I gave up on Kindles for this DRM-free e-reader, and I’m never going back

Digital possession is partly an oxymoron, as a result of in 2026, you’re shopping for entry to digital content material extra typically than buying the content material itself. That’s true of subscription-based content material, nevertheless it additionally extends to books, video games, motion pictures, or TV exhibits you’ve purchased from many digital storefronts. In the event you can’t obtain bought media offline with out Digital Rights Administration (DRM) limiting its use, you don’t personal it.

I’ve been a Kindle consumer for the reason that unique mannequin was handed all the way down to me just a few years post-launch, and I later upgraded to the Kindle DX and the Kindle Keyboard. I purchased the Kindle Keyboard for the free 3G connectivity, which stopped working in 2021. Quick-forward to immediately, and all three Kindle fashions I as soon as owned are formally unsupported.

I was late for an e-reader improve, and I didn’t purchase one other Kindle — I grabbed a tiny MagSafe-compatible and DRM-free e-reader as a substitute.

Each Kindle mannequin I’ve ever owned just lately turned unsupported. My outdated Kindle, Kindle DX, and Kindle Keyboard fashions have all turn out to be paperweights as of Might 20. Kindle Retailer downloads now not work, and making an attempt to reset or register these Kindles to a brand new account will render them unusable. To be honest, all affected Kindle fashions are over a decade outdated. I gave up on these Kindles earlier than Amazon did.

It’s not a coincidence that the final Kindle I bought got here out in 2010. That was when the iPad launched, and I, like many others, left e-readers behind for digital tablets. Now, I’m coming back to e-readers. Because it seems, E-Ink shows are significantly better for studying than LCDs or OLEDs. I’m back on the e-reader hype prepare, however I’m leaping off the Kindle bandwagon. Though Amazon’s choice to ax help for older Kindles may not have affected me personally, that doesn’t imply I’m keen to purchase e-books from an organization that would shut off entry to them on a whim.

Kindles have been out of the query, however I shortly dominated out their most distinguished rivals from Kobo and Boox. Their {hardware} appeared too just like Amazon’s latest Kindles. I didn’t desire a knockoff; I needed one thing completely completely different — and I discovered it within the Xteink X4.

The Xteink X4 is a minuscule e-reader that’s doubtless smaller than your telephone, measuring simply 5.9mm thick. Xteink is a Chinese language e-reader startup, which suggests buyer help and software program doubtless gained’t match Amazon’s. That feels like a disadvantage, however to me it’s a perk. Xteink doesn’t have a digital storefront for e-books like Amazon or Kobo. It runs a light-weight working system and comes with a microSD card for e-book storage. In different phrases, nobody can flip my Xteink X4 into e-waste a decade from now.

Kindle {hardware} is merely a vertical for Amazon to promote you digital content material, however for Xteink, the X4’s {hardware} is the promoting level. It’s designed to run DRM-free e-books downloaded as EPUB or TXT information. The pocketable e-reader may show JPG and BMP paperwork proper out of the field. When transferred utilizing the Xteink app, MOBI and PDF information are seamlessly transformed to readable EPUB information.

I should buy DRM-free titles from shops like Bookshop.org or Kobo — make sure you store particularly of their DRM-free sections — and load them onto my Xteink X4’s microSD card very quickly.

There are some points of the Xteink X4 that may offer you pause, such because the companion app or working system, which can require upkeep or updates sooner or later. The fantastic thing about a DRM-free e-reader reminiscent of this one is that the software program is versatile as effectively. There’s an engaged neighborhood of Xteink house owners working to unravel any drawback the e-readers may need.

Flashing the community-made, open-source Crosspoint firmware to the X4 eliminates any worries about relying on Xteink for long-term help. There are even customized Xteink case fashions accessible on Bambu Lab’s MakerWorld that allow you to personalize your machine with solely a 3D printer. Neglect relying on Amazon to supply entry to Kindle books you’ve already bought — the Xteink X4 works greatest with DRM-free e-books, open-source firmware, and selfmade equipment.

The {hardware} drew my consideration greater than the software program early on. This e-reader is 4.49 inches tall and options MagSafe/Qi2 magnets for reference to suitable smartphones and circumstances. Your mileage could differ: the X4 suits nice on the back of my iPhone Air, however solely stays magnetized when it’s sideways on the Google Pixel 10 Professional pictured above. There’s a brand new Xteink X3 e-reader that’s even smaller and extra suitable with magnetic telephones and equipment.

The 650mAh battery is unbelievable. It’s marketed to final up to 2 weeks with average use, however it will probably final for much longer relying on your studying habits. The buttons and their capabilities is usually a bit complicated on the default working system, however switching to Crosspoint or enduring the transient studying curve are simple options. Having an e-reader I can maintain in my pocket on a regular basis, one which works fully offline, proved extra necessary to me than one with a giant display or a big digital storefront.

The query is whether or not you’re prepared to pay extra for an e-reader that objectively provides much less on paper. The Xteink X4 prices $69, whereas the most cost effective lockscreen-ad-free Kindle prices $130. Though the Xteink X4 is cheaper, the characteristic set displays that. Its 4.3-inch display will look minuscule in comparison with the Kindle’s 6-inch panel. There are some issues the Xteink will get proper, like microSD card enlargement, which the Kindle doesn’t have.

Xteink’s largest ache level is construct high quality. After only a few weeks of utilizing the white X4, the plastic housing is all scuffed up. In the meantime, Amazon’s design and sturdiness are significantly better on Kindles, and they’re splashproof with IPX8 safety too. It’s a bummer that I can’t use my tiny e-reader close to the pool with out risking everlasting harm.

Utilizing a flagship telephone or pill for on-the-go studying finally misplaced its luster and left me craving the Kindle expertise once more. The timing of Amazon’s sunsetting of older Kindle fashions was the ultimate push I wanted to look exterior the ecosystem. I ended up with the Xteink X4, a less expensive e-reader with a compact dimension that encourages me to learn throughout downtime somewhat than doomscroll.

Due to its help for open-source firmware and DRM-free, offline information, I’m assured this e-reader gained’t die as a result of an organization flips a swap in a decade or two. It’ll work so long as the {hardware} does, and that’s all I need from my gadgets.