This $200 phone has one of the S24 Ultra’s most underrated features

TCL introduced its NXTPAPER screen technology a few years ago, effectively offering a matte display on its phones and tablets. We’ve already seen a few devices with this tech in the US, and the Chinese brand has now brought another phone stateside.

TCL announced that the TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER 5G (what a mouthful) is coming to the US. This is the brand’s first phone in the market with a NXTPAPER key. Tapping this button activates a so-called Max Ink mode, seen below, which effectively delivers a minimalistic experience akin to an e-ink display. The manufacturer adds that you can expect up to seven days of juice in this mode.

This isn’t the first phone with the firm’s NXTPAPER tech in the US, but we’re still glad to see this glare-free solution on another budget handset. The phone’s launch also comes almost a year after the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra made a splash thanks to its own glare-free display. However, Samsung’s phone relies on Corning Gorilla Armor protective glass rather than any matte-based tech.

Otherwise, the TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER 5G has a 6.8-inch FHD+ 120Hz screen (ostensibly LCD), 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. Unfortunately, the Chinese manufacturer didn’t reveal other specs like battery capacity or charging speed. The phone has a triple rear camera system but TCL only mentioned a 50MP main camera. This leads me to believe that we’ve got the dreaded 50MP+2MP+2MP combination here. Otherwise, the company confirmed a 32MP camera up front for selfies and video calls.

TCL refused to comment on the software update policy, either, but the manufacturer has never excelled in this category. So don’t be surprised if the phone only gets one major OS upgrade.

Nevertheless, the new phone will be available for just $199 when it launches in the US “later in 2025.” So, those wanting a cheap Android phone that delivers a great reading experience should definitely consider this device.