There are some products that are so successful that the brand name becomes the default term for that product. Brands such as Band-Aid, Photoshop, and Scotch tape are often used for any products of that kind, and the same is true of Kindle. While the Kindle has been the dominant force in the eReader market for a long time, a tiny eReader makes me believe that things are starting to change.
The Xteink X3 is absurdly small
It’s just crazy enough to work
I’ve been using a fourth-generation Kindle for as long as I can remember, but I recently got my first new eReader in more than a decade. The Xteink X3 is about as far from a Kindle as you can get.
It’s an insanely tiny eReader, built around an ESP32-C3, with a 3.7-inch display. The whole device is only a little larger than a credit card, and it weighs just 58g. Despite the tiny size, it has a 259 PPI display, physical page turn buttons, and up to 256GB of storage via microSD card.
On paper, it feels like it shouldn’t work. Surely a 3-inch eReader is just too small to be genuinely useful. I thought the same until I tried it out, but once you’re reading, you don’t even notice the size.
The best part is that the X3 is small enough to fit in your pocket. It can even connect magnetically to the back of your phone. It means that instead of pulling out your phone and doomscrolling when you have an idle minute, you can pull out your eReader instead. I’ve been reading so much more since I got mine.
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Being free of the Kindle ecosystem is a relief
My device won’t suddenly lose key features
Credit: Adam Davidson / How-To Geek
Aside from the benefits of having an eReader you can keep on you at all times, one of the other things I love about the Xteink X3 is that I’m no longer tied down to Amazon’s Kindle ecosystem. For years, I’ve been at the whims of what Amazon will allow.
In 2025, Amazon removed the “Download & Transfer via USB” option for purchased books. This was how I backed up books that I’d bought from the Kindle Store, since Amazon has a history of removing books from its library. In 2026, Amazon completely ended support for my Kindle 4 and other models, meaning I can no longer buy or download books from the Kindle Store.
While the X3 has its own proprietary firmware, it supports EPUB files, so you can add any DRM-free books that you own to the microSD card and read them without worrying about dealing with the whole Kindle ecosystem. There are also several alternative community-created firmware options that you can install, so you don’t have to worry about suddenly losing the key features of your eReader like you do with a Kindle.
The best eReaders are getting weird
Amazon continues to play it safe
Credit: Tyler Hayes / How-To Geek
You only have to see the Xteink X3 for a second to know that it’s definitely not a Kindle. That’s not because it’s lacking the Kindle branding, but because it’s just so different from the rest of the Kindle lineup.
Amazon has had a significant lead in the eReader market for years, but that comfortable position has meant that there hasn’t really been much need for innovation. The latest standard Kindle model isn’t hugely different from my Kindle 4, with the biggest differences being the touchscreen and front light. 15 years apart, they’re both still six-inch eReaders and the form factor is mostly unchanged.
Amazon has added new models over time, such as the Paperwhite and Colorsoft models, which add features such as adjustable warm light and a color display, but they’re still very similar to standard Kindles, with slightly larger 7-inch screens. The Kindle Scribe is a little different, but it’s more of a note-taking tool than a dedicated eReader.
Thankfully, while Amazon continues to play it safe, other companies have been more experimental. Xteink currently offers the X3 and a slightly larger X4 Pro with a 4.3-inch screen, front light, and touchscreen, and there’s an updated version of the original X4 on the way.
Other eReader brands are also going beyond the standard 6-inch format, with companies such as Kobo and PocketBook offering larger-screen models, and other smaller 4-inch models beginning to appear. There have even been prototypes of foldable E Ink readers, which could eventually become another option.
I still use my Kindle, but I won’t buy another
There are so many options to choose from
Credit: Adam Davidson / How-To Geek
Looking at the eReader market today, there are so many great options available. Even in the standard 6-inch format, there are plenty of models from brands other than Amazon that won’t leave you tied down to the Kindle ecosystem.
The Xteink X3 has changed my opinion of what an eReader should be. It doesn’t need to be the same size as a paperback, and it definitely doesn’t need to be made by Amazon. Having jailbroken my Kindle 4, there’s still plenty of life in it yet, but I won’t be buying another Kindle.
There’s never been a better time to buy an eReader
With so many great options available outside the Kindle range, it’s the perfect time to get a new eReader. If you haven’t looked at what’s available in a while, you may be surprised at what you can find.