TCL’s new Nxtpaper phones have a dedicated button for maximum monochrome

TCL is launching two new mid-range Nxtpaper phones with matte displays designed to be easy on your eyes: the TCL 50 Pro Nxtpaper 5G and 50 Nxtpaper 5G several budget models launched earlier this year with a major feature update: a button that puts the display into — and I quote — “Maximum Ink Mode.” Yep, give me that semi-E Ink mode to the maximumThey will be released in Europe first and hopefully come to the US later on.

The “nxtpaper key” is a two-step slider that switches the display to a reader-friendly monochrome mode that mimics e-ink. Turning on Max Ink Mode also silences notifications and presents app icons in a wireframe style as if you were using an E Ink display, which is very cute. This mode also extends battery life, and TCL claims you’ll be able to read for up to seven days from now — almost like carrying around a regular phone that you can turn into a Boox Palma with the flip of a switch.

Outside Max Ink Modeboth phones offer a large 6.8-inch 1080p display with up to 120Hz refresh rate. Both include a 108-megapixel main rear camera and a generous 5,010mAh battery. The Pro model includes an upgraded 32-megapixel selfie camera and 512GB of storage, while the non-Pro version offers an 8-megapixel selfie camera and 256GB of storage. The 50 Pro also comes with a few optional accessories: a flip case and a stylus. Other than those few differences, the two devices look essentially the same.

TCL 50 Pro Nxtpaper will be available in European and Latin American markets for €299 with Optional accessories. The TCL 50 Nxtpaper will cost €229 and will be available in Europe.