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Electrophoretic e-paper creates an image by moving charged pigment particles inside tiny fluid-filled cells. An electric field shifts the particles toward the viewing surface, where their position makes each pixel look light or dark. The screen reflects ambient light rather than producing light from behind, so the image-forming layer does not need a conventional backlight.
How charged particles form each pixel
In a basic monochrome design described by E Ink, millions of microcapsules—each roughly the diameter of a human hair—hold black and white particles with opposite charges in clear fluid. Applying an electric field moves one set of particles toward the top of a capsule. The particles at the viewing side determine the pixel’s appearance: white particles make it look light, while black particles make it look dark.
The particles do not emit light. Their arrangement changes how the display reflects light, producing the visible image. “Electrophoretic display” names this image-forming mechanism. “E Ink” is the company name and also the name of its product families; “e-paper” is a broader term and does not guarantee that a display uses electrophoresis.
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Why the display does not need a backlight
A conventional LCD uses a light source behind the panel, with liquid crystals controlling how that light passes through. An electrophoretic display instead reflects light that falls on its surface, much like printed paper. The reflected light lets you see the image without a rear light source.
#1 Best Overall
- Provide online user manual (examples for Raspberry Pi/Jetson Nano/Arduino/STM32), please check the manual carefully before using!
- This is an E-Ink display module, 4.2inch, 400x300 resolution, with embedded controller, communicating via SPI interface. Due to the advantages like ultra low power consumption, wide viewing angle, clear display without electricity, it is an ideal choice for applications such as shelf label, industrial instrument, and so on.
- No backlight, keeps displaying last content for a long time even when power down
- Ultra low power consumption, basically power is only required for refreshing
- SPI interface, for connecting with controller boards like Raspberry Pi/Arduino/Nucleo, etc. Onboard voltage translator, compatible with 3.3V/5V MCUs
Some e-readers have a front light for use in dim rooms. It illuminates the screen from the viewer-facing side; it does not make the electrophoretic layer a backlit display. The image itself still comes from the positions of the pigment particles.
Why an image can remain when power is off
E Ink describes its displays as bistable: electrical power is needed to update the image, but not to maintain it afterward. Once the particles have moved into position, a static image can remain visible without continuous display power. This makes the technology useful for text, labels, and signage that may stay unchanged for a while.
Rank #2
- Provide online user manual (examples for Raspberry Pi/Jetson Nano/Arduino/STM32), please check the manual carefully before using!
- This is an E-Ink display module, 1.54inch, 200x200 resolution, with embedded controller, communicating via SPI interface, supports partial refresh.
- Due to the advantages like ultra low power consumption, wide viewing angle, clear display without electricity, it is an ideal choice for applications such as shelf label, industrial instrument, and so on.
- No backlight, keeps displaying last content for a long time even when power down. Ultra low power consumption, basically power is only required for refreshing
- SPI interface, for connecting with controller boards like Raspberry Pi/Arduino/Nucleo, etc. Onboard voltage translator, compatible with 3.3V/5V MCUs
That does not mean an entire device uses no power. Updating the screen requires power, and its controller and other electronics may also consume power.
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The two-particle black-and-white microcapsule is a useful basic model, not a description of every electrophoretic product. E Ink also describes Microcup structures and color systems that use three or four particle types for combinations such as black, white, red, and yellow, as well as other multicolor-particle platforms. The cell structure and pigments vary by product family; color electrophoretic screens should not all be treated as monochrome screens with an ordinary LCD color filter.
Rank #3
- Enjoy a paper-like viewing experience with the 2.13-inch e-paper display. The screen can retain the last displayed image even after power is removed, making it ideal for applications requiring long-term information display without continuous power supply.
- Designed for low-power projects, this e-ink module only consumes energy during screen updates and remains in standby mode most of the time. Perfect for battery-powered devices, smart labels, IoT projects, and long-running applications.
- Featuring a 250x122 pixel black-and-white display, this e-paper HAT delivers clear text and image rendering. Partial refresh support helps reduce update time and power consumption for smoother display operation.
- Equipped with a standard Raspberry Pi 40-pin GPIO header and SPI communication interface, this display module works with Raspberry Pi series boards, Arduino, ESP32 and other compatible development platforms. Built-in voltage conversion supports both 3.3V and 5V MCUs.
- Comes with connection accessories and supports online resources including driver board diagrams and example programs for Raspberry Pi, Arduino, and ESP32, helping developers quickly start their projects.
What electrophoretic screens are—and are not—suited to
Moving particles to refresh an image makes electrophoretic displays less suited to continuous motion than typical video displays. E Ink reports an update mode as short as 120 ms for an entire display, but that is a vendor-reported figure for an update mode, not a universal refresh time or a guarantee of video performance. The actual result depends on the display platform and mode. E Ink also says current production modules do not support video-rate updates, and that frequent updates reduce power efficiency.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where the technology appears
E-readers are a familiar application, but electrophoretic displays are also used where a reflective image can remain static between changes, such as labels and signage. For development, E Ink says it sells display modules to device makers and offers developer kits. A module or kit may need a controller, host electronics, and compatible software, so check its requirements rather than assuming it will work as a plug-and-play screen.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Provide online user manual (examples for Raspberry Pi/Jetson Nano/Arduino/STM32), please check the manual carefully before using!
- This is an E-Ink raw display, 7.5inch, 800×480 resolution, with embedded controller, communicating via SPI interface.
- Due to the advantages like ultra low power consumption, wide viewing angle, clear display without electricity, it is an ideal choice for applications such as shelf label, industrial instrument, and so on.
- No backlight, keeps displaying last content for a long time even when power down
- Ultra low power consumption, basically power is only required for refreshing
Rank #4
- This is 2.13inch E-Ink display HAT V4 with Raspberry Pi 40PIN GPIO extension header, compatible with Raspberry Pi series boards (includes Raspberry Pi 5/4B/3B+/3B/2B/Zero W/WH/Zero 2 W,etc. ) and compatible with Jetson Nano.
- 250x122 resolution, Black and White Two Display colors, with embedded controller, communicating via SPI interface, supports partial refresh.
- No backlight, keeps displaying last content for a long time even when power down. Ultra low power consumption, basically power is only required for refreshing.
- SPI interface, for connecting with controller boards likeArduino/STM32, etc. Onboard voltage translator, compatible with 3.3V / 5V MCUs.
- Comes with Comes with Online Development Resources and Manual (driver board circuit diagram, examples for Raspberry Pi/Jetson Nano/Arduino/STM32). PLEASE READ THE ONLINE INFORMATION CAREFULLY BEFORE USING IT.
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