Xteink e-readers explained: every model compared (X3, X4, X4 Classic, X4 Pro and S4)

• December 2025: the open-source CrossPoint firmware starts on the original X4, which becomes the first device it supports.
• April 2026: some newly shipped units can't be flashed with custom firmware, prompting a backlash (The eBook Reader).
• May 2026: the 3.7-inch X3 arrives on Amazon in the US.
• 21 July 2026: the X4 Pro launches at $99 with a touchscreen and front light (The eBook Reader).
• August 2026: Xteink confirms the original X4 is discontinued (The eBook Reader).
• 5 September 2026: CrossPoint 1.6.0 officially adds the X4 Pro.
• 7 September 2026: the X4 Classic (X4 V2) goes on sale.
• Mid-September 2026: the Android-based S4 goes on sale in China.
• 27 September 2026: CrossPoint 1.6.5 officially adds the X4 Classic.

The X3 is Xteink's smallest and sharpest reader: a 3.7-inch, 259 PPI screen in a 58 g body, 97.6 × 63.7 × 5.1 mm. It turns pages with side buttons or by tilting (it has a motion sensor), and adds NFC. It has no front light or touchscreen; Xteink sells a $9.99 clip-on light.

Its 650 mAh battery is rated for 10–14 days at one to three hours a day. It charges through a magnetic pogo-pin cable, and its magnetic back is MagSafe-compatible, though Six Colors found its single magnet wobbly. More in IKAWE Moov vs Xteink X3.

The X4 put Xteink on the map: a 4.3-inch, 220 PPI reader for $69 with four front buttons and a side rocker, USB-C charging and a 650 mAh battery. It had no light or touchscreen. Xteink confirmed it was discontinued in August 2026, so it's now only found as leftover or used stock.

You'll also see it searched for as "xte x4", a common misspelling.

The X4 Classic, which Xteink also calls the X4 V2, went on sale on 7 September 2026 at $79 ($89 regular). It keeps the 4.3-inch, 219 PPI screen and adds:

• A thinner, lighter body: 4.9 mm and 68 g
• A larger 920 mAh battery, rated for up to 10 days of casual reading
• A faster ESP32-S3 chip
• Page-turn buttons on both sides, plus tilt- and shake-to-turn

But it switched from USB-C to pogo-pin charging with a magnetic adapter, which owners criticised, and it still has no light or touchscreen. The eBook Reader's review found better contrast than the original, but a plasticky build and weaker anti-aliasing. It was listed as sold out when we checked.

The X4 Pro is the most capable international Xteink: a 4.3-inch, 219 PPI touchscreen with a warm/cool front light and side page-turn buttons, a 1,100 mAh battery and a magnetic back, in a 72 g, 111 × 69 × 5.95 mm body. It costs $99 at Xteink, or $109 with the charging stand.

Reviews are good: Stark Insider gave it 5/5. The common complaints are its magnetic pogo-pin charging with an easy-to-lose adapter, 219 PPI sharpness, and a lowest light setting that's still bright for some. See Xteink X4 Pro alternatives if those matter to you.

The S4 is a different kind of device: a 4.3-inch, front-lit touchscreen reader running Android 11, with 32 GB of storage, USB-C and a 1,400 mAh battery. Because it's Android, it can run the Kindle and Kobo apps. It went on sale in China in mid-September 2026, and Xteink representatives have said there are no plans for an international release.

Xteink's readers ship with Xteink's own firmware. Most owners replace it with CrossPoint, an open-source reading firmware with over 200 contributors that adds better EPUB handling, custom fonts, dictionaries, Wi-Fi and Calibre transfers, and KOReader progress sync. Official support by model:

About locking: in April 2026, some newly shipped units couldn't be flashed. Reports suggested it affected units sold in China, and CrossPoint's documentation notes that some units from third-party stores ship USB-locked. Xteink now offers an "Unrestricted Firmware Guarantee": units bought directly from xteink.com are exempt from third-party firmware restrictions, for past and present models. To be safe, buy from Xteink's own store.

• Charging: the X3, X4 Classic and X4 Pro all use pogo pins. Keep the cable or adapter safe; it's the part owners most often lose.
• Books: apart from the S4, Xteink readers open DRM-free EPUB and TXT files, not Kindle purchases or Libby loans.
• Water: no Xteink reader has a water-resistance rating. See is the Xteink waterproof?
• Light: only the X4 Pro and S4 have one. See the smallest e-readers with a front light.
• Stock: models sell out often; check back for restocks rather than paying inflated resale prices.

If you'd rather have USB-C, a larger 4.5-inch screen or water resistance, look at Xteink alternatives. Our own IKAWE Moov is one of them: 110 × 66 × 6 mm, USB-C, CrossPoint out of the box, and on Moov Pro a 300 PPI screen and IPX8.