Ah, the smartphone world. Every other day, a new contender steps into the ring with hopes of knocking out the champions. Enter the TCL 60 XE Nxtpaper 5G, a device that’s trying to be a smartphone and a Kindle’s lovechild—without the attendant screaming and nappy changes. Now, if that doesn’t intrigue you, I don’t know what will.

The big draw here is the Nxtpaper display, for those who fancy reading War and Peace on the run without getting a headache. This thing boasts a colour and black & white mode, flipping between them like a tech-savvy magician. Want a paper-like experience without the paper cuts? They’ve got you covered with something called Max Ink mode. But let’s not confuse it with a tattoo parlour’s latest offering.

The Numbers

• Nxtpaper display technology with colour and black & white modes
• 5G connectivity
• Multiple days of battery life in colour mode
• Up to 27 days of standby battery life with Max Ink mode
• Max Ink Mode for a paper-like reading experience

Now, TCL claims their phone is gentle on the eyes, and perhaps that’s true if you’re staring at spreadsheets or Reddit on a daily basis. But, therein lies the rub: the camera quality might cause some to squint. So, if you’re planning to snap a National Geographic cover, maybe hold off until version 2.0. And while the price is still a mystery, I’ve got a hunch that it’s aiming for the budget-friendly aisle—not quite the bargain bin, but not a week’s wages either.

Performance takes a hit when faced with higher-end models, but does that really matter if you’re just going to use it to order Uber Eats and check Instagram? Probably not, unless waiting an extra half-second is where you draw the line.

Credit where credit is due, TCL’s taking a swing at a niche that doesn’t have many contenders. Comfort for your eyeballs and a battery life that goes on like a cricket match—neither of which is easily found in the current crop of smartphones. Still, unless you’re specifically after the Nxtpaper display, you’re just as likely to end up leaning towards a device where you don’t have to scroll past the settings menu to find the photo gallery.

So, is the TCL 60 XE Nxtpaper 5G the future of smartphones or just a one-off novelty act that will fade into obscurity, like a band that had one hit in 1983? That remains to be seen. Until then, consider this a conversation starter rather than a conversation piece.

Sources: tomsguide.com