This tiny magnetic e-reader could stop you from doomscrolling

It was love at first sight. It felt like walking around a shopping mall, going in and out of a vast department store, looking for a certain elusive item, and finally finding what you were looking for. However, I didn’t even know I was looking for something like the Xteink X3. Because I never had the courage to dream of something as fun as a little MagSafe-compatible e-ink reader that attaches to your iPhone like a popsocket.

This was it. My life would be changed forever. Get the Xteink X3 and you’ll be able to stop doomscrolling forever. I’m going to read more books than ever before…I’m proud to say that I read at least 50 books a year. But, not to brag, but I probably spend even more time on social media than reading. I know that limiting my social media time generally reduces anxiety, but sadly the siren song of TikTok is beckoning to me. What if instead of opening social media, you could flip your phone around and read on a tiny e-ink screen like a Kindle? Could this $80 gadget be the cure?

I read a book on my phone (or downloaded it from AO3) and tried to immerse myself in a fictional world rather than a post by a president threatening to wipe out an entire country. But when I look at my phone, I always want to open up Instagram to see the reels someone has sent me, but it doesn’t calm me down as much as a book or an e-ink device like a Kindle.

I was so excited for my X3 to arrive that I kept updating the tracking link until it was finally delivered. Even though I carefully compared the X3’s dimensions to my iPhone 16 and Pop Socket wallet, I was worried that it wouldn’t fit. The previous model, the Xteink X4 (basically the same device but slightly larger), only fit larger phones like the iPhone Pro Max line. But sure enough, the X3 attached magnetically to the back of my phone, as if it had been custom-made to fit perfectly.

My X3 arrived in the mail about two hours before I was due to leave to go to a Phillies game, so I quickly loaded the book into it, thinking it would be pretty fun to take a picture of me reading The Power Broker in a crowded baseball stadium. Behold my handiwork:

For the first few days I had the X3, I carried it around in the back of my phone. However, since I’m used to using a Pop Socket wallet and have gotten into the habit of leaving the house without my actual wallet, this made me a little nervous. However, I found myself using the X3 more like I was carrying it in my handbag or pocket, rather than attaching it to my phone. I don’t know yet if I’ll keep this setup or actually start using a real wallet so I can connect my e-reader, but for now it feels the most natural. Additionally, my X3 comes with a very compact and cute magnetic case that fully protects the device and screen and makes it easy to hold. The case is only $9 so I recommend buying it. The case can also magnetize your phone, but it’s a little less secure than attaching the X3 alone.

Over two weeks of testing, I found that I read more with the X3. When you’re in line at the coffee shop or waiting for the bus, you can just pull out your e-reader instead of opening Instagram. I didn’t find it difficult to read, even on a small screen. But just buying a device doesn’t change your habits. You have to remember that the pocket has a 3.7-inch screen that can hold hundreds of books.

The Xteink X3 is pretty close to being my dream device, but I’m not there yet. The firmware that comes with the device is very clunky, and while it’s not unusable, it’s not at all intuitive. I expected this since the Xteink Reddit community was buzzing about CrossPoint, a free open source firmware created by the community. The process of downloading CrossPoint was a little scary as someone who writes letters rather than code, but it was easy enough with the instructions on the CrossPoint website (and a few videos). I encountered some difficulties at first, but then I realized it was because I was trying to download the X4 firmware to the X3. It’s a shame. You probably don’t need a YouTube video either.

Once you start loading the X3 with books and open source firmware, you’ll notice another divisive aspect of the device. Unlike the X4, it doesn’t have a USB-C port. Instead, use a magnetic charger. Sure, it’s annoying to have yet another charging cable dedicated to this device, but I don’t really care. After 2 weeks of continuous use, my X3 went from 100% charge to 96% charge, so I can’t imagine using the magnetic charger often. You also don’t need a code to add new books to your e-reader. You can transfer files from your phone or computer over Wi-Fi (I can’t say the process is user-friendly, but I figured it out without having to Google anything).

When it comes to reading books, that’s also a drawback. Most of the books I read on my Kindle come from Libby, my favorite app (#notowned). The Libby app lets you easily borrow ebooks and audiobooks from your library and send them to your Kindle. However, you cannot (legally) import these e-books onto your Xteink e-reader. That’s because libraries use protected versions of .epub files that prevent users from copying them (because of capitalism, you can’t even read books purchased from Amazon’s e-book store on non-Amazon devices). This lack of compatibility is a drawback, but it’s what makes the device feel unique. It’s a “dumb” device with no apps or touchscreen, but it feels surprisingly fresh in the age of AI-enabled refrigerators.

Even if you don’t have access to a Kindle library or Libby, it’s not hard to find interesting .epub files to load on your X3. Many great books are in the public domain. This means it’s no longer subject to copyright and can be downloaded for free (strangely, I’ve never read Pride and Prejudice, so now’s the time). A few months ago, I purchased the entire .epub catalog of science fiction authors Charlie Jane Anders and Annalee Newitz as part of a charity fundraiser. Looks like I’ll be busy for quite a while. If you prefer, you can also use free programs like Caliber to convert your online articles and blogs to .epub.

So, did Xteink X3 solve the problem? Did I now become a newly reformed woman with a healthy relationship with social media, who read a lot of classic novels that I never read as an English major, mainly because I took classes with ridiculous titles like “The Extremity of Aesthetics: The Politics of Precarious Invention in North American Poetry and Poetics”? It’s not that simple. But if you meet X3 along the way and try hard to use it, you’ll probably avoid a few more headaches.