For most users, tablets are secondary devices — but they outshine laptops at one task: digital note-taking, according to a WIRED review of the TCL Note A1 Nxtpaper. Digital notebooks attempt to bridge the gap between analog and digital, offering a paper-like writing experience with the benefits of digital notes. TCL's hybrid tablet aims to deliver that writing experience and video playback in a single device, using a proprietary matte LCD instead of E Ink.
Hybrid Screen Technology
The core of the Note A1 Nxtpaper is a custom 1440 x 2200-pixel matte LCD panel with a 120-Hz refresh rate, according to WIRED. The review noted that at first glance the screen looks like E Ink, and it reduces glare and is easier on the eye than a typical tablet. Because it is still an LCD panel, it retains the color rendering and responsiveness of a traditional Android tablet. The Nxtpaper matte LCD technology is proprietary to TCL.
The practical upside, as WIRED described it, is that the device can still display video when a user wants to expand beyond note-taking — something E Ink screens are not well suited to.
E Ink vs. TCL Nxtpaper
ReMarkable devices are the best-known products in the digital notebook space and top WIRED's digital notebook guide, the review said. But E Ink, the technology behind those devices, is not the best choice for video. The table below contrasts the two display approaches based on the review's assessment.
| Attribute | E Ink notebooks | TCL Note A1 Nxtpaper |
|---|---|---|
| Display technology | E Ink | Proprietary Nxtpaper matte LCD |
| Paper-like writing | WIRED says "pretty darn well" | Cannot completely mimic paper feel |
| Video playback | Not the best choice | Color LCD with Android tablet responsiveness |
| Resolution | Not stated in review | 1440 x 2200 pixels |
| Refresh rate | Not stated in review | 120 Hz |
Writing Feel and Interface Quirks
WIRED's verdict: the device "mostly works," but it cannot completely mimic the feel of writing on paper, and there are a few quirks with the user interface. The review did not specify what those interface quirks are, but the writing-feel limitation is a key consideration for anyone comparing the Note A1 with a dedicated E Ink notebook.
What Device Buyers Should Weigh
The WIRED review frames the decision as a trade-off. An E Ink notebook such as a reMarkable device offers a more convincing paper-like writing surface but is poorly suited to watching video. The TCL Note A1 Nxtpaper trades some of that writing fidelity for the flexibility of a full Android tablet with color video. The review's conclusion is that the hybrid approach "mostly works" — with caveats around the paper feel and user interface.
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