TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER 5 hands-on review: Really cheap, really good

TCL’s innovative NXTPAPER feature has been launched Android tablets and finally got his way smartphones. I’ve covered it and done it since its inception the oft-praised NXTPAPER as one of the best features of any phone on the market. However, in the US we have yet to have an NXTPAPER phone with the NXTPAPER Switch, a physical switch that instantly switches between standard and e-ink display layouts.

Thankfully, at CES 2025, TCL fixed this problem. The absurdly named TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER 5G is here, and it will be the first phone in North America with NXTPAPER Key. In fact, it will be exclusive to North American markets. It will also be available for an amazingly low price of $199.

I had a chance to go hands-on with the TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER 5G and came away scratching my head. How can such a cheap phone be so good?

By now most people reading this should know what the NXTPAPER feature is. As a quick refresher, it’s an anti-glare coating on the screen that seriously reduces reflections. TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER 5G comes with NXTPAPER 3.0, which TCL introduced in 2024.

The anti-glare properties of NXTPAPER displays make text much easier to read. In return, the colors are muted and less contrasty, but TCL reduces this discrepancy with each generation.

The star feature of this new phone is the NXTPAPER Key. When you toggle the button, the animation rotates and turns its display monochrome, giving it an e-ink look (TCL calls it Max Ink Mode). An anti-glare coating combined with Max Ink Mode gives you a Kindle-style experience, complete with the crazy-long battery life of this e-reader line. In fact, TCL claims that if you use it the same way as a Kindle (ie, turn off notifications, leave it in Max Ink mode, and use it mostly for reading text), this phone can provide up to a week of battery life.

Clicking the NXTPAPER Key feels great. In terms of build and quality, it’s very similar to the mute button on older iPhones or the notification slider on OnePlus phones – which is noticeable when you remember that this is a $200 device.

It’s crazy to think that these two innovative features are unmatched by any other phone in the US. Even the powerful ones Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra The Gorilla Glass Armor display cannot compete with the anti-glare capabilities of the TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER 5G. Even if it were possible, no US phone has a physical switch to quickly access something like Max Ink mode, putting this device in a league of its own.

Outside of the hardware switch and display, the design of the TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER 5G is beautiful. It has flat sides (which is quickly becoming the de facto style for most phones) and a matte plastic back panel with a slightly textured feel. The large offset circular camera module isn’t my favorite design, but it’s hard not to like what TCL has done here with a clearly budget-minded phone.

Unfortunately, the company had to cut corners somewhere, and the internal hardware is probably where it made the biggest cuts. Let’s start with what we know. TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER 5G has 8GB RAM, 256GB internal memory and 5010mAh battery. It has a 32-megapixel selfie camera and a triple-lens rear camera system driven by a 50-megapixel main sensor (the other two lenses remain a mystery for now). The screen is 6.8 inches and works with a 120 Hz refresh rate and FHD+ resolution.

Although TCL kept the full specs from us, last year’s TCL 50 XE NXTPAPER 5G was pretty underwhelming. MediaTek Dimensity 6100 Plus a processor that is nothing to write home about. We can only assume that this year’s model will have something similar under the hood. Last year’s phone also had slow 18W wired charging, a paltry 5MP ultra-wide lens and a nearly useless 2MP depth sensor. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to assume that this year’s model will have similar features in these areas.

In other words, the TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER 5G may look and feel like a more expensive device, but its specs keep it firmly grounded in the budget sector.

I didn’t have much time with the TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER 5G, but I came away from the little time thinking how disappointing it was that TCL didn’t want to bring the phone’s star features. to something stronger. For whatever reason, TCL seems fine with the idea that you can’t have power and performance if you want NXTPAPER.

What’s amazing about this phone in particular is that TCL has all the ingredients for success. The design of the phone is excellent. It can easily compete with the designs of the titans of the Android world (especially Samsung, which hasn’t significantly updated its design ethos over the years). The two NXTPAPER features are not only great, but have no real equals in the rest of the smartphone industry. It also already has a deep relationship with TCL The three largest wireless carriers in the United States. The only thing it lacks is a phone with specs that could hope to compete with something like a Google Pixel 9leave it alone a Galaxy S24 or OnePlus 12.

In other words, TCL 60 XE has the same problem as NXTPAPER 5G Nothing CMF Phone 1: loaded with really interesting innovations, but trapped in the confines of the budget world.

I hope TCL swings for the fences at some point and launches an NXTPAPER phone with solid features. Until then, we should be happy enough that something like the 60 XE exists at all.

Interested in buying TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER 5G? We know it’s coming to North America for $200, but we don’t know when. It wouldn’t be surprising to see more information revealed at Mobile World Congress, which is just a few weeks away.