Why are eink devices so unaffordable?
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So, Ive recently gotten back into writing and been thinking about how much more fun it would be to write Outside. Problem is, the sun hates screens. I have an Alphawrite Neo, of course, but I've always been insecure about lugging a weird educational device around with me in public. So I started looking into Eink tablets that could be used with a keyboard and
Jesus H. Christ, that price tag!
I just want something to type on something. Apparently thats strange, so maybe there will be something cheaper as just a word processor. It seems that the only reasonable offering here is the Freewrite Traveler, though, so I look it up and
WHY‽ It's the same price!
Okay, maybe I could just get a Raspberry Pi 400 and attach an eInk monitor to it. Apparently, this is not the usual use-case for E-ink, but there are in fact e-ink monitors out there! Most were around a thousand dollars for some reason, but here is the cheapest one I could find:
That's around the price point of a Boox Go, for reference, which has a really slow screen refresh rate.
Why is there no affordable e-paper products that arent a pain to use? I am aware of cheaper ones, but the ones ive seen reviews if aren't able to keep up with typing in a way that seems responsive. And I'm aware that you can find eink displays (as in the component) for as low as $30, so they should be able to be cheaper than this!
They're expensive but not really overpriced. Boox tablets are essentially Android tablets with highly specialized screens.
Eink screens (particularly high refresh rate screens, like what you're looking for) are still a relatively new tech and don't have the cost benefits of more matured technology like LED/LCD. The cheap eink screens you see have very slow refresh rates and don't offer the same pixel density, with harsher gradients.
I'd reccomend getting one used, or waiting for a seasonal sale. I've had one for a while and I love it.
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Lowering the cost to produce would require massively scaling production and/or taking a loss (see: Amazon Kindle).
Also, the cheap ones now likely have really low frame rates.
If you want one that's fast enough to be a smartphone or computer screen (and not just an eReader), someone needs to front the R&D money to make that possible.
wrote on last edited by [email protected]fast enough to be a smartphone or computer screen
I mean, people used ed on teletype machines, which didn't refresh at all.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/EVugOymLn8g
This doesn't look unusable to me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naWkR6YbKqs
Or this.
I mean, I you're not gonna have a good time playing Quake on it, but for writing text, I'd think it'd be okay.
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So, Ive recently gotten back into writing and been thinking about how much more fun it would be to write Outside. Problem is, the sun hates screens. I have an Alphawrite Neo, of course, but I've always been insecure about lugging a weird educational device around with me in public. So I started looking into Eink tablets that could be used with a keyboard and
Jesus H. Christ, that price tag!
I just want something to type on something. Apparently thats strange, so maybe there will be something cheaper as just a word processor. It seems that the only reasonable offering here is the Freewrite Traveler, though, so I look it up and
WHY‽ It's the same price!
Okay, maybe I could just get a Raspberry Pi 400 and attach an eInk monitor to it. Apparently, this is not the usual use-case for E-ink, but there are in fact e-ink monitors out there! Most were around a thousand dollars for some reason, but here is the cheapest one I could find:
That's around the price point of a Boox Go, for reference, which has a really slow screen refresh rate.
Why is there no affordable e-paper products that arent a pain to use? I am aware of cheaper ones, but the ones ive seen reviews if aren't able to keep up with typing in a way that seems responsive. And I'm aware that you can find eink displays (as in the component) for as low as $30, so they should be able to be cheaper than this!
Rumor has it they're expensive to manufacture. Add to that a small market and some patents and you get elevated prices.
Amazon might sell Kindles below cost because it drives book sales on their platform, but it's hard for anyone but Amazon to make that model work.
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The devices you're looking for are hyper niche devices that very few people actually want. Most people don't want more than a basic ereader with an eink display.
I bet if OP went looking for retail e-ink and reverse engineered it into an e-reader they’d find a better price point and a wonderful hobby.
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They're expensive but not really overpriced. Boox tablets are essentially Android tablets with highly specialized screens.
Eink screens (particularly high refresh rate screens, like what you're looking for) are still a relatively new tech and don't have the cost benefits of more matured technology like LED/LCD. The cheap eink screens you see have very slow refresh rates and don't offer the same pixel density, with harsher gradients.
I'd reccomend getting one used, or waiting for a seasonal sale. I've had one for a while and I love it.
Boox tablets are essentially Android tablets with highly specialized screens.
Yes, didn't realize this when I got mine years ago just looking for a Kindle replacement I could also take notes on. Being able to install Android apps opened up a whole lot of possibilities, like reading Manga with Mihon, work stuff with Google Suite, etc. Now I'm even looking to upgrade to a colored screen model. Honestly, worth the price IMO
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So, Ive recently gotten back into writing and been thinking about how much more fun it would be to write Outside. Problem is, the sun hates screens. I have an Alphawrite Neo, of course, but I've always been insecure about lugging a weird educational device around with me in public. So I started looking into Eink tablets that could be used with a keyboard and
Jesus H. Christ, that price tag!
I just want something to type on something. Apparently thats strange, so maybe there will be something cheaper as just a word processor. It seems that the only reasonable offering here is the Freewrite Traveler, though, so I look it up and
WHY‽ It's the same price!
Okay, maybe I could just get a Raspberry Pi 400 and attach an eInk monitor to it. Apparently, this is not the usual use-case for E-ink, but there are in fact e-ink monitors out there! Most were around a thousand dollars for some reason, but here is the cheapest one I could find:
That's around the price point of a Boox Go, for reference, which has a really slow screen refresh rate.
Why is there no affordable e-paper products that arent a pain to use? I am aware of cheaper ones, but the ones ive seen reviews if aren't able to keep up with typing in a way that seems responsive. And I'm aware that you can find eink displays (as in the component) for as low as $30, so they should be able to be cheaper than this!
The Ratta Supernote A6X2 Nomad is 329USD, cheaper than the devices you found. The A5X2 (bigger) is 505USD though.
Devices I've owned:
- reMarkable 1 (boo subscription!)
- reMarkable 2 (boo subscription!)
- Supernote A5X (happy with this one)
I currently own the Supernote A6X2 and I'm super happy with it. I use it almost every day to diagram stuff for programming. I also read technical books on it. The Supernote A5X (the previous version) was also very good. I just ended up liking the smaller size better.
My favorite feature is that Supernote does NOT require a subscription! The device also has plenty of other features. You can read PDFs and ebooks, of course. You can even install the Kindle app on it, though you can't install any Play Store app. The palm blocking is good. There are gestures to help you write faster. There's a shape tool. Different pencil sizes, highlighters. Paper backgrounds. Hand writing recognition. And you don't need to buy replacement pen tips!
Supernote cons vs reMarkable:
- The Supernote isn't as polished as the reMarkable. The Supernote definitely isn't bad, especially the newer A6X2, but it does feel a notch below reMarkable in terms of the build feel.
- If you really, really, REEEEAAALLY want to pretend you're writing with a pencil and paper, then the reMarkable will be closer to that. Writing on the Supernote is just different. It's more like writing on a notebook with a pen.
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The Ratta Supernote A6X2 Nomad is 329USD, cheaper than the devices you found. The A5X2 (bigger) is 505USD though.
Devices I've owned:
- reMarkable 1 (boo subscription!)
- reMarkable 2 (boo subscription!)
- Supernote A5X (happy with this one)
I currently own the Supernote A6X2 and I'm super happy with it. I use it almost every day to diagram stuff for programming. I also read technical books on it. The Supernote A5X (the previous version) was also very good. I just ended up liking the smaller size better.
My favorite feature is that Supernote does NOT require a subscription! The device also has plenty of other features. You can read PDFs and ebooks, of course. You can even install the Kindle app on it, though you can't install any Play Store app. The palm blocking is good. There are gestures to help you write faster. There's a shape tool. Different pencil sizes, highlighters. Paper backgrounds. Hand writing recognition. And you don't need to buy replacement pen tips!
Supernote cons vs reMarkable:
- The Supernote isn't as polished as the reMarkable. The Supernote definitely isn't bad, especially the newer A6X2, but it does feel a notch below reMarkable in terms of the build feel.
- If you really, really, REEEEAAALLY want to pretend you're writing with a pencil and paper, then the reMarkable will be closer to that. Writing on the Supernote is just different. It's more like writing on a notebook with a pen.
I love my A5X. Use it just about every day for work. It’s one of those things that’s expensive, but if mine died, I would order a new one same day.
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So, Ive recently gotten back into writing and been thinking about how much more fun it would be to write Outside. Problem is, the sun hates screens. I have an Alphawrite Neo, of course, but I've always been insecure about lugging a weird educational device around with me in public. So I started looking into Eink tablets that could be used with a keyboard and
Jesus H. Christ, that price tag!
I just want something to type on something. Apparently thats strange, so maybe there will be something cheaper as just a word processor. It seems that the only reasonable offering here is the Freewrite Traveler, though, so I look it up and
WHY‽ It's the same price!
Okay, maybe I could just get a Raspberry Pi 400 and attach an eInk monitor to it. Apparently, this is not the usual use-case for E-ink, but there are in fact e-ink monitors out there! Most were around a thousand dollars for some reason, but here is the cheapest one I could find:
That's around the price point of a Boox Go, for reference, which has a really slow screen refresh rate.
Why is there no affordable e-paper products that arent a pain to use? I am aware of cheaper ones, but the ones ive seen reviews if aren't able to keep up with typing in a way that seems responsive. And I'm aware that you can find eink displays (as in the component) for as low as $30, so they should be able to be cheaper than this!
I take my alphasmart anywhere I’m planning on writing. The only looks I’ve ever gotten were followed up with “what is that?”
It may have been an educational device but it’s a fabulous distraction free portable writing tool.
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So, Ive recently gotten back into writing and been thinking about how much more fun it would be to write Outside. Problem is, the sun hates screens. I have an Alphawrite Neo, of course, but I've always been insecure about lugging a weird educational device around with me in public. So I started looking into Eink tablets that could be used with a keyboard and
Jesus H. Christ, that price tag!
I just want something to type on something. Apparently thats strange, so maybe there will be something cheaper as just a word processor. It seems that the only reasonable offering here is the Freewrite Traveler, though, so I look it up and
WHY‽ It's the same price!
Okay, maybe I could just get a Raspberry Pi 400 and attach an eInk monitor to it. Apparently, this is not the usual use-case for E-ink, but there are in fact e-ink monitors out there! Most were around a thousand dollars for some reason, but here is the cheapest one I could find:
That's around the price point of a Boox Go, for reference, which has a really slow screen refresh rate.
Why is there no affordable e-paper products that arent a pain to use? I am aware of cheaper ones, but the ones ive seen reviews if aren't able to keep up with typing in a way that seems responsive. And I'm aware that you can find eink displays (as in the component) for as low as $30, so they should be able to be cheaper than this!
Being used to drive Porsche's all the time, you could ask why are these Lamborghini's so unaffordable?
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So, Ive recently gotten back into writing and been thinking about how much more fun it would be to write Outside. Problem is, the sun hates screens. I have an Alphawrite Neo, of course, but I've always been insecure about lugging a weird educational device around with me in public. So I started looking into Eink tablets that could be used with a keyboard and
Jesus H. Christ, that price tag!
I just want something to type on something. Apparently thats strange, so maybe there will be something cheaper as just a word processor. It seems that the only reasonable offering here is the Freewrite Traveler, though, so I look it up and
WHY‽ It's the same price!
Okay, maybe I could just get a Raspberry Pi 400 and attach an eInk monitor to it. Apparently, this is not the usual use-case for E-ink, but there are in fact e-ink monitors out there! Most were around a thousand dollars for some reason, but here is the cheapest one I could find:
That's around the price point of a Boox Go, for reference, which has a really slow screen refresh rate.
Why is there no affordable e-paper products that arent a pain to use? I am aware of cheaper ones, but the ones ive seen reviews if aren't able to keep up with typing in a way that seems responsive. And I'm aware that you can find eink displays (as in the component) for as low as $30, so they should be able to be cheaper than this!
Well, the refresh rate is due to the e-ink technology. There is still a mechanical component to it, so what you can experience today is actually blazingly fast.
The other part is that having the display glass itself is not enough. You'll need a driver chip. And one that drives an e-ink display fast is neither easy nor cheap.
