TCL’s 8-inch Nxtpaper tablet could lure you away from the color Kindle

TCL has put its Nxtpaper display technology, designed to be easy on the eyes like E Ink’s e-paper screens, in a slew of devices ranging from hefty 14-inch tablets to smartphones for kids. The new Tab 8 is the latest addition to TCL’s Nxtpaper lineup and with an 8.7-inch screen it sits somewhere in-between the company’s existing size offerings like the 6.8-inch 60 XE and the Nxtpaper 14. That also puts the Tab 8 in a sweet spot that could make it a tempting alternative to color screen e-readers like the Kindle Colorsoft that don’t come with the flexibility of Android.

The TCL Tab 8 Nxtpaper 5G tablet is currently available exclusively through Verizon for $199.99, but the company says it’s also coming soon to Total Wireless stores. That’s cheaper than some of TCL’s Nxtpaper smartphones and the $280 Kindle Colorsoft whose E Ink screen can only display just over 4,000 colors. The Tab 8 uses an upgraded LCD panel so color reproduction will be much better, and because it runs Android 15, it has access to the Kindle app and Amazon’s expansive ebook store.

Nxtpaper isn’t a reflective display technology like E Ink which relies on little drops of ink moving around, but it does feature several upgrades over standard LCD panels. The Tab 8’s glass screen is etched with a fine pattern giving it a matte finish that reduces glare and reflections, and TCL’s latest version, Nxtpaper 4.0, is also designed to minimize the softening effect often seen on matte displays.

TCL’s display technology is also designed to reduce blue light and screen flickering when the screen’s brightness is reduced, and like the company’s 60 XE smartphone, the Tab 8 can toggle between full color, a monochromatic black and white ink mode, and a reading mode with warmer tones.

The Tab 8 is powered by an unspecified “octa-core processor” with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage that can be expanded to up to 2GB with a microSD memory card. It’s got 5G connectivity, an 8MP rear and 5MP front camera, stereo speakers, and a 6,000mAh battery that TCL says is large enough for up to 16 hours of usage. That’s nowhere near the up to eight weeks that Amazon says the Kindle Colorsoft can be used between charges, but TCL’s Tab 8 isn’t just for reading books. You can also watch videos, play games, and use whatever productivity software you want to install.