Daylight DC-1

Last updated: 19 October 2026

What the Daylight DC-1 is

Daylight Computer is a San Francisco company founded in 2018 by Anjan Katta. The DC-1 is its first device, and the first batches shipped to early buyers in the summer of 2024.

The screen is what Daylight calls Live Paper. It is a monochrome reflective display, so it reads well in sunlight, but it runs at 60Hz rather than the slow refresh of an e-ink reader. In other words, you can scroll a web page or watch a video without the ghosting you get on a Kindle.

Daylight describes it as "a new kind of computer designed for deep focus and wellbeing", as BGR reported in May 2024.

What it does

• Reading: Kindle, Kobo and Libby all run on it, and Daylight's own reader app scrolls, zooms and annotates PDFs.
• Writing and notes: it works with Wacom EMR pens for handwritten notes and drawing. You can also pair a keyboard for distraction-free typing.
• Android apps: it runs Android 13, so Google Docs, Notion and a web browser all install as normal.
• Night use: the amber backlight is optional and uses DC dimming rather than PWM flicker.
• Video: it plays video in black and white at 60Hz.

Key facts

• Price: $729 from Daylight, about £547 at the European Central Bank exchange rate on 19 October 2026, before UK delivery and import charges
• Screen: 10.5-inch Live Paper, 1600 x 1200, 190dpi
• Chip and memory: MediaTek Helio G99, 8GB RAM, 128GB storage, microSD slot
• Battery: 8,000mAh, which Daylight says lasts days on a charge
• Connections: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C
• Size and weight: 253.5 x 184 x 9.75mm and 550g
• Returns: 30 days for a full refund

Who the DC-1 suits

• Heavy readers who want more than a Kindle: it reads books like an e-reader but also runs a browser and full Android apps.
• Writers: pair a keyboard and it becomes a screen you can type on outdoors.
• People who read late: the amber backlight is there for the evening.

If you mostly read books, our guide to the best e-readers in the UK covers cheaper options that ship from UK shops.

The limits

The screen is monochrome. Photos, maps and video all show in shades of grey, which is the point, but it rules the DC-1 out as an everyday tablet for many people.

The price is high for the specification. The Helio G99 is a mid-range phone chip, and £547 before delivery buys a lot of colour tablet.

Above all, it is not sold in UK shops. You order from Daylight in dollars, and delivery and import charges add a large sum on top.

Where to buy it in the UK

The Daylight DC-1 is only sold through Daylight's own shop. I struggled to find it on Amazon UK or at any UK retailer.

Daylight's FAQ does not name the UK as a shipping country. Even so, the checkout accepted my UK address. It offered International Express with duties and taxes prepaid: $67.60 for shipping and $227.74 for duties, taxes and fees, shown as £224.92 at checkout, with delivery in 2 to 5 business days. That puts the total for a UK buyer at roughly £770.

Because the duties are prepaid, nothing more should be due when the parcel arrives. Still, check the totals at checkout before you pay, as the exchange rate moves.

Daylight DC-1 at Daylight

FAQs

How much is the Daylight DC-1 in the UK?

$729, about £547, plus £224.92 for express delivery with duties and taxes prepaid, so roughly £770 in total. I checked this on 19 October 2026.

Does Daylight ship to the UK?

Its FAQ does not list the UK, but the checkout took a UK address and offered International Express with duties and taxes prepaid, delivered in 2 to 5 business days.

Is the Daylight DC-1 e-ink?

No. It uses a reflective LCD that Daylight calls Live Paper. It looks paper-like, but it refreshes at 60Hz, much faster than e-ink.

Can you use Kindle on the Daylight DC-1?

Yes. It runs Android 13, so the Kindle, Kobo and Libby apps install from the app store.

How does it compare with the reMarkable Paper Pro?

The reMarkable is built around handwriting and runs its own software. By contrast, the DC-1 runs full Android apps and plays video, but its screen is grey only, while the Paper Pro has a colour e-ink screen.

More from CoolCuration

• reMarkable Paper Pro review: how the colour e-ink tablet holds up in daily use.
• Kindle Paperwhite: the cheaper, UK-stocked way to read on a paper-like screen.
• Structured: the visual daily planner app, our App of the Month for August 2026.
• Gifts for techies: presents for people who like their gadgets.

I checked the price, the specification and the UK checkout on 19 October 2026. Prices, exchange rates and import charges change.

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