The TWO WEEK Battery Smartphone
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Promos
Check out the Fujitsu iX1500 at bit.ly Why don’t all our phones have e-ink displays? It’s easy on the eyes, it’s more power efficient… what’s the catch? The Kingrow K1 phone with an e-paper display shows us the good and the bad… Buy e-ink displays on Amazon: geni.us Discuss on the forum: linustechtips.com Our Affiliates, Referral Programs, and Sponsors: linustechtips.com Get Private Internet Access today at geni.us Displate metal posters: lmg.gg Linus Tech Tips merchandise at lttstore.com Linus Tech Tips posters at crowdmade.com Our Test Benches on Amazon: amazon.com Our production gear: geni.us Twitter - twitter.com Facebook - @LinusTech Instagram - @linustech Twitch - twitch.tv Intro Screen Music Credit: Title: Laszlo - Supernova Video Link: youtube.com iTunes Download Link: itunes.apple.com Artist Link: soundcloud.com Outro Screen Music Credit: Approaching Nirvana - Sugar High youtube.com
The Kingrow K1 is presented as a full on smartphone with an e paper display, promising extraordinary battery life measured in hundreds of hours of standby. The host explains that e-ink, unlike typical LCD or OLED screens, is reflective and does not emit blue light, which some claim benefits eye health in well lit environments. He emphasizes the grayscale nature of the display and how it can be gentler on the eyes, noting that colors are absent by design and that the device includes a Kindle app preinstalled. The video details practical advantages such as readability in direct sunlight and the fact that updating the screen consumes energy only when the image is created while the wallpaper remains energy-free, contributing to claimed standby times around 400 hours and modest talk time around 20 hours. It also mentions that the device could have occupational uses due to its sunlight visibility and reduced visual stimulus, which could help with focus in certain tasks. The host then pivots to the big caveats: limited app support, the absence of Google Play, and a custom Android 8.1 interface that looks dated, with no easy path to install popular apps or games. He explains that the e-ink display cannot pass Google’s certification because it cannot handle high frame rate animations, which leads to a choppy experience when using browsers or video apps. The video closes with a pragmatic verdict: the K1 is not a general purpose phone but may appeal to die-hard e-paper enthusiasts or those who prize extreme battery life, while mainstream users will likely find the device overpriced and underperforming. The reviewer remains skeptical about the primary claims around eye health and notes real world drawbacks such as limited storage, modest hardware specs, and the potential for image retention and ghosting. Overall, the video frames the K1 as an innovative niche device rather than a replacement for traditional smartphones, inviting viewers to weigh whether the tradeoffs align with their needs and expectations.
Topics · technology · mobile · battery-life · display-technology
Questions answered
- Why does the Kingrow K1 use an e-ink display instead of a conventional smartphone screen?
- The K1 uses an e-ink display because it is reflective, not backlit, which reduces blue light exposure and can be easier on the eyes in bright environments, while also enabling very low energy consumption for static images.
- What are the main drawbacks of using the Kingrow K1 as a daily driver?
- Major drawbacks include lack of Google Play Store support, limited preloaded apps, an aging Android UI, poor performance for animations and videos due to low frame rates, and relatively modest hardware specs for a smartphone.