Bigme’s HiBreak Plus Turns an E-Ink Screen Into a Working Phone

Bigme’s phone is refreshing from the start. The HiBreak Plus and its 6.13-inch screen make it clear that simplicity is the priority in an increasingly complex world of smartphones. Yes, you can send texts and make calls, but the main goal of this device is to make reading and writing easier on the eyes.

The display uses Kaleido 3 color e-ink technology, which can display up to 4096 colors at 150 pixels per inch or clear black and white text at 300 pixels per inch. It has a refresh rate of 52 frames per second, so menus open quickly and without the lag that some other e-ink screens suffer from. The screen remains viewable even in intense sunshine, and the built-in frontlight with 36 settings adjusts automatically for comfort indoors and outdoors. At night the light shifts warmer so pages stay comfortable for long stretches.

When you run any regular Android app, the screen performs far better than earlier e-ink phones. Scrolling through emails or switching between notes goes effortlessly. The odd video will play alright for short segments or tutorials, but the colors are a little muted and the action isn’t as clear as on a ‘regular’ phone, but if you notice, this one constraint turns out to be a bonus, since it doesn’t pull you into those endless doom scrolling sessions.

All of this is powered by an octa-core MediaTek Helio G35 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage. These are budget-friendly figures, but they are more than adequate for the screen’s needs. Apps start without a hitch, and you have full access to the Google Play Store, allowing you to download any messaging apps, maps, or music streaming services you require. Dual SIM slots allow for simultaneous 4G calls and data on two networks, and the GPS works well for navigation. There is no 5G here, but the majority of buyers will be more concerned with battery life than download speeds.

The HiBreak Plus has a 4500 milliamp-hour battery in the back, and because the e-ink panel consumes power, it may last for days of continuous reading or even weeks in standby mode. Heavy note-taking or the occasional phone conversation will still last far longer than a typical smartphone’s battery capacity. Charging is done the old-fashioned manner via a normal connection, and the entire product weighs only 193 grams, making it light enough to leave in your pocket until needed.

Bigme has included an option to purchase a stylus, which completely transforms how you interact with the device. Snap on the case and pen, then open the bundled Infinity Canvas app to write as if on paper. Handwriting feels smooth and accurate, with minimum lag, and you may scribble down meeting notes, sketch diagrams, draw cartoons, or simply mark papers on the screen. The two built-in microphones will even record conversations and type out what was said to text and immediately upload it to the cloud, so any ideas you capture on the run stay organized with no further fuss.

A 20-megapixel back camera and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera provide photos that get the job done for basic snaps or video chats. The truth is, this phone will never be a genuine camera contender. The fingerprint scanner, which has been neatly incorporated inside the power button, will come in handy because it unlocks quickly. Meanwhile, the Android 14 operating system runs smoothly and uncluttered because there is no heavy-handed custom skin to slow things down.

At $249, the HiBreak Plus is a good value for anyone interested in e-ink displays who doesn’t want to break the bank. It’s set to ship as pre-orders around April 20, and if you really want the full pen-in-hand experience right away, you can pay an extra $40 for the stylus and case. For added peace of mind, there’s a full one-year warranty and a 14-day return window if things don’t quite work out as you’d hoped.
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