TCL Tab 10 NXTPAPER 5G review: A delightful travel companion

Traveling with technology is an Olympic sport for me. I need to ensure I have all the chargers ready, gear powered up, movies downloaded, books purchased, and music arranged before we set sail because otherwise, it’s a scramble to solve tech issues on the fly. And the TCL Tab 10 NXTPAPER 5G might be the right move to make things even easier when you head out of town.

At 10 inches, the TCL Tab 10 NXTPAPER 5G fits as perfectly in my bag as it does in my hands. The uniquely textured display using NXTPAPER 3.0 technology (a move taken from the TCL NXTPAPER smartphones) seamlessly switches between three modes: black and white ink, color ink, and full color to fit any scenario you might come across on your journeys. With 5G wireless support, you also won’t have to panic about preloading your device before you go.

Price, availability, and specs

A multimedia delight for those on the go

The TCL Tab 10 NXTPAPER 5G is perfectly priced through Verizon at $239 — plus an activation fee and a monthly fee for the 5G service if you want to stay connected on the go without Wi-Fi. I’m told by TCL that while the tablet is exclusive to Verizon, you can purchase it outright without a service plan, and with its eSIM support, it can accept other compatible SIM cards should you choose.

Right now, it only comes in a dark blue colorway with a 10.4-inch display.

What’s good about the TCL Tab 10 NXTPAPER 5G?

The screen really is something to experience

I’m not sure pictures and descriptions of the nano-etched NXTPAPER 3.0 technology can properly convey its uniqueness. Only recently has Apple dipped a toe into anti-glare screens for their iPad lineup, so to get something similar here at this price point is impressive.

Not only does it feel great to the touch, but it’s fun to look at and switch between the color modes — I had it on black and white for a lot of my trip, and the animation it plays when switching is a joy to watch. It’s hard to photograph, though, as it doesn’t appear quite as sharp as other displays, but it’s quite nice in action.

The screen also avoided a lot of fingerprints, and while I haven’t had a lengthy time using the TCL stylus with the TCL Tab 10 NXTPAPER 5G, it so far has easily held up against scratches and scribbling while I drew and sketched away. While not quite as responsive as my iPad Pro 11-inch (2020) and Apple Pencil 2, I had zero issues while working on storyboarding an upcoming short film. It’s almost there and certainly competitive in its price point.

Battery life was also incredible. Being on vacation out in the wilderness, I didn’t want to be bogged down with devices, as that’s not the point of disconnecting and focusing on nature. So, I limited my use to about an hour or so every morning, using only 5G as my connection. After five days on the road, the tablet was at 27% battery life by the time I got home. Not once did I charge it, and I can safely say I could survive another few days with the same use.

I’m also impressed with the tablet’s responsiveness in general. While there were a few hiccups under larger loads, Android 14 did not struggle with what I wanted it to do. And when used as an e-reader, it has more than enough power to keep plugging away at the Count of Monte Cristo.

The 2.2 GHz Octa-core processor and 6GB of RAM were more than enough to handle what I threw at it, and the nano-etched anti-glare screen was great in the morning sunlight.

With a 90Hz refresh rate, everything was as smooth as it was crisp. With 128GB of internal storage, I had plenty of space for downloads, with the option to expand even further to 1TB with a MicroSD card. I much prefer it over the Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus I reviewed recently, but if you’re looking for a table for your kids, go Fire HD and keep the NXTPAPER for yourself.

Sound-wise, I was also able to watch YouTube quietly without waking anyone while still getting the depth and clarity from the TCL TAB10 NXTPAPER 5G’s dual external speakers. For truly quiet mornings, I had no issues connecting to Bluetooth headphones and listening away.

What’s bad about the TCL Tab 10 NXTPAPER 5G?

Are sunglasses part of your identity? I have some bad news for you.

One of the perks of the Tab 10 NXTPAPER 5G is how great it does in sunlight. One of the downsides to sunlight, however, is that it can be so bright that it bothers human eyeballs. Because of this, we like to wear sunglasses. If those sunglasses are polarized, you cannot use the tablet in specific orientations (horizontal = OK, vertical = not OK). This is because the NXTPAPER screen is already designed to reduce digital eye strain, but that doesn’t stop the sun from being bright.

The other downside of the tablet is something we’re all familiar with when it comes to budget-friendly devices: pre-installed software. Because my tablet is connected with a trial of Verizon’s 5G services, there’s a suite of Verizon apps installed — three of them, to be exact. Then, during setup, it also went ahead and automatically installed Facebook, IMDb, LinkedIn, Yelp, and more.

My only other gripe is the cameras: they’re serviceable but not great. At 8mp each, the front and back cameras here definitely show where some of the corners were cut for the sake of budget. Oh, and I guess it’d be nice to be able to attach the TCL stylus to the tablet in some way, but that’s not a large issue if you’ve got a bag with you.

Should you buy it?

Budget-friendly, unique, and worth every penny

If you travel, the TCL Tab 10 NXTPAPER 5G is a smart purchase, especially if you don’t need a tablet as a workhorse. At around $1800 less than the iPad Pro with a similarly textured screen, you’d be hard-pressed to find a legitimate reason not to. It’s actually really hard to find a competitor at a similar price point because of the screen. You get close to the Amazon Fire HD 10, but it doesn’t have the nano-etched screen or the 5G connectivity. Plus, the TCL tablet is powerful enough for everything you need to do on the go when you don’t need a laptop. It’s great for reading books, sketching, and watching videos, and the battery is a champ.

Most of the time, you’ll be able to go to places with Wi-Fi, too, if you didn’t want to spring for the 5G service, but with the service, you’ll be truly on the go. Plus, any stress reduction when you’re getting ready to leave the house is a bonus.

If you’re on Android to begin with and also already a Verizon customer, definitely look into the TAB10 NXTPAPER 5G as your new travel buddy.