TCL recently announced the release of its latest digital paper tablet: Note A1 NextpaperWith a 120Hz refresh rate, full-color display, and ultra-thin (5.5mm/0.2 inches) form factor.
TCL combined its Nxtpaper Pure Digital Paper technology with an LCD display for this device – a first for the brand – resulting in vibrant colors and no ghosting. This brings the device closer to a traditional tablet or iPad (at least visually) while maintaining the focus on productivity.
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The Note A1 Nxtpaper is the latest digital paper tablet committed to a minimalist approach, aiming to be as “distraction-free” as the Remarkable Paper Pro or Amazon’s recent Kindle Scribe PaperSoft. All three devices use a similar aesthetic and marketing approach: a cool color palette and premium construction, and they highlight thoughtful pro features for a tactile pencil-to-paper experience.
The tablet is designed for the same specific demographic: working professionals, students, and creative people who want a robust digital paper device with out-of-the-box software integration and wish to be free of the built-in distractions found in Windows or Android OSes.
Office-ready productivity features
However, the Note A1 seeks to differentiate itself with several office-ready productivity features, including AI meeting transcription, real-time translation, and one-tap AI summaries. It also features wireless screen casting, so you can easily share what’s on display in instant presentations.
Additionally, TCL includes seamless file sharing via Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive, as long as the devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. This single-click file sharing opens up more practical use cases for sharing what’s on the device with colleagues.
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We tested TCL’s Nextpaper 11 Plus, where we saw this hybrid display experiment for the first time. On that device, you switch from regular tablet mode to e-reader mode with the press of a button. Here, the TCL Note A1 has Nxtpaper technology, but it doesn’t swap back and forth, instead using the built-in combination display and staying at 120Hz by default.
Notebook-style design
Physically, TCL’s Note A1 Nextpaper has a standard notebook-style design, with a thick bezel on the left side to hold the 11.5-inch display, framed in black with a magnetic strip to store the stylus on the right side. It also has an 8,000mAh battery – more than competitors – suggesting that the color display may be a little more power hungry.
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The hybrid LCD/e-paper display features 3A Crystal Shield glass to reduce glare and receives TUV certification for eye comfort, pencil-like handwriting and paper-like display. TCL says the display supports 16.7 million colors – which is far beyond the more limited color palette of competing paper tablets, making for a brighter, more vivid screen.
Pricing and Availability
Note A1 Nextpaper Pre-order is available for early access on Kickstarter, with an expected launch date in late February 2026. TCL has set the expected retail price at $549, making it cheaper than both the previously mentioned digital paper tablets and a lower price than the Boox Note Max, which runs Android 13.
