Minimal Phone 1

Specs

• CPU: MediaTek MT6769 8-Cores ARM (v8.2a) CPU
• RAM: 8GB
• Storage: 256Gb
• OS: Android 14
• Rear camera: 4MP
• Front camera: 5MP
• Display: 600x800 Black & White E-Ink display

The Experience

This phone was part of an Indiegogo campaign I financed because I can’t control myself I really love and believe in E-Ink technology… Yes but also because I started to realize how much time I was spending on my phone, scrolling through Telegram/Blusky/Mastodon at every single moment possible. Also I felt like life was passing by in front of me, without actively being part of it, because I was always on my phone. So, the promise of a better self, and one E ink gadget more in my collection, what’s more to ask!? That’s why I jumped into the campaign.

A frustrating first day

The first day I switched my SIM card from my Zenfone 10 to the Minimal Phone, the experience was FAR from great. I started the day with a full battery, but at noon, I was already at 20% battery left. I was a bit shocked that a phone with an EInk display wouldn’t last a whole day! It created a bit of anxiety (that tells much about my relation with phones) and I ended up switching my SIM back to the Zenfone. I felt immediately better.

After a bit of tweaking

Tips and tricks

• Avoid dark mode. While OLED screens love to display true black (the section is simply turned off), it’s the opposite on an E-Ink screen. It does not save more current using a light mode, but whites are just nicer and more uniform to look at on an e-ink display.
• Disable anything regarding to wake the screen on notifications or when the device is picked up. It’s very flaky and will drain the battery and turn on the brightness at random times. Be careful because on the Minimal Phone there’s two places for this setting.