TCL 40 NXTPAPER 5G (Hardware)
Official GBAtemp Review
Product Information:
- Official Store: https://www.tcl.com/global/en/mobile/tcl-40-nxtpaper-5g
Nowadays, smartphone manufacturers tend to aim for the brightest, sharpest and most fluid displays on their phones. While these do enhance the visual experience, they don’t really lend well for extensive reading purposes. And if you’re using them at night, they might not be doing much good to your sleep hygiene. That’s one of the reasons e-readers are popular but these are notoriously lacking in features and are slow to refresh.
Enter TCL’s NXTPAPER technology. Through a multilayer design in the display, TCL’s tech significantly reduces blue light emission and also reduces reflections by up to 90% while packing 90Hz refresh rate. In short, a phone equipped with a NXTPAPER display can be converted into a handheld e-reader without missing out on features or refresh rate. The TCL 40 NXTPAPER 5G is one such phone and we’ll take a look at how it performs in this review.
TCL 40 NXTPAPER 5G contents and specs
TCL announced two variants of its 40 NXTPAPER series last August for the European market (but not yet for the US market). The TCL 40 NXTPAPER 5G is priced at around 250 EUR while the 4G variant (which essentially packs the same specs, save for 5G connectivity) goes for about 200 EUR. The 5G model is shown in this review and comes with the following items:
- TCL 40 NXTPAPER 5G
- USB-C cable
- SIM ejection tool
- User manuals
Specs of the TCL 40 NXTPAPER 5G can be found below (click to enlarge):
Images courtesy of TCL
A budget phone with a cool build
Despite packing TCL’s standout technology, the TCL 40 NXTPAPER 5G is a budget-friendly smartphone. There have been some cost-cutting decisions, most noticeably with the barebones contents (no charging brick or bumper included). The device’s body is also made of plastic rather than some sort of metal which would add a premium touch.
That said, I grew quite fond of the plastic shell. It does not look or feel cheap but rather adds a unique look to the phone. This is especially the case with the back cover that has a rough, almost sandpaper-like (although definitely not as rough), texture. It makes for a cool look while also providing some grip. At 250 EUR, you could do much worse.
Other likely cost-cutting decisions to the hardware have to do with the speaker and USB-C port. The TCL 40 NXTPAPER 5G features only one speaker at the bottom of the device. While for video/audio calls you can get away with a single speaker, it is a major downer for entertainment purposes as the audio is offset to one side. This can be remedied with earphones but having a dual speaker system would have significantly improved the experience.
As for the USB-C port, it does not support video output. This means that you cannot mirror the TCL 40 NXTPAPER 5G’s display to an external monitor or AR glasses like the XREAL Air 2. This lack limits the potential of the phone and I hope that TCL makes USB-C video output a default feature of its new phones. Furthermore, the phone only supports 15W fast charging, which is still relatively slow.
While TCL likely went for a single speaker and USB-C 2.0 to keep the phone’s cost down, the company somewhat remedies with the inclusion of a headphone jack and expandable storage. These are always welcome features considering their omission in newer (and pricier) phones.
Despite some missing hardware features, the TCL 40 NXTPAPER 5G’s hardware is still of a quality make and boasts a cool design.
TCL’s NXTPAPER technology on display in your palm
When first booting the TCL 40 NXTPAPER 5G, the display will be familiar to anyone who has used a matte screen protector on a digital device before. This phone looks and feels like a matte display. This is a huge bonus when using the phone in direct sunlight or bright light. The TCL 40 NXTPAPER 5G’s anti-glare nano-etching display tech really makes using the phone in such conditions easier and simply more usable as it improves readability and image fidelity. With the 90Hz refresh rate, the device is also very responsive. Sure, an AMOLED display will trump the NXTPAPER in dimmer conditions but if you’re outside often, TCL’s tech makes for a pretty compelling case.
While the anti-glare feature is a constant aspect of the display, the phone allows you to toggle “NXTPAPER Mode” from a simple tap. You can choose between Color paper or Ink paper and a stylish transition animation will play. The resulting effect is one that emulates that of reading printed text but it’s more closely akin to an e-ink display (either in colour or black & white).
With NXTPAPER Mode off, the display is familiar to other smartphones but with an anti-glare effect. With the mode switched on, the display is much softer on the eyes thanks to the multi-layer light filtering of the technology. It’s very much like reading on an e-reader/e-ink device, if you’ve had the experience but this phone doesn’t compromise on the refresh rate (it’s still 90Hz). All of the apps that you have on the phone and you’re familiar with will adopt the same look without any impact on their functionality.
Toggling NXTPAPER Mode's Colour or Ink paper modes
This eventually comes down to personal preference but reading articles, mangas or comics is more paper-like and easy on the eyes. For someone who writes and reads a lot everyday on my phone, the break it gives my eyes is quite noticeable. In fact, I have the NXTPAPER Mode turned on virtually all the time and I found it to be better for my browsing habits. The 5000 mAh battery supports it for a whole day use but its lack of a fast charge feature is still a downer.
Gaming performance on the TCL 40 NXTPAPER 5G
While the TCL 40 NXTPAPER 5G is not particularly gaming-oriented, the Mediatek Dimensity 6020 chip, 6GB RAM + 256GB storage (expandable via microSD) and 90Hz display refresh rate makes it able to handle moderate gaming. As GeekBench 6 scores position this phone towards the lower tier of devices, you’ll have to expect a performance reflective of that.
For the most part, Android games like Asphalt Nitro 2 and Modern Combat: Rebel Guns are easily playable. The visuals don’t pop out as they would on an AMOLED display but the upside is that the NXTPAPER tech leads to less eye strain over extended periods of gaming.
Thumbnail: Asphalt Nitro 2 with NXTPAPER Mode Off; NXTPAPER Mode On (Ink Paper); NXTPAPER Mode On (Colour Paper)
Regarding emulation, Dreamcast games run well, with Crazy Taxi and Dead or Alive 2 playing at a steady 60fps. For Gamecube at 2x resolution, Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes runs at 35-40fps while Twilight Princess runs at 25-30 fps with some crackling audio. By lowering the resolution to 1x, such issues are fixed and the game plays at a steady 30fps.
The phone’s limit is felt when emulating PS2 titles. Ratchet & Clank and Shadow of the Colossus run at a variable 20-30fps with some audio issues at 1x resolution. You can tinker with the settings such as underclocking to slightly improve performance but PS2 games won’t be as silky smooth.
While it can run some games and emulators, I wouldn’t recommend the TCL 40 NXTPAPER 5G specifically for gaming. The anti-glare screen is a bonus as visuals are softer (and you can further toggle NXTPAPER Mode to make the game even easier on the eyes). But you’d get better performance on other phones or even dedicated Android gaming handhelds. Moreover, having a single speaker is a noticeable flaw as it not only limits the immersiveness but can also be covered by your palms. Gaming on this phone should be seen as a bonus, mostly for casual games, rather than a dedicated gaming device on its own.
An affordable, innovative daily driver contender
While I wouldn’t necessarily recommend the TCL 40 NXTPAPER 5G for gaming, I can easily recommend it as a daily driver. The camera array delivers decent shots, the battery lasts for a whole day and its quite light at 192g. There are some pre-installed bloatware but not as overwhelming as Xiaomi devices.
But the biggest seller is its NXTPAPER tech. It’s not exactly as an e-ink display but is close enough and isn’t limited by low refresh rates. If you read and type a lot on your phone like I do, you’ll quickly grow to become fond of the softness of the visuals. For that I could look past some downsides like relatively slow charging and a single speaker. It would also be worth keeping an eye out for TCL’s followup series, the 50 NXTPAPER series (which will be available in the US as well) which I hope will remedy some of the downsides highlighted in this review.
Verdict
- Impressive NXTPAPER display that’s easy on the eyes
- Affordable phone
- Includes headphone jack
- Expandable memory
- Single speaker
- Relatively slow charge
- USB-C port does not support video output
