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Setting up a portable monitor is usually as simple as connecting a regular wired mouse or card reader. If you're using a reasonably modern laptop with a USB Type-C port that supports Power Delivery, you can connect a portable monitor to this with just a single cable and it should just work - plug and play - with no additional power connection required. Are portable monitors really that 'portable'? This product supports monitors with VESA 75 or 100 mounting systems, and the Vivo offers loads of movement flexibility. Each arm provides 180 degrees of tilt and swivel movement alongside 360-degree rotation. Height adjustments are possible via the Vivo’s central pole, and monitors work in portrait or landscape positions. Choosing portable monitor hinges on your use case and to what device you are connecting. The very concept of a portable monitor makes the most sense with a USB-C-equipped laptop.
The highly portable nature of the Switch makes it a great system for those who are on the road a lot – not just because you can use the console's built-in 720p display for mobile gaming, but because it's also easy to carry around a second, external screen which bridges the gap between the Switch's display and your large flatscreen television at home.Though we haven’t done the review on it just yet, one of our Computing editors has had a proper hands-on experience with the monitor, and it truly delivers in color coverage and color accuracy. With 100% sRGB and 100% Rec. 709 color gamut, as well as Calman verified color accuracy, this is truly better for video and photo editing than all others on this list. That’s without mentioning its other features that simplify your workflow. The only complaint we have about its design is that its stand, which moonlights as its case, isn’t the most convenient to use. Hardly a big deal, if it wasn’t for the fact that it’s also not the cheapest option. The quality of the screen is fantastic, but we did notice that there are some lighter areas at the bottom of the display, a sign that internal parts are pushing against the panel. The Mini-HDMI port is also a bit fiddly and means you'll need to keep the bundled HDMI-to-Mini-HDMI cable safe. Obviously you have never traveled with someone else that wanted to play together. These monitors have a purpose which is why they exist. While we haven’t reviewed it here at TechRadar just yet, one of our Computing editors has already put this display through its paces, and it truly does deserve to be on every top portable monitors list. To start, it comes with a built-in battery that can last up to three and a half hours on a single charge. That alone is pretty impressive. But, it also comes with wireless connectivity, though it only functions through screen mirroring.
That’s the most reliable way to connect a portable monitor and ensures both compatibility and plenty of bandwidth for any resolution a portable monitor is likely to offer. That said, many mobile screens also support old-school USB-A connectivity. Just be aware that it will require software and drivers, which could present a problem depending on your device to drive the display. Monitors that make use of in-plane switching (IPS) technology are generally preferred for general use over vertical-alignment (VA) and twisted-nematic (TN) panels due to their wider off-axis viewing angles and good color accuracy. Many recent mobile monitors are IPS, but there's a catch. When we test a panel for its color gamut, we first test the sRGB color space, which is the default color space for the web and many other applications. This color space comprises essentially all the colors that can be made by mixing red, green, and blue. Most desktop monitors cover at least 95% of sRGB, and we have seen portable monitors attain similar coverage. However, until a few years ago, most mobile IPS monitors we reviewed showed much more limited overall color coverage (60% to 72% of sRGB) and very similar color profiles—indicating poor red and purple coverage and slightly enhanced blue-greens. Because of their nearly identical "color signatures," we assumed that these panels came from the same or similar sources, although they are on monitors made by a variety of manufacturers. Look for a portable monitor that uses IPS (in-plane switching) LCD technology. This enables much better colour and contrast consistency than older, cheaper, older TN (twisted nematic) panels. Thankfully, most portable monitors now use IPS technology, meaning there shouldn't be an obvious difference in image quality between your laptop's display and the portable monitor alongside it. How we test monitorsWe evaluate a monitor with particular attention given to its core image quality, including brightness, contrast, color vibrancy and accuracy. While this can - and will - be assessed by the experienced eye of our professional reviewer, some manufacturer screen specs can only be definitively judged by an 'electronic eye' - a monitor calibrator. Where possible, a calibration device will be placed on the screen to verify its advertised color space coverage, brightness output and consistency, and factory color calibration accuracy. Beyond image quality, we'll also scrutinise the monitor's display and data ports to ensure acceptable connectivity, and will give a thorough assessment of build quality, including the range of ergonomic adjustment in its stand. Only then will we determine if a screen is worthy of use by a discerning imaging or video enthusiast. That said, don't go thinking this will give you a larger preview area relative to toolbars and pallets alongside. The display resolution is still Full HD 1920 x 1080, so compared to a 15.6-inch portable monitor with the same resolution, the ROG Strix simply displays everything a little bit bigger. It does come at a price as you would expect when there are twice as many panels as usual. And the port locations aren’t ideal if your laptop has all its own ports on one side. After all, you have to connect each screen separately. This, however, does mean that you can use one screen for one device and the other for another.
And, while it doesn’t come with a carrying case – you’ll have to get one separately to keep the monitor from getting scratched up – it is well built and comes with a magnetically attached support foot that solves the problem that we find with a lot of portable screens by keeping it steady on its feet. We also appreciated the inclusion of both USB-C and Mini HDMI connectivity.On the positive side, the stereo speakers are powerful and the quality of the image is striking; colours really pop on this display. It also comes with an optional stylus (which is going to be of more interest to computer users looking for a second screen) and remote control which allows you to toggle options more easily. We considered how many types of connections (USB-C, USB-A, VGA, etc.) the monitors supported and the number of connectivity ports they had. We looked at the display brightness and the viewing angle width. As I alluded to earlier, the mobile-monitor world is undergoing a convergence of power and connectivity thanks to USB Type-C connectivity. Many USB-C ports support both DisplayPort over USB and USB power delivery, letting both data/video and power flow through the port from a computer over a single USB cable. Most new mobile monitors have at least one USB-C port, and some connect solely via USB-C. While this simplicity has its appeal, be sure that your laptop's USB-C port supports data, video, and power transfer, because some early-generation USB-C ports don't. (Thunderbolt ports should also work fine; their functionality encompasses all of that of USB-C.) This 17.3-inch 4K model from Intehill is a bit of a unicorn as there just aren’t a lot of portable monitors at this size with this resolution. Thankfully, it’s also a good looking one. Just be aware that you’ll have to spend a hefty sum for this larger display as well as buy a PSU separately, that is unless you have a Thunderbolt port which can fully power it.
The Vivo uses a sturdy C-shaped clamp or an optional grommet to attach to a desk, so it works on a wide variety of surfaces. It’s got integrated cable management thanks to clips on the arms and central pole, so your desk can stay tidy.With that in mind, we’ve used our expertise and personal experience to narrow the various options out there to what we think are the best ways to expand your laptop’s available screen space right now. That includes considering the dimensions and weight as well as resolution – after all, some people are ok with 1080p while others want a crisper 4K– and connectivity. Factors like the quality of the stand, touchscreen capability, among others are also taken into account. This is also a premium IPS screen, so expect accurate color and contrast, along with wide viewing angles. Brightness is also impressive for a portable monitor, peaking at 400 cd/m2. The panel's efficient 6W typical power consumption means it can be powered direct from your laptop via USB-C. How to choose a portable monitor How easy is it to set up a portable monitor? We also really liked the tablet-size cover, which folds out underneath the screen and acts as a stand, very much like some of the covers Apple has released for its iPad range. This means you don't have to invest in a separate stand for the screen when you're using it, but it does result in quite a large footprint. The OSD is the monitor's menu system, governing user-controllable settings such as brightness, contrast, color levels, picture mode, and aspect ratio. It is often arranged in several submenus. Although a few models include several buttons to use in navigating the OSD, a single button or switch to control it is more common.
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