Xteink X4 Pro – an e-reader small enough to stick on the back of your phone

By Ricardo de Jong ·

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A man reading on the Xteink X4 Pro at dusk with its warm front light on

I want to read more books. What I actually do in the waiting room is open my phone for “one second” and come back to the real world twenty minutes later with nothing to show for it.

The Xteink X4 Pro is a pocket e-reader: a 4.3-inch E Ink screen in a body that weighs 72 grams and is under 6 millimeters thin. It has a magnetic back, so you can stick it on your phone and pull it off when you want a book instead of a feed.

That’s a very good idea for 99 bucks.

Xteink X4 Pro pocket e-reader in Space Black

What is the Xteink X4 Pro?

Xteink’s earlier X4 was a tiny reader with buttons and no light. The X4 Pro went on sale on July 21, 2026, and adds the two things owners kept asking for: a touchscreen and a front light. TechCrunch called it a quick response to that feedback. Xteink says TIME put it on its Best Inventions of 2026 list.

The specs, from Xteink and the launch coverage:

  • 4.3-inch E Ink screen at 219 ppi
  • Front light with warm and cool tones
  • Touchscreen plus physical page-turn buttons on the sides
  • 1,100 mAh battery (the original X4 had 650 mAh)
  • 72 grams and 5.95 mm thin
  • A 16 GB microSD card in the box, with support for cards up to 256 GB
  • EPUB, MOBI, TXT, PDF and image files

How does it work?

You load books by copying files to the microSD card or by sending them over Wi-Fi with the Xteink app. There’s no store and no account. It’s your files on a little screen, and that’s it.

The magnetic back is the fun part. Stark Insider calls sticking it on the back of a phone a party trick for commuting. It’s also the reason I keep thinking about this thing.

The good and the not-so-good

What I like:

  • It really fits in a pocket. TechCrunch’s reviewer said she has to hold it closer to her face than a Kindle, which tells you how small it is.
  • Battery life. TechCrunch got about three weeks of reading on most days and still had 60% left.
  • The front light means it finally works in bed and on a dark plane.
  • Buttons and touch, so you can pick.
  • The firmware is open. Stark Insider recommends the free CrossPoint firmware over the stock software.

What could be better:

  • Charging uses a magnetic pogo-pin connector, not USB-C. Stark Insider notes the adapter is included but the cable isn’t.
  • No DRM support. Kindle books won’t open, and neither do library loans from Libby. DRM-free EPUBs work fine.
  • The eBook Reader found the screen contrast a few notches below the cheaper X4 Classic, because of the extra touch and light layers.
  • TechCrunch found the dimmest light setting still a bit bright for bedtime.

Who is the Xteink X4 Pro for?

The phone scroller who says they want to read more. Commuters who stand on a train with one free hand. Travelers who count grams. And tinkerers who like the idea of flashing open firmware on a gadget.

Skip it if all your books are on Kindle. Then a Kindle is simply the better buy. If you want a bigger pocket reader that runs Android apps, the BOOX Palma 2 Pro is the step up. More small, calm gadgets are in our gifts for minimalists.

Where can I buy the Xteink X4 Pro?

Xteink sells it through its own store on Amazon, in Space Black. It was 99 bucks at the time of writing (October 2026). Xteink’s own site also has a Mist Gray version.

Fewer feeds, more chapters. Take my money!