E-readers have been around for a while, so it was surprising that the genre could get some renewed interest from a brand named XTEINK, which didn't have any brand recognition at the time. XTEINK did this by offering products that were significantly more compact, magnetically attaching to the back of your phone, and priced to be easy to afford.

You've undoubtedly seen these devices floating around, with most devices from the brand getting tons of press. They're a good option if you don't need direct access to an e-book shop like Kindle. Right now, you can get the XTEINK X4 Classic from Amazon for close to its lowest price, thanks to an 11% discount that drops it to $79.

It's not for everyone

The XTEINK X4 Classic features a 4.3-inch screen and physical navigation buttons. It's thin and lightweight, making it easy to carry around. Plus, it can magnetically attach to the back of your phone if it supports MagSafe. For most, that's an iPhone, but Google's newer Pixel phones are natively compatible as well.

You can also buy MagSafe adapters for cheap if your phone or device doesn't support it. The device runs its own OS, but you can also load something custom. Loading custom software makes the product more accessible, like providing easy access to books through Libby. This device doesn't have a native e-book store, so you'll need to provide your own.

Plenty of free books can be downloaded, but most modern titles aren't like that. Obtaining and transferring them to devices like the XTEINK can be a hurdle, so you'll want to research that before you buy. This device isn't for everyone, but if you like the idea of having an ultra-compact e-reader with you at all times, by all means, dive in.