This Quirky Wallet-Sized E-Reader Is Under $50 for Cyber Monday

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For two years now, I’ve been obsessed with the Boox Palma for one main reason: because it’s shaped like a phone, it’s easy to slip it into my pocket and take it with me wherever I go. It helps me read more and use my phone-shaped phone a lot less, which more than justifies the $270 price tag. So of course I’m intrigued to learn that there’s a new, even smaller e-reader on the market, and that you can pick one up for around $50, or even less with a Cyber ​​Monday coupon.

Like the Palma, the Xteink X4 is a Chinese-made gadget with an e-ink display similar to what you’ll find on the Amazon Kindle. Unlike the Palma, which is packed with premium features like a temperature-adjustable front light, a camera, an Android-based operating system with access to the Google Play Store, and a ton of internal storage, the Xteink X4 is about as basic as it gets. There are no lights, no touchscreen, and the onboard software is so basic that calling it an operating system seems like a stretch. There’s not even internal storage, but it comes with a 32GB SD card.

I love him.

The Xteink X4 is really easy to carry with you, even more so than phone-sized e-readers. It even has a magnetic ring on the back that you can use to attach it to the back of your phone, provided your phone is large enough (don’t be fooled by the images on the Xteink website that show it attached to an iPhone; it’s too big for my iPhone 14 and some research confirms that it doesn’t really fit the larger iPhone “Max” models either). But even on its own, even in its little magnetic cover ($9 extra), you’ll barely notice the Xteink X4 is in your pocket, so you’ll have no excuse not to carry it everywhere so you can read instead of scrolling.

Just the basics

Credit: Joël Cunningham

I should start with a big caveat: Unless you’re at least a little tech-savvy and like playing with gadgets, the Xteink X4 isn’t for you. While it’s fairly easy to get started, it comes with a learning curve because it’s designed for basic functionality over good user experience. This is pretty awesome, but I’m someone who reviews e-ink devices regularly, so I’m not really a neophyte. (In any case, the r/xteinkereader Reddit community is already thriving and can help you get started.)

That being said, here are the details of this super simple device:

• a 4.3-inch e-ink display (somewhere between the size of a credit card and a standard iPhone)

• 220 dpi resolution

• 32 GB of storage via microSD card (expandable up to 512 GB)

• 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

• 650 mAh battery with USB-C charging (works for approximately 14 days on a single charge)

• 114mm x 69mm, 5.9mm thick

• Physical power, navigation, and page turn buttons

• weight 74g

• compatible with: TXT, EPUB, JPG, BMP files; BIN Fonts

And that’s it. Even as e-readers go, the Xteink X4 is extremely simple. To navigate the simple menus, you must use the physical buttons located on the right side and on the lower bezel. It will take you some time to get familiar with which button does what and to understand what the different options in the eBook’s settings and menus actually are. TO DObut once you understand it, you’ll realize that if all you want is an e-reader that makes it easy to read wherever you are, this fits the bill.

It’s easy, once the books are on the device.

To start

Credit: Joël Cunningham

In fact, getting your books onto the Xteink

Only DRM-free eBooks will work

Many e-book retailers, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble, typically only sell e-books with DRM (which stands for “digital rights management”), anti-piracy software designed to ensure that you can only read legally purchased books. Although DRM can be removed from your files with tools you can find online, it’s technically illegal (stern, scowling face emoji), so you’ll either need to purchase DRM-free books or download public domain titles from sources like Project Gutenberg.

Loading files is a bit difficult

Once your files are ready, you can download them to the device in different ways. You can remove the SD card, stick it in a card reader, and mount it on your computer (this wasn’t an option for me though, as my work laptop doesn’t allow me to mount external drives). You can also transfer files over Wi-Fi by connecting the Xteink

The reading experience

Credit: Joël Cunningham

Once you load your books, the reading experience is better than you would expect. At 220 ppi, the screen is sharp enough to be easily readable, but as with a paper book, there’s no lighting, so you’ll need to provide your own (I recommend bulbs, but the sun works well if you’re outside during the day).

Your books won’t look great– there are only two preinstalled fonts, and as of this writing, the formatting options are extremely limited, so you won’t be able to see embedded images or use hyperlinks to jump from the table of contents to a specific chapter (there are workarounds for this in the eBook navigation menus, but they’re pretty clunky). Additionally, text styling like paragraph indents, italics, bolding, and underlining is currently non-functional, which may make some books difficult to parse, but the developers promise to do their best to continue improving the software via over-the-air updates.

Who is the Xteink X4 for?

If you have a huge Kindle library or are the type of person who just wants their technology to run smoothly, get an Amazon e-reader. If you have many books from different sources and want to read them all on the same device, an Android-based reader like Boox Palma 2 or Boox Go 7 will be very useful for you.

But if you’re a minimalist or a techie who likes to play with weird gadgets, I think you’ll find this little guy incredibly endearing. Although there are about 10 different e-readers scattered around my house, and I recently read all about the $400 Boox Palma 2 Pro, all weekend I found myself reaching for the Xteink X4, and I’m already trying to figure out who I’m going to give one to for the holidays.

How to get the Xteink X4 with a Cyber ​​Monday discount

Currently, the Xteink X4 is not sold through Amazon, but you can get one in two different ways.

Order on AliExpress

AliExpress is an e-commerce platform that largely sells items directly from China. This might sound a little weird, but it’s a legitimate website, and it’s the only third-party retailer where you can currently order the Xteink X4 for shipping within the United States. Just make sure the product listing you’re looking at is for the right device and the best price. Sometimes you’ll see slightly different prices between sellers, but if the price is ridiculously low, check the description to make sure you’re not just buying an accessory.

For Cyber ​​Monday, AliExpress is offering a coupon for $10 off a $50 order, which means you can currently grab an Xteink X4 for around $41.

Order directly

If you prefer, you can also order directly from Xteink, although you’ll likely pay $15 to $20 more. On the plus side, you can easily add inexpensive accessories to your order, including a magnetic cover, magnetic clip-on reading light, and screen protectors.

Does Amazon have Cyber ​​Monday deals?

Yes, Amazon has Cyber ​​Monday sales, but the prices aren’t always what they seem. Use a price tracker to make sure you’re getting the best deal, or refer to guides like our live blog who use price trackers for you. And if you are an Amazon Prime subscriber, make the most of it.

Which stores have the best sales on Cyber ​​Monday?

These days, big retailers and small businesses are competing for Cyber ​​Monday shoppers, so you can expect virtually every store to have sales through Monday, December 1, 2025. The “best” sales depend on your needs, but in general, the biggest discounts tend to come from big retailers that can afford lower prices: think places like Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and Home Depot. You can find all the best sales from major retailers on our live blog.

Are Cyber ​​Monday deals worth it?

In short, yes, Cyber ​​​​Monday always offers discounts which can be rare throughout the year. If you want to buy something or are shopping for gifts, now is a good time to look for discounts on what you need, especially technology sales, home improvement suppliesAnd fitness technology. Of course, if you need to save money, the best way to save is to not buy anything.