Discover the $70 E-Reader That Could End Your Scrolling Habit: One Page at a Time

I don’t believe anyone is actively seeking to increase their smartphone usage nowadays. Rather, the goal is often to reduce it, even though social media algorithms, vertical videos, and e-commerce are constantly luring us back. I’m no exception to this trend, but I might have found a solution to curb my compulsive scrolling: a small, compact e-reader.

Admittedly, I stumbled upon Xteink’s X4 during a binge-watching session of YouTube Shorts. This tiny, straightforward, and dedicated device caught my eye immediately. A few days later, during Amazon Prime Day, it appeared again in my feed at a discounted price.

As someone who enjoys testing new gadgets—similar to my experience with the Playdate handheld—I decided to purchase the Xteink X4 to see what the hype was about. Fortunately, it turned out to be more than just a gadget; it actually rekindled my reading habit, replacing the moments I’d typically spend scrolling through my phone.

Opting for Simplicity

Unlike high-end e-readers like the best Kindles or TCL’s NXTPAPER tablets, the Xteink X4 is crafted for simplicity. It lacks a touchscreen and a backlight, making nighttime reading impossible without an external light source. Essentially, it’s stripped down to the basics: a tool for reading alone, without the functionalities of annotations or built-in dictionaries.

A Step-by-Step Experience

The X4, measuring just 4.49 x 2.72 x 0.23 inches, is noticeably compact and lightweight at 74 grams. It’s slightly larger than its predecessor, the X3, but still much smaller than a typical smartphone. The package includes not just the e-reader but also a microSD card reader, a screen protector, and several magnetic rings, with a microSD card already installed. Even with capacities of 16GB or 32GB, it offers ample space for a vast ebook library.

The absence of a touchscreen means the X4 is operated through physical buttons located on the front and sides. Below the screen, you’ll find navigation buttons for scrolling through menus or flipping pages. Additional page-turn buttons, along with a sleep and a recessed reset button, are situated on the right side above the microSD card slot.

The device’s left side is kept sleek with just a USB-C charging port, a small LED indicator, and a lanyard loop, while the top and bottom edges are left smooth and unadorned.

Portable and Practical

My initial encounter with the X4 through a YouTube video was compelling enough to make me purchase one. Holding it in my hands, I was impressed by its minimalistic yet functional design. After unboxing, I quickly loaded it with ebooks and began my reading journey.

The X4 doesn’t connect to online bookstores. It’s a BYOB—bring your own books—device. You can load it with purchased EPUB books or free ones downloaded from the internet. I revisited classics from Project Gutenberg, which I had enjoyed on my old iPod touch, and also added works by Cory Doctorow, available under Creative Commons licenses.

With the ebooks transferred to the included microSD card, I took the X4 everywhere. It proved to be an excellent companion during medical appointments, shopping trips, and even casual reading under direct sunlight. The small screen made reading fast and efficient, allowing me to progress through chapters quickly without distractions.

Magnetically Versatile

Before you consider buying an Xteink X4, it’s important to note some limitations. While it is magnetic and can attach to the back of a smartphone, the effectiveness varies. For example, it attached sideways to an iPhone 14 Pro Max but aligned perfectly with an iPhone 15 and even stuck well to a refrigerator. The package includes a pair of adhesive magnetic rings, ensuring you can secure it to nearly any device.

The X4’s basic software can be a downside, but there’s an easy fix: CrossPoint, a custom firmware developed by the X4 user community that significantly enhances the reading experience. Installing it took just a few minutes, and customizing it with wallpapers was equally straightforward.

While there’s a touchscreen-equipped X4 Pro on the horizon, the classic X4’s charm lies in its simplicity and the tactile satisfaction of physical buttons, reminiscent of older Kindle models.

Priced at $70—or $55 with a discount—the Xteink X4 offers great value and could reignite your passion for reading. It’s a straightforward, single-purpose device that delivers on its promise, provided you don’t expect the versatility of a Kindle Scribe.

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