TCL 50XL NXTPAPER 5G

The smartphone landscape hasn’t changed all that much when it comes to flagship devices, but budget and midrange devices have seen a massive improvement. The TCL 50XL NXTPAPER 5G is one of those budget phones that really has benefitted from the improvements to the tech that goes inside these hand computers. Though this smartphone has one minor issue that may keep you from purchasing it, this is a Verizon exclusive device and cannot be used on another network. Still, this pay-as-you-go device will only run you USD 99.99, making it a significant value for many.

Estimated reading time: 14 minutes

It is important to note. This review is based on budget devices without taking flagship or even midrange devices into consideration. I couldn’t compare this to an iPhone or Galaxy flagship, and I won’t. The TCL 50XL NXTPAPER 5G stands alongside other budget phones from Motorola, BLU, and others. So keep that in mind; let’s get into this review.

NOTE: I mention in this review that this device is Verizon only. Since I first got this device, it has been opened up to Boost Mobile and C-Spire as well.

The Quick Take

The TCL 50XL NXTPAPER 5G is a surprisingly excellent budget smartphone that can be purchased via Verizon prepaid. I don’t believe that this is available outright from Verizon as a regular customer, but I think if you purchased it prepaid and fulfilled the contract, you could use it on Verizon’s normal network. I really don’t know the answer to that.

What I do know is that for under a hundred bucks, you’re getting a smartphone with a really great display with NXTPAPER tech, some actually decent cameras, and some rather good performance. For this price point, the TCL 50XL NXTPAPER 5G exceeded my expectations. Verizon’s network is also good. I use Verizon as my regular carrier already, so no problems there. I have no problem recommending this phone to people. Having never really used prepaid services, I can’t say much more other than Verizon’s network is good.

Score and Bottom Line

USD 99.99

TCL 50XL NXTPAPER 5G review box

Nailed it

Nice build and design
NXTPAPER display is awesome
Decent performance
Cameras are good in optimal lighting
Fantastic battery life
Price is hard to beat

Needs work

Locked to Verizon/Boost/C-Spire
Low light camera performance could be better
Speakers could be better
Bloatware

Yes, the TCL 50XL NXTPAPER 5G is made of plastics and other not-super-premium materials. But that’s something you hardly notice. I mean. For a hundred bucks, it’s built very well, as well as you can build a phone for that cost. The design is modern and looks excellent.

The display is the star of the show. The NXTPAPER technology is pretty remarkable, and the experience is excellent. I especially love how this matte NXTPAPER display does an outstanding job in reducing glare. The brightness is more than acceptable, and the colors look good. Though, because of NXTPAPER, they aren’t as bold as something like an AMOLED.

The TCL 50XL NXTPAPER 5G comes with Android 14, with the ability to upgrade to Android 15, and any further updates are unknown. I did get a few security updates during this period. There are some bloatware apps that can be uninstalled, but this is expected on a phone like this.

The performance is good here as well. No, this phone is not going to perform like the S25 Ultra, but for basic tasks and normal use, it does great. It also does fairly well with gaming, not spectacularly, but as expected.

Battery life is excellent, and the speakers are decent. What really surprised me were the cameras. Again, these aren’t to the level of an iPhone, but wow, for what this phone is, the cameras are more than decent. Overall, considering the price, the TCL 50XL NXTPAPER 5G is a fantastic budget phone with some amazing features.

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TCL 50XL NXTPAPER 5G Specifications

Dimensions: 167.6 x 75.5 x 8.22mm, 6.6 x 2.97 x .32 in
Weight: 198.7g, 6.9 oz.
Color: Space Blue
Storage: 128GB
RAM: 6GB
SD Support: microSD up to 2TB
Processor: CSPIRE: MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ Verizon & Boost: MediaTek Dimensity 6300
GPU: Mali-G57 MC2
OS: Android 14, upgradeable to Android 15
Sensors:
- Accelerometer (G sensor)
- GPS
- Proximity
- Light
- E-Compass
- Gyro
- Barometer
- NFC
Fingerprint Sensor: Side-Mounted on the Power Button
Facial Recognition: Supported
Display: 6.78″ IPS LCD / Hole-punch FHD+ (1080 x 2460)
Refresh Rate: 120Hz
Aspect Ratio: 20:9
Glass Type: 2.5D
Wi-Fi Support: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth: 5.3
NFC: Supported
Battery: 5,010mAh
Charging: 9V2A
Rear Camera: 50MP (main + macro camera) + 5MP (ultra-wide) + 2MP (depth)
Front Camera: 32MP
Speakers: Stereo (two speakers)

What’s in the Box?

TCL 50XL NXTPAPER 5G
Charging Cable
SIM Tool
Charging Brick (ours did not come with it, but it is listed on the TCL website)
Manuals and Documentation

Design

The TCL 50 XL NXTPAPER 5G design is, in some ways, unique. But it does copy the look of phones like the OnePlus 13 and 13R. Most of that comes from the large camera module on the back. The overall build and material quality are what you would expect from this price point. Plastics, aluminum, and glass are the order of the day here.

The back has the massive camera, and it appears it is glass that covers the cameras. Along the bottom edge are the USB-C port, one of the speakers, the microphone, and headphone jack. Yes, a headphone jack for you headphone jack lovers.

Along the right side are the power button/fingerprint sensor and volume rocker. Along the left side is the SIM tray/SD card slot combo, which supports up to 2TB of expanded storage. And along the top is another microphone. The front houses the display and front-facing camera along with the second speaker that is also your earpiece.

The color is Space Blue, which looks attractive and stylish. Overall, this is a decent-looking device and does not feel overly cheap like many other one-hundred-dollar devices.

Display

The 6.78″ IPS LCD FHD+ display is the star of the show here. This display on the TCL 50 XL NXTPAPER 5G sports the company’s NXTPAPER technology. Now, not everyone will like it, but I found it to be a joy to use. This display is unlike others with its matte finish and special NXTPAPER tech designed to transition from a regular display to an e-ink-type display.

There are a few reasons why they call this NXTPAPER. One of them is that it looks like paper, literally. It’s difficult to see in photos, but when you see this in person, that matte finish makes it look like paper. And the effect is more prominent in e-ink mode.

So there are three different settings for NXTPAPER. The first is the standard color display, which most people are familiar with. The second is a more muted display that still has colors, but the color is pulled back like an old comic. And the third is a total e-ink look, which takes all the color out, leaving a sepia or black and white look.

The two alternative settings go a long way in helping reduce eye strain, and the e-ink setting is really great for reading ebooks and documents. The two alternative settings make things much easier to read and reduce the blue light that can strain your eyes.

But once you want to go back to the standard setting, you get a colorful and vibrant display. Though this display is not as vibrant as a regular AMOLED display. The TCL 50 XL NXTPAPER 5G is more muted, but that means your eyes will not be stressed as much.

Overall, I enjoyed this display. It’s not the norm, and some may take time getting used to it, but I think it’s a damn good display for this price point with the added benefit of e-ink-type technologies.

Software

The software on the TCL 50XL NXTPAPER 5G is Android 14 and can be updated to Android 15. I don’t know if it will get Android 16, but security updates did come through during my time with it. For the most part, you are getting vanilla Android here. At least it looks like it.

There are some bloatware apps included, as expected for a prepaid device. These can be uninstalled and removed, so not a huge deal. There are a crap ton of Verizon apps included, which can’t be uninstalled, but you can ignore them.

Overall, TCL made this a pretty simple software experience, and I can appreciate that. The bloatware would normally bother me, but given the price point, I can give it a break. It’s a PITA to have to uninstall the games and other apps preinstalled, but it can be done. At least they’re not permanent.

Performance

The TCL 50XL NXTPAPER 5G is rocking a MediaTek processor and Mali GPU with 6GB of RAM. Three to five years ago, most people would scoff at MediaTek and Mali components. For good reason, they weren’t super great.

But times have changed. MediaTek and Mali components have improved, and software has also. So getting good performance out of these components is now a thing. I’m not talking about gaming performance. I’m talking about normal day-to-day performance.

The things most people do, like scrolling, gestures, opening apps, watching YouTube, and making calls. It used to be budget phones would struggle to just do these basic tasks. No longer. This MediaTek and Mali combo flies through normal use without an issue.

Scrolling, app switching, and gestures are all fluid without any hiccups. The 120Hz refresh rate display is also killer here. Everything feels smooth and easy to move around in. Gaming is also not bad, depending on the game you’re playing.

Heavier titles will stress the battery and heat up the device, and you will get some dropped frames. But for what this processor and GPU combo are, they perform very well for what matters. Yes, you can game on this phone, but it’s really not meant for it.

Overall, the performance of the TCL 50XL NXTPAPER 5G punches above its price point. Users are getting a ton of value here.

Speakers/Sound

The TCL 50XL NXTPAPER 5G comes with stereo speakers, not unusual these days, even for budget phones. These speakers are decent but thin, as expected. They get the job done for most things but aren’t going to deliver theater sound or really great sound for music. But this is just another area that you have to forgive this device due to how little it costs.

For what this phone is, the speakers do a fairly good job. They’re perfect for calls and video calls. Most YouTube videos sound just fine. They are pretty loud with very minimal breakup at high volume. Overall, they’re not perfect; they lack low end and need more midrange. But man, we can’t expect everything at this price, and I think this phone delivers in other more important areas. It does have a headphone jack, though. So you can go wired and get excellent sound with some good headphones!

Camera

I’m not even going to discuss megapixels and specs of these cameras; it really doesn’t matter. What matters is the pictures coming out of the TCL 50XL NXTPAPER 5G are actually…decent! I mean, these aren’t flagship-level photos, and the software isn’t as good as an iPhone or Galaxy. But, for a hundred bucks? The photos are not bad at all.

Of course, photos taken in the best of lighting and during the day look the best. The camera does okay in low light and at night. Not perfect, but I expected not much more than what was delivered for these conditions and for the price.

Most of the photos are pretty remarkable and more than suitable for socials and sharing with family and friends. Not every shot will be perfect, and sometimes you can get a shot or two that might be out of focus or not right. With some patience, though, and making sure you’re tapping to focus, you can get some great photos with this camera.

Overall, for a hundred-dollar smartphone, these photos are more than acceptable, and I think the majority of users considering this device will be happy.

Camera Samples

Battery Life

The TCL 50XL NXTPAPER 5G has a surprisingly massive battery for a budget phone at 5,010 mAh. That’s pretty crazy for a budget device, and the NXTPAPER display helps keep the phone running for a long time. I was able to pull a few days out of this device with normal day-to-day use. Mostly basics like YouTube, browsing, socials, phone, text, email, and some very light gaming. Battery will be strained more with heavier apps. Battery life does vary from person to person; every use case is different. But I think most people will get at least a full day, depending on the use.

Price/Value

The TCL 50XL NXTPAPER 5G is a prepaid Verizon phone that will run you under USD 100. I believe that’s without the service, but you might look into that. For this price point, this smartphone gives you a ton of value, and it’s crazy to see how far budget phones have come. If you’re looking at this phone, you can’t go wrong with it.