GoKawiilModos Tech sent me a couple of its latest e-paper monitors to take a closer look and enjoy some hands-on time with them. The first model was a pre-built version of the Modos Paper Monitor Dev Kit : a 13-inch monitor with a USB-C cable attached, currently available from Crowd Supply. I also got a chance to sample the newest Modos Flow monitor, a powerful sequel to the original offering that expands the feature set with touch and stylus compatibility, among other features. Both samples use color e-paper displays.
Modos Tech and its e-paper mission
Founders Alexander Soto and Wenting Zhang formed Modos Tech at the start of 2022. Inspiration came out of the pandemic, during which staring at the screen for extended periods led to “eyestrain, discomfort, and exhaustion.”
Modos is an open-source hardware and software company, determined to invigorate and democratize the use of e-paper displays in computing, and, as per our intro, is just about to launch its second cutting-edge project on Crowd Supply.
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For quite some time, e-paper monitors have been an attractive option for folks who spend long hours staring at computer screens, but they haven’t broken through to the mainstream yet. This disconnect is quite a surprise given how many people enjoy great experiences with e-paper tech in the e-reader tablet segment, most famously dominated by the Amazon Kindle.
So, it is clear that e-paper’s key strengths are sunlight readability, reduced eye strain, and low energy consumption. In terms of usage, it fits best for reading text; it can also be a good choice for writing and suffices for other common/popular tasks that are text-heavy, like browsing the internet and everyday computing. Tasks like gaming, watching movies and TV shows, or photo and video editing are not strong points of this technology in 2026, even with the new color e-paper displays.
What companies pioneering e-paper screens for computers are now doing is chiseling away at the weaker aspects of this panel technology – color reproduction, refresh rate, responsiveness, and pricing. Thus, Modos Tech is helping push this technology while embracing non-proprietary hardware and open-source software.
OK, now let’s look at the two hardware samples that arrived at Tom’s Hardware towers. What first? Let’s start with the older Dev Kit screen.
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