This even smaller credit card-sized e-reader has one tragic flaw
The Verge • • technology
Key Points:
- The Xteink X3 is a smaller, thinner e-reader than the X4, offering improved software, simplified buttons, and a better magnetic mount, but it uses a proprietary magnetic pogo-pin charging port instead of USB-C, which may be a significant drawback.
- The X3’s compact size allows it to fit comfortably in pockets and attach to the back of an iPhone 16 Pro, although its magnets are weak and do not hold the device securely in place.
- The device features a 3.7-inch E Ink display with a higher 250ppi resolution, lacks screen lighting and touchscreen functionality, and has an improved button layout, though the user interface remains clunky and difficult to navigate.
- Software improvements include more line spacing options, a shake-to-turn-page function, and wireless book transfer via a mobile app, but many limitations from the X4 persist, and alternative firmware support is not yet available.
- Despite its portability and comfortable reading experience, the X3’s reliance on a proprietary charger instead of USB-C is inconvenient, making it less appealing in a market moving toward standardized charging solutions.
