Crazy 'ePaper' Smartphone! | TCL 40 NxtPaper Unboxing

Unboxing the TCL 40 NxtPaper smartphone, rocking an 'ePaper' display which mimics a Kindle screen - making for easy reading and clear outdoor visibility. This hands-on TCL 40 NxtPaper review covers the camera tech, gaming, video streaming and other features. Note that this isn't the 5G model, which serves up entirely different specs!
That screen is a regular TFT-style phone panel, except that it has a multi-layer coating which creates the matte finish and filters blue light. The TCL 40 NxtPaper has many different display modes, to suit different scenarios. I certainly enjoyed reading books and manga, although movies look a little foggy, lacking in sharpness.
Also, the camera tech here on the TCL 40 NxtPaper is basic stuff - as you'd expect at this budget price point. Performance comes courtesy of a simple Mediatek Helio processor, but my gaming test was a success - Call of Duty plays well enough for me to actually win a game!
Battery life is good too, although don't expect the TCL 40 NxtPaper to last weeks like a Kindle. A full day or maybe even a weekend of use between charging is more like it.
TCL 40 NxtPaper Unboxing & Review Chapters:
0:00 - Something a little different
0:34 - What's in the (book) box?
1:03 - Design
2:33 - TCL UI & features
4:35 - Display
8:09 - Audio
9:26 - Performance & gaming
10:48 - Battery life
11:22 - Cameras

[@TechSpurt]

Hey, thanks for checking out my TCL 40 NxtPaper video - was refreshing to play around with a very different kind of phone, and stay tuned for my Boox Palma review - a phone-sized e-ink Android tablet!

[@EmmieSuksai]

Przestań demaskować wszystkich, kretynie‼️

[@nmac101]

Hey, I got some questions about the screen. Does it scratch and break like other phones with a glass screen? Do you recommend using a screen protector on it?

[@qwertykeyboard5901]

Imagine having an anime background on your phone. God, that would be so cringe!

[@worldveganmarket7698]

Hey great fan of your channel, did you manage to get the other two cameras 8MP and 2MP to work? Found no way to select them from menu - software update?

[@vladtheinhaler93]

Damn, as someone who only normally only uses phone to check time and receive calls, I was hoping for a worthy replacement for my now outdated YotaPhone2, and it's always on, zero-power e-ink rear screen. Could keep that thing sat on my desk for days, and see time, battery, and alerts at a glance, and it would last like a week before needing to charge..

[@darkosrebotnik7118]

As a Kindle lover, and someone who have read a crazy amount of ebooks on my phone before buying a Kindle, I absolutely love the concept of this phone.

[@AlexChung-lz5wv]

Where do I buy one? How much?

[@kartikey92]

Buy a matt screen guard and slap on the top of a regular phone with an Oled display and turn on grey scale mode and boom you got what you wanted!!!!

[@YoutubeWatcher264]

After watching some more videos, I found that this one actually does not use e-ink. TCL uses LCD they just put a layer to make the display matte.

[@Kytronicz]

​@@KZbinWatcher264lameee

[@EmmieSuksai]

Nienawidzę twoich filmów

[@dkbardillon]

My guy, you're on a roll. You're not running out of budget smartphones to review! Thanks for always looking out for people who can't afford or won't afford thousand-dollar colorful rectangles.

[@EmmieSuksai]

Nie mów mi, żebym się zamknął [ _ ], nie mów mi nic. Nienawidzę tego kanału

[@lewisknight2226]

"Nuttier than a squirrels first dump of the day" 😂😂😂

[@volthndsa2005]

I don't know where or how he comes up with these :D

[@Vatsal1285]

It's crazy

[@TaidaDave]

i save those

[@saz153]

So funny. 🤣

[@MrMikander]

Yeah, that one made me crack...

[@NatrajChaturvedi]

To want a computer monitor like experience for a pocket device is actually an insane mindset. If this can help with battery life, eye health etc then I am totally down with making some compromises for it. If more manufacturers put these paper screens in their phones, I can see them becoming a great option for many people.

[@Jakef100f]

It's a normal screen but with a mate finish

[@junoperberry]

this is not a paper screen or e-ink, it's an lcd with a matte coating

[@grugiv]

@@junoperberry shit man i was convinced it was, got excited

[@donmrlobi]

I got a TCL 20 Pro on a bargain a couple of months ago and was amazed by how well it performs and how feature-packed it actually is! I'm glad TCL is releasing more phones, specially unusual ones like this one!!

[@st20332]

It's a gimmick tbh, just an lcd with added matte finish

[@markuc]

Exactly the same. Bought that phone as a temporarily phone while my preferred Samsung was on backorder. It worked so well that I'm still using it!

[@vladimirkoshelev9584]

Я TCL 20Pro в 22м году покупал, очень классный телефон, недавно его в пруду утопил, ищу теперь какой на замену взять

[@jnee]

I really love this screen concept. Most manufacturers treat phone screens like TV screens but they're intended for completely different use cases. This makes sense to me

[@geiers6013]

The thing is this just is a matte low end lcd screen. Any modern Oled phone absolutely blows it out of the water in everything and bluelight filters are standard nowadays. Glossy also is not a problem anymore with modern Oleds on phones boosting to like 2000 nits and automatically elevating blacks in direct sunlight I can easily still see anything and it always looks way better than any lcd and is way faster. Nit to mention that Oleds are even more power efficient, especially in phones.

[@jnee]

totally hear what ur saying, I think what I was getting at is that for me a phone is a communication tool I leave the house with. I need it for a bit of reading and typing with my grimy workshop fingers. A glossy hi res OLED is better suited to my living room, whereas as this feels better suited to the conditions I work in @@geiers6013

[@czkmeister]

@@geiers6013 I wish companies went back to LCD, at least for the cheaper models. They are way more repairable, considering a replacement LCD costs almost nothing and a replacement high refresh rate oled costs an arm and a leg but must importnantly, PWM. Oled sucks for PWM sensitive people, and big companies give absolute crap about those customers (at least non chinese ones, it's nice to see brands like Xiaomi support high PWM dimming).

[@vladtheinhaler93]

I mean, most users screen-time is netflix/youtube and/or gaming, so not really that different from a tv..

[@vladtheinhaler93]

WDYM?! All the budget phones use LCD tech, and PWM has far more impact with any kind of back-lit panel!@@czkmeister

[@jdubxi11]

Didn't expect to hear of a new phone that actually suited my needs. After 15+ years in the industry I have really pulled away from the use of my phone for what I used to. I'm more introvert than I used to be and prefer music and reading to videos and socializing. I fell away from even gaming on my phone. Used to be over the moon I could game on the go, but now the novelty has worn off for me. Wish I'd come across this sooner, just got new phone a couple weeks ago but I think I'm going to pick this one up regardless. Thanks for the great review!

[@silly-goof]

watching this video in TCL 40 NXTPAPER.....the phone is really amazing and works great 👍

[@sanalsz]

How was it under sunlight, compared to a phone with high brightness?

[@jgp988]

How about selfie?

[@drovoseg]

Does the display scratch?

[@sterlingpratt5802]

This is one of the first phone designs I’ve seen in a while that is actually interesting.

[@amaljoe367]

I like matte displays on my laptop, and I've used matte screen protector on my pixel. I love the finish and wish more companies made such displays.

[@ebiooo]

I also like matte screens, but i get why not many companies do it. Matte screens make the display a bit “blurrier” as it doesn’t let the light to pass perfectly from the display, so the display feels more low-res than it actually is. That’s why people prefer glossy screens over matte on a phone, plus if you really want a matte screen you can just slap a matte screen protector and you’re good to go

[@adixar]

No thanks.

[@Dongzzzzzz]

No, companies should never apply matte displays from factory as even the greatest oleds have trash contrast ratio because of it and the colors are muted. For the super small minority who want matte should just apply matte screen protectors for themselves as that at least is an option and not forced upon.

[@azteca452]

I don't like matte displays because they look washed out compared to a glossy screen, my laptop my phone and my tv are all OLED glossy and they look incredible.

[@linklovezelda]

​@@Dongzzzzzzit's not quite the same as a matte screen protector and you still have the choice not to buy a phone with a matte screen lol saying they shouldn't exist just cause you don't like them is dumb

[@Dollique]

This sounds amazing for Manga reading! I don't like to buy and carry too many devices, so this is the perfect alternative. Compared to e-readers, the price also is really reasonable.

[@CaptainJonathan]

I've been hoping for something like this for a long time. I don't know why there is such an obsession with glossy screens. I want to look at whats on the display, not what's reflecting in it. The best would be a truely color E-Ink display, if ever it could match the speed, color, and quality of current OLEDs. But this may be the best way to go.

[@drovoseg]

Glass is glossy and very durable, everything else have scratches after a few month

[@sjstu]

It’s great to see some new ideas on a smartphone

[@sjstu]

@@twinturboray and software to compliment it when it's had the bug fixes.

[@EmmieSuksai]

​@@sjstuNie mówi do mnie po angielsku, bo jestem z Polski

[@sylad]

Got this phone yesterday in the Uk. It does not come in the book like box on your video but a black box as see on other YT videos. Can also confirm it does come with a Uk Charger plug in the box. So far i like the screen ,not does much testing outside with the screen yet but very happy with my purchase.

[@waynesurvey]

Considering one of these at the moment. What’s your experience of it like now, 2 months later?

[@momenelorbany]

you're one based tech youtuber who's not afraid to bring out their personality, subbed

[@ras7646]

Was debating getting e-ink tablets for reading and felt it would be waste of money. This phone is on my radar.

[@Ryanska_u]

As someone who reads a lot of Mangas and books. I always loved my Samsung gelaxy fold but my biggest issue was the screen, this seems like an amazing innovation and then at that price! Might pick it up :)

[@graywolf2694]

I don't use any of the advanced features of my Samsung phone, I'm liking the basics and screen of this phone, now I just have to find one. I don't even need 5g.

[@DavidGreen_au]

If the screen is designed to handle the bright outdoors, I would be very interested in seeing this across a wider range of devices. As an enthused Zenfone user though, its dimensions are bit daunting. I don't want a slab for a phone. But it looks like a good start.

[@aidan8583]

theoretically shouldn't it be better outdoors than in the dark? as it will simply reflect all light.

[@camotech1314]

Nothing wrong with the fat lip, helps when swiping up to go home or open recent apps.

[@camerons.8322]

I was hoping to see you film what the screen looks like under direct sunlight. I'd love to see this kind of screen on a Snapdragon phone. Living as a construction worker in Florida, I'd love a phone with that kind of outdoor legibility.

[@Kaienhere]

You can always get a matte finish screen protector for your current phone, they're harder to find but it's worth it

[@netnomad47]

​@@Kaienherematte screen protectors distort the clarity and add a rainbow effect. So having a screen with this tech would be great

[@bradye21playsIndieHorror]

It is Britain, there is no sunlight.

[@junoperberry]

​@@netnomad47a matte coating on the screen would do the same thing

[@cromyjr1592]

@@bradye21playsIndieHorrorbesides that, sunlight is bad for baldies :))

[@bogusparasite6655]

matte display smart phones has to catch on, it's so good

[@l0g1cle]

Just need them to come out with 7 or 8 inch version tablet and I'm hooked on.

[@dominiquek746]

The display is absolutely gorgeous

[@ceegslug]

oh my old nokia lumia 500 had a "sunlight" mode like this, it ruled! but definitely no replacement for a fully reflective epaper display

[@thestormwire]

This phone has so much potential in the mid-range world! I really am looking forward to the next gen!

[@spasi57]

I think they had a great inovative idea which will improve in time.

[@jinraigami3349]

Bro loves anime and manga. The best reviewer for sure.

[@zippyfinleyadventures]

Love the idea of the display being matte

[@ozb3029]

"you jammy git" my man, you are the King of reviews.

[@sun.flower_breezy]

Finally There is not enough coverage for this model Things come out 3 weeks ago

[@syazwanshaifuddin6110]

Sees the thumbnail: I see you're a man of culture as well

[@Exelionmode]

Best thing about this display that nobody talk about is it make anime wallpaper look so good

[@bejeweld]

For the Disney app bug; I think this is to protect the content from being copied or pirated. For example: when you want to take a screenshot when playing Netflix on your computer (atleast in Chrome) the screen goes black as well.

[@eruno_]

more phones with this display further advanced would be great

[@psI6]

i LOVE this matt display. Hoping more mobile companies move in this direction.

[@nerdyneighbor]

This looks fantastic. I don't need a phone right now. But if I did, I feel like I'd buy this in a heartbeat.

[@okamiboi]

Holy tea your accent is STRONG. I LOVE IT.

[@zloboslav_]

I love it when they put the headphone jack!

[@yourpaljd]

I love this concept for a phone, I hope they continue to make and improve these

[@LiranBarsisa]

Wait, if it has some special display like e-ink, why not check it out outside when there is sun shining, and the opposite (when there is darkness) ? Would be interesting to see if it's good in these conditions

[@romanloev5376]

He is living in UK, speaks for itself

[@LiranBarsisa]

@@romanloev5376 Most of the time it's cloudy anyway, you say?

[@cuthomas4664]

NXT paper is LCD technology with special layers of screen coating to reduce eye strain. It is opposite to E-ink display, which takes the advantage of ambience light.

[@ika32]

How does this only cost 200 pounds?! A lot of the specs are like flagship level and you would pay around $800 for them, and there doesn't seem to be many compromises. I don't get it lol

[@drwigglechin]

Was coming into this review with hope a paper screen would give like 3 days to a week worth of battery life. Love charging the kindle like every month or so.

[@TheJaniable]

it's actually just an LCD with a matte finish, so no improvement there

[@markuc]

Great review! I'm more interested in the tablet with the same paper mode.

[@himanshuchauhan5203]

Great concept, to reduce eye strain in modern times, love to see big brands to launch such with refined experience

[@ketorusindbad]

I bought one, but probably I'll return it. A side by side comparison with a plain reflective lcd phone and a kindle e-ink display clearly shows the usual lcd viewing angle shifts, doesn't matter which mode I use (normal, nx colored, nx monochrome, 90hz). I've read more than a hundred books on e-readers (sony, then various kindles) and I still dislike the gray background of ebooks, but to me this device is not the answer. I also find the helio g88 a bit weak for daily tasks: where my g99 device is smooth, here I see small stutters from time to time. Skeptics said that a matte screen cover would achieve the same effect and I have to agree, no matter how silly it sounds.

[@DogDog173]

the rsponsiveness is crazy!!

[@davoodgh6339]

You are an expert in the field of mobile phones between tcl nxtpaper and poco c65 Which is a better value purchase?

[@zerioification]

I kinda want a wider or folding phone with this screen now

[@MrSolvalou]

So how is this exactly different from a 2€ "paperlike" screen protector from Aliexpress?

[@TheJaniable]

it's more expensive and has a shitty phone attached to it that's how

[@Xtechi]

Question, does adding an anti-glare screen protector have the same effect? And does having this display improve battery life

[@cromyjr1592]

we don't know with these kind of cookie cutter reviews, they tell you nothing useful

[@Xtechi]

@@cromyjr1592 I like that term "Cookie-Cutter" Nice

[@cromyjr1592]

@@XtechiI just found Chalid Raqami's channel, he has a better review than our beloved cookie-baldie-cutter :) He replies to one of the comments like yours: "That's definitely an option, for other phones. But in my experience the effect is not as pronounced as it is on these phones, and it results in slightly more pixel-blur imho." As for battery life - no, these are not e-ink devices, they are just as battery hungry like lcds.

[@Mothyave]

Oooh, that's a very interesting phone. The only thing I do not like is the Mediatek Helio chip. The first time I used a non-Samsung phone, it was a Realme 8i with a Mediatek Helio and I absolutely couldn't stand it. Every time you switched apps it would re-load them, because it constantly "forgot" what it was doing. Very annoying, especially with buying something online, where you have to switch between your browser/shopping app and you banking app of choice. The only thing making it bearable was the virtual button with quick, mini versions of apps, so I could have two on screen. And devs definitely knew it was a problem cuz it was one of the best app shelves I've seen so far.

[@wmderemer]

Can you share a link to the Miku wallpaper?

[@itsabingo8712]

I usually try to find matte finish screen protectors so this is an interesting build

[@Katjajaja]

I use a matte paper-like protector for my Ipad, it helps with drawing but it also makes reading manga feel much better. There is a loss in clarity on video content though, so I don't know if I would want something like that on a smartphone but this seems like a pretty good implementation of it.

[@darling_yext]

Love that packaging, excellent for the price.

[@Aygross]

What do I gain over using a matte or paper like screen protector?

[@Kaienhere]

No glare, best visibility under direct sun, easy for the eyes specially at night, the anti reflective finish works as a privacy screen protector too

[@TheJaniable]

literally nothing, this is just an LCD with matte finish

[@red_ashcroft]

It's basically the same as Xiaomi's reading mode, but way less buggy. I put a matte screen protector on my xiaomi phone and basically have the same iteration of TCL's but it never bugged out on me like that.

[@eruno_]

can you cover 5G version considering it's a very different phone?

[@Marsh1983]

Bring this to a foldable phone with high specs and I'm sold

[@MrRiz157]

Thanks for the review loving the matte display Perhaps better on the eyes

[@v5ali911]

0:31 so the subscribe button lights up when he says subscribe that nice 👍

[@yrj76]

The front end feels like the backend. I died. 😂

[@abus8033]

I'm really impressed with this e-paper technology. I wish I could earn this, so I can read books and manga comfortably like on a real paper book ☺️

[@samobileshorts]

Nice phone , I love the display quality

[@welpyes]

nice wallpaper mate, mind if u share?

[@gamergoneretro7898]

Dude i think i love this display, it feels simple and easy on the eyes

[@Maxime-uq6hx]

Thank you it is very interesting

[@Dew4lk]

Very cool display tech

[@moomin7461]

Where can you buy this phone in the UK? I have only seen it on eBay, where it's £250, not the £179 stated here.

[@JokeyzForever]

The wallpaper made me watch this whole video :3

[@sigitpamungkas9631]

ive been watching your videos for so long and i hope that someday you’ll share the wallpapers you’ve been used😅 kinda likes that anime wallpapers tho

[@challacustica9049]

I love this - has all the things most manufacturers are removing with a great screen. Might be my next phone when the 5G model is out.

[@Sachen_]

I came for the Nakano Miku wallpaper

[@chuckevans5933]

where is he getting these cool wallpapers

[@EmmieSuksai]

DeviantArt

[@michaelwalker552]

thats what i wanna know

[@MichaelW1959]

If that was a Clockwork Orange reference, know that "ultraviolence" means something very different from just excessively violent.

[@netnomad47]

Matte screen protectors distort the image and add a slight rainbow effect so having a screen with this tech is great!

[@Kaienhere]

So how is TCL with security updates/patches? Do they have extended support for their phones?

[@VapidUsername]

I had the TCL 10l. Didn't get any OS update, and security update was pretty random. I have a TCL 40 SE since May and think I've had two security updates so far. Very much doubt it'll see Android 14.

[@Kaienhere]

@@VapidUsername didn't have much hopes on this brand but I still feel disappointed sigh

[@VapidUsername]

@@Kaienhere the actual phones themselves are fine. You get more than you expect for the price, but they definitely need to work on supporting their products

[@kbtriplesix]

@@Kaienherewhat do you expect from a cheap phone? they all dont have many updates

[@dave8204]

@@Kaienhere No worse than Motorola now to be fair,but still disappointing.

[@jackpmeadows]

Great review...as always. Thanks.

[@notcancanomar]

Can you show us how it looks in broad daylight with the lowest brightness? And how bright is the glow in the dark. Funny things about the boox Palma, actually thinking of considering it to combat my phone and screen addiction. I would only have pragmatic apps like the robot vacuum cleaner and my local library app, lol

[@loneforrestgumpbear]

This is RM900+ in our country, specs is quite decent for a ordinary phone and it really matte screen on phone. And it has a Note-like pen but it was kept on its custom phone cover.

[@bazzeil]

Definitely like to see a phone with outdoor readability. I remember using my palm tx in college and it was easily readable outdoors. Also... this is the first time i've seen the subscribe button flash every time a person says "subscribe"

[@nicknorthcutt7680]

Been looking at getting this because it seems like it'd be good for eye strain

[@lukerobinson9902]

6:19 Nice Chainsaw Man reference, I can't wait for the second season to come out!

[@TechSpurt]

Same, had to read ahead in the manga to get another fix!

[@EmmieSuksai]

​@@TechSpurtNikogo nie obchodzi ten pieprzony film ‼️

[@insideT7IO.]

I love matte finish ❤

[@Yot359]

Would the screen be readable on that e-paper black and white mode in the summer , outside where it's the absolute brightest, Or when surrounded by snow in a sunny day?

[@dimitrismanolas]

You review a phone made for reading without showing any of there features. Browsing the web? Reading a pdf ? Kindle ?

[@BryBry77]

This would be ideal for the older generation who want a phone & a kindle together

[@HitomiNee]

ngl, the thumbnail got me. where did you get it the phone wallpaper? lol

[@abakedpotato1486]

Clicked for the anime girl wallpaper

[@sadev101]

lcd with matte screen its good for less glare/reflection but its still lcd if the backlighting is off its still not like epaper visible so your still stck with backligting. the one thing why people by ereaders with eink. to not need backlighting

[@greycell2442]

I didn't see it yet on the website for America yet. The display looks awesome. Worth trying, see how the Mediatek processor runs.

[@RUS-dv5sm]

So a regular smartphone with a matt screen protector?

[@jiffonbuffo]

Subbed with the anime wallpaper. 2:50 Validated my subbing decision. I know it's unintentional but still...

[@noahmathers]

ooh!! ok it has a paper-like touch screen I though it was full color e-ink display and was completely blow away by that crazy refresh rate hahaha

[@coolmedina117]

Chris always respect the wallpapers

[@f11bot]

Awesome Miku wallpaper like always!

[@jz6367]

As someone with a matte screen protector on my phone, I like the idea. Hopefully gets better with time

[@feywiild]

Drinking game idea: Drink (your gamer juice) everytime he says "NXTPaper" 😂 Love your video, thank you!