When your smartphone screen feels more like looking at printed paper than a glowing display, you know something revolutionary is happening. The TCL NXTPAPER 60 Ultra represents the first smartphone equipped with the latest version of NXTPAPER technology, and early reviews suggest it just might be a favorite smartphone display of all time. With NXTPAPER 4.0 featuring a redesigned substrate and nano-matrix lithography application to enhance brightness and color accuracy, this is not just another incremental display upgrade. It is a complete rethinking of smartphone visual comfort.
The significance lies in TCL's approach to the fundamental problem. Instead of simply adding software filters or aftermarket solutions, they rebuilt the entire display stack from the substrate up. The comfort benefits are engineered directly into the screen manufacturing process, not slapped on as an overlay that compromises image quality. Smart, right?
What makes NXTPAPER 4.0 actually revolutionary?
Let's break down what's happening under the hood. NXTPAPER 4.0 features a redesigned substrate and nano-matrix lithography application that goes far beyond traditional anti-glare coatings. The technology incorporates nano-matrix lithography technology, enabling a screen with exceptional clarity and vivid visuals, while achieving a paper-like index of 70.4, certified by TÜV Rheinland and SGS.
This nano-matrix lithography process is where the magic happens. Instead of etching a uniform matte surface, TCL uses precision manufacturing to create microscopic structures that scatter light in specific ways. The resulting paper-like index of 70.4 shows how closely the display mimics the light-scattering properties of paper, and hitting that mark while keeping color accuracy intact is a real technical feat.
What stands out in daily use is how this updated anti-glare layer reduces reflections so much that the display looks almost identical to full-color paper printing. The display integrates multi-layer innovations, like anti-glare, reflection free, zero flicker, and blue light purification, creating what TCL calls a "next-level viewing experience." Tilt it near a desk lamp and text still looks calm and paper-like instead of washed out.
The key difference from those matte screen protectors you can buy is precision and integration. NXTPAPER 4.0 builds these properties directly into the display panel using controlled nano-etching that maintains image sharpness while eliminating glare, something aftermarket solutions struggle to achieve without making text look grainy or reducing contrast.
Why zero flicker matters more than you think
Here is where things get really interesting. Most smartphone displays, especially OLEDs, use PWM, Pulse Width Modulation, dimming, which creates imperceptible flickering that can cause eye strain over time. The NXTPAPER 60 Ultra achieves comfortable viewing with zero flicker, unlike OLED, because the display is completely flicker-free and uses DC dimming to eliminate PWM flicker.
PWM dimming works by rapidly turning pixels on and off to control brightness. Imagine a strobe light flashing thousands of times per second. Your conscious mind might miss it, but your visual system still works overtime, which can lead to fatigue during long sessions.
The impressive part is maintaining this flicker-free behavior from very dim to very bright. It can get down to 2 nits when extra dim display is enabled, while the SGS-certified dim-light eye protection detects ambient light and adjusts brightness to as low as 2 nits for effortless nighttime browsing. At the other end, brightness runs up to 780 nits in typical use, with some sources citing 850 nits peak brightness.
That 2-nit minimum lands well below many flagships that bottom out around 10 to 15 nits. For late-night reading or quick checks in a dark room, being able to go that low, without flicker, makes the screen easier on your eyes and your sleep.
How blue light filtering actually works at the hardware level
Most phones tackle blue light with software that simply adds a yellow tint. TCL took a different route. The core of TCL NXTPAPER technology fine-tunes the LED blue light spectrum, shifting the blue light peak to the safe band of 457~462.5 nm. The results are clear to see: harmful blue light ratio in TCL NXTPAPER 4.0 has been reduced to as low as 3.41% compared to traditional LCDs.
Blue light is not inherently harmful, the issue is the high-energy band around 415 to 455 nm that can contribute to eye strain and circadian rhythm disruption. By shifting the emission peak to the 457 to 462.5 nm range, TCL keeps the crispness and color pop while reducing the harsher part of the spectrum.
This hardware-level approach means NXTPAPER 4.0 features a built-in blue light filter that performs exceptionally well without the color hit that software filters usually bring. The phone also includes two automated modes that adjust the display's color temperature to match the time of day or automatically based on ambient light temperature, creating what TCL calls circadian screen comfort that subtly shifts brightness and color temperature in sync with your natural rhythm.
In plain sight, colors stay natural. No heavy amber cast. Just a calmer screen that still looks like your phone.
Real-world performance: where it shines and where it doesn't
Let’s talk trade-offs. The 7.2-inch display uses 2340 x 1080 resolution at 7.2 inches, which means the display looks a little soft compared to higher-resolution flagships. You are looking at roughly 325 pixels per inch, perfectly readable but not razor sharp like QHD+ panels.
TCL counters with some of the best LCD tuning around. Viewing angles and black levels are spectacular and are the best I've ever seen on an IPS-based display. That is notable for IPS, which typically trails OLED in contrast. Wide angles also keep the comfort benefits consistent when you are not looking head-on.
Outside, the anti-glare layer flexes in the right moments. The effect is best in any indoor condition or when outside in partial shade. While it's not hard to see in sunlight, it's not as easy as E Ink or some OLED displays. The 120Hz refresh rate keeps scrolling smooth, though motion resolution is worse than OLED but better than a traditional IPS display. Find a bit of shade and the look snaps into place.
Taken together, these trade-offs fit the mission. If you are mostly reading, browsing, and working rather than gaming or chasing HDR spectacle, the slightly lower resolution fades into the background while the comfort perks carry the day.
The Max Ink Mode game-changer
This is the party trick. There’s a switch on the side of the phone used to change screen mode, switching over to Max Ink Mode for an instant detox. This upgraded Max Ink Mode, activated through NXTPAPER Key, offers an unmatched immersive and distraction-free reading experience for digital detox by blocking notifications.
That physical switch creates a tiny ritual. You flick it, your brain switches context, and the phone becomes a calmer object.
The practical perks are real too. Battery life gets extended to around a week in black-and-white e-reader mode, making this phone ready to replace your e-reader. The mode cuts out color, giving you a simplified view and blocks notifications, so focus is not a fight. It feels like an e-reader, only it is still your phone when you need it.
What makes Max Ink Mode compelling is how it answers digital overload. You are not just changing appearance. You are carving out a space for deep reading and concentration, then jumping back to full smartphone power when you are done.
What this means for the future of smartphone displays
The NXTPAPER 60 Ultra is not only about comfort. It is about shifting display priorities. TCL has launched 20 variants of NXTPAPER across multiple markets, including tablets and smartphones, which shows this is a platform, not a one-off. With the TCL NxtPaper 60 Ultra available in Europe with a starting price of €499, it lands as an affordable option that favors eye health over spec-sheet bragging rights.
The bigger question is what users actually want day to day. While flagships chase peak brightness and neon colors, TCL is asking if comfort and readability are the real wins. This screen doesn't beam out vibrant HDR images like many rivals, this is a phone that's better for those who will unwind with reading instead. That is a different bet, and it could pull the industry toward display wellness.
This ties into broader concerns about sleep, attention, and screen fatigue. NXTPAPER builds solutions into hardware rather than relying on software toggles people forget to use. If it resonates, we could see buyers weighing flicker levels, blue light output, and long-term comfort alongside refresh rate and peak nits.
The TCL NXTPAPER 60 Ultra proves that innovation does not always mean pushing brightness or resolution. Sometimes you rethink the problem you want to solve. With screen time only rising, a display that stays comfortable for hours might be the most meaningful upgrade of all.
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