There’s a lot more to the TCL P80 Ultra than exceptional screen technology

The most attractive phones don’t force you to choose between powerful hardware and something really different every day. Unique features can add a lot to the experience, but if you can’t get specs worth the money, they won’t fall over the cracks.

TCL’s new P80 series arrives this month with specs to back up its core features. The P80 Ultra leads the lineup with hardware that compares strongly to competitors in the same price range, making a strong case for the P80 series as one of the best value smartphone options in its segment. The P80 Pro and P80 take many of these strengths further into the lineup, while the Ultra and Pro add industry-exclusive NXTPAPER technology as a real competitive advantage.

The camera immediately gives the P80 Ultra an edge over its competitors. Its class-leading 50MP 3x periscope telephoto sits alongside a 50MP main camera with a large 1/1.56-inch sensor, while neither the Samsung A57 nor the Redmi Note 15 Pro Plus have a dedicated telephoto camera. That means true optical image quality at 1x and 3x, with more reach for shots like 6x portraits. The main camera adds f/1.88 aperture, OIS and EIS stabilization, and Dual Native ISO for sharper results in different lighting conditions.

And then there’s the screen. The 6.83-inch 1.5K AMOLED Sunlight display packs 447 pixels per inch, about 16% more than the Samsung A57’s 385PPI panel. A peak brightness of up to 3,200 nits, compared to 1,900 nits on the A57, a 120Hz refresh rate, up to 100% DCI-P3 coverage and 1.38mm bezels round out the segment-best display package.

If that wasn’t enough, the P80 Ultra’s ultra-thin, lightweight design was developed in collaboration with materials and CMF expert Chris Leftery, whose colors and hand feel were refined through consumer testing in major cities around the world. Choose from sunburst gold, midnight blue and burgundy.

Performance is equally important. Inside is a 4nm MediaTek Dimensity 7400 Elite, backed by 8GB of RAM, up to 16GB of RAM, and up to 512GB of storage. A 5,800mAh battery and 45W super fast charging provide plenty of power every day. The P80 Ultra also gets up to four operating system updates and up to seven years of security updates. Google Gemini, Circle to Search, AI Smart Translator and other smart tools give the P80 Ultra plenty of software smarts to match the hardware.

And it’s not just an ultra event. Against its rivals in the same segment, the P80 Pro offers the best AMOLED sunlight display in the segment, while its 5,800mAh battery is bigger than the Samsung A37’s 5,000mAh cell. The standard P80 also compares favorably with the Samsung A27, pairing a 1.5K display with 45W charging – Samsung has FHD and 25W – and coming in 22g lighter.

The P80 Ultra already makes a strong case in conventional hardware, but the NXTPAPER is where it sets itself apart. Available on the P80 Ultra and P80 Pro, TCL leverages the wide display experience with a natural soft light system based on the latest generation hardware, nano-crystal shield glass and 24-hour Proactive Eye Comfort Technology.

You’ll notice the benefits: Nano-cut anti-glare technology helps reduce reflections in bright environments, while hardware-level low blue light and flicker-free dimming make low-light viewing and longer eye sessions easier. Nature-inspired light conversion uses up to 95% circular polarization, which helps keep the display clear outdoors, even when wearing polarized sunglasses.

Then there is the special NXTPAPER key. One Slide turns your phone into an e-reader experience, Paper Mode offers a four-paper-like style, and Max Ink Mode offers a distraction-free black-and-white option. For anyone who spends a lot of time reading articles, documents or e-books on their phone, this is a game changer.

NXTPAPER represents 10 years of technology experience and five generations of innovation, with the P80 Ultra being the first smartphone to combine it with an AMOLED display.

Best of all, you won’t be asked to trade bases to get it. The P80 series competes fiercely in the hardware that defines a phone’s value for money, while the Ultra and Pro rivals add a display experience that can’t be matched. That’s a pretty solid recipe for one of the best smartphone options in the segment.