Skip to content

A reader for your pocket, not your feed

Three pocket e-readers ship today, each about the size of a phone. Go another way only for a reason — the 58 g Xteink X3 for the smallest body, the front-lit X4 Pro for reading in the dark. Here's the full X4 case and how all three compare.

Buy the Xteink X4 See the full comparison →
Launched July 21, 2026

Xteink X4 Pro

The upgrade pick — front light and touchscreen for $99.

The X4 plus its two most-requested features: an adjustable warm/cool front light and a touchscreen (side buttons kept). It's 72 g with a bigger 1,100 mAh battery, but charges over pogo-pin, not USB-C. It runs Xteink's non-Android XTOS; the Android model is the S4, despite the old 'V2 Pro' name.

  • Warm/cool front light (top request)
  • Touchscreen plus side buttons
  • 1,100 mAh battery, 72 g
  • Unlocked-firmware guarantee (xteink.com)
Colours: Space Black White ?
$99
Details Compare Buy
Available now

Xteink X3

The smallest one — 58 g, snaps to the back of your phone.

A 58 g, 3.7-inch E Ink reader that rides the back of your phone on magnets, and charges over pogo-pin, not USB-C.

  • Smallest Xteink: 58 g
  • Magnetic phone-back carry
  • Runs CrossPoint and Microreader
  • Pogo-pin charging, not USB-C
Colours: Space Black Mist Gray
Save 21% $79 $62.10 code XTEINK10%
Details Compare Buy
Available now

Xteink X4

The one most people buy — 4.3", USB-C, $69.

The best first Xteink and the centre of the firmware scene: $69, USB-C, and magnetic-ready, with no front light or touchscreen by design.

  • 4.3" screen, plain USB-C
  • Centre of the firmware scene
  • Magnetic-ready, 2 stick-on rings
  • Cheapest Xteink: $69
Colours: Space Black Mist Gray
Save 10% $69 $62.10 code XTEINK10%
Details Compare Buy

Size check

What is the smallest e-reader?

The smallest e-reader in this comparison is the Xteink X3: a 3.7-inch E Ink reader that measures 97.6 × 63.7 × 5.1 mm and weighs 58 g.

Lightest first Weight Thickness Screen In a line
Xteink X3 58 g 5.1 mm 3.7" The smallest; snaps to a phone back
Xteink X4 Pro 72 g 5.95 mm 4.3" Lightest with a front light
Xteink X4 77 g 5.9 mm 4.3" The $69 default

Spec table

How do the Xteink pocket e-readers compare?

Build your own

The splits that matter: screen size (3.7-inch X3 vs 4.3-inch X4 and X4 Pro), front light and touch (X4 Pro only), and price ($69 to $99). All three share E Ink and 16 GB microSD.

Spec X3 X4 S4 soon X4 Pro
Colours
Space Black Mist Gray
Space Black Mist Gray
Not disclosed
Space Black White ?
OS / platform Proprietary firmware * Proprietary firmware * Android 11 * XTOS (non-Android)
Screen 3.7" E Ink 4.3" E Ink 4.3" E Ink * 4.3" E Ink, 219 PPI
Resolution 259 PPI 220 PPI Not disclosed ? 219 PPI
Front light No No Yes (adjustable temp) * Yes — adjustable brightness + warm/cool
Touchscreen No No Not disclosed ? Yes + side page-turn buttons
Chip ESP32-based * ESP32 Not disclosed ? Not disclosed ?
Storage 16 GB microSD, exp. 256 GB 16 GB microSD, exp. 256 GB 32 GB + microSD · 2 GB RAM * 16 GB microSD, exp. 256 GB
Charging Magnetic pogo-pin USB-C USB-C * Magnetic pogo-pin
Battery 650 mAh 650 mAh 1,400 mAh * 1,100 mAh
Dimensions 97.6 × 63.7 × 5.1 mm 114 × 69 × 5.9 mm Not disclosed ? 111 × 69 × 5.95 mm
Weight 58 g 77 g 95 g * 72 g
Thickness 5.1 mm 5.9 mm 6.98 mm * 5.95 mm
Magnetic mount Yes Yes Yes (to phone) * Yes — built-in magnetic backplate
Price $69 $69 CNY 339 (~$50) · China-only * $99
No mark Confirmed on xteink.com * Press-reported, not yet on the official store ? Rumored / unconfirmed

Still deciding? When in doubt, the $69 Xteink X4 is the safe call.

Buy the Xteink X4

Beyond Xteink

Is there a small e-reader that isn't an Xteink?

Yes — the Obook5 Mini: a 4.26-inch reader with a front light and an audiobook speaker, $109.99 on Amazon. Here's how it compares to the $69 Xteink X4.

Spec Xteink X4 Obook5 Mini
Screen 4.3" E Ink, 220 PPI 4.26" E Ink, 219 PPI, 4-level grayscale
Front light No Yes, adjustable
Battery 650 mAh 1,200 mAh
Weight 77 g 94 g
Storage 16 GB microSD, exp. 256 GB 32 GB
Price $69 $109.99

China only

Is the Xteink S4 available outside China?

1 model

Not yet. The Xteink S4 is an Android 11 e-reader sold only in China, with no international release planned as of August 2026, per Joshua Lowcock's S4 tracker — so importing is the only route. Full story in our S4 guide.

China-only · no intl release planned

Xteink S4

The Android pivot — sideload Kindle, Kobo, anything.

Xteink's first Android model: sideload Kindle, Kobo, or any reading app, plus its first front light. Sold in China only, and Joshua Lowcock's tracker shows no international release planned as of August 2026, so importing is the only route.

  • Android 11 — sideload Kindle, Kobo, Moon+, anything
  • First Xteink with a front light
  • 2 GB RAM · 32 GB storage · 1,400 mAh
  • China-only; no international release planned (Aug 2026)
CNY 339 (~$50) · China-only
Compare What we know

Questions

Pocket e-reader FAQ

Is there a pocket e-reader with a front light?
Yes. The Xteink X4 Pro ($99) has an adjustable warm and cool front light plus a touchscreen. The non-Xteink Obook5 Mini also advertises an adjustable front light. The base Xteink X4 and the Xteink X3 have no front light.

Sources: the-ebook-reader.com

How much does a pocket e-reader cost?
A pocket e-reader runs about $69 to $110. The Xteink X4 is $69, the Xteink X3 is $79, and the front-lit Xteink X4 Pro is $99, all on xteink.com; the Obook5 Mini is listed at $109.99 on Amazon.

Sources: the-ebook-reader.com (Obook5 price)

Can a pocket e-reader attach to the back of a phone?
Yes. The Xteink X3 is MagSafe-compatible, so it snaps onto a phone's magnetic back, per TechCrunch's X3 review. For the Xteink X4 Pro, Xteink sells an adhesive metal ring accessory that adds the same magnetic carry.

Sources: TechCrunch X3 review