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The Xteink X4 Pro is a pocket-sized eBook reader with a 4.3 inch E Ink display that makes it much smaller than most Kindle, Kobo, or other devices. In fact, it’s so small that Xteink markets it as a device that you can snap magnetically to the back of a smartphone without covering the camera. That’s something you can’t do with other pocketable eReaders like the phone-sized Onyx BOOX Palma 2, Viwoods AiPaper, and DuRoBo Krono.
Available now for $99, the Xteink X4 Pro is the latest in a line of tiny eBook readers from Xteink. But, as expected, the new model brings several important upgrades over earlier models. Whether those are worth the higher price tag probably depends on what you want out of an eReader though.
Compared with the original Xteink X4, the new model has the same 4.3 inch, 800 x 480 pixel grayscale E Ink display panel with 217 pixels per inch. But the new model features several key changes:
Those first three changes are pretty significant improvements, while the last one is… not. If you lose the adaptor, it’s unclear how easy it will be to charge the eReader. A standard USB Type-C port would have been nice.
Despite having a larger battery, the new model is also a tiny bit lighter, weighing 72 grams (2.54 ounces), compared with 77 grams (2.72 ounces) for the Xteink X4. The new model measures 111 x 69 x 5.95mm (4.37″ x 2.72″ x 02.3″).
The other major difference between the Xteink X4 and X4 Pro is the price: the original sells for $69, making it not only a lot smaller than a Kindle, but also a lot cheaper. The $99 price tag for the Xteink X4 Pro puts it in direct competition with an entry-level Kindle, which has a list price of $110, but occasionally goes on sale for less – at time of publication, Best Buy is running a sale on Kindle eReaders, with prices starting as low as $85.
Amazon’s eReader has a larger, higher-resolution, more pixel-dense display, better software with more options for adjusting fonts and other settings, and integration with Amazon’s Kindle eBook store (as well as support for reading eBooks borrowed from libraries or DRM-free titles transferred to the device).
But… it’s too big to fit in a pocket. I’ve got a Kindle that I use mostly for reading library books, so I’m not spending a lot of money in Amazon’s ecosystem. But I mostly use it around the house and when I want to do a little reading on the go I use my phone. The Xteink X4 Pro’s tiny size makes it trivial to carry with you anywhere you go, which could make it a more attractive option for some folks. The lack of tight integration with Amazon services is also a selling point for some folks.
Xteink’s eReaders also come with a 16GB microSD card for storage, and support cards up to 256GB, while Amazon’s eReaders only have built-in storage.
One thing to keep in mind is that while Xteink’s devices have proven popular over the past year or so, the default software is… not great. But there’s an open source third-party firmware replacement called CrossPoint Reader that improves the reading experience significantly, and The Verge reports that the developer of CrossPoint is now counting Xteink as an official partner and the Xteink X4 Pro will be officially supported by the time it starts shipping to customers.
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I have a XTEInkX4 (not Pro) and it rocks. Cost me all of $45 delivered from AliExpress, runs Crosspoint Reader (fully opensource and muuuuch better than the factory firmware) and its only deficiency (lack of front/backlight) was easily resolved for less than $20 by printing and assembling a snaplight (search for it on the Makerworld website and thou shalt find). Not sure I would spend $110 on this Pro version, tho — its true value for me would be at $70 maximum. Anyway, nice to hear Crosspoint Reader will eventually support it too.
Three different models in a year.
These guys are turning into the Anbernic of e-reader manufacturers.
Why are the ebook devices always too small and the phone devices always too big lmfao
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