I can't find a logical reason to choose another budget smartphone instead of the TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro.

      The time of genuinely great budget phones has come to an end, largely due to rising AI-related costs. Even high-end phones are feeling the effects of increasing chip prices. Therefore, when TCL finally made the NXTPAPER 70 Pro available in the US, it caught me off guard. Priced at just $199, it's nearly half of what you would pay in other markets.

      Although it is exclusive to T-Mobile, the NXTPAPER 70 Pro stands out at $199. It boasts a 6.9-inch 120Hz display, IP68 water resistance, a 5,200mAh battery, a 50MP camera, and TCL's NXTPAPER 4.0 display technology, which is truly unique for this price point. Naturally, I was eager to compare it with other phones in a similar price range to determine if a better option exists.

      In my search for alternatives, I found three contenders worth comparing: the Samsung Galaxy A17 5G, the Motorola Moto G Power 2026, and the Google Pixel 10a. None of these phones can match the TCL in terms of price, performance, or features, leading me to conclude that there’s no reason to choose another phone over the NXTPAPER 70 Pro at this time. Let me explain further.

      Before that, here’s a quick comparison of specifications:

      | Specification | TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro | Galaxy A17 5G | Moto G Power 2026 | Google Pixel 10a |

      |------------------------|-------------------------------|----------------------------------|---------------------------------|----------------------------------|

      | Display | 6.9 inches, IPS LCD, 120Hz (1080 x 2340 pixels) | 6.7 inches, Super AMOLED, 90Hz (1080 x 2340 pixels) | 6.8 inches, IPS LCD, 120Hz (1080 x 2388 pixels) | 6.3 inches, P-OLED, 120Hz (1080 x 2424 pixels) |

      | Processor | Mediatek Dimensity 7300 (4 nm) | Exynos 1330 (5 nm) | Mediatek Dimensity 6300 (6 nm) | Google Tensor G4 (4 nm) |

      | Cameras | Main: 50MP, f1.9, 24mm; Ultrawide: 8MP (120˚); Selfie: 32MP | Main: 50MP, f1.8, 24mm; Ultrawide: 5MP; Macro: 2MP; Selfie: 13MP | Main: 50MP, f1.8; Ultrawide: 8MP (119˚); Selfie: 32MP | Main: 48MP, f1.7, 25mm; Ultrawide: 13MP (120˚); Selfie: 13MP |

      | Battery | 5200 mAh | 5000 mAh | 5200 mAh | 5100 mAh |

      | Price | $199 (T-Mobile) | $189 (T-Mobile), $199 (unlocked) | $189 (T-Mobile), $299 (unlocked) | $499 (unlocked) |

      Is there any competition in this price range?

      The Samsung Galaxy A17 5G is the most obvious alternative. It is Samsung's top-selling budget phone for good reason, offering a decent 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display, a triple camera system, and an impressive six years of software updates.

      Samsung

      As a reliable, straightforward device, it performs basic tasks well. However, it is powered by the Exynos 1330, a chip that has been criticized for its inadequate performance. In comparison to the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 of the TCL NXTPAPER 70 Pro, the Exynos 1330 falls short in CPU, GPU, and battery efficiency. Here are the performance comparisons:

      Versus

      The A17 has an IP54 rating, meaning it is splash-resistant but not waterproof. In contrast, the NXTPAPER 70 Pro offers better performance, a superior display, IP68 water resistance, and a more appealing feature set. The A17 retails between $175 and $199. Simply put:

      Same price. No competition.

      Motorola

      The Moto G Power 2026 features a comparable 6.8-inch LCD display and the same 5,200mAh battery, but the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 it uses is inferior to the NXTPAPER 70 Pro's Dimensity 7300. The latter utilizes a more advanced 4nm fabrication process compared to the Dimensity 6300’s 6nm, delivering up to 67% better performance. Take a look at the performance metrics:

      Nan