TCL introduced the P80 Ultra, its first Nxtpaper phone with an OLED display, at IFA 2026. As with previous Nxtpaper models, the phone can switch to the low-power, monochrome, paper-like Max Ink Mode with a single button press. In this mode, it uses a dedicated Android interface with fewer apps and notifications, along with e-book reader software. TCL states that the 5.800mAh battery offers up to seven days of active use or up to 26 days of standby time in this mode.
The P80 Ultra’s 6.83-inch OLED display offers a 1.5K resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, peak brightness of 3,200 nits, and 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut. The matte anti-reflective coating on the display is intended to improve visibility, particularly in bright environments. While the phone operates as an Android device during normal use, it switches to an e-reader-like mode with the Nxtpaper Key.
Positioned in the upper mid-range segment, the device features 8GB RAM, up to 512GB of storage, a MediaTek Dimensity 7400 Elite processor, and 45W wired charging. The camera system includes a 50-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, and a 50-megapixel telephoto camera with 3x zoom. TCL’s image-processing performance is reportedly behind that of its major competitors.
The P80 Ultra is accompanied by the P80 Pro, which protects the OLED display but removes the telephoto camera, and the P80, which does not feature Nxtpaper. The P80 has a 5.000mAh battery. All three models come with Android 16. The Ultra and Pro will receive four years of operating system updates and seven years of security updates; the P80 will receive one fewer year of Android version updates. The phones launched in Europe are expected to be released in Latin America in October and in the US at a later date. Prices were announced as €549 for the P80 Ultra, €429 for the P80 Pro, and €349 for the P80.
Why it matters
The P80 Ultra may influence the preferences of users who spend long periods looking at screens and prioritize battery life, as it attempts to combine phone and e-reader use in a single device. Max Ink Mode’s more limited app and notification structure reduces distractions while creating a trade-off with the multifunctional use expected from a phone. Although the OLED display, high brightness, and matte coating support everyday visibility, TCL’s image-processing performance lagging behind that of its major competitors could be decisive in evaluating the camera experience. The model and update differences across the series require users to consider not only display features but also long-term factors such as the telephoto camera and software support. The timing of sales in Latin America and the US remains an open question in terms of regional availability.
Background
TCL is not a new name in the FikirPilot archive: we have published 7 reports mentioning the name in the last 90 days; the most recent is dated September 5, 2026.