ZDNET’s key findings
- He TCL Tab 10 Nxtpaper 5G It’s a full-color tablet, with colored paper and ink, available at Verizon for $240.
- It’s a great entertainment tablet for everyday use, but it also works great as an e-reader.
- While the display is versatile, don’t expect graphics to compare to those of an iPad or other high-end tablets. It also doesn’t have a headphone jack, doesn’t include a stylus, and doesn’t feature a double-tap function to wake it.
Reading is my favourite pastime and something I rely on to relax me before I go to sleep. I have owned several Kindles over the past 13 years and Amazon’s e-reader has become my favourite. However, I recently tried TCL’s Nxtpaper technology as an alternative and now that I have, I will never look back.
Also: The best digital notebooks you can buy in 2024: tested and analyzed by experts
I’ve been testing the TCL Tab 10 Nxtpaper 5G It took three weeks, but I almost immediately felt an improvement. Within hours of installing it, I gave my daughter my old Kindle, while my husband received my old iPad.
The TCL Tab 10 Nxtpaper 5G’s display seamlessly switches from regular mode to color paper mode or ink paper mode, whether you’re reading, browsing social media, watching videos, or playing a game. TCL Nxtpaper Technology It is not the same as E-Ink, which uses electrophoretic technology to create a monochrome image.
Instead, Nxtpaper offers a paper-like display, which helps reduce eye strain and improves readability compared to traditional displays. This screen reduces blue light, doesn’t have a conventional backlight, and eliminates flickering, making it easy on the eyes while displaying the different types of content you’d expect from a tablet or smartphone.
The lack of backlighting and frosted finish of the display reduce glare and reflections, contributing to better energy efficiency and longer battery life. By using multiple anti-reflective and anti-glare layers, TCL’s Nxtpaper improves readability in different conditions, so you can enjoy that best-seller on a sunny day at the beach or pool. A front-lit panel evenly illuminates the screen and helps maintain a comfortable viewing experience.
Also: One of the best E Ink tablets I’ve tested isn’t a ReMarkable or Kindle Paperwhite
E-ink, meanwhile, traditionally doesn’t transition from monochrome to full color and has a slower refresh rate. While color e-ink displays do exist, they aren’t as vibrant or suitable for multimedia content.
The TCL Tab 10 Nxpaper is an entertainment tablet that lets you take your essentials with you anywhere. It’s not meant to replace a new $1,000 iPad, but it can replace an e-reader on an older iPad model.
I’m not a power tablet user. I don’t need a tablet with a lot of processing power to replace my MacBook Pro or iMac for video editing or graphic design; I use tablets primarily for entertainment. This includes streaming videos on YouTube or a subscription service, reading the news, taking notes and lists, catching up on baseball, checking the weather, and playing a few games. For all of those use cases, this tablet works just fine.
I sometimes work on my tablet, but as a writer I just need a keyboard and a reliable app for taking notes or word processing, which is easy to do with this TCL tablet.
When I first tried this device, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had read about TCL’s Nxtpaper technology, but hadn’t had the chance to try it out until now. When I first got my hands on the TCL Tab 10 Nxtpaper 5G tablet, I was amazed at the versatility of the display and the ease of switching from regular mode to color paper mode to paper with ink mode, the latter being the most similar to what you’d expect from an e-reader.
The first app I downloaded was LightI was really looking forward to seeing what it would be like to use as an e-reader and I was not disappointed.
A Kindle e-reader is a single-use device, so upgrading to a tablet with a similar display but the benefits of a faster refresh rate and processor was easy. After using the same Kindle for six years, I was amazed at the simple fact that I could use the Kindle app like I would on any other tablet, while the TCL Nxtpaper display looks as good as any e-reader’s.
After reading for about an hour, I made a decision. I rebooted the old 10th generation Kindle, set it up with Amazon Kids for my seven-year-old daughter, and she’s never looked back. Even better, because my daughter is now reading more than ever. During the first three days of using the Kindle, she read for four and a half hours. She’s been reading for a few years now, but now spends at least 40 minutes reading each night before bed alone, whereas before she read maybe 20 minutes a day during the school week.
The TCL Tab 10 Nxtpaper 5G is also perfectly capable of performing the tasks my regular iPad used to do at home and on the go. Part of being a parent involves being on the sidelines for hours a week while the kids attend extracurricular activities that cost an arm and a leg.
The TCL Tab 10 Nxtpaper 5G has the front camera on the horizontal edge.
Maria Diaz/ZDNET
This tablet has become my new iPad and Kindle while killing time. Plus, if I have a deadline, I can continue my work in Docs; if I’m bored, I can watch content on Netflix or browse TikTok; and if I want to relax, I can read the latest novel I downloaded from Kindle Unlimited.
The convenience of having two devices in one allowed me to hand my husband my old iPad the same day I set up the TCL Tab 10 Nxtpaper 5G. While the Android experience differs from that of an iPad, I encountered a minimal amount of bugs and glitches during my time using it. I can still work and play on the TCL Tab 10 Nxtpaper 5G, use a split screen, and stream videos without issue.
ZDNET’s buying advice
He TCL Tab 10 Nxtpaper 5G It’s perfect for everyday use. This $239 tablet isn’t looking to win any benchmark competition with high-end devices, but it’s an exceptional tablet for its price, especially for someone who likes to use an e-reader.
Also: The best digital notebooks you can buy in 2024: tested and analyzed by experts
The TCL Tab 10 Nxtpaper 5G tablet is available at Verizon for $239 prepaid or $6.66 per month for 36 months. TCL sells a T-Pen stylus for $40, and I’ll be picking that up, too. Verizon’s plans start at $30 per month, which certainly isn’t cheap, making the data plan option best suited for those who often use the tablet on the go, outside of the convenience of Wi-Fi.
I’ll stick with the TCL Tab 10 Nxtpaper, with or without a data plan, because I use it mostly at home. If I’m using a tablet or laptop somewhere without Wi-Fi, I have no problem using my iPhone as a hotspot.