What you need to know
- The new TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER 5G is launching exclusively in North America later this year.
- The phone features the NXTPAPER Key, which switches the display to a more comfortable mode and can emulate E Ink for reading.
- TCL is also announcing the TCL NXTPAPER 11 Plus with the company's latest display tech and the budget K32.
TCL may not be a big name in the U.S., but that isn't stopping the company from launching new affordable phones, and the latest model comes with some rather intriguing tech.
The new TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER 5G is a phone exclusive to North America and is also the first time TCL is bringing its new NXTPAPER Key to the region after it launched with the TCL NXTPAPER series at IFA 2024. With the flip of a switch, the 120Hz 6.8-inch FHD+ display will change to a more comfortable mode that reduces harmful blue light.
The TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER 5G also features a Max Ink mode that emulates the look of an E Ink device like the BOOX Palma, which should be ideal for reading. Basically, TCL wants you to have two devices in one.
Android Central Phones editor Nick Sutrich tested TCL's NXTPAPER technology against other display tech, saying that viewing an LCD panel is "very pleasant thanks to the characteristic soft diffused light."
The phone features a 50MP primary camera on the back with a 32MP front-facing shooter. And while TCL didn't immediately divulge the chipset for the phone, the device features 8GB of RAM and 256GB of expandable storage, which should be enough for most people in this price range (about $199).
The phone will also feature new AI capabilities that TCL says "optimizes task management and efficiency, adapting seamlessly to user needs for a smoother and more responsive experience."
In addition to the TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER 5G, the company is also bringing the budget-friendly TCL K32 to North America for under $100. Unfortunately, TCL isn't providing exact release dates for either device, but they will arrive in the U.S. later this year while launching in Canada in May.
Finally, TCL is announcing the new NXTPAPER 11 Plus, a tablet with the company's latest NXTPAPER 4.0 technology. With it, the tablet should feature improved display clarity and color display accuracy while also benefitting from the NXPAPER Key so users can switch to their preferred display mode at a whim.
The tablet features an 11.5-inch 2.2K display with a 120Hz refresh rate. TCL says the 550 nit peak brightness should help with outdoor visibility, something that Sutrich noted the previous model struggled with.
Aside from the display, the TCL NXTPAPER 11 Plus will come with AI features like Text Assist, which can rewrite, summarize, and translate text. Circle to Search will also be available on the tablet, and users can draw circles with their fingers or the T-Pen to search content on their displays.
Pricing and availability were not immediately available for the TCL NXTPAPER 11 Plus, but we will keep an eye out on this device and the rest of TCL's 2025 lineup as the year progresses.
