This small, magnetic e-reader circuit can keep you from doomscrolling

It was love at first sight. It was as if you were searching a shopping mall, going in and out of big stores looking for something, which you couldn’t reach, and finally you found what you were looking for. Only, I didn’t even know I wanted something like the Xteink X3, because I never dared to dream of something so exciting: a small e-ink reader compatible with MagSafe that can attach to my iPhone like a Pop Socket.

It was this. My life was about to change forever. I got my hands on the Xteink X3, and I stopped doomscrolling forever. I would like to read more books than before… which is saying something, since – brag – I read at least 50 books a year. But – not to brag – I probably spend even more time on social media than I do reading. I know I usually feel a little anxious when I limit my social media time, but alas, the siren song of TikTok beckons me. What if instead of opening social media, I could just flip my phone and read on a small screen like a Kindle-e-ink? Can this $80 gadget fix me?

I tried to read books (… or download from AO3) on my phone, immersing myself in a fantasy world, there is a post from the president where he threatens to annihilate the whole country. But something about looking at my phone, where I’m always tempted to open Instagram to see whatever Reel someone has sent me, doesn’t comfort me the way a book or an e-ink device like a Kindle does.

I was so excited about the arrival of my X3 that I kept updating the tracking link until it was delivered. Even if I carefully compared the size of the X3 with my iPhone 16, or my Pop Socket bag, I was still worried that it might not fit – the previous model, the Xteink X4 (actually the same device but a little bigger) only fits in big phones like the iPhone Pro Max line. But sure enough, the X3 attached magnetically to the back of my phone like it was custom-made to fit.

My X3 came in the mail about two hours before I left for the Phillies game, so I rushed to load books into it, because I thought it would be really funny to take pictures where I read “The Power Broker” in a crowded baseball field. Behold, the work of my hands;

For the first few days I had the X3, I carried it on the back of my phone. This made me nervous, though, as I’m used to having a Pop Socket wallet, which means I’m in the habit of walking home without my actual wallet. But I found that I used the X3 more when I carried it in a bag or pocket, rather than attaching it to my phone. I’m still not sure if I’ll keep this setup, or if I’ll actually start using a real wallet to attach the ereader, but for now, it’s what felt most natural. Also, my X3 was delivered with a very compact, beautiful, magnetic case, which protects the device and its screen well and makes it easy to hold. At only $9 a case, I would recommend getting it. The case can also work for your cell phone, although it feels less secure than attaching your X3 alone.

In my two weeks of testing, I found that the X3 helped me learn more. If you’re in line at a coffee shop, or waiting for a bus, you can just pull out an ereader instead of opening Instagram. I didn’t find the small screen hard to read on, either. But just buying a device won’t change your habits – you have to remember that you have a 3.7 inch screen in your pocket that can fit hundreds of books.

The Xteink X3 is very close to being my dream device, but it’s not there yet. The firmware this device comes with is clunky – it’s usable, but not accurate. I expected this, since the Xteink Reddit community was buzzing about CrossPoint, a community-made, free, open-source firmware. The process of downloading CrossPoint was a little intimidating as someone typing words, instead of code – but with the instructions on the CrossPoint website (and a few videos), it was easy enough. I had some difficulties at first, but then I realized it was because I was trying to download the X4 firmware to my X3, so… my bad. You probably won’t even need YouTube videos!

When you start loading the books and open source firmware on your X3, you’ll notice another distinguishing feature of the device: it doesn’t have a USB-C port, unlike the X4. Instead, it uses a magnetic charger. Yes, it’s annoying to have yet another charging cable specifically for this one device, but I don’t really care. After two weeks of constant use, my X3 dropped from 100% charge to 96% charge, so I don’t think I’ll be using that magnetic charger very often. You don’t even need a cable to add new books to your reader – you can transfer files over Wi-Fi from your phone or computer (I wouldn’t call this process user-friendly, but I was able to find it without Googling or anything).

If we are talking about loading books, that is another problem. Most of my reading on my Kindle comes from Libby, which is my favorite app (#notsponsored). The Libby app allows you to easily borrow ebooks or audiobooks from your library and send them to your Kindle. But you can’t get those ebooks (legally) on the Xteink ereader, since libraries use protected versions of epub files that prevent users from copying them (and you can’t read books you buy from the Amazon ebook store on non-Amazon devices, because of capitalism). This lack of interoperability is a drawback, but it also makes the device feel unique – it’s a “dumb” device with no apps and no touchscreen, which feels incredibly refreshing in the age of AI-enabled refrigerators.

It’s not hard to find interesting epub files to upload to the X3, even if you don’t have access to your Kindle or Libby library. Many good books are in the public domain, meaning they are out of copyright and can be downloaded for free (I have never read “Pride and Prejudice,” so now is the time). A few months ago, I bought the entire epub catalog of sci-fi authors Charlie Jane Anders and Annalee Newitz as part of a charity fundraiser, which should keep me busy for a while. If you wanted to, you can convert articles or blogs online to .epubs using a free program like Calibre.

So, did the Xteink X3 fix me? Am I now a reformed woman who has a healthy relationship with social media and has read dozens of classic novels that I never read as an English major, since I used to take classes with ridiculous titles like “Aestheticus Extremus: The Politics of Precarious Invention in North American Poetry and Poetics”? It’s not that simple. But if you meet the X3 in the middle and make a concerted effort to use it, then maybe you’ll save yourself some more brainrot.