Orbit Reader 40
The verdict
Forty refreshable braille cells means twice the line of the 20 Plus: fewer pans through a sentence, faster reading, and a display that doubles as a standalone reader and notetaker with onboard forward and backward translation in 40+ languages, plus clock, calendar, and calculator apps. It pairs with iOS, Android, Windows, and Chrome as a display, takes SD cards and thumb drives, connects over USB-C, and runs 20–22 hours on a charge.
Orbit Reader 40 — about $1,399–$1,899 (price range flagged — see caveats) · star rating unverified in our research (specialty-retailer product) · Blind pick — the 40-cell step up from the catalog's Orbit Reader 20 Plus.
Specs
- Cursor-routing keys the 20 lacks
Blind details
For a blind reader, the 40-cell line is the real upgrade — it is the difference between reading in fragments and reading in sentences. The Perkins-style keyboard means you can take notes and write without a second device, and the onboard translation means a braille file in another language is readable without a computer in the loop.
Honest caveats: the price range is wide because the launch price was $1,399 and a current specialty listing shows $1,899 with preorder metadata — confirm the live price before buying. Reviewers also note the Perkins-style keys need a firmer, longer press than other displays, making it louder to type on, and JAWS support had early struggles. As of October 2026, verify availability with the seller before treating the price as current.
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Prices change often — the price you see at checkout is the real one.
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Last reviewed: October 2026.