TCL is adding yet another update to its line of NXTPAPER tablets. This time, the company has collaborated with Verizon to release the TAB 10 NXTPAPER 5G. Unveiled earlier at CES 2024, this tablet once again aims to be an affordable option to the well-touted “color e-ink” style of its display.
Design and Build
The TAB 10 NXTPAPER 5G features a sleek, dark blue design, measuring 9.69 x 6.14 x 0.31 inches and weighing 16.93 ounces. A solid design that goes a few steps above what is expected with tablets today, though no particular aspect is that spectacular or noteworthy.
Basic Innards
Official internal specs list the product’s SoC as a yet-to-be-named octa-core 2.2Ghz MediaTek SoC. This is kind of worrisome, as the biggest criticism of NXTPAPER tablets, in general, is their weaker compute performance. Its single variant of 6GB of RAM and 128GB storage also kind of feels paltry for a full-sized tablet (of its advertised application) in 2024, even if its price point technically justifies this processing package. You can expand its storage to 1TB via microSD, at least.
Display Screen
Of course, the most important compensation for its other drawbacks, is its 10.4-inch NXTPAPER display. This has been the primary display technology of the eponymous tablet product series that offers a glare-free and eye-care experience in the form of an e-ink-like display. Unlike e-ink, it is fully colored, has a vibrant 2000×1200 resolution, and its 90Hz refresh rate is much, much better for general access and browsing. It even has a touch sample rate of 180 Hz, unimpressive for most capacitive touchscreens, but is light years better than e-ink.
The same e-ink-like technology limits its maximum effective brightness, though, so still a few minus points for that.
Camera Performance
The tablet features an 8MP rear camera with autofocus and an LCD flash, along with an 8MP front camera. This is a (budget) tablet though, so don’t really expect anything much. Mostly designed for casual video calls only.
Other Features
The TAB 10 NXTPAPER 5G is slated to run Android 14, generally the native version if not close to one. The 6,000mAh battery claims up to 50 days of standby time on 4G, but actual usage time on 5G networks remains uncertain. As its name suggests, the tablet supports various 5G bands, as well as Bluetooth 5.3, though its Wi-Fi and USB Type-C connections are unspecified.
Probably the most disappointing is that it lacks a headphone jack. Not surprising at all for a NXTPAPER series tablet, but still.
Price and Availability
The TCL TAB 10 NXTPAPER 5G is available exclusively through Verizon, priced at $6.66 per month for 36 months or $240 outright. Very affordable, though as with all previous NXTPAPER tablets, this is never designed for very intensive compute processes, even if stable long-term use is one of its key marketing points.
Still, if you want a business-oriented e-reader that can double as a multimedia unit and an office electronic notepad, then this updated 5G unit might be for you.
