Two tiny e-readers with a cult following just got cheaper.
The Xteink X4 and X3 — pocket-sized devices released in late 2025 — are 20% off for Prime Day, dropping to $55 and $63 respectively. Built by a small Chinese tech company, both models strip out everything that mainstream e-readers have added over the past decade: no touchscreen, no front light, no AI features, no built-in store. Storage comes via microSD rather than onboard flash. The X4 has a 4.3-inch screen; the X3 squeezes down to 3.7 inches, roughly the footprint of a library card.
The appeal is precisely what they lack. In a market where Kindles and Kobos keep adding subscription services and lock-in features, the Xteink devices are open to custom firmware and work with DRM-free EPUB files — which is why a Reddit community of more than 44,000 members has grown around them, alongside a dedicated site for one-click OS installs. That ecosystem matters: without it, sourcing and loading books would be a real barrier for non-technical buyers.
These are not the right devices for readers who want to buy a book in three taps. You need to know how to find DRM-free EPUB files, and you will not be able to access any existing Kindle or Kobo library. But for the tinkerer who wants a genuinely pocketable reader that does one thing and does it without a paywall, the price gap between these and a full-featured Kindle has just gotten harder to ignore.