TCL has been busy in the tablet game for a while always bringing something independent to the table compared to its competitors. This is no different with the TAB 10 NXTPAPER 5G. It presents unique ways to view content and also at a relatively inexpensive price. But how does it hold up over time?
Style
TCL Tab 10 Nxtpaper brings a similar design you see in other tablets with its rounded off edges for its 10” frame. It comes in one color of Dark Blue which you can see on its plastic backing which also has the TCL logo. Looking around the sides you will a power button, volume toggle, USB-C port and dual speakers. Also as mentioned in its name this device utilizes 5G via Verizon’s network so there is a tray for a nanoSIM.
The TCL 10 Nxtpaper weighs 480g so it has a nice feel to it whether it hold it in portrait or landscape and comes off feeling more durable than cheap.
TCL TAB 10 NXTPAPER 5G comes with a Charger and USB-C Cable.
Viewing / Playing Content
The 10.4” Nxtpaper display is what makes the TCL Tab 10 unique and here is why. For starters it is a glare-free screen so it which makes it easier on the eyes and also provides blue light reduction. Fortunately it doesn’t seem to reduce the quality of content you are watching. Resolution wise its 2000×1200 making it 2K. It also supports 90Hz with a 600 nits peak brightness. I have relaxed and watched movies like Captain America: Civil War which looked clean and detailed on this display. This would be the same for watching some segments on YouTube.
With this display you are also able to change it via three modes in TCL’s NXTPAPER zone. There is Color Paper, Ink Paper, and Regular Mode. Regular mode is the brightest and most vibrant which you typically use daily, Color Paper can mute some of the colors if you aren’t looking for a lot of detail, while Ink Paper takes you into a total black/white scenario reminiscent of an eReader.
Changing between the three modes will give you a preview and then an animation which all takes about 5-6 seconds. I honestly wish there was a button for it or an easier way to get to it instead of having to go through the pull down menu and then these various steps.
Viewing the tablet indoors and quite fine even in the darkest of areas. Outside can be a bit of a different story. Depending on how bright it is outside because of its matte screen visuals can be at times harder to see or reflective.
Performance
Powering the TCL Tab 10 is a MediaTek 24E chipset w/ quad-core processor, 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. That storage can be expanded via microSD card if needed. I found using the TCL Tab 10 on the daily to navigate websites and view content on it to look and feel smooth which can be attributed to its refresh rate. The more you try to do like various multitasking can put some strain on the processor though and slow up a bit.
Trying to mobile game on it isn’t too bad either. I spent a bit of time playing Fortnite and Marvel Snap on here. I even had a PS5 controller synchronized up while I played Fortnite (you can check in IG video). It’s not as graphically detailed as other devices but that’s to be expected. I’ll say its battery life has been sufficient lasting a good bit before I had to charge it again as it is 6,000mAh.
There are 8MP cameras on the front and back. The front you can use more so for video calls while the back I gather to snap a picture. I tried using the back camera and of course it’s not something I ever use daily. Back camera does better outside with natural lighting though.
This device has Verizon’s 5G which makes it great for on the go and use anywhere. You don’t have to rely on hotspots or Wi-Fi, and I found it quite useful. Especially if you want to do a quick game session or just jump into an email. In some areas I was able to get about 200-300mbps.
Verdict
At the cost of $239.99 this tablet brings some nice features to its price range. It’s a nice size for viewing content as well as a quick game. Its ability to change display modes to make it more of a eReader at times is a nice touch. The battery life is pretty sufficient and should get you thru a casual day of usage. The fact it has Verizon 5G support ups its ability to be used anywhere but also this makes it exclusive to them locking out any other carriers.
You can check our unboxing of the TCL TAB 10 NXTPAPER 5G on TikTok / Instagram
