Review: Bigme HiBreak Pro

In today’s attention economy, protecting your focus gives you a real edge. Especially for folks like me starting something on their own, defending that mental space is critical for success.

E-ink devices are the closest thing I’ve found to that protection. Think of them as the e-reader version of smartphones — minimalist, distraction-resistant, and easy on the eyes.

So, when the Bigme HiBreak Pro launched, I pre-ordered it immediately. There is a non-Pro version, but it got mixed reviews — limited to certain cellular providers, reportedly sluggish, and just not up to snuff.

The Pro version, on the other hand, fixes all that. It’s essentially a top-tier Android phone with an e-ink display.

What It Has:

• Fingerprint sensor (mine broke after a few days, haven’t figured out how to fix it yet)

• Face recognition (meh in low light)

• Google Play Store

• Google Pay support

• Can install all Google apps

• Tesla app compatibility

• Google Maps

• Banking and finance apps (Chase, Wells Fargo, E*TRADE, Robinhood, etc.)

• YouTube (yes, it works — no, it won’t tempt you to binge, which is kind of the point)

• Dual SIM support (two physical SIM slots — no eSIM yet)

• Tested with Verizon and Mint Mobile (T-Mobile network) — both work great

• Gemini can be set as the default AI assistant with a long-press of the power button

A Few Quirks:

• Requires physical SIMs – no eSIM support.

• Ships without Google apps – it comes with default phone, contact, mail, and calendar apps that aren’t the standard Google versions. You’ll need to install and set them as defaults manually. I did — you should too.

• Fingerprint sensor broke – not sure if it’s a hardware issue or fixable via software. If you’ve had the same issue or found a fix, let me know.

• Face recognition is meh – works okay in good lighting, but not great in the dark.

• Tesla app isn't seamless – I have to manually launch it before using it. Doesn’t auto-wake like on other phones.

Would I Recommend It?

Yes. 100 times over.
In an era of infinite scroll and algorithmic traps, an e-ink phone is one of the best defenses against digital burnout. It’s a functional Android device that gently resists being your next dopamine slot machine.

What Are the Alternatives?

There’s the Bigme HiBreak (non-Pro) and the HiSense A9. I passed on both:

• The non-Pro HiBreak has cellular compatibility issues.

• The HiSense A9 doesn’t support the Google Play Store, which was a dealbreaker for me.