Xteink has launched the X4 Pro, the latest in its range of ultra-compact e-ink e-readers, adding a touchscreen and front lighting for the first time. The $99 device positions itself as a more portable, if less polished, alternative to Amazon's Kindle, appealing to buyers who prioritise pocketability over a seamless software experience and access to an integrated bookstore.

The X4 Pro is slightly more expensive than Xteink's existing $79 X3 and $69 X4 models, bringing it close to the $110 entry-level Kindle, though it lacks Amazon's polished interface and digital bookshop. It features a 4.26-inch, 800 x 480 E Ink screen and is smaller and thinner than its predecessors, but drops a standard USB-C port in favour of a magnetic pogo-pin connector requiring an included adapter. Embedded rear magnets let it attach to compatible phones like a wireless battery, though reviewers found the grip weaker than dedicated magnetic power banks and the device awkwardly overhangs larger phones such as the iPhone 16 Pro. Despite ongoing software frustrations typical of Xteink devices, the developers of the alternative CrossPoint Reader firmware plan to support the X4 Pro at launch, making it the most recommended model in the range so far.