Which mini Xteink ereader should you buy? I've crunched the numbers on all 4 models — here's my verdict as an X4 Pro owner | Daily Reports Online

The Xteink S4 might be the tiny ereader you’ve been waiting for, as unlike other Xteink devices — and rival products like the Boox Picco — this runs Android.

That comes with various upsides, not least the ability to directly access the Kindle and Kobo apps, the absence of which is something I’ve been lamenting about my Xteink X4 Pro, but it also has some downsides.

So should you wait for this currently China-only ereader to get a global release? Or are you better off sticking with the Xteink X4 Classic, the X4 Pro or the even tinier X3? I’ve compared these devices below, to help answer that question.

Xteink S4 vs X4 Pro vs X4 Classic vs X3: specs comparison

Below you’ll find a closer look at the key features of every available Xteink model, but first here’s how their core specs compare:

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Header Cell – Column 0	Xteink S4	Xteink X4 Pro	Xteink X4 Classic	Xteink X3
Dimensions:	6.98mm thick	111 x 69 x 5.95mm	114 x 69 x 4.9mm	97.6 x 63.7 x 5.1mm
Weight:	94g	72g	68g	58g
Display:	4.3-inch, 219ppi	4.3-inch, 219ppi	4.3-inch, 219ppi	3.7-inch, 259ppi
Touchscreen:	Yes	Yes	No	No
Front light:	Yes	Yes	No	No
Storage:	32GB built in	microSD – 16GB included	microSD – 16GB included	microSD – 16GB included
Battery:	1,400mAh	1,100mAh	920mAh	650mAh
Charging:	USB-C	Proprietary	Proprietary	Proprietary
Operating system:	Android 11	Proprietary	Proprietary	Proprietary
Magnets:	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

Xteink S4 vs X4 Pro vs X4 Classic vs X3: price and availability

The Xteink S4 (Image credit: Xteink)

The Xteink X4 Classic, X4 Pro, and X3 are all available directly from Xteink and from some third-party stores like Amazon. They ship to much of the world, and the cheapest is the Xteink X3, which costs $69 / £69 / AU$102.

Then there’s the Xteink X4 Classic for $79 / £79 / AU$116, while the Xteink X4 Pro will cost you $99 / £99 / AU$146.

The Xteink S4 is so far only available in China, but I’d expect it will cost at least as much as the X4 Pro, if not more.

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Pricing
Model	US price	UK price	AU price
Xteink X3	$69	£69	AU$102
Xteink X4 Classic	$79	£79	AU$116
Xteink X4 Pro	$99	£99	AU$146
Xteink S4	TBC	TBC	TBC

Xteink S4 vs X4 Pro vs X4 Classic vs X3: design

The Xteink X3 alongside a phone running the Xteink app — The Xteink X3 (Image credit: Xteink)

All of these devices look similar to each other, as they’re all small rectangles and look a bit like a tiny phone — albeit with larger bezels than most modern smartphones.

They all have buttons and charging ports on the sides, but the Xteink X3 and Xteink X4 Classic each also have two long, narrow buttons on the bezel below the display, while the Xteink X4 Pro and Xteink S4 instead have a single circular button, like a much smaller version of the home button on very old iPhones.

The Xteink X4 Classic and X3 are both available in a choice of Space Black or Mist Gray (the latter of which is sometimes referred to as ‘Frost White’ instead), while the X4 Pro is currently only sold in Space Black, but pictures of it exist in a gray shade too, so that will probably launch sooner or later. In China, the Xteink S4 is available in black and white shades, and it’s likely the color options will be the same when it goes global.

So there’s not much difference there either — the main design difference is in their weight and dimensions. The Xteink X3 is the smallest and lightest of the bunch at 97.6 x 63.7 x 5.1mm and 58g. Then there’s the Xteink X4 Classic at 114 x 69 x 4.9mm and 68g — making it slightly slimmer but otherwise larger.

The Xteink X4 Pro is 111 x 69 x 5.95mm and 72g, so it’s not quite as tall as the X4 Classic but is thicker and heavier than both that and the X3. And then there’s the Xteink S4, which we don’t have full dimensions for yet, but which we know is 6.98mm thick and 95g, making it the thickest and heaviest of them all.

All of these devices have built in magnets though, allowing you to attach them to the back of a phone — though they’re quite vulnerable like that, so you might prefer to put them in a case anyway.