I've been a convert to E Ink displays ever since I got one of the early Kindle models, and have amassed an extensive collection of the best e-readers that I rotate between for my nightly reading. Lately, I've been alternating between the Kobo Clara Color and Onyx Boox Tab Ultra C, which are very different devices. Still, both use color E Ink screens, bringing joy to my withered heart while I use them to read.

The Boox device also runs a modified version of Android, so the Google Play Store is available for productivity apps, which is fantastic. Still, it makes me yearn for one thing: a powerful E Ink laptop that runs Windows 11. I'd buy one the instant it hit the market and use it for everything I do daily except play games. Let's discuss why it would be the perfect device for me and what I'd want included.

4 I'd be able to use it everywhere

Glare be-gone

Glare is one reason I don't like using laptops or working anywhere other than my light-controlled office. I'm incredibly sensitive to it, with the effects ranging from distraction to mild discomfort to major headaches that stop me from being able to work. Even with blue-light-blocking glasses or polarized lenses, I still suffer, and reading all day for work makes it worse.

The only time that doesn't happen is when I read on E Ink displays. Especially when they're front-lit, I find them easier to read on than the paper they're supposed to copy, and I wish I could use it more. I've seen the E Ink desktop monitors, and believe me, those are on my wishlist, but using E Ink displays in any lighting conditions gets me excited. I could just as easily work from my deck or any other room in my house, regardless of how much lighting it had. Or the beach, or the backyard, or any outdoor coffee shop nearby. I can't quite do that currently because Android is a pain to use for productivity, even if the Boox Onyx Tab Ultra C is excellent in every other way. I need Windows, or maybe macOS at a push, and then I'd have my perfect portable workstation.

3 Just think of the battery life

Seriously, think about it

The superb battery life of most e-readers is something that Windows laptops can only dream of. Recent devices with the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite, like the Surface Pro 11, are awesome compared to other Windows laptops in terms of the number of hours they can keep running, but the LCD or OLED displays use a lot of power. E Ink uses a fraction of that power because it only needs to draw energy when the screen refreshes. Lenovo is one of the few companies that have put E Ink on a Windows laptop. However, it also added an OLED screen to flip between the two and used Intel processors, which aren't the best for battery life. With Windows on Arm being a viable option now, I'd love to see the two on a future laptop.

I can currently get days of use out of my collection of E Ink tablets, whether I'm reading, typing, browsing the internet for research, or sketching with a stylus. Imagine a Windows laptop that could boast that battery life, even with a relatively high-resolution display. I could attain high productivity without worrying about carrying battery packs or staying near an outlet. While reading research, the screen would barely use any energy, and that's a significant percentage of my daily work.

2 Android E Ink devices are relatively slow

And limited by the mobile operating system

If I had to pick an operating system for the multitasking required by my job, Android would be way down the list. I'd rather use iPadOS, which might have file management annoyances but is overwhelmingly better overall, thanks to Apple's control over the ecosystem. But those would be the last resort compared to the productivity monsters of Windows 11 or macOS. Mobile-first OSes just aren't up to the task when serious work needs to be done, even if companies pour resources into making Android better on larger screens.

Not to mention that existing E Ink tablets are often on older Android versions, which brings security issues and app compatibility into the mix. I'd love to see newer Android versions, but, even more, I want Windows. I want to sign in to the same OS I use on my desktop and have everything where I left it. I want the apps I'm used to using and have already paid licenses for. I want to work on E Ink while using the operating system I'm used to. While midrange Qualcomm processors are satisfactory for Android, I also think I want the full-fat Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processor running an E Ink display. I can't be the only person who would work on an E Ink laptop if it was built with powerful components. I just can't.

1 I don't need games on my laptop

My desktop can handle that for me

When I'm using a laptop to get work done, I don't need anything distracting me from the task at hand. That includes glare, anyone passing by, the large pigeon in the park, and especially not a library of already-installed games. E Ink displays are great for getting work done, but because of the relatively slow refresh rate, they're not great for playing casual games, let alone AAA blockbusters.

And you know what, I'm perfectly fine with that. It's more than fine, actually, because I'm not fond of gaming on laptops all that much. Their keyboard and touchpad combos leave plenty to be desired as an optimal control scheme, carrying a controller means more stuff in my bag, and there are serious heat and battery life considerations that make me prefer handheld gaming consoles or even my iPhone for a little break from work. When I'm at home, I have a gaming desktop, plus several consoles and a media PC attached to the TV. Those are enough of a distraction.

I could do all my work on an E Ink laptop with enough computing power

While I love OLED dearly on my desktop, it's not bright enough or able to handle reflections as well as I need for it to be my laptop screen. Mini-LED is bright enough, but it's almost too bright, and why should I have to crank up the brightness to see my screen when outside? E Ink is fast enough for productivity tasks, especially for the ones I need a laptop for, as I don't need one capable of video editing. What I do value is seeing my screen in any conditions, and not getting headaches while reading the screen. And for those things, E Ink is the superior display type.