About 18 months ago, I got my hands on the Onyx Boox Palma, a phone-sized e-reader that totally redefined what I thought of E Ink devices. The screen was fast enough to run all my normal apps, and the processor was even fast enough to play modern games. The only problem was that, while it was the size of a phone, it didn’t have support for SIM cards, so it was ultimately just a tiny Kindle in disguise.
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While Onyx released a follow-up device a year later, it still didn’t include SIM support. Thankfully, Bigme has answered the call and created the HiBreak Pro, a device that not only is the same size as the Palma but also features an even better E Ink display, haptic motors, and, most importantly, a dual-SIM tray.
While most E Ink phones seem to focus on being “minimalist phones,” the Bigme HiBreak Pro tosses that idea in the trash and, instead, works exactly like the Android phone you’re probably already using. The big difference is that it has a Kindle-like E Ink display that makes daily reading a joy. Plus, it’s so much easier on your eyes since you can turn the backlight completely off with the click of a button.
I took the HiBreak Pro on vacation with me last week and have continued using it for an additional couple of days, and I still can’t believe this phone is real. It’s a dream come true for anyone trying to avoid the negative effects of PWM dimming or is just trying to get away from staring at a backlit screen all day, all without trying to take away all the apps and experiences you love on your smartphone.
Different from the rest
I’ve used several E Ink phones up until now, and all of them seem to suffer from one big issue or another. I compared the Minimal Phone and the Mudita Kompakt back in April because both phones aim to provide a more minimalist experience to cure your digital addiction. While this is admirable, it’s extraordinarily difficult for many people to stop using apps, social media, NFC payments, and other modern necessities.
I say ‘necessities’ because, try as I might, someone like me can’t use a minimalist phone daily and still perform my job effectively. If you fall into this category but still want the eye-friendly experience created by an E Ink display, the Bigme HiBreak Pro is your only viable option on the market. That sounds like you’ll be compromising, but the reality is that you really won’t.
The only real “downside” to the phone is that the display is black and white only. It doesn’t use color E Ink like some of Bigme’s other devices, although that version is supposedly in the works for a later release. Instead, it uses a lovely 6.13-inch E Ink screen with a very fast refresh rate; much faster than the one on the Minimal Phone or Mudita Kompakt, and it makes a world of difference in daily use.
Watching videos on a black and white screen is a bit strange, but people did it less than a hundred years ago, so it just takes some getting used to. Even the contrast is good enough for most videos, although darker videos are just plain hard to see on any E Ink device I’ve used to date.
Apps and all normal smartphone functions work as you would expect. Want to launch the camera quickly? Double-click the power button and take the shot. Want to toggle the backlight so you’re not wasting power during the day? Customize one of the two keys on the side as the “light switch.”
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I set the top button to double-tap for this function, and I’ve used it constantly over the past week. There’s even a fingerprint reader inside the side-mounted power button, a location I far prefer over in-screen readers.
I’ve also done an immense amount of reading on this phone in that time. I’m already halfway through Project Hail Mary, a book I bought on the Google Play Store last Friday before heading out on the road for vacation. I’ve read entirely on this device and can’t begin to describe the eye relief that comes with E Ink. It’s like reading a book, and it feels like magic when you use it.
While you might have trouble telling the Bigme HiBreak Pro apart from the Onyx Boox Palma at first glance, several upgrades make it a better device. Apart from the obvious advantage of 5G connectivity, it also has haptic motors inside, two customizable quick keys on the left side, as well as a fingerprint reader in the lovely red power button.
Unlike some other E Ink devices, the Bigme HiBreak Pro supports full NFC payments, and it even has an IR blaster up top for remote functionality. These are all assumed features of the best Android phones, but they’ve been anything but standard on E Ink phones so far.
Speaking of “standards,” the Bigme HiBreak Pro sets a new standard for E Ink phone camera quality. I took a ton of pictures with the phone over the last week, and while it won’t be vying for best phone camera any time soon, it’s more than adequate quality.
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I highlight this specifically because every other E Ink phone I’ve tried has had a terrible camera, and I recommended that users keep another phone in their pocket just to take pictures. That, of course, defeats the purpose of going E Ink as it’ll just give you the temptation to use the other phone to doomscroll or revert to old habits.
It’s actually quite weird to see pictures being taken on this phone, only to see it in full color on another device later and be surprised by the quality. The Bigme HiBreak Pro’s camera was good enough that I didn’t feel the need to find something else for regular photos, and that is enough for me to give it some kind of award.
Getting E Ink right
One of my biggest annoyances with E Ink devices is having to constantly change the display mode to best fit the content. Most modern E Ink devices do a decent job in the default display mode, but a lot of apps require you to tweak the image to get the best picture.
So far, I’ve never had to adjust the display mode on the Bigme HiBreak Pro. It understands how to tune it for the app that’s running, and that’s been a huge quality of life change I didn’t expect. The only thing I adjust manually is the brightness level because I like control over the backlight, but even then, you could just set it to automatic and let it do its thing like normal.
Compared to every other E Ink device I have, this one rarely has to do that jarring full refresh cycle you probably associate with E Ink devices. Scrolling through a web page or even a long email looks like a normal display, and it’s proof to me that Bigme’s software is doing something better than its competitors.
On the topic of software, while I found the default home screen launcher to be a bit underwhelming, I haven’t had any issues changing it to something better, like Niagara Launcher. This one’s my go-to for any E Ink or more “minimalist” phone, as it provides quick access to everything I need without fuss.
Daily performance and multitasking have been surprisingly good, and I seldom saw any app need to reload unless it had been a notable amount of time since I last used it. The multitasking UI is better than stock Android, as it shows quick cards for the 6 most recent open apps, with additional apps located in pages.
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Bigme’s UI doesn’t use stock Android gesture navigation, though, so there’s no support for quick 2-app switching as you’ll find on other Android phones. That’s not a deal breaker, but it did take me a while to unlearn my regular usage of that gesture.
Even typing on the on-screen keyboard (I use Gboard) was just as fast as any other Android phone I’ve used. As I said with the camera previously, this is expected on a normal Android phone, but not something that normally works well on E Ink phones. Once again, Bigme surprises in the best way, and I find typing to be a great experience.
Specs, value, and conclusion
The Bigme HiBreak Pro is quite affordable, retailing for $459 on Amazon. That puts it squarely in the mid-range category, and I’ve found that basically all the specs feel right for the price.
|
Category |
Bigme HiBreak Pro |
|---|---|
|
Display |
6.13-inch, 1648 x 824, E Ink display, 300 PPI |
|
Backlight |
Independent warm and cool backlights, can be fully turned off, completely flicker-free. |
|
Processor |
MediaTek Dimensity 1080 |
|
Memory |
8GB RAM |
|
Storage |
256GB |
|
Front Camera |
5MP |
|
Rear Camera 1 |
20MP |
|
Battery |
4,500mAh |
|
Charging |
18W USB-C |
|
Security |
Side-mounted fingerprint sensor |
|
Connectivity |
4G/5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 |
|
Dimensions |
159.8 x 80.9 x 8.9mm |
|
Weight |
180 grams |
|
Software |
Android 14 |
The Bigme HiBreak Pro is made entirely of polycarbonate. I tried to use the phone without this case for a while, but found it to be way too slippery. Thankfully, Bigme includes a silicone case in the box if you don’t like the overly slippery plastic build. This case is extremely grippy and offers some decent padding for the device, which further adds to the value of the package.
While a fully polycarbonate phone sounds like a negative, I actually enjoyed the fact that there’s zero possibility of breaking the screen if you drop it. That’s a weirdly freeing reality in a world where most phones are some kind of metal and glass sandwich.
Overall, I loved using this phone and even found that, even while Bigme doesn’t market this as a “minimalist phone,” per se, the black & white E Ink display swayed me away from mindless scrolling I’m seldom prone to doing. To me, this is the ideal way to switch to an E Ink device without feeling the shellshock most other similar products create.
And, if you were wondering, yes, this display is completely flicker-free. No PWM dimming. No temporal dithering. Just an eye-friendly experience that feels good to use. Talk about a major win for Bigme!
The Bigme HiBreak Pro is E Ink done right! It’s like a Kindle and your favorite Android smartphone had a baby, complete with a backlight that you can fully disable to give you the perfect paperlike experience on all your favorite apps.
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