Hands-on: TCL’s 60 XE NXTPAPER phone has a physical e-paper switch with amazing battery life [Gallery]

TCL is pushing its NXTPAPER lineup into new territory with thoughtful refinements, making the devices great options for everyday use. The new TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER phone has a beautiful full-color paper-like display with a black-and-white mode that gives days of battery life at the flick of a switch.

There are plenty of devices with e-paper displays. Devices like the Boox tablets and Palma come to mind, though the problems of higher refresh rates and general usability also come to mind. Other devices exist, but they’re often limited to a simple OS and don’t offer much variety beyond ebooks.

At CES 2025, TCL announced a new set of NXTPAPER devices, which utilizes a matte display that’s a little nicer to view for extended periods. In years past, color saturation and detail were lacking as a byproduct of the new display type. This year, the company has taken to solving that issue with the fourth iteration. Nano-matrix lithography technology addresses those issues, and the display looks clean in person.

The TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER phone is the flagship device housing the unique screen. The main attraction for this device is not only the display, but a new switch called the “NXTPAPER key.” The side toggle allows users to switch between display modes in an instant. there are two alternatives to full color — a black and white e-paper mode and a “Max Ink mode.” Max ink essentially turns the device into a dedicated e-reader. You can choose up to 7 apps to use in this mode, with every other app in a sleep mode. The display mode is efficient enough to last for 26 days on standby mode and for about a week if it’s being used. That’s a huge benefit for users who need an extra boost and don’t mind sacrificing a full-color panel.

As opposed to a lot of other devices with this sort of device, the 60 XE has very smooth animations and responses to touch. Even the max ink mode, which is supposed to be energy-efficient, takes on a higher refresh rate to make the experience bearable.

The display itself hits 120Hz and offers a 6.8-inch FHD+ view, which is fantastic for something that can switch to an e-paper instantly. We got some time with the TCL 60 XE and a few other devices, like the TCL K32. All in all, the devices offer a visually sound experience, especially for those who want to prioritize the display variety. The phone also brings 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage with a 50MP main camera.

TCL says the 60 XE NXTPAPER phone will be available in Canada first around May 2025 at $199. After that, the device will come to the US.