TCL is launching two new midrange Nxtpaper phones with matte displays designed to be easy on your eyes. The TCL 50 Pro Nxtpaper 5G and 50 Nxtpaper 5G follow a couple of budget models launched earlier this year with one important feature update: a button that puts the display into — and I quote — “Max Ink Mode.” Hell yes, gimme that quasi-E Ink mode to the max. They’re launching in Europe first, and I have my fingers crossed that they’ll come to the US later, too.
The “Nxtpaper key” is a two-stage slider that puts the display into a reader-friendly monochrome mode mimicking e-ink. Flipping Max Ink Mode on also silences notifications and renders app icons in a wireframe style as if you were using an E Ink display, which is friggin’ adorable. This mode also extends battery life, and TCL claims you can get up to seven days’ worth of reading out of it — almost like carrying around a regular phone that you can turn into a Boox Palma with the flip of a switch.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25603832/Design_Both_colour.jpg)
Image: TCL
Outside of Max Ink Mode, both phones offer a big 6.8-inch 1080p screen with up to 120Hz refresh rate. They both include a 108-megapixel main rear camera and a generous 5,010mAh battery. The Pro model includes an upgraded 32-megapixel selfie camera and 512GB of storage, while the non-Pro version features an 8-megapixel selfie camera and 256GB of storage. The 50 Pro is also offered with a couple of optional accessories: a flip case and a stylus. Outside of those few differences, the two devices seem to be basically the same.
The TCL 50 Pro Nxtpaper will be available in Europe and Latin American markets for €299 with the optional accessories. The TCL 50 Nxtpaper costs €229 and will be available in Europe.