# 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.