Don't call it an e-reader! RLCD tablets are changing the way I think of eye-friendly e-paper displays, and this technology has come a long way in just a few short years

Comparing two different types of RLCD screens between the Daylight Computer and the Harbor Paper 7.

Android Central Labs

(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)

Android Central Labs is a weekly column devoted to deep dives, experiments, and a focused look into the tech you use. It covers phones, tablets, and everything in between.

E Ink has long been considered the best display type if eye health is at the top of your needs list. But one E Ink alternative you've probably never heard of is making serious headway: RLCD. Short for Reflective Liquid Crystal Display, this technology takes the reflective nature of E Ink and applies it to a more traditional pixel-based display, resulting in substantially smoother performance than E Ink could ever hope to achieve.