11 Cool E-Ink Gadgets That Aren't An Amazon Kindle

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E-ink might be most commonly known for e-Readers like the Amazon Kindle (and plenty of Kindle alternatives on Amazon), but it's also spread to a whole range of cool gadgets thanks to two key advantages: low power consumption and ease of readability in sunlight. E-ink screens aren't lit from the back, instead reflecting natural light in much the same way ink on a piece of paper does. They only use power when you want to refresh the display, so for content that doesn't need to be updated often, you can get many weeks or even months from a single charge. 

E-ink technology, which involves shifting a matrix of positively and negatively charged pigments, has come a long way since its inception in 1997, from monochrome to tri-color, and even full color displays. E-ink also has unique limitations in terms of features: You can get richer colors, but at the cost of contrast and refresh rate. If you need faster screen updates for smoother note-taking, expect less battery life and more visual artifacts. Some devices even let you tweak this on the fly (or make a best effort themselves), depending on the current usage. It's that balancing act that makes some e-ink gadgets feel beautifully focused, while others end up a bit awkward. 

For that reason, we've cast a wide net to find these cool e-ink gadgets. They're understandably niche and not always available to buy at the usual outlets, but we think they're neat applications of the tech.

The reMarkable Paper Pro is a big e-ink notepad, so you can pretend your life is organized. Users praise the paper-like screen texture and excellent stylus response time, which make writing notes feel as natural as possible, while the almost A4-sized 11.8-inch screen is ideal for reading documents without needing to zoom. Under the hood is a custom display stack based on the E Ink Gallery 3 color technology. 

If you're looking for a big e-ink tablet that can run all your favorite apps, however, the reMarkable Paper Pro is not it. There's no native app store, and no officially supported method of sideloading. Instead, it runs a custom OS based on the Linux kernel, with software that's focused on reading, writing, and thinking. 

The reMarkable Paper Pro is available on Amazon for $799 with an essential stylus and folio cover bundle, and it has earned 4.2 stars from over 400 buyers.  

The BOOX Go 10.3 ($409.99 on Amazon at the time of writing) is a monochrome e-ink tablet running Android OS. It's a more open alternative to the Amazon Kindle with broader support for e-book formats, easy file transfers, and the ability to install any Android app you need from Google Play. It also offers reasonable note-taking with the included stylus, and a configurable refresh rate to adapt to different types of apps. 

However, common complaints center on the lack of front-facing light and the older Android 13 version, with no update promised. The second-generation device has just been released ($449.99 on Amazon), so while we don't have any long-term testing to refer to yet, you might want to keep an eye on it or wait for a sale on the older generation. 

Digital photo frames are making a comeback. Utilizing E Ink's latest Spectra 6 color display technology (four colors — red, green, blue, yellow — plus black and white pigments), the SwitchBot AI Art Frame offers a full-color digital art frame in three sizes, though reviewers note that the depth of colors and resolution isn't as good as a real print. Still, it's great if you get bored with looking at the same picture in your hallway every day. 

As the name suggests, the SwitchBot app also includes AI features, allowing users to generate custom artwork using either text-to-image or image-to-image generation. The possibilities are endless! Want a rainbow Nyan-cat in the style of Picasso? Totally doable. 

The more popular size is the 13.3-inch AI Art Frame, currently at $349.99 on Amazon with an on-page $70 coupon.

Pronounced "terminal", the TRMNL is a hacker-friendly open-source e-paper dashboard with data modules and software connections, like a calendar, weather, news, to-do list, or smart home sensor feed. If the 998+ official and community modules aren't enough, it's easy to program your own data source, and the 1800mAh battery should last from two to six months depending on your refresh preferences.  

While you can buy a premade kit for $150 (the OG model) direct from TRMNL, the software and instructions to build your own are also available — but be warned that it might end up more expensive than just buying ready-made. 

Particularly impressive is the Unbrickable Pledge, in which the TRMNL makers have promised to "release the core web application source code if and when we ever become insolvent as a company". That means the TRMNL will never end up on your e-waste pile because the company can no longer support the device. Speaking of e-waste: if you've got an old Kindle lying around, don't throw it away — there are a number of clever ways to re-use an old Kindle.

The XTEINK X4 is a tiny 4.3-inch, affordable ($69 on Amazon), and simple e-reader with one unique feature: a magnetic back that lets it latch onto your MagSafe iPhone or Qi2-compatible Android device. It doesn't use it to charge or provide wireless connectivity, however, so it's purely for convenience: When you're bored with your phone, simply flip it over and start reading. If you're looking for a dedicated e-reader, this probably isn't it — but it is a nifty add-on for your phone. 

With no touchscreen, app store, or built-in marketplace for books, you'll need to source your own DRM-free files and bring them over on the microSD card reader or Wi-Fi transfer. Lifehacker notes it's designed more for basic functionality than a good user experience, so don't expect the same slick ecosystem of a Kindle. Format support is also pretty limited out of the box, with e-books in only epub and txt formats natively, though mobi and PDF files can be converted automatically. 

The ultimate e-paper accessory for the avid tinkerer, the Waveshare Photoframe is a 7.3-inch full-color display with a natural wooden frame and integrated audio, for around $100 or less. The 800 x 480 resolution is good and battery optional, but refreshing the screen takes 12 seconds. It integrates well with Home Assistant for showing smart home sensor statuses, or you can load custom software onto your Raspberry Pi for AI image generation. This Amazon bundle from the official Waveshare store has everything you'll need at $89.99 — except the Raspberry Pi itself. 

I'll stress that this is very much a DIY option, though. While it can operate as a basic photo frame out of the box by loading images on a microSD card, you'll need to learn Python and Linux to get the best out of it. There's little documentation, and no expert reviews — though initial Amazon reviews are good. 

E-ink is just a display technology, so there's nothing stopping it from scaling up to a full-size monitor ... other than cost. While battery life doesn't matter for a desktop monitor, readability in sunlight certainly does, and the lack of backlight is a godsend for those who get eyestrain quickly with regular LEDs. E-readers are better for your eyes than a phone screen, after all. 

The BOOX Mira Pro Color is a 25.3-inch monitor running at a curious 3200 x 1800 resolution. For night-time use, you can either illuminate the screen with your home lighting or enable the dual-tone front light. The fastest refresh rate might not match even the most budget-friendly LED monitors, but it does mean you can feasibly watch videos — albeit with a lot of ghosting. 

While the BOOX Mira Pro Color might save your eyes, you may still find them watering at the $1899.99 price tag. It's still relatively new and completely unsuitable for most people, so there are no expert reviews to draw on here — only a few hands-on experience videos. The previous monochrome Mira Pro was well received but faced the same criticisms of price and ghosting. We reviewed the original BOOX Mira back in 2023 when it was one of the few e-ink monitors available, and everything we said there is still valid. If you just want something to read books and documents, and the large upright screen suits your needs, it may be for you. 

Focusing in the modern era is hard — especially when writing — when there are a million things vying for your attention on your desktop PC. Reddit, YouTube, and Wikipedia: the trifecta of wasting time online. Just one more turn on Civ VI, the best game of 2016 that's still capable of swallowing an entire afternoon whole. Endless emails, or the temptation to quickly check your analytics or reorganize your desktop. Everything is conspiring against you.

That's where the Freewrite Traveler comes in. It's a clamshell device consisting of a scissor-switch keyboard with a tiny e-ink screen to keep you focused on what matters — without having to give up modern conveniences, thanks to the cloud syncing. For those who need a completely distraction-free experience, long battery life, and sunlight visibility, the Freewrite Traveler is a mere $549 on Amazon, with an average of 4.2 stars from over 200 reviews. Maybe we could get one for George R.R. Martin so he can actually finish A Song of Ice and Fire?

If you're one of those people who can be sensitive to LEDs when you sleep, the last thing you want is an always-on alarm clock; even the LED screen of a basic alarm clock can be too much. The Mudita Harmony 2 looks at first glance to be just an e-ink alarm clock, but hidden behind the unimposing exterior, it's surprisingly packed full of sleep-focused features for those who want a little more harmony in their bedtime routine. One reviewer called it "life-changing". 

Mudita lets you awaken more naturally with a gentle sunrise light and soothing ambient soundscapes. The included sounds are recorded acoustically, from instruments such as koshi bells and Tibetan bowls, to soundscapes from Poland. There's a meditation timer too, and a power nap function for a quick, refreshing break. 

The only downside is the price. At $169 and only available in the U.S. from the Mudita store, it doesn't come cheap, but there are no e-ink alarm clocks that come close to its features.

From the e-Reader experts PocketBook comes the InkPoster Tela: The largest premium e-ink Spectra 6 art frame available, featuring a resolution of 2160 x 3060 with the aim to "replace printed art", according to F-Stopper's review. As with any current e-ink technology, you should temper your expectations regarding color saturation and photo display. Even on this premium panel, pure white still displays as a murky light grey. 

Unlike the SwitchBot Art Frame, the InkPoster Tela has no AI features to generate your own pieces; instead, it offers a free library and a premium subscription service for curated art streams. It has a year-long battery life, but that can be partially attributed to the refresh rate; the InkPoster Tela needs 60 seconds to refresh once! 

The InkPoster Tela is the priciest e-ink art frame around at $2,399 direct from InkPoster, but if 28.5 inches is too small, you'll be pleased to know that the company will soon launch the 40-inch version for up to $6,000. 

The Bigme Hibreak is an actual smartphone with a 6.13-inch Kaleido color e-ink screen — as in it uses a SIM card to make calls and send text messages — rather than just being a phone-sized eReader with an app store. The Bigme device runs Android 14. You'll get a relatively slow refresh rate (so games other than Sudoku are out of the question), washed-out colors (meaning that media viewing isn't ideal), and a touch interface that'll rule out rapid-fire doomscrolling on Reddit. Which is entirely the point. 

The Bigme Hibreak Pro Color can run any Android app you like, just in case you need to, but that doesn't mean you should. It's a great device for a digital detox without resorting to a traditional dumb phone and completely losing access to the modern world. The 4,500 mAh battery is fantastic for travelers, too. The BigMe Hibreak Pro Color is available on Amazon for $489.

E-ink gadgets are a bit of a niche market once you get beyond e-readers, so we've cast the net wide to source these. While some are available on Amazon with at least 3-star ratings, many are only available directly from the manufacturer. In those cases, we've also opted to rely on reviews from experts or hands-on user accounts as our selection criteria.