IKAWE Moov vs Xteink X4 and X4 Classic: which pocket e-reader?

Xteink's original X4 went on sale in late 2025 at $69 and became one of the best-known pocket e-readers, helped by the open-source CrossPoint firmware. In August 2026 Xteink confirmed it was sold out, with no plans for future production.

Its replacement, released in September 2026, is called the X4 Classic on Xteink's store and is also sold as the X4 V2. It's new hardware, not a relabelled X4. The front-lit, touchscreen X4 Pro is a separate model; see Moov vs X4 Pro.

You'll also see the X4 searched for as "XTE X4" or "Xte ink X4"; it's the same device.

Neither X4 model has a front light or a touchscreen. That keeps them simple and cheap, and plenty of owners are happy with buttons, but you need a lamp or a clip-on light to read in the dark. In Xteink's own community, a built-in light has been the most common request, and it's the main reason owners move up to the X4 Pro.

Both Moov models have a warm/cool front light with adjustable brightness and warmth, and a touchscreen alongside physical page-turn buttons. If you read in bed, on a dim train or on winter evenings, this is the deciding difference.

Moov is 4 mm shorter and 3 mm narrower than both X4 models, at 110 × 66 × 6 mm, while fitting a larger 4.5-inch screen. The X4 Classic is the slimmest at 4.9 mm and the lightest at about 68 g; the original X4 is 5.9 mm thick and Xteink lists it at both 74 g and 77 g.

The X4 Classic has the most physical controls: page-turn buttons on both sides, four keys below the screen, and a motion sensor that turns the page when you tilt or shake it. The original X4 has four front buttons and a side rocker.

Moov keeps the front clean, with left and right page-turn buttons on its sides plus a touchscreen for menus, the library and settings. If you never want to touch the screen, the X4 Classic's extra keys and tilt-to-turn are a genuine plus.

Both X4 models use a 4.3-inch, 800 × 480 e-ink screen at about 219–220 PPI. Moov's screen is 4.5 inches: Moov Lite matches the X4's sharpness at 219 PPI, and Moov Pro is sharper at 300 PPI, which shows most with small fonts.

Xteink doesn't publish a panel type for either X4, and the display controller has changed between production batches, so screens can vary slightly from unit to unit.

The original X4 charged over USB-C, though no cable came in the box. The X4 Classic switched to pogo pins with a magnetic adapter, a change The eBook Reader reports was controversial with owners; Xteink reportedly plans to bring USB-C back on future devices.

Moov has a USB-C port for both charging and file transfer, with a cable included. All three have 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi for wireless book uploads; the X4 Classic's product page lists Bluetooth in only one of its two spec sections.

Xteink rates the X4 Classic at up to 10 days of casual reading from 920 mAh, and the original X4 at up to 14 days at 1–3 hours a day from 650 mAh. The two claims use different conditions, so don't compare the day counts directly.

Moov's 1,100 mAh battery is the largest of the three. Battery life on any of them depends on how often the screen refreshes and, on Moov, how bright you run the front light.

All three run CrossPoint, the open-source reading firmware. The original X4 was the first device it supported, in December 2025; the X4 Classic gained an official build in version 1.6.5 on 27 September 2026, with custom fonts and new themes. Moov runs CrossPoint out of the box.

Xteink's own firmware is more limited. The eBook Reader found formatting bugs on the X4's stock software, and Aftermath found it slow, with limited font options and menus that sometimes appear in Chinese, which is why many owners install CrossPoint.

The original X4 uses an ESP32-C3 chip with very little memory, so it misses some newer CrossPoint themes; the X4 Classic moved to a faster ESP32-S3. All three read DRM-free EPUB and TXT, not Kindle purchases or Libby loans.

• Sunlight: some owners of the white X4 have reported text fading in direct sunlight; a CrossPoint issue suspects the display driver reacts to UV light.
• Hardware changes: mid-2026 production changes on the X4 broke older CrossPoint builds (blank screens or fast battery drain) until CrossPoint 1.5.0 added support.
• Locked units: Xteink says readers from its store and Amazon aren't locked against custom firmware, but some sold through other channels have been.
• Phone fit: Xteink says the X4 Classic's magnetic ring sticks out on iPhones, least on Pro Max models.

The X4 Classic costs $79 on sale or $89 regular on Xteink's store, and often sells out. The original X4 is only available as leftover or used stock. Moov Lite costs $99 and Moov Pro $129.

Moov Pro is a step above both X4 models: a 300 PPI screen, IPX8 water resistance and enhanced PDF reflow for $129. Its closest Xteink rival is the X4 Pro.