TCL may be a reputation you extra readily affiliate with affordable TVs, however the firm has an entire vary of different tech to shout about, from soundbars and headphones to robotic vaccums and cellular gadgets.
On the latter, it recently announced a couple of budget tablets and two bargain smartphones so as to add it its line up.
Of the brand new trio, all of which are available below €300, the TCL NXTPAPER 11 piqued our curiosity, with TCL’s next-gen NXTPAPER 2.0 know-how constructed into it – a paper-like laminated show that gives the look of E Ink however with the advantages of a color show.
Should you’re out there for a price range Android tablet, is that this quirky 11-inch slate value a glance? We received our palms on it to get a more in-depth look.
TCL NXTPAPER 11
First impressions
The TCL NXTPAPER 11 is a price range pill that is doing its bit to face out in what is usually a market of lookalikes. You do lose out on a greater chipset that you’re going to see at larger value factors, and nice-to-haves like wi-fi charging, but it surely’s an attractive-looking pill with a fairly intriguing USP.
- Respectable construct
- Stylus compatibility
- NXTPAPER 2.0 tech is an attention-grabbing USP
- Good value
- May not be the perfect for all makes use of
Design
- 259 x 163.6 x 6.9mm
- Weight: 462g
- 128GB storage, 4GB RAM
For a pill costing €249, the TCL NXTPAPER 11 does its bit to look fairly premium. Its casing is produced from a light-weight aluminium, accessible in a alternative of Darkish Gray and Digital Lavender (extra like a silver), and it has a slim, flat-edged design, a bit like we have seen from Apple in latest iPad iterations.
It isn’t fairly as skinny as an iPad although, measuring in at 6.9mm thick as compared with the iPad Pro 11 at 5.9mm. Whether or not you’ll discover this in use – notably after they weigh about the identical (with TCL’s 462g to the iPad Professional 11’s 466g) – we’ll have to attend and see. We might say the iPad nonetheless takes it on premium really feel although, however then the worth tag is way larger.
The NXTPAPER 11 retains branding to a minimal. When in panorama there’s a brand within the prime left nook of the again panel (as you have a look at it) however from the entrance, it is all in regards to the show. That is is an 11.2-inch 2K providing with uniformed bezels across the facet – however extra about that in a second.
Buttons for energy and quantity management are on the left hand-side of the pill – on the highest and facet when in panorama – and there is a tray for a nano SIM and a microSD card too, for increasing its 128GB on-board storage.
The principle 8MP digicam sits comparatively flush to the physique in a compact rectangular housing, whereas a selfie digicam sits centrally to the show in panorama extra. That is clearly how the pill is predicted for use for probably the most half, with stereo audio system at both edge – so you will have to be cautious the way you maintain it to get their full influence.
Show
- 11in 2K show (2000 x 1000)
- NXPAPER 2.0 know-how
- As much as 500 nits
The TCL NXTPAPER 11 has an 11in 2K (2000 x 1000) LCD show with a 213 pixel density. That may be on the low facet for in contrast with one thing just like the OnePlus Pad or Samsung’s vary of tablets, however this does not really feel like a pill you would be taking a look at if video watching and gaming was your prime focus.
That is as a result of it options TCL’s latest NXTPAPER 2.0 know-how. That may be a nano-chemical materials coating that sits on prime of the show and offers it a matte look, which isn’t dissimilar to e-ink at first look.
Not solely does that assist to cease reflections from all angles, it helps to scale back dangerous blue gentle too, making the show simpler in your eyes. That is solely bolstered additional by an built-in gentle sensor, which might mechanically alter the color temperature relying on the sunshine situations round you.
TCL has upped the brightness functionality within the second iteration of this know-how by 150%, so the display can now go up 500 nits, which feels lots vibrant sufficient when mixed the shortage of reflection in vibrant gentle.
The coating additionally provides the show a really tactile really feel, which works notably effectively with the low-latency T-pen stylus, accessible individually. TCL says it ought to really feel like writing on paper, and whereas we’re unsure that is fairly correct, the added friction and suggestions the coating brings with it undoubtedly helps it to really feel extra genuine. The one slight draw back? Should you choose to purchase the T-pen, there is no manner of storing or attaching it to the pill for secure preserving.
Dig into the NXTPAPER 11’s menus and you will additionally discover a studying mode, which very a lot feeds into its E Ink-esque design. This turns the display black and white, so you possibly can learn in monochrome – however being able to modify it again onto color for issues like comics and graphic novels is unquestionably a bonus.
Whereas the NXTPAPER 11 show will not be as variety in your eyes as actual E ink, you possibly can really feel when utilizing it the distinction in how your eyes react to it in use. We’re fairly taken with it and might see the enchantment for folks in search of a catch-all machine – so long as they don’t seem to be overly important of issues like image accuracy.
This feels just like the show of a pill aimed toward productiveness first, not multimedia. That is to not say you possibly can’t watch movies on this – after all you possibly can – however by way of accuracy of colors and general brightness, you are going to get a greater expertise on a daily LCD pill.
{Hardware}, software program and options
- Mediatak Helio P60T octa-core processor
- 128GB storage, 4GB RAM
- Android 13
- 8000mAh battery
- 8MP digicam fundamental digicam, 8MP wide-angle selfie digicam
The NXTPAPER 11 makes use of the Mediatek Helio P60T octa-core processor, alongside 4GB RAM and 128GB of storage. We did not get lengthy sufficient with the pill to get a real thought of how that each one works collectively, however in our time with it, all the things ran easily and loaded rapidly.
It runs Android 13 as its working system, as you would possibly count on, and there’s an 8000mAh battery with reverse charging inbuilt. That is the identical battery capability because the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8, however how lengthy it lasts might range because of the variations in processors and issues like display brightness. TCL has no claims, so it’s going to be right down to a full evaluation to seek out out.
There is no wireless charging right here although, and no quick charging both – so you will be caught with 18W wired when it is time to cost it up.
So far as cameras go, you will get an 8MP digicam on the again and an 8MP ultra-wide selfie digicam for video calls. The rear digicam has “AI digicam” written into its housing, however what meaning warrants additional time spent with it. We did have a really restricted mess around with the digicam in our palms on time, and located modes that included a panoramic mode and a cease movement choice.
Like all tablets, it will not be a digicam that’ll come near the one in your telephone, notably in low gentle, but it surely appears to be like prefer it’ll do a positive job for the odd snap right here and there. The selfie digicam is prone to be an important of the 2, and was suitably wide-angled for video calls, and was clear and noise free within the temporary time we spent with it.
Verdict
The TCL NXTPAPER 11 is a price range pill that is doing its bit to face out in what is usually a market of lookalikes and same-old same-old. You do lose out on a greater chipset that you’re going to see at larger value factors, and nice-to-haves like wi-fi charging, but it surely’s a beautiful wanting pill with a fairly intriguing USP.
The NXTPAPER 2.0 know-how does look beautiful, and feels good too, with stylus compatibility that extends its performance. It will not be the easiest for watching movies on, from an out-and-out efficiency perspective, however should you’re in search of a tool that may double up as a pill for work and an eye-friendly studying machine, the TCL NXTPAPER 11 might effectively be value a glance.
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