The Xiaomi Mi Reader features a 6 inch E INK capacitive touchscreen display with a resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels at 212 PPI. It has a front-lit display and color temperature system. Underneath the hood is a Allwinner B300 1.8 GHZ quad core processor, 1 GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. Powering and transferring data is done via USB-C. It has Bluetooth 5.1, WIFI and is powered by an 1,800 mAh battery. It reads TXT, EPUB, PDF, DOC and XLS files. The OS is Android 8.1 and has a custom launcher. The dimensions are 159.2 x 116 x 8.3mm and tips the scales at 178 grams.
This device is only available in China, but there is an English firmware build that some users have created and they provide a step by step process on how to make this device, not only English, but a myriad of other languages too. They add the ability to sideload in apps and even bundle in an app store. Without this update, this is just a basic Chinese e-reader with limited functionality, unless you speak Chinese and want to buy ebooks.
The retail packaging is a pure white box with a picture of the e-reader on the front and a Mi logo on the top right. The back of the box hypes up the key selling features, such as reading ebooks, long battery life, Android 8.1, USB-C and a few others. It also lists the tech specs, which is a nice touch. Inside the box is the e-reader, warranty information and a USB-C cable.
The e-reader itself is an off white with a dark silver outline. The screen is not flush with the bezel, which gives you a nice reading experience. There are no buttons or physical page turn keys, but there is a mi logo on the bottom, below the screen. On the bottom is a status indicator light and USB-C port. There is a power button on the top. The back is a very dark grey, and is made of hardened plastic.
This e-reader is now available from the Good e-Reader Store for $179.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
