In-Depth PocketBook InkPad 4 Review: Features, Performance, and Verdict

The PocketBook InkPad 4 succeeds the highly popular InkPad 3 series. The new e-reader stays true to its predecessors in all essential aspects and promises a gentle update while retaining the same strengths.

This 7.8-inch e-reader now features a flat, scratch-resistant front, an E Ink Carta 1200 display, waterproofing, a built-in speaker, a slightly larger battery, and USB-C connectivity.

In the following review, we’ll find out whether the InkPad 4 can meet the high expectations that many fans have in advance.

Note: The test device was provided by PocketBook without any conditions and with no influence on the review.

Video Review (English)

Below you’ll find a summary of the review in an English-language video:

Build Quality, Features, and Usability

Despite its new styling, the PocketBook InkPad 4 is instantly recognizable as part of the InkPad family. The proportions have changed only minimally compared to its direct predecessors.

The display is still framed by a slim bezel, with extra width below to offer a larger grip area. This is where the familiar PocketBook hardware buttons are found.

PocketBook InkPad 4 up to 2

Although the proportions are largely unchanged, the design has been thoroughly refreshed and now aligns visually with the PocketBook Era, InkPad Color 2, and Viva. This modern look is especially enhanced by the flat front.

PocketBook InkPad 4 with new design

The four physical buttons (Home, Forward & Back, Power button) are positioned almost exactly as on the previous model, except the “chin” beneath them is gone. Now, the buttons are located directly on the bottom edge of the case. My initial concern was that this might affect usability, but that worry proved unnecessary. The page-turn buttons are gently curved and easy to identify by touch.

Their pressure point is very similar to that of the InkPad 3, and pressing is confirmed with a clear click.

Raised page-turn buttons are easy to locate by touch

Good Quality Impression

The modern aesthetics highlight the strong quality impression of the PocketBook InkPad 4. As noted, the front is flat and also more scratch-resistant than the majority of similar displays so far.

The side frame appears metallic, but it is actually made from plastic. Nevertheless, this does not detract from the positive overall impression. By contrast, the rear has a less premium feel and, much like the Era, favors function over form: the grooved grip area is comfortable, but the plastic back seems a bit prone to fingerprints for my taste.

PocketBook InkPad 4 back

The InkPad 4 does have one flaw—this should remain its only one in this review: the case tends to creak slightly. Each time I grip the e-reader around the handle area, there’s a small sound from the back. It’s not a dealbreaker, as it isn’t very pronounced, but it jars slightly with the otherwise high-quality impression of the device.

Well-equipped

Unlike the Era (available in 16 & 64 GB), the PocketBook InkPad is offered in one storage variant: 32 GB. This is more than enough for almost all users, including those who enjoy audio content and prefer not to routinely delete files.

Audio output can be routed either via Bluetooth to suitable headphones or speakers, or directly through the built-in speaker. In offering this feature, the InkPad 4 follows its smaller sibling and allows audio playback without external devices.

While you shouldn’t expect miracles from the mono speaker, to my ear, the audio quality is not only a step above the Era but generally rather good. At higher volumes especially, the InkPad 4 sounds somewhat clearer than the Era. Whether this is owing to the speaker itself or its placement, I can’t say for certain, but the end result is pleasing.

Mono speaker

With a battery capacity of 2,000 mAh, the PocketBook InkPad 4 is well-equipped, offering 100 mAh more capacity than both its predecessors. Though the dual-core processor (1 GHz) is not the fastest—an occasional limitation in operation—it is certainly among the most energy-efficient in the e-reading segment. PocketBook remains one of the few enduring manufacturers that hardly make any compromises when it comes to the battery life of their reading devices. You can therefore expect long runtimes from a single battery charge, as with earlier models.

Weighing 265 grams, the InkPad 4 is noticeably heavier than its particularly lightweight predecessors (210 & 225 grams), a result of the larger battery, integrated speaker, and primarily the flat glass front. While it isn’t excessively heavy, the InkPad 4 no longer counts as lightweight.

Finally, it’s worth noting the integrated IPX8 water protection, which is essential given the premium positioning of this e-reader. The dual-core processor is supported by 1 GB of RAM. With its USB-C port, the e-reader is also equipped for the future.

Display and Lighting

The PocketBook InkPad 4 features a 7.8-inch display with a resolution of 300 ppi and, like most current competitors (and the PocketBook Era), uses the E Ink Carta 1200 panel. This is currently the highest-contrast E Ink technology available.

The display’s readability is flawless thanks to excellent contrast levels and “Retina” resolution—both with and without lighting.

The Tolino Epos 3 is regarded as the highest-contrast model in this size segment and also uses this display technology. In a direct comparison, the PocketBook InkPad 4 trails only minimally behind but is nearly as good.

However, the InkPad 4 clearly surpasses the Tolino Epos 3 in terms of more uniform front lighting. The illumination is distributed very evenly across the InkPad screen—even better than in previous models and clearly more homogeneous than its Tolino competitor.

Flat display front, left: PocketBook InkPad 4, right: PocketBook InkPad 3 Pro

Only on close inspection can a slight brightness gradient be seen in the lower part of the display; technically, this is almost unavoidable at this size.

In the picture below, the effect is somewhat more evident than it appears to the naked eye, but even so, it’s hardly noticeable. You can see the LED positions along the bottom edge of the frame, causing a slight irregularity in the form of faint halos. These do not extend into the text, so they do not interfere with the reading experience.

Even illumination, 100% cool-white setting

This is nitpicking at a high level—among e-readers of this size, the InkPad 4’s lighting is easily one of the most even.

50% cool-white/warm-yellow setting

As is now standard on PocketBook devices, the front light can be adjusted from cool white to warm orange. However, in this case, the warm color tone is more yellow than the orange-red of its predecessors. This is neither better nor worse than before—simply a “good to know” detail. The reduction of blue light also works excellently.

100% warm-yellow setting

Brightness

With maximum brightness of 63 cd/m² for the cool-white LEDs and 55 cd/m² for the warm-yellow LEDs, the PocketBook InkPad 4 is on the same level as most other e-readers from the company and slightly below most competitors.

This delivers improved readability even in daylight. For evening reading, maximum brightness is actually too high and needs to be reduced. The minimum setting measures just 0.8 cd/m², low enough to avoid being harsh in the dark.

Color temperature without night mode is 8500 Kelvin. With nightlight enabled, it drops to 3200 Kelvin.

As always, it’s important to remember that values for brightness and color temperature can vary within a model range, and device-to-device differences are possible based on experience.

Touchscreen and Ghosting

The e-reader is primarily operated via the capacitive touchscreen as well as the previously mentioned physical buttons. Touch performance is both responsive and accurate.

The ghosting characteristics of the PocketBook InkPad 4 are excellent and, as with the Era, slightly superior to E Ink Carta 1200 competitors. While very faint traces of the previous page are visible if you look for them, they are barely noticeable.

Lighting and Nightlight Automation

The PocketBook InkPad 4 also features the typical customizable lighting automation found in the brand’s latest devices. This can be set and activated separately for both day and night modes.

Instead of a light sensor, time-based control is used and can even be individually personalized. You define brightness and night light settings based on the time of day using a time diagram.

This method has the advantage of not being affected by sudden light changes, though the disadvantage is it doesn’t immediately react to environmental lighting.

Nonetheless, this is a great solution for those who value extensive customizability.

Interim Conclusion on the Display

The new PocketBook InkPad 4 impresses with solid contrast, very even lighting, and minimal ghosting, resulting in a display experience with no significant weaknesses.

In terms of readability, the InkPad 4 is, for me, currently the best e-reader in the 8-inch segment.

Reading and User-Friendliness

One of the major advantages of PocketBook software should be highlighted straightaway: registration in the built-in store is not required to access all device features (except for purchasing eBooks or audiobooks directly from the onboard store, naturally).

Since the anonymous transmission of usage data, etc., can also be disabled in the device settings, the InkPad 4—like other PocketBook models—is a privacy-friendly e-reading option.

The following review is based on software version U743.6.8.885.

Home Screen

PocketBook retains its trademark home screen layout: the top row shows the three most recently read or added titles, followed by recommendations from the integrated eBook store.

PocketBook, unlike many providers, lets you disable store recommendations—at least if you buy the device directly from them. If you purchase your e-reader from a partner shop, there may be differences, but I can’t confirm them firsthand.

If you turn off the shop display, there are no drastic changes: the four most recently opened or loaded books are displayed more prominently in the center of the home screen, with the shop section omitted. Everything else remains the same.

Tidy home screen

The status bar at the top enables quick access to lighting controls and other key features such as WiFi, synchronization, task manager, airplane mode, and search. System notifications, similar to those in Android, are also shown in this area.

Shortcuts can now be sorted and altered to your preferences.

At the bottom by default are five app links:

• Library
• Audiobooks
• Store
• Notes
• Apps

These shortcuts can be customized as well, except for the app links. All other elements can be changed or removed.

Library

The PocketBook InkPad 4’s library management is currently the best in the 8-inch class and among the leading options in the e-reading market as a whole. Numerous filtering and sorting functions make managing even large eBook collections easy and convenient directly on the device.

Clear library

You can filter eBooks by several criteria:

• All Books
• Authors
• Genres
• Collections
• Favorites
• Folders
• Formats
• Series
• PocketBook Cloud

Titles can be sorted by opening date, addition date, title, or author.

Typically, the cover view with large images is presented, but you can reduce the view twice to also display book titles and authors in text format.

Continuous scrolling direction is a unique PocketBook feature: instead of swiping sideways (as with many other brands), here you scroll vertically—up and down.

Library categories provide better organization

You can scroll through your library smoothly using the touchscreen, which might seem unusual at first, since E Ink screens are not typically fast. However, with improved responsiveness, this becomes quite natural after a short adjustment period.

If you prefer, you can navigate the library step by step using the page-turn buttons or the virtual buttons at the edge of the screen, similar to the way Kindle devices function.

It’s also worth mentioning that the PocketBook InkPad 4 supports both a directory structure and Calibre’s keyword system. So, if you already have an eBook organization system in place, you can continue using it seamlessly on this device.

Reading Mode

While reading on the PocketBook InkPad 4, you can turn pages by tapping or swiping the touchscreen or using the page-turn buttons. Both the button mapping and touch zones can be fully customized.

The nine available touch zones can each be assigned predefined actions, showcasing PocketBook’s impressive degree of individualization here as well.

The reading menu appears by default when you tap the center of the screen or briefly press the power button. This menu is displayed along the bottom and offers options like:

• Font settings
• Screen rotation
• Add note
• Dictionary
• Voice (text-to-speech)

You can adjust margins and spacing, font size (from 6 to 40 points), and hyphenation. It’s also easy to change the font or select normal, bold, or italic styles. If the font you want isn’t present, it’s easy to install new ones.

Font adjustment

In addition, PocketBook allows you to hide page numbers, the status bar, the remaining pages to the chapter’s end, and the standard page numbering; the software determines the reading position dynamically according to font size. The initial calculation for this may take a little time.

Highlights and Notes

Previously, I have criticized PocketBook’s note function for being less than user-friendly, but this is no longer the case with the InkPad 4.

There are still both a simple and an extended note mode, but the most important features are available in both.

If you long-tap a word (about two seconds), the context menu opens, enabling you to highlight the word or add a note. In simple mode, notes can not only be opened but also edited—which was not previously possible.

Notes are available in both simple and extended modes

These small tweaks make the interface neater and much more intuitive overall.

In extended note mode, all options are shown at the top of the screen:

• Highlight
• Write note
• Handwritten marks
• Eraser
• Screenshot (with size selection)

The extended note-taking mode not only benefits those who like the handwriting feature but is generally more efficient. The options bar remains visible at the top as you turn pages (using the buttons), so you can create new notes or highlights at any time with just a tap. There’s no need to tap a word first to bring up the context menu. This setup is particularly helpful for users who regularly take notes or highlight passages.

Dictionaries

PocketBook has also improved its dictionaries, introducing several useful new features.

First, it’s important to note that, in the tested firmware, the PocketBook InkPad 4 no longer ships with ABBYY Lingvo dictionaries. Instead, it comes with (almost) exclusively “PocketBook” dictionaries (see the list below), which do not specify the actual source. In my view, losing the ABBYY dictionaries isn’t a major setback, as searching for words with ABBYY often only worked for the basic form of the word.

This leads to the second point: grammatical forms are now recognized much more reliably. This is less due to the number of dictionaries than to a functional change: if there’s no direct match found, the dictionary looks for the next closest word instead. Many other brands use this, and it works surprisingly well. Although there can be occasional mismatches and manual correction might be necessary, it’s still a significant usability improvement overall.

Dictionary function – good, but sometimes surpassed by the competition

PocketBook apparently continues to refine this feature, as there’s now an option to add a “morphology” extension with some dictionaries—likely meant to improve recognition of more grammatical forms—though it’s not explained in detail anywhere. Honestly, after installing it, I couldn’t perceive any major benefit; recognition seemed unchanged from before.

I still find it a little awkward that you need two taps to open a dictionary entry: first, select the word with a long press; then, select the dictionary from the context menu. With Amazon or Kobo, you need one fewer tap—only Tolino also requires two steps.

To be fair, there is a dedicated dictionary mode that compensates for this: when enabled, a tap on a word brings up the dictionary instantly. The context menu can be accessed again only after exiting dictionary mode.

It’s now possible to change the font size within the dictionary window, and you can directly attach a note to the searched word. This enables vocabulary lists that can be exported later for language learning.

Another advantage is the much larger selection of available, free dictionaries – all downloadable directly from the device (provider: PocketBook unless otherwise stated):

• Arabic -> English
• Armenian -> English
• Azerbaijani -> English
• Chinese (simplified) -> English
• Chinese (traditional) -> English
• Czech -> English
• Dutch -> English
• English -> Arabic
• English -> Armenian
• English -> Azerbaijani
• English -> Chinese (simplified)
• English -> Chinese (traditional)
• English -> Czech
• English -> Dutch
• English -> English (Webster’s 1913)
• English -> Estonian
• English -> French
• English -> German
• English -> Greek
• English -> Hebrew
• English -> Hungarian
• English -> Italian
• English -> Latvian
• English -> Lithuanian
• English -> Polish
• English -> Portuguese
• English -> Romanian
• English -> Russian
• English -> Slovak
• English -> Spanish
• English -> Swedish
• English -> Turkish
• English -> Ukrainian
• Estonian -> English
• French -> English
• German -> English
• German -> Russian
• Greek -> English
• Hebrew -> English
• Hungarian -> English
• Italian -> English
• Italian -> Italian (Wiktionary)
• Latvian -> English
• Lithuanian -> English
• Polish -> English
• Portuguese -> English
• Romanian -> English
• Slovak -> English
• Spanish -> English
• Spanish -> Spanish (Wiktionary)
• Swedish -> English
• Turkish -> English
• Ukrainian -> English

In essence, PocketBook now offers the most internationally useful dictionary selection of any manufacturer, with this impressive list of free dictionaries.

In the selection menu, dictionaries are now grouped by source language, resulting in much clearer organization. Unused dictionaries can be removed—improving clarity for those who switch dictionaries frequently. If you want to reinstall them later, it’s just a tap away.

Audiobooks, Music, and Text-To-Speech

PocketBook has supported audio playback via Bluetooth for some time now, and the addition of a built-in speaker reinforces this direction.

Using the speaker is straightforward: just start playback in the audio player, and the sound comes through the built-in speaker. Volume can be adjusted easily within the interface.

You can play audiobooks or music using the respective player or activate the text-to-speech (TTS) function, which reads eBook text aloud using a computer-generated voice.

Good speech synthesis in action

Text-to-speech can be started in a book via the “Voice” menu. Controls are shown at the bottom edge. Various male and female voices can be downloaded for many languages directly onto the device; setup takes just minutes.

The word being read is clearly highlighted, making it easy to follow along in the text. Speaking speed is adjustable.

The TTS engine is generally of decent quality—but you should not expect the same level as the latest Apple voice generation for eBook reading. Still, it’s very practical for reading support or while driving.

The music player offers familiar features: you can add single files or entire directories and create playlists (M3U format). The playlist can be edited to remove tracks or change their order, shuffle playback is available, and titles can be repeated. Audio playback continues in the background, so you can listen to music as you read.

The intuitive audiobook player plays self-stored audiobooks

The separate audiobook player is similarly designed and functions almost identically. However, features like shuffle or repeat, unnecessary for audiobooks, are not included. This division between music and audiobooks provides clarity, making it easy to manage each separately.

One clear advantage over Amazon’s audiobook approach (Kindle, Paperwhite, Oasis & Scribe) is that you are not tied to a single provider (Audible), and can use audiobooks from various sources. However, Audible’s service, as part of Amazon’s system, does not work here. This is a minor downside, given that you’re not locked into a proprietary ecosystem and can also use free audiobooks.

PDF Functionality and Readability

Along with its extensive library features, the PocketBook software continues to lead the way for PDF viewing among mainstream providers (Amazon, Tolino, Kobo). While a 7.8-inch display is not ideal for large A4 documents, the many useful software features—and the crisp 300 ppi display—make up for it.

PDF display in full-screen mode

The following display modes are available:

• Continuous scroll
• Single page
• 2 & 3-column mode
• Reflow
• Zoom (30–300%)
• Margin cropping (off, automatic, manual)
• Adjustments (gamma, brightness, contrast)

The device handled large image-filled files in testing without stability issues.

[caption id="attachment_84442" align="alignnone" width="700"] The column view mode for PDFs is very practical

eBook Shop and PocketBook Cloud

eBooks can be purchased directly through the eBook store on the PocketBook InkPad 4 using the built-in Wi-Fi. The store shown will depend on where you purchased your device, but the core functionality remains the same everywhere and is linked to the PocketBook Cloud.

Just like other brands, you must register with the store in order to buy and download eBooks with a valid payment method. All purchased eBooks are added to the online storage and can be synchronized to your e-reader automatically.

Unlike in the past, there’s no longer a need for a separate PocketBook Cloud account, making everything much simpler.

Well-integrated and easy-to-use shop

The only current drawback of the shop is the search functionality. In my trials, books I searched for often did not appear until later pages of the results. However, live search works better—providing suggestions as you type—and often gives more suitable results than the actual search listing.

Synchronization with Dropbox is also supported. This means the PocketBook InkPad 4 can sync with a folder in your cloud, opening up multiple options: for example, you can use Calibre to convert news feeds to ePub and save them in the Dropbox directory, for easy reading on the e-reader. This also allows you to buy eBooks on your PC and transfer them to the device hassle-free.

Another way to add books is “Send-to-PocketBook,” where you email eBooks directly to the device.

Overall, the shop and cloud integration are markedly improved from the past, delivering a highly user-friendly and efficient system that needs little time to set up. Here, PocketBook matches—if not exceeds—the convenience offered by the likes of Amazon, Tolino, and Kobo.

PocketBook no longer needs to shy away from Tolino comparisons, especially as Tolino’s partners generally use mobile-optimized versions of web shops that aren’t fully integrated into the interface. Now, PocketBook feels almost seamless.

Internet Browser and Onleihe

The browser performs as expected, and websites generally render accurately, making the browser practical for fast research or quick lookups. You can also access alternate eBook stores using the browser.

It offers features such as pinch-to-zoom, scrolling using page-turn buttons, landscape mode, and favorite bookmarking. Images and JavaScript can be deactivated if needed. The browser is generally fast, but does not quite match the speed or responsiveness of the Tolino’s Android browser.

With the browser, you can also download eBooks from other stores as needed

There is also a dedicated “Onleihe” application. This is essentially a special browser designed just for Onleihe use, making borrowing eBooks easier and more convenient.

Conclusion

In summary: I regard the PocketBook InkPad 4 as not only the best current 8-inch e-reader, but also the best reading device PocketBook has yet produced.

The highly legible display, extremely even front lighting, and comprehensive, intuitive software make for an excellent overall package.

I already praised the software on the Era model and feel compelled to do so again: previously, PocketBook was commended for its powerful software but criticized for a sometimes complicated or unintuitive interface. This has changed significantly—in recent years, PocketBook has made all the right adjustments to improve the user experience of its e-readers.

The result is one of the most user-friendly interfaces on the e-reading market, which now easily competes with, and even surpasses, some competitors. In fact, other brands could take a cue from PocketBook’s openness and feature set.

The PocketBook InkPad 4 is an outstanding e-reader

Of course, the InkPad 4 has some weaknesses, but does not make any major missteps. In my view, the biggest obstacle is its list price of around 290 euros (with a small discount option—see below).

Regarding the device itself, the most notable negative point is the slightly creaky case, which—as mentioned—doesn’t significantly detract from the experience, but is still surprising at this price point. The second minor drawback is the occasionally sluggish user interface, though this only slightly affects the reading experience.

In total, with many strengths and only a handful of weaknesses, the PocketBook InkPad 4 earns an excellent test score of 1.3 and a clear purchase recommendation.

If you choose to buy the e-reader, you can save 10 percent (about 30 euros) by using the discount code “allesebook” at PocketBook.de:

Versand*:
Listenpreis*: 289,00

€ 260,10*

weiter →
bei PocketBook

*10% sparen auf den Listenpreis mit dem Gutscheincode "allesebook". Der Code ist beim Bestellvorgang an der Kasse auf PocketBook.de einzugeben.

Versand*:
Listenpreis*: 310,00

€ 279,00*

weiter →
bei PocketBook

*10% sparen auf den Listenpreis mit dem Gutscheincode "allesebook". Der Code ist beim Bestellvorgang an der Kasse auf PocketBook.de einzugeben.