I tried TCL's phone with a paper-like OLED display, plus its new nxtPaper tablets, and I was seriously impressed here's why

Date:
Thu, 03 Sep 2026 16:36:20 +0000

Description:
I got hands-on with TCL's new P80 line of phones and nxtPaper tablets here are my first impressions.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter TCL has revealed its new P80 series of phones at the 2026 edition of IFA Berlin, and luckily, Ive been
able to try them for myself already.

The TCL P80 Ultra, P80 Pro, and P80 were all on display, and I was genuinely impressed by all three devices. But it was the first two models that really caught my attention. And thats because the P80 Ultra and P80 Pro combine a vivid, eye-catching AMOLED display with TCLs nxtPaper technology, which
offers a matte, paper-like display akin to something youd find on an
e-reader. During my time at TCLs showcase, I also managed to get hands-on
with its nxtPaper-equipped tablets, and I have a fair few thoughts to share about them too. So, heres everything you need to know about TCLs all-new nxtPaper devices. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here: AMOLED and nxtPaper: the best of both worlds The switch on the side of the phone allows you to enter into nxtPaper mode (Image credit: Future) By combining AMOLED and nxtPaper technology, the more premium P80 handsets appeared to deliver very solid contrast and color while also providing benefits such as reduced glare and reflections.

When I was using the phone for drawing, watching a video, or scrolling, I found it to be perfectly clear and capable of plating up eye-catching colors as youd expect from a standard AMOLED phone. But at the mere flick of a
switch (on the side of the phone), I was able to enter an e-reader mode, and this felt excellent to use. You may like The TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro proved to me that budget smartphones can still be great but I won't be ditching my aging Samsung just yet This wild Hisense phone has an e-paper display plus a detachable LCD screen The InkLeaf is a dual-screen e-paper tablet designed
for reading and note-taking

There were two main modes available with the nxtPaper key switched on: Max
Ink Mode and Paper Mode. Max Ink Mode is intended to minimize distractions
and power consumption for the purest reading experience, while Paper Mode is intended to recreate a paper-like feel and harness customizable eye-care settings.

The Max Ink Mode was my go-to, and when reading text on either the P80 Pro or Ultra, the black-and-white display made viewing text incredibly seamless and focused almost as if I was reading on a Kindle . Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

On top of this, the P80 line offers a pretty solid set of specs. The leading model, the P80 Ultra, has a 6.83-inch AMOLED display with a peak brightness
of 3,200 nits and a 1.5K resolution. It also boasts a 120Hz refresh rate, ultra-thin 1.38mm bezels, and a 5,800mAh battery. Its got a seemingly strong camera line-up, too, with a 50MP main lens, 50MP periscope telephoto, an 8MP ultra-wide, and a 32MP front camera.

The P80 Pro is very similar, but skips the periscope telephoto camera; the
P80 strips things back even further with no nxtPaper switch and a bit less power. This is reflected in the prices, however, with the P80 Ultra starting from 549 (about $640 / 470 / AU$890), the P80 Pro available for as little as 429 (about $500 / 370 / AU$690), and the P80 going for just 349 (about $400 / 300 / AU$570). New Note and Tab slates continue to impress Drawing on the TCL Note A1 feels like a dream (Image credit: Future) On top of TCLs flashy new phones, I also got the chance to try out its tablets with nxtPaper
technology. This included the TCL Tab A1 and larger A1 Plus, which are available with or without nxtPaper. But the model I really want to hone in on is the nxtPaper-equipped TCL Note A1. What to read next Why AI paper tablets are becoming serious productivity tools Lenovo Legion R9000P is the world's first laptop with inkjet-printed OLED Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra vs Oppo Find N6 hinge comparison

I found each of these models to be absolutely beautiful to use, with smooth, responsive performance for basic tasks, video streaming on YouTube , and drawing, but the Note A1 was on another level.

Its the more premium option, sure, but it was considerably nicer to use in my experience especially for drawing. When using the accompanying stylus, it felt like I was getting the pleasing resistance and natural feel Id expect from drawing on real paper. That meant that whether I was sketching or writing, the user experience was top-tier.

Other than that, the Note A1 packs a 1.5-inch, 120Hz display, a huge 8,000mAh battery, an octa-core processor with 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage for
your apps, drawings, photos, and more. Follow TechRadar on Google News and
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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/phones/i-tried-tcls-phone-with-a-paper-like-oled-dis play-plus-its-new-nxtpaper-tablets-and-i-was-seriously-impressed-heres-why


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