Rui CarmoThe Xteink X4 is a small open e-ink reader that has become more interesting because of the growing CrossPoint ecosystem around it. The hardware itself is attractive mostly as a hackable reading device: simple, portable, and now backed by a fairly active alternative firmware community—one that feels more relevant now that it is a device that I recently got.
The most sensible starting point is the upstream CrossPoint Reader firmware, then branch out into more specialized forks only if you need particular UX changes, CJK support, or more experimental features.
Resources
| Category | Date | Link | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firmware | 2026 | CrossPoint Reader | Active upstream firmware for the Xteink X4 with the broadest feature set and the safest place to start before trying more specialized forks. |
| biscuit | Alternative firmware for the ESP32-C3-based Xteink X4 e-paper reader, focused on the device hardware rather than the broader CrossPoint reader stack. |
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| Guides | CircuitPython on the Xteink X4 eReader | Adafruit guide for running CircuitPython on the ESP32-C3-based Xteink X4, including installation, web workflow and display demos |