There’s a standard recipe for a contemporary smartphone. It’s a slab, with a display on the entrance and cameras on the again. They’re all just about the identical measurement, they principally do the identical issues, in the identical manner. Nearly all of the cellphone market is principally a spin on the identical basic components.
TCL isn’t an enormous participant in telephones (nevertheless it’s actually aggressive in televisions…) and maybe that’s why the main focus of the Nxtpaper gadgets is on the show. Whereas most of the finest telephones characteristic the identical factor in numerous flavours, the Nxtpaper 60 Extremely affords one thing a bit totally different.
I caught up with the brand new TCL Nxtpaper 60 Extremely at IFA 2025.
It’s all within the show
TCL launched the Nxtpaper vary of tablets in 2022 with telephones following in 2023. The very first thing that’s new right here is the identify, with this being the primary Extremely mannequin. Beforehand, we’ve seen the 50 Nxtpaper Professional, which is absolutely its predecessor.
The large distinction is that the show is now bigger, shifting from 6.8- to 7.2-inch, constructed utilizing Nxtpaper 4.0 expertise. That’s enormous for a smartphone – greater than early 7-inch tablets – supplying you with much more house to learn, write and eat content material.
The feel and appear of this show hasn’t modified a lot, however meaning the paper-like texture nonetheless feels beautiful. It’s very totally different to the shiny end of most screens. It’s designed to duplicate paper, avoiding the worst of the fingerprints, lowering glare and killing reflections useless.
Chris Corridor / Foundry
That has the additional benefit of creating this cellphone simpler on the eyes, lowering flicker and reducing blue gentle emissions, with the goal of defending circadian rhythms to keep away from disruption to your sleep.
There’s a swap on the facet of the cellphone (as there was earlier than) which is used to alter the display mode, switching over to Max Ink Mode for an on the spot detox, reducing out the color, supplying you with a simplified view and blocking notifications. It’s like a Kindle eReader and is designed that will help you swap off.
Having a matt end can imply that colors aren’t as impactful: this display doesn’t beam out vibrant HDR photographs like many rivals, it is a cellphone that’s higher for many who will unwind with studying as a substitute. That brightness runs as much as 780 nits in typical use, a way under the typical.
It’s a 120Hz show, though the decision sticks to 2340 x 1080 pixels, which is perhaps a bit on the gentle facet given the scale.
Chris Corridor / Foundry
There’s additionally a unusually large bezel to the underside of the show, which detracts from the in any other case attractiveness.
A {hardware} increase in a mid-range cellphone
Powering the Nxtpaper 60 Extremely is the Dimensity 7400, with 12GB RAM (and as much as 12GB digital), with 512GB of storage and an enormous 5200mAh battery.
That ought to energy this huge cellphone via the day with ease, however with that show switched to studying mode, you’ll have the added benefit of much more life. There’s 33W charging too, which, whereas not the quickest, will get you again within the sport very quickly in any respect.
Flip the Nxtpaper 60 Extremely over and also you’ll discover a spherical digicam array on the high housing a 50Mp essential digicam, 50Mp periscope telephoto and an 8Mp ultrawide. That periscope zoom gives you 3x optical zoom.
Chris Corridor / Foundry
Followers of the vary may spot that the earlier mannequin had a 108Mp essential sensor, so there’s a reasonably hefty change right here. Whereas I didn’t get to check the cameras, our earlier expertise with TCL’s Nxtpaper gadgets means that the digicam isn’t the principle purpose to purchase the cellphone.
The design is on the cheaper facet
At 7.57mm, it is a fairly slim cellphone, whereas the 227g is gentle for the display measurement.
That lightness most probably comes right down to the construct that’s much less premium than some, largely utilizing plastics. There may be, nevertheless, IP68 safety, so it can survive a dunk in water and a day on the seaside.
It is available in two colors, Lunar White and Nebula Black, with the Nebula Black having an attention-grabbing sparkle within the digicam encompass. That provides a bit raise to issues, a focal point on the rear of the cellphone.
Chris Corridor / Foundry
The cellphone launches on Android 15, and whereas I didn’t uncover the improve particulars, the earlier gadget affords two Android OS updates and 5 years of safety updates.
In the end, there’s nothing actually on the market that’s just like the Nxtpaper 60 Extremely, with the show having a end that at occasions is extra like E-Ink – like an e-reader – and fewer like a conventional cellphone. That’s interesting for many who need to escape the glare of contemporary smartphones and those that need to learn extra comfortably on their cellphone.
There’s presently no phrase on when the Nxtpaper 60 Extremely might be obtainable and what the value might be, nevertheless it’s prone to stay an inexpensive mid-range gadget. The earlier mannequin was £279, and with the elevated measurement, I’d anticipate one thing across the £300 mark.
Seeking to outshine the Nxtpaper 60 Extremely this week is the iPhone 17, which is rumoured to incorporate a brand new Air mannequin.