This Credit Card-Sized E-Reader Is 15% Off in Amazon's October Prime Day Sale

Joel Cunningham Joel Cunningham Deputy Editor ExperienceJoel Cunningham is Lifehacker’s Deputy Editor. He has 15 years of experience as a writer and editor. Previously, he was managing editor of content marketing for Barnes & Noble, where he founded the Barnes & Noble Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog. Read Full Bio September 25, 2026 Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Credit: Product image courtesy of Xteink / Amazon Table of Contents Prime Day is usually a great time to score a good deal on a Kindle device, but in the lead-up to Amazon's "Prime Big Deal Days" event, taking place Oct. 6-7, I would like to redirect your attention to another category of e-readers entirely. Tiny e-ink devices—I'm talking credit card-sized, with screens that measure around 4 inches—are all the rage in 2026, and if you too can see the appeal of carrying all of your books with you on a device so small you'll forget it's even in your pocket, it's not a bad time to jump in: One of the best options on the market, the recently released Xteink X4 Classic, is 15% off ahead of the big sale. Xteink is a Chinese startup that shook up the e-reading world last year with the launch of the X4, a super bare-bones device that made up for its lack of features and usability with a cheap sub-$70 price point. Since then, a huge online community of fans has formed around the device, sharing tips on Reddit and even coming together to crowdsource an alternate operating system that fixes a lot of its early problems. Xteink quickly followed up the X4 with a slate of other devices, including the even smaller X3 and the X4 Pro, which adds a front light and touchscreen (at the cost of screen clarity and two physical buttons).The X4 Classic was released earlier this month, replacing the original X4 and adding in some of the quality-of-life improvements that were made with subsequent devices, including a larger battery, relocated page-turn buttons, a real-time clock, USB drive support, and a tilt-to-turn-page feature. The X4 Classic is also 6g lighter and a millimeter thinner than the X4, though there is a trade-off involved there with the latter's USB-C charging port swapped out for magnetic pogo pins that require a separate cable or adapter. What do you think so far? These upgrades also increased the cost: The X4 Classic retails for $89, $20 more than the discontinued X4 and only $10 less than the X4 Pro. But right now on Amazon, the Classic has dropped in price by 15% to $75.99—its lowest price ever—in advance of Prime Big Deal Days. It's a good option for those who prioritize crisp, readable text above the conveniences of a built-in light or touchscreen, as those add extra layers between the inner screen and outer glass, and provided you understand what you're getting into: These devices support only e-books without Digital Rights Management (DRM), which means you can't use them to read your existing library of Kindle books. Our Best Editor-Vetted Early Prime Day Deals Right Now Deals are selected by our commerce team Lifehacker has been a go-to source of tech help and life advice since 2005. Our mission is to offer reliable tech help and credible, practical, science-based life advice to help you live better. Our Mission Our Team Newsletter © 2001-2026 Ziff Davis, LLC., A ZIFF DAVIS COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Lifehacker is a federally registered trademark of Ziff Davis and may not be used by third parties without explicit permission. The display of third-party trademarks and trade names on this site does not necessarily indicate any affiliation or the endorsement of Lifehacker. If you click an affiliate link and buy a product or service, we may be paid a fee by that merchant.