TCL has been releasing phones with its e-reader-style NxtPaper displays for a few years now, most recently with the TCL 60 XE NxtPaper. But the upcoming premium version of that handset, the TCL NxtPaper 60 Ultra, adds two new features only found in high-end phones — a telephoto camera and a stylus — for the price of a midrange device.
The best phones under $500 category has always been competitive, with high-value handsets like the Samsung Galaxy A55, iPhone SE 2022 and Google Pixel 9A packing premium features at a lower price than their high-end siblings. But TCL’s next phone aims to compete with those heavy hitters by raising the bar with a 3x zoom lens and stylus. Though we’ll wait to see how they perform in testing, on paper, that sets the NxtPaper 60 Ultra apart from some of its peers.
The big downside for Americans: TCL hasn’t announced if, or when, the NxtPaper 60 Ultra will be sold in the US. It launches today, Sept. 4, in Europe, Latin America and Asia-Pacific markets starting at 449 euros (converts to roughly $525 or £390) for 256GB of onboard storage, or 499 euros (around $580 or £430) for 512GB of storage.
The 60 Ultra’s three rear cameras are headed by its 50-megapixel 3x periscope zoom camera with optical image stabilization capable of 100x maximum zoom and a “telephoto macro” that TCL asserts can take detailed photos of close-in subjects, like other macro cameras do. Its other two rear cameras include a 50-megapixel main shooter (also with OIS) and 8-megapixel ultrawide camera. It also packs a 32-megapixel selfie shooter.
The TCL NXTPAPER 60 Ultra supports the T Pen Magic stylus, though it doesn’t rest in a dedicated slot in the phone.
The T Pen Magic is the NxtPaper 60 Ultra’s other big feature, support for a stylus that TCL says is pressure-sensitive and has ultralow latency. After Samsung stopped selling its Galaxy Note series, few phones support this feature, mostly amounting to the high-end Galaxy S25 Ultra and budget Motorola Moto G Stylus. Note that the T Pen Magic stylus doesn’t fit into the NxtPaper 60 Ultra in a dedicated slot like the other phones, and is sold separately or in a bundle with the phone that bumps up the price to 499 euros (around $583) for the 256GB storage option or 549 euros (around $640) for 512GB.
The 60 Ultra also uses the next generation of TCL’s signature textured display technology, NxtPaper 4.0. TCL says it has zero flicker or reflection no matter how bright you make the screen. It also reduces blue light, making it easier on the eyes when viewing in dim light at night.
Inside the 60 Ultra, TCL packs a MediaTek Dimensity 7400 chip and 12GB of RAM (which can borrow up to 12GB of storage space for extra memory). For scrolling and reading, the phone has a massive 7.2-inch Full HD (2,340×1,080-pixel resolution) display and a 5,200-mAh battery with 33-watt wired charging, as well as IP68 water and dust resistance. It comes with Android 15 out of the box.
The TCL Movetime MT48 smartwatch for kids comes in four colors.
A NxtPaper phone for children, a 5G kids watch and a projector
TCL announced a trio of other products launching in the coming weeks and months, but only one, a projector, that will be sold in the US.
The NxtPaper 5G Junior brings the company’s display tech to a phone designed for kids. It has a 6.7-inch screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, 256GB of storage with 8GB of RAM, a 50-megapixel rear camera and 8-megapixel selfie shooter. It will retail for 249 euros (around $290, £215) when it launches in Europe in late October.
The TCL Movetime MT48 is the company’s smartwatch designed for children in a variety of fun colors (blue, pink, cream white and gray). It uses L1 and L5 GPS to help parents track their children’s whereabouts with a traceable location history, customized Safe Zone and real-time navigation.
Parents can video chat with their kids using the watch’s always-on 4G connection, which will presumably require a data subscription. The smartwatch is IP68 rated for dust and water resistance (the same as leading phones have) and has a 900-mAh battery that TCL says lasts for 2.5 days on a single charge. It also includes what TCL describes as “kid-safe AI,” though it’s unclear what that entails. The watch will be priced at 150 euros (around $175, £130) when it launches in late October in the UK, Spain, Germany, Italy and France.
The TCL PlayCube projector, the only one of these products confirmed to come to the US, debuted at CES and MWC earlier this year. It projects images at 750 ISO lumens for a functional display of 30 inches to 150 inches and has a battery that lasts three hours. It will be available for 799 euros (around $930, £690) starting Sept. 5 with an initial launch region of the US, Europe and Japan.
