Xteink is back. The company just dropped the second generation of its pocket-sized reading device. The X4 Pro.
It is tiny. Bigger than a credit card. Smaller than a passport. Some people say it fits on the back of their phone. I tried it.
The original X4 made the “best mini e-reader” lists. So the hype was there. I picked it up before launch. I wanted to see if the updates mattered.
They don’t. Not really.
Specs that tell a mixed story
Let’s look at what you are actually getting for $99.
The screen is 4.26 inches. Resolution is 219 PPI. Compare that to the Kindle or Kobo. They sit at 300 PPI. The Xteink looks good. It just isn’t as crisp.
Hardware? 8MB RAM. 16MB storage. That is not a lot of space for a dedicated device. You can expand it with a microSD card up to 256GB. Fine. Battery life claims 10+ hours. That translates to a week or two of casual reading. That is solid.
Input is where things get weird. The new model adds a touchscreen. Previous versions relied on physical buttons that I found confusing. This feels better. But it also keeps those physical buttons on the side. Including a circular home button that looks suspiciously like the old iPhone icon.
Charging is magnetic. It uses a USB-C cable, but the device itself only has a magnetic pogo pin connector. That is a risky design choice. The connection feels loose. I knocked it loose twice in the first ten minutes. I am already planning to lose that tiny pin piece.
The DRM Problem kills it for most users
This is the dealbreaker.
The X4 Pro does not support Amazon’s Kindle format. It does not support the encrypted EPUBs that most e-commerce stores use.
It only handles DRM-free books. Specifically text-only PDF and MOBI files. Plus JPG and BMP images.
If you buy books from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or most indie stores, this device is useless to you. You have to strip the DRM yourself or only read from sources that explicitly offer DRM-free files. That limits your audience severely.
Books come via WiFi. You can use the Xteink app. Or a USB-C connection. Or that microSD slot.
There is one workaround. You can upload articles via URL using the app. They sync to the device. It makes for a nice clipping tool for long reads.
Is that worth $99?
No.
It glitches when it counts
I ran into stability issues immediately.
The device froze. Twice.
I had to restart it. A simple restart. But on a $100 dedicated reading gadget, that is unacceptable. It broke my immersion. I was reading, the screen went black, and I had to hunt for the restart button.
The magnetic charging port adds more frustration. You need that tiny extension piece to plug into standard cables. It feels like an accessory that should not exist on a finished product.
Should you buy it?
The Xteink X4 Pro appeals to a very specific sliver of users.
Maybe you only read DRM-free EPUBs. Maybe you have an old iPhone with MagSafe and want a book stuck to your back. Maybe you consume tons of web articles and want them on e-ink.
For everyone else? Look elsewhere.
The 300 PPI screens on standard e-readers offer a better experience. They open up entire ecosystems of content. You aren’t locked into a small format that can freeze. You aren’t relying on a fragile magnetic connector to keep it charged.
It’s cute. It’s innovative in its size. But it feels unfinished.
Glitchy. Restricted. Overpriced for what it actually does.
Pass.
