Xteink’s X4 Pro e-reader adds touchscreen and front light
Developed over time first seen 2 months ago
Xteink has launched the X4 Pro, the latest and most refined of its ultra-compact e-ink e-readers, finally adding a touchscreen and front lighting to the range. At $99 it positions itself as a more portable but less polished alternative to Amazon's Kindle, and reviewers concluded it is the best of Xteink's line-up to date despite lingering software niggles, aided by the promise of alternative CrossPoint Reader firmware being ready at launch.
The device is pricier than Xteink's existing $79 X3 and $69 X4 models, edging close to the $110 entry-level Kindle, though it still lacks Amazon's polished interface and integrated bookstore. It packs a 4.26-inch, 800 x 480 E Ink screen into a body slightly smaller and thinner than its predecessors, but swaps the standard USB-C port for a magnetic pogo-pin connector needing an included adapter. Embedded rear magnets allow it to cling to compatible phones like a wireless battery, though reviewers found the grip weaker than dedicated magnetic power banks and noted it hangs awkwardly off the bottom of larger handsets such as the iPhone 16 Pro.
- Xteink's $99 X4 Pro e-reader adds a touchscreen and light for the first time
- It's smaller than Kindle but drops USB-C for a magnetic pogo-pin adapter
- Reviewers call it Xteink's best device yet, despite software rough edges
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Xteink is a relatively little-known maker of small e-ink e-readers, a type of device with a screen designed to mimic paper and be easier on the eyes than a phone or tablet, particularly for reading books. It has built a small following as a cheaper, more pocketable alternative to Amazon's dominant Kindle range, though its devices have historically lacked features that Kindles take for granted, such as a touchscreen or built-in lighting for reading in the dark.
The X4 Pro is the newest model in Xteink's line-up and is notable for finally adding those two missing features, while still being sold at a lower price than Amazon's cheapest Kindle. This matters because it narrows the gap between budget e-readers and the market-leading Kindle, giving readers another option if they want a simple, portable device for books without paying for, or being tied into, Amazon's ecosystem.
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Originally published by The Verge as “A touchscreen and light make the new X4 Pro the best version of Xteink’s tiny e-readers”.