Xteink X3 vs X4: Buy the X3 or Keep Your X4

Buy the Xteink X3 ($69, in stock). The X4 (4.3-inch, 77 g, USB-C) was the safer first pick for most readers, but Xteink discontinued it in August 2026. If you already own an X4, keep it: the size, charging, and firmware notes below still apply. If you want a front light, check X4 Pro stock and use the X4 vs S4 vs X4 Pro guide. This page stays on X3 vs X4.

Which Is Better: Xteink X3 or X4?

For a new order, the X3 is better: it is $69 and the button-only model you can actually buy. The X4 was better for most first-time readers (larger 4.3-inch screen, USB-C, fewer first-device surprises) while it was for sale. If you already own an X4, that comfort case still holds for your device.

Both are tiny, single-purpose readers meant to pull people off a phone and back into a book, as owners of both models report below.

X4 rows are for people who already own one, or who are looking at a used unit. They are not a new-order menu.

Buy the X3 (in stock) · $69 at xteink.com  or copy the live X3 discount code (15% off plus a free magnetic case).

What Is the Difference Between the Xteink X3 and X4?

Three differences decide the Xteink X3 vs X4 choice: screen size, charging, and body size. The X3 has a 3.7-inch E Ink display at 528×792, a magnetic pogo-pin charging port, and NFC. The X4 has a 4.3-inch E Ink display at 480×800 and charges over USB-C. Neither has a front light or a touchscreen. The X3 weighs 58 g; the X4 weighs 77 g. Both listed at $69.

The X3’s 528×792 panel is a slightly higher resolution than the X4’s 480×800, packed into a smaller 3.7-inch screen, so its pixel density is higher still. In practice both panels are crisp for text. The meaningful difference is how much text fits at your preferred font size, not PPI.

Which Is Newer: the Xteink X3 or X4?

The Xteink X4 is the newer of the two; the X3 is the older, smaller sibling. The clearest verifiable clue is in firmware: the X3 ships with an older factory bootloader than the X4, which CrossPoint’s maintainers patched so one binary boots on both. The age gap does not change the buy. Both listed at $69 and both run current CrossPoint and the other major forks. If “newest Xteink” is what you are shopping for, that is neither of these: the Xteink X4 Pro launched on July 21, 2026 at $99. That lineup lives on the X4 vs S4 vs X4 Pro page.

Xteink X3 vs X4 Size Comparison: Exact Dimensions and Weight

The Xteink X3 is 16.4 mm shorter, 5.3 mm narrower, and 19 g lighter than the X4. Both are pocket-sized. The X3 can disappear into a coin pocket; the X4 trades a little bulk for a larger reading area.

Both figures come from the official specifications tables on xteink.com. The X4 is about a centimetre and a half taller, and that extra height is what buys the bigger screen.

Factor 1: Pocketability (The Pocket E-Reader Test)

Pocketability is the X3’s strongest argument. The X4 is already small; the X3 is the one people say they could keep on them all the time, in checkout lines, commutes, and school pickup.

Pick the X3 if the reader disappearing into your day is the whole point. The X4’s larger screen was pocketable without feeling quite so constrained, which is still why owners keep it.

Repairability is a real model-choice factor once you accept both panels can break: the X3’s pogo-pin panel is easier to swap than the X4’s USB-C build, though the full X4 screen-replacement teardown is well documented if you go that route.

Factor 2: Reading Comfort

The screen-size tradeoff is simple: the X3 is easier to carry, the X4 is easier to read.

Be honest about font size. Smaller text and short sessions suit the X3. Larger fonts, generous line spacing, or half-hour sessions make the X4 the easier recommendation for owners or a used unit.

Neither the X3 nor the X4 has a front light, so both need ambient light: a lamp, daylight, or a clip-on book light. If you read in bed with the lights off, that is a dealbreaker for both models. Plan to add an external light rather than expecting a glow from the screen.

Factor 3: Charging And Cable Friction

This is the X3’s biggest everyday compromise.

The X4 uses USB-C. The X3 uses a magnetic pogo-pin cable. That helps the X3 stay thin, and it means one more special cable to keep track of.

Battery life is long enough that you may not charge daily, and the cable is included. If the X3 is a small reading sidekick, the tradeoff can be acceptable. If you travel often, rotate bags, or want every device to share the same charger, USB-C was the easier case for the X4.

Factor 4: Phone-Back And Magnetic Use

Phone-back reading is one of the reasons people notice Xteink: stick a tiny e-reader to the phone, carry both together, and read without opening the phone screen.

The official X3 comparison presents the X3 as having an optimized magnetic design for wider phone compatibility, while the X4 is presented as magnetic-ready with more limited compatibility. The X4 product page also highlights magnetic stick-on rings as part of the setup.

Real-world commentary is more mixed. The X3 shape fits phone-back use better, but magnet strength, phone size, case thickness, pocket movement, and ring placement all matter. The X4 is larger and can feel more awkward on the back of a phone, but it has an established magnetic accessory story.

If phone-back carry is the main reason you want an Xteink, treat the magnet setup as a carry system.

Factor 5: NFC And Automation

The X3 is the more interesting model if you like automation.

Community evidence includes owners using NFC for practical shortcuts, such as tapping the X3 to a phone to trigger hotspot or file-manager workflows. Kindle and Kobo do not offer that loop.

Pick the X3 if you enjoy small automation loops:

• tap-to-open transfer workflow
• phone shortcut triggers
• NFC shortcut triggers for custom automations
• “tiny e-paper tool” use cases beyond normal reading

If you simply want to read and do not want another project, skip the automation story. The X3 still reads. The X4’s plain, no-automation experience was a fine reason to pick it while it was in production.

Factor 6: Firmware And Tinkering

CrossPoint is the main community firmware and runs on both the X3 and X4. The fork ecosystem is uneven, and that asymmetry can decide the question for tinkerers. Here is the map of what runs where, sorted by which model each fork supports:

A few niche forks also circulate: AvesO3 (an AO3 fanfiction reader) targets the X4 and needs an unlocked device, with X3 support unverified; a CrossPet virtual pet and a chess/PGN viewer show these are hackable little computers, not just readers.

Both models share CrossPoint, CrossInk, SUMI, and Papyrix. The X4 has the deeper bench because Microreader and INX are X4-only, with no X3-exclusive fork to balance them. Verify the current build for your exact model before buying specifically for one fork.

Reports in early May 2026 described firmware flashing restrictions on some Xteink devices in certain markets, while Xteink said overseas versions bought through the official website were not being restricted. The locked-vs-unlocked buying guide ranks sellers by risk and has the arrival-day test you should run before flashing anything.

Two post-flash realities affect both models equally:

• Battery percentage can read erratically on CrossPoint, a known open issue. It does not mean the battery is failing; the simplest workaround is to hide the battery percentage in the reader UI.
• White X4 owners sometimes see the screen wash out in direct sunlight. CrossPoint includes a Sunlight Fading Fix toggle under Display settings for exactly this, so it is a setting, not a defect.

For a tinkerer, confirm the preferred fork for this exact model, and that you can recover if flashing fails.

Factor 7: Kindle And Kobo Expectations

Do not treat either Xteink model as a direct Kindle/Kobo replacement without qualification.

Both are tiny, with no front light and no touchscreen. They are better for simple EPUBs, TXT files, saved essays, fanfic, and light reading than for PDFs, comics, textbooks, or complex layouts.

Use either as the reader that is with you when the Kindle is not.

Who Should Buy Which

X4 rows are for existing owners or a used unit. For a new order, start with the X3; check X4 Pro stock if you want a front light (it sells out in waves).

Xteink X3 vs X4 Specs, Side by Side

The Xteink X3 and X4 share a $69 price, microSD storage, and the same omissions (no front light, no touchscreen). They differ on three lines: screen (3.7-inch 528×792 vs 4.3-inch 480×800), weight (58 g vs 77 g), and charging (magnetic pogo-pin vs USB-C).

What to Do Next

Buy the X3 (in stock) · $69 at xteink.com  or check X4 Pro stock if you want the front-lit larger screen.

Quick Answers Before You Buy

Does the X3 or X4 have a backlight?

No. Neither model has a front light, so both need ambient light: a lamp, daylight, or a clip-on book light. If you read in the dark, that is a dealbreaker for both.

Can I read library (Libby / OverDrive) books on it?

No. Libby lends DRM-protected EPUBs, and CrossPoint cannot open DRM-protected files; there is no Libby app on either model. You can read titles you own outright or public-domain books.

Will my Kindle books transfer over?

Only DRM-free ones. Start with books you already own DRM-free and test three to five before assuming your whole shelf will move. A frictionless "all my Kindle books, instantly" experience is the single most common reason people return one.

Which is newer, the Xteink X3 or the X4?

The X4 is the newer of the two base models; the X3 is the older, smaller sibling and ships with an older factory bootloader that CrossPoint patches around. The X4 is discontinued as of August 2026, so a new order is the X3 at $69 (in stock) or the X4 Pro at $99 (in stock as of August 24, 2026; check live stock).

How do the Xteink X3 and X4 charge?

The X3 charges with a proprietary magnetic pogo-pin cable included in the box. The X4 charged over standard USB-C; it is discontinued and no longer for sale new. Flashing custom firmware over USB needs a data-capable USB-C cable on the X4. There is currently no USB-C Xteink in production.

Sources And Notes

• Liliputing report on firmware flashing restrictions
• Good e-Reader on the firmware lockdown
• Reddit: “Libby on XTEINK X4?”: DRM and app-support discussion