This smaller, credit card-sized e-reader has a tragic flaw

There is a new smallest e-reader in my life. the Extinc X3 It is smaller and thinner than Extinc X4 With the X4 also improved with improved software (but it’s still far from great), simplified buttons and an improved magnetic holder on the back. It’s a better compact e-reader than the X4 if extreme portability is your priority, but its slimmer design comes with a hefty price tag that could be a deal-breaker. Instead of a USB-C port, the X3 charges through an unusual magnetic connection.

This was a heartbreaking discovery while unboxing the new X3 because it actually comes with a host of improvements that make it a solid upgrade. The X3 is a millimeter thinner, a few millimeters narrower, and a half-inch shorter than the X4. It’s closer in size to a credit card, but although the X3 is too large to fit inside my slim wallet, I can fit both in my pocket without noticing any extra bulk.

When the X4 debuted last December, it wasn’t just its size that caught our attention. Xteink promoted the X4 with Photos of it stuck to the back of the smartphone Like the MagSafe Battery, it seems to promise an e-reader that goes everywhere your phone does and a more versatile alternative to it E-reader cases. But the strange placement of the magnets on the back of the

I was thrilled to find that the Magnetic accessories such as PopSockets or Fist Oh Snap Snap Get satisfying sound when connected to your phone. Linking the X3 to the 16 Pro feels like the devices exchanging a weak embrace. They don’t stay parallel when holding the two together, and on several occasions the X3 fell out of my phone while inserting or removing it from a pocket.

The X3 has a smaller 3.7-inch E Ink display than the 4.7-inch display on the I like to stick to a small font, which requires my reading glasses at all times, but if your eyes prefer a larger font you’ll turn the page more frequently because the X3 can squeeze fewer words onto the screen. In this case, you’ll be better off with a larger Kindle or Kobo.

There’s still no screen lighting or touchscreen functionality, but the X3’s button layout has been improved. There’s now just one button on either side of the e-reader used to scroll menus and go to the next or previous page when reading, as well as a pair of double-sided buttons below the X3’s screen to navigate menus and its operating system.

Having to remember which double-sided buttons I needed to press to make a selection or return to the previous screen was one of my biggest frustrations with the X4. Xteink has improved the software on the X3 and added contextual on-screen labels above those buttons… but only on the home screen, which seems like a tease. As you navigate other areas of the operating system, these labels disappear. The user interface is still often frustrating and makes you feel like Xteink wants you to have the right to use an e-reader this small.

There are some other software improvements. There are more options to adjust line spacing which can help squeeze more text onto the screen and a new function where you can shake the X3 to turn the page. It worked, but it felt like a weird substitute for buttons. It also worked now to transfer books wirelessly to the

Most of the limitations of the X4 software, including only two font size options, remain in X3. It gives the e-reader a steep learning curve, and it’s not a device I’d ever recommend to anyone looking for the polished UI experience of a Kindle. Excellent Replacement firmware for CrossPoint Reader It was the X4’s saving grace, but it doesn’t support the X3 yet. Dave AlleySupport for the

Despite the lack of software and hardware upgrades, I’m still tempted to recommend the X3 simply because I adore how compact it is. It disappears into any pocket I slip it into while still being comfortable to hold and actually read with. It may seem strange, but in the past week alone, I’ve finished half a novel while reading in class at checkout, while washing the car, and waiting at school pickup. I don’t like reading on my phone, and I find the X3 a great alternative to lugging around my Kobo. But the lack of a USB-C port is a real pain point.

While I was testing the X3, I managed to misplace its magnetic charging cable for three days before remembering where I had moved it. Given the e-reader’s battery life of about two weeks, misplacing the cable for three days wasn’t a big deal, but it could have easily been gone for much longer than that. The company does not recommend using There are third-party alternatives on Amazon It only plans to start selling replacement cables later this month.

In a world where USB-C is now almost standardized across all devices, having to keep an eye on a proprietary cable seems pretty annoying. Making the X3 a little thicker to accommodate a USB-C port or even a wireless charging coil wouldn’t reduce its pocketability or portability in any meaningful way. As much as I’d love to take the X3 with me wherever I go, I don’t think I have any room in my heart for a gadget that isn’t on my USB-C cart.

Photography by Andrew Leszewski/The Verge