TRMNL Review: The E-Ink Display That Respects Your Attention

Every screen in your life is fighting for your attention. They buzz, they ping, they glow, and they are disturbingly good at winning. Your phone, your laptop, your TV—they all want the same thing: your eyeballs, for as long as possible. So what happens when a screen is designed to do the opposite? That is the idea behind the TRMNL e-ink display, an open-source dashboard that sits quietly in the background, showing you useful information without ever demanding a thing in return.

I have been using TRMNL for a few weeks now, and it has genuinely shifted how I think about the role technology plays in my daily routine. Not because it does anything radical, but because of what it deliberately chooses not to do.

What Is the TRMNL E-Ink Display?

TRMNL is a 7.5-inch e-ink screen that acts as a dashboard for whatever information matters to you. Family calendars, weather forecasts, analytics, goal trackers, Notion pages, stock prices—you name it. But calling it "just a screen" undersells what is actually going on under the hood.

The device runs open-source firmware that refreshes the display with a server-rendered image at whatever interval you set. That server is hosted by TRMNL themselves, completely subscription free, or you can self-host your own if you prefer full control. No monthly fees. No premium tier. You buy it, you own it.

I should note that TRMNL sent me this device for free, but they have not sponsored this video or post. Everything here reflects my honest experience.

What You Get in the Box

I picked up the OG display with the optional clarity kit, which includes a battery upgrade, plus the developer edition for API access. Inside the box you will find the display itself, a braided USB-C charging cable, a microfiber cleaning cloth, and a matte screen protector.

TRMNL is available in white, black, grey, and even a clear variant, starting at around £125. There are also fake wood and sage colourways, though these appear to be limited at the moment as TRMNL gears up for the release of their newer, larger X display.

How the TRMNL Display Actually Works

The operating principle is refreshingly simple. At whatever interval you specify—typically every few minutes—the device wakes from sleep and pings the TRMNL server requesting an image. The server responds with that image along with instructions on when to check back in. The device renders the image and powers back down until the next scheduled wake-up.

The 800x480 pixel resolution does not sound like much on paper, but e-ink consistently looks sharper than the numbers suggest. You also get all the benefits that come with the technology: excellent viewing angles from practically any direction, perfect readability in harsh sunlight or dim rooms thanks to passive reflectivity, and power consumption that only occurs during a screen refresh.

The standard 6.6Wh battery delivers roughly three months between charges, which is remarkable. Internally, there is nothing exotic—USB-C for charging, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for connectivity, and a display controller. It all sits inside a solid injection-moulded ABS plastic enclosure that ships with both a wall-mounting hook and a tabletop kickstand.

The Web Dashboard and Plugin System

Beyond the hardware, everything lives in the online dashboard. The playlist section is your control centre, where you stage what content appears and when.

A straightforward setup might alternate between Google Calendar and YouTube Analytics every 30 minutes. The physical button on the back of the device lets you trigger an instant refresh whenever you want one. But the scheduling system offers far greater flexibility than simple rotation. You can define specific time blocks for different content groupings.

In the mornings, you might rotate between the weather forecast and your calendar events. In the afternoon, you could serve motivational passages from a book. In the evening, bring back your calendar alongside a random Wikipedia article for casual reading. It is surprisingly versatile once you start thinking in time blocks.

How Plugins Work

The TRMNL ecosystem divides plugins into a few distinct categories. Native plugins come directly from the TRMNL development team and are fully supported. Private plugins let you build personal creations for your own needs. Community contributions come from the broader user base and are available for anyone to install. Then there are recipes—personal plugins that creators have chosen to share publicly, though these come with the caveat that setup may require some technical knowledge.

Installation complexity varies. Something like the Office Quotes plugin is a single click. Google Calendar requires OAuth authentication and some configuration around which calendar views you want—daily, weekly, or monthly. The good news is that all official plugins have excellent, well-written documentation, and once a plugin is configured, it is ready to drop into your dashboard rotation permanently.

Building Your Own Plugins

If you are technically inclined, TRMNL opens up considerably. The firmware is released under the GPL3 licence, and none of the components are proprietary. You can build entirely custom plugins via the TRMNL APIs, or even build your own version of the device from scratch if that is your thing.

I will not go deep on the technical side of plugin creation here, but if that interests you, Quinn Nelson over at Snazzy Labs has done a brilliant breakdown in his TRMNL video that is well worth watching.

Why Ambient Tech Matters

Here is what surprised me most about this device. It is not about what it does—it is about what it does not do. It does not vibrate. It does not light up. It does not try to hijack my attention every time I walk past it.

I have been thinking a lot lately about what I actually want from my technology, and I think I am finally starting to figure it out. I do not want devices that demand my attention. I want technology that respects it. And I certainly do not want another monthly subscription attached to every piece of hardware I own.

This idea of ambient tech—technology that exists in the background, available when you need it but never pulling you away from what you are doing—really resonates with me. If you have read my desk setup post, you will know I care about building a workspace that helps me focus rather than distract. The TRMNL display fits neatly into that philosophy.

Is the TRMNL E-Ink Display Worth It?

Let's be honest: a dashboard on an e-ink display is not going to transform your life. But if you are someone who is trying to be more intentional with technology, if you are tired of every device in your home competing for your eyeballs, this is worth serious consideration.

At £125 with no ongoing costs, the value proposition is strong. The plugin ecosystem covers most common use cases out of the box, the build quality is solid, and the battery life means you can genuinely set it up and forget about it for months at a time. Sometimes the best technology is the kind you barely notice is there.

If you are considering picking one up, you can get £15 off your order at usetrmnl.com or use the code lovelock15 at checkout.

FAQ

Does the TRMNL display require a subscription?

No. TRMNL is completely subscription free. You pay for the hardware and that is it. The web server that renders your dashboard content is hosted by TRMNL at no ongoing cost, or you can self-host if you prefer.

How long does the TRMNL battery last?

The standard battery delivers around three months between charges. The optional clarity kit includes a battery upgrade that extends this further. Power is only consumed during screen refreshes, which is why e-ink is so efficient for this kind of always-on display.

Can I create custom plugins for the TRMNL display?

Yes. The firmware is open source under the GPL3 licence, and TRMNL provides API access for building your own plugins. You can also browse and install community-created plugins and recipes through the web dashboard.