anything more than those things, you probably won’t run into trouble using this phone. It’s just important to measure expectations, given it’s an affordable model, so likely won’t blow you away in how it performs, either.
I can tell you it’s definitely not a gaming device. Casual games? Sure, those run fine. More intricate or graphics-heavy games? Not that great. The 90Hz refresh rate is part of the challenge in fast-moving games, but also the limits imposed on the CPU and GPU. If you’re looking for a mobile gaming experience on a budget, I don’t think this is it.
Camera and image quality
The main 50-megapixel camera is the only one worth writing home about here. Mind you, it actually captures 12.5-megapixel photos using a process called pixel binning, where four pixels merge into one larger one. The reason why is to capture more light and improve the exposure and detail in low-light and night shots. However, you can change that in the settings by going to Picture Size and choosing High Pixel, which will take photos at full resolution. Just remember that it’s best to shoot that way when you have really good lighting.
Generally, photos aren’t bad day or night, but don’t be surprised if you see some that don’t quite cut it from the ultra-wide camera. It’s not just limited in resolution, but also image stabilization and can lack detail along the edges. The depth camera supports the main one for portrait photos to create a bokeh effect but otherwise does nothing.
The front camera is adequate for a phone in this range, though not going to truly surprise you. Still, the unique Nxtpaper surface makes selfies look different when you capture them. While you can see the screen in bright sunlight, you will have to max out the brightness to do so.
And if you’re thinking of taking black and white photos using Reading mode, you won’t be able to. Launching the camera automatically pulls all colour back in. Your only option is to use the Mono or Silvertone filters within the camera app, though TCL only makes them available to the rear cameras, not the front one.
Battery life
The 5010mAh battery is sizeable for a phone this size, and given the lower power requirements, you should be able to get through a full day without issue before you need to recharge. I was able to get into the next day before I needed to plug in. That’s solid for a phone at this price and with its unique screen technology. It’s just hard for me to quantify exactly what to expect if you’re always switching between the standard and Reading modes.
Conclusion
Not all Android devices look the same because of the different overlays and skins manufacturers place on them to stand out. The TCL 50 XE Nxtpaper feels different (literally) with its softer film and paper-like appearance. Some content simply looks better because of it, so for voracious readers on a budget who don’t mind reading from a phone on a regular basis, this device might be what you’re looking for.
It just may not be everyone’s cup of tea. In an age where screens continue to get bigger and brighter, the lack of brightness may turn some off here. It also takes getting used to after years of using glossy, vibrant panels. You’ll know where you stand once you see it for yourself for a few minutes the first time.
