When there are so many tabs open on your laptop and you have only one workstation to handle the load, there is a need for something that could serve as a substitute at the same time portable enough to carry around. The answer for this need, is the best portable monitor, which is able to duplicate or extend your laptop or computer screens.
Common FAQS people ask about the best portable monitor
1. What is the importance of portable monitors in today’s world?
Not only for professionals but for entertainment these portable monitors play a vital role in terms of work flexibility. It includes gaming, commercial use, schooling, watching movies, reading and much more is being facilitated by portable screens.
2. How much time a portable monitor can give the user to work on it?
The vital linking component is an OS X driver, which takes the multitouch events signals (arriving at the MBP’s USB 2.0 port from the Dell S2240T’s upstream USB 2.0 port, via the USB cable included with the Dell S2240T) and serves them up to OS X in ways that make the touchscreen work as a multitouch monitor.
It depends on the battery life of the portable monitor. A standard battery of 7000mah can provide 3 to 4 hours of display for the user. Though, same hours will be getting by 10,000mah battery if it is a touch monitor.
3. Do any drivers are required to install?
Not mostly, but in rare cases a portable monitor requires a driver to install to work on it, but in the latest portable monitors, there is no such requirement, giving the authority to the users to just plug and play easily.
4. What are the HDMI devices and USB Type-C devices for portable monitors?
PS4, Laptop, Computer, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Fire TV Stick, camera are the HDMI compatible devices, whereas all those devices which have Type-C port all are workable with Type C, this include Nintendo Switch, Smartisian, Huawei, Samsung and laptops.
Best Portable Monitor of 2021 List
- Asus Zenscreen– Best Asus portable monitor
- Uperfact 4K UHD – Best 4K portable monitor
- EVICIV – Best portable USB monitor
- AUZAI Ultra Slim – Best portable computer monitor
- Eleduino– Best portable monitor for Xbox One
- Prechen– Best portable HDMI monitor
- Acer– Best budget portable monitor
- Xtend Touch XT1610F – Best travel monitor
- Lepow– Best portable gaming monitor
- Deco Gear – Best portable touchscreen monitor
Best Portable Monitor of 2021 Reviews
1. Asus Zenscreen MB16AMT – Best portable screen for laptop
15.6 inch FHD 1080p IPS touch screen | 59%s RGB color gamut |178 degree view angle | 700:1 contrast ratio | Supports landscape and portrait mode | USB Type-C, mini HDMI, thunderbolt 3 | 250cd/m² brightness | 60Hz refresh rate | 5ms response rate | Low blue light filters | 7800Mah built-in battery
Reason to buy
- Comes with foldable cover and also have smart pen hole for standing
- Productive in all grounds
- Zero stuttering
- 2lbs weight and 0.3 inch slim
Reason to avoid
- Expensive for the given features
- No HDR
- Low quality colors
Asus Zenscreen MB16AMT is certainly among the best portable monitors of this year. Yes it is, unfortunately, a pricy deal but still capable enough to collaborate with your laptop. This touchscreen portable monitor is light in weight and a thin profile dual screen, easy to carry anywhere. Asus Zenscreen is a perfect companion for those who don’t have a fixed place of work but work remotely from home, coffee shop or while travelling mostly. The best part is when you connect this portable monitor with your host device (smartphone, Laptop, etc), it wouldn’t suck your battery while mimicking the content, but utilize its own 7800mah battery until it gets empty. For touch features it requires OS compatibility, Windows 7, 8, 10, Linux, Chrome OS, Mac OS. Moreover, this portable USB monitor has Eye Care Technology which reduces the chances of eye strain and provides the content with zero distortion, a perfect combo of dual screen for laptop for long hours of work.
2. Uperfact – Best portable 4k monitor
15.6 inch 4k UHD IPS touchscreen | Built-in FreeSync | 100% sRGB, 72% color gamut | 300cd/m² brightness | 1000:1 contrast ratio | 60Hz refresh rate | 178 view angle | 2 USB Type-C, Mini HDMI, headphone jack | Automatic gravity sensor rotation
Reason to buy
- Multiple device compatible
- Weighs 2.5lbs and 0.2inch thin
- Blue light filter
- Durable well build portable dual screen
Reason to avoid
- Unusual battery drainage
The first pick of the best portable monitor is Uperfact, this 15.6 inch IPS touchscreen has vivid colors and bright display which can be taken out in full daylight as well. The screen is glossy and the touch capability is 10 point capacitive ultra responsive, moreover, its blue light filter prevents the user from eye strain. This portable monitor for laptop is easy to use; single plug and play authority via dual Type-C and one mini HDMI. The screen rotates automatically in 90 degrees sensing the position of the host device, though you can place it in portrait and horizontal orientation via an integrated bracket, this facilitates the user while reading too regardless of user posture. Further, this 4k portable monitor has 5mm thin profile and is 2.5lbs lightweight, enabling you to carry it anywhere, yet it is also known as a gaming monitor due to its vast compatibility. Connect your game consoles, like, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Raspberry Pi, PS4, PS3 and many more.
3. EVICIV – Best USB powered monitor
15.6 inch 4k HDR UHD IPS display | AMD FreeSync | 100% sRGB | 1000;1 contrast ratio | 178 degree view angle | Magnetic stand cover | 1 x HDMI, 2 x USB Type-C, headphone jack | 60Hz refresh rate | Easy setup
Reason to buy
- No drivers required
- 0.2 inch thin and 1.82 lbs lightweight
- Wall mountable
- For gamers and business trips
Reason to avoid
- Not any
This is one of the best portable monitors of the year, credit goes to the extra thin bezel and rendering extremely strikingly rich colors has all marked their place in the market today. Though this USB powered monitor is not a touchscreen screen but due to the high quality build and remarkable visual effects, EVICIV deserve to be here in this list. It has dual USB Type-C and a HDMI port, with which you can connect your laptop, PC, Smartphone, Chromebook, Tablet and game consoles including PS4, PS3, Xbox One or any other. It supports VESA as well apart from vertical and horizontal orientation, you can mount it in a bracket and leave this on the wall. However, it is a thin profile portable dual screen for laptop and a lightweight accessible for business trips, schools or hassle free traveling. Moreover, the thin bezel provides frameless glass which allows a maximum limitless visual in high quality, though if it’s gaming then it’s indeed the best gaming for you.
4. AUZAI – Best portable monitor for laptop
15.6 inch FHD IPS HDR 1080p display | Stereo speakers | 69% sRGB | 250cd/m² brightness | 1000:1 contrast ratio | vivid colors | Flicker free display | Dual USB Type-C and a HDMI, headphone jack | Blue light filters | Vast compatibility
Reason to buy
- Best for business and school
- Increases the productivity
- Versatile design
- Ready to beat on the go
Reason to avoid
- Lack of VESA mount
When you need a portable extra screen for a laptop or computer, AUZAI portable desktop monitor serves greatly. It is certainly eligible to fall in the category of the best portable monitors, a perfect way to divide the workload especially when you are multitasking and experience frequent shifts of tabs while working. Although it has a thinnest bezel but still somewhat a heavy portable dual screen which might not be so ideal for commuting people. Yet it facilitates to accelerate the productivity whether it’s home, office or at school, it is a great source of entertainment too. It is a portable gaming monitor as well, compatible with Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Raspberry Pi, Chromebook, MacBook, Surface etc. whereas, this best portable monitor for laptop comes with a protective case and also has a screen protector which prevents the screen from getting damage or fingerprints. Moreover, the eye care blue filter technology prevents eye fatigueness.
5. Eleduino – Best portable gaming monitor Xbox One
14 inch 4k IPS UHD touchscreen display | DCI P3 90% color gamut | 10-bit color display | 500cd/m² brightness | PD fast charging | 1400:1 contrast ratio | 10 point capacitive touch | 3ms response rate | 60Hz refresh rate | 400 HDR and FreeSync supportive | Dual Type-C and one HDMI, headphone jack
Reason to buy
- Accelerate productivity
- Anti glare Technology
- Support VESA mount, plus stand support case
- Dual stereo speakers
Dell Touch Screen Monitor Driver For Mac
Reason to avoid
- Consumes more power
Eleduino dual screen for laptop or game consoles is one of the best portable monitors, meets all the needs of the user who are in a rush to compete professionally or want an extra screen for the laptop to view more than one content simultaneously. This portable touchscreen monitor is perfect to collaborate with your game consoles as well, especially with Xbox One, Xbox X, Xbox S, Wii. It produces very rich color content and delivers immersive gaming with solid frame rates. The Eleduino portable gaming monitor is potent enough to combat with PS3, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Raspberry Pi, TV box and also work with MacBook Pro, Surface, Linux, Huawei MateBook, Razer 14, Alienware, Dell Precision, Lenovo ThinkPad and many more. Further, this portable touch monitor is extremely feasible to carry outside due to being the brightest dual screen and 0.9 kg lightweight, perfect for commercial use where extra screens are required when drones cameras are out in the sky.
6. Prechen – Best HDMI portable monitor
15.6 inch 1080p IPS display | Super fast responsive | Flicker free content | 72% NTSC color gamut | 250cd/m² brightness | 400:1 contrast ratio | 178 degrees viewing angle | Dual HDMI, one USB Type-C, headphone jack | 3-5ms response rate with 60Hz refresh rate
Reason to buy
- Easy to use
- No drivers required
- 845g weight with 12.5mm thin profile
- Perfect for business presentations
- VESA mount
Reason to avoid
- Dim screen
Here comes the best portable monitor by Prechen, a perfect business companion which gives extreme access to work flexibility. When it’s time to present your work, bring this dual screen out and make a remarkable performance. Prechen 15.6 portable monitor has 1920*1080p resolution which provides crystal clear image and is capable to fetch high frame rates on medium graphics settings. You carry this dual screen for laptop anywhere, its weight is 845 grams and is 12.5mm thin profile extremely suitable to fit in your backpack. Although it has thick bezel but it provides 178 degrees wide view angle which is great for watching movies or playing games. Talking about the games, this portable gaming monitor has dual mini HDMI, is compatible with Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, laptop, PC, Smartphones, tablet etc. Moreover, it also works with Windows 7, 8 and 10. However, if you need a portable VGA monitor then must check Prechen 11.6 VGA gaming monitor as well, it is another good and less costly dual screen comparatively.
7. Acer MP161Q – Best cheap portable monitor
15.6 inch FHD 1080p IPS display | Single cable video and power supply | Fills the versatility | 250cd/m² brightness | 800:1 contrast ratio | 170 degree view angle | 7ms GTG response time | 60Hz refresh rate | One USB Type-C, one micro USB port, headphone jack | 45% NTSC color gamut
Reason to buy
- Comes with a stand
- 2.1lbs light in weight and 0.79mm thin profile
- Perfect for students
- Easy to use
Reason to avoid
- No HDMI
- No VESA
- No built-in speakers
Although Acer MP161Q is the budget portable monitor and it does have a number of compromises but still it counts under the best portable monitor of this year. This is because of its high end features at a low cost. This dual screen for laptop is very much capable to fill your needs of extra screen at disposal. It has 1920*1080p resolution, provides a vibrant image and is perfect for on the go. It is more suitable for schools and office use where there is more chances of presenting your work or for those who want to maintain their reading habit. Whereas, it is less suitable for gaming or watching movies, since this cheap portable monitor lacks built-in speakers. However, Acer MP161Q is nice to carry anywhere, extend your laptop screen or simply switch off or put your PC or laptop on rest and work smartly on this extended screen. It has a kick stand with which it is able tilt up to 35 degrees, whether you are at home or in a park, just bring this out and adjust it accordingly with the metal stand and go on.
8. Xtend Touch XT1610F – Best USB travel monitor
15.6 inch FHD IPS display | Versatile connectivity | 300cd/m² brightness | 800:1 contrast ratio | 170 degrees view angle | 10 point capaciitve touch | OTG supportive | One Type-C, one HDMI, headphone jack | 2.09lbs weight
Reason to buy
- Up to 6 hours of long battery
- Feasible for travelling
- Supports landscape and portrait mode
- Nice speakers
Reason to avoid
- No VESA
When we talk about the best portable monitor, the possibility of travelling is always there and the requirement of the dual screen while travelling from one place to another should not be neglected, so do we. Xtend Touch 15.6 touchscreen dual screen for laptop is although a little heavy comparatively to others but still very travel friendly. It is also the best raspberry Pi monitor with an exceptional performance, no matter which phone brand (although manufacturer recommend to use only with Samsung galaxy series, but we have tested with more smartphone brands and it works fine) or laptop you keep with you in your backpack while travelling, this travel monitor has a vast compatibility, supports a number of devices on the go. It can be used as a portable gaming monitor, along with PS4, PS3, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox X, Xbox S, Xbox 360 and android, OS, windows and all the laptops that supports USB Type-C and HDMI, including Dell, Linux, Lenovo, Macbook Pro, SurfaceBook, Chromebook etc. The most attractive feature is, this is extremely potent with Samsung Dex and has OTG to bring your office to just anywhere.
9. Lepow Z1 Pro – Best gaming portable monitor
15.6 1080p FHD IPS display | HDR and FreeSync supportive | Blue light filter technology | 178 degrees view angle | 72% NTSC color gamut | 300cd/m² brightness | 1000:1 contrast ratio | 60Hz refresh rate | Supports landscape and portrait mode | USB Type-C, One HDMI, headphone jack
Reason to buy
- Flicker free performance
- Comes with protective case
- 0.34 inch thin and 1.69lbs weight
- High immersive stereo sound
Reason to avoid
- No VESA mounting
Lepow Z1 Pro is built for exclusive gaming yet it can be taken for browsing, movies and presentation, and for every reason where a dual screen or extended screen is required. It is made up of futuristic components which are upgradable and enhance its compatibility with so many other devices coming in its way. Lepow is certainly one of the best portable monitors for gaming, it supports PS4, PS3, Nintendo Switch, Raspberry Pi, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Xbox X, Xbox S, it can also work with a computer, laptop, Tablet, MacBook, Linux etc. Thus, whichever game console you own, this portable gaming monitor is extremely capable to fill the requirement of that gaming. On the other hand, apart from its efficiency in regards of gaming, another big reason for being the best gaming monitor is its dual built-in stereo speakers, they produce a highly immersive sound which is a must for gaming enthusiast, plus the sound is loud enough to create the environment just the way a gamer like it to be.
10. Deco Gear – Best touchscreen portable monitor
15.6 inch 1080p IPS HD touchscreen | Multi purpose portable monitor | 10 point capacitive touch | USB, USB Type-C, HDMI, headphone jack | 178 degrees view angle | 1000:1 contrast ratio | 60Hz refresh rate | Landscape and portrait mode supportive | 10,000mah built-in battery
Reason to buy
- Comes with foldable fabric protective case
- Fully portable; no need to charge up to 4-5 hours of use
- 3.6lbs weight and 0.6 inch thin
- Other than its own case stand, there is a pen hole stand feature as well
Reason to avoid
- Little bulky
Now here it is the best portable monitor by Deco Gear, a better option for multitaskers. If you want a portable screen for phones, laptops or game consoles, and require all abilities in a single portable dual screen regardless of the place, then Deco Gear 15.6 touchscreen suits you perfectly. It is one of those who are made for extremely professionals, whether it’s a matter of extending the screens of laptop or enlarging phone displays, this portable touchscreen monitor mimics your host device similarly. This foldable portable monitor comes with a fabric protective case instead of the leather casing, this case is still foldable and acts as a stand, though there is a pen hole standing feature as well. However, this USB C portable monitor is compatible with MacBook, MacBook Pro, MateBook, MateBook, MateBook X, MateBook X Pro, Thinkpad, Ipad Pro, EliteBook, HP Pavilion, Asus, Razer, ChromeBook, Microsoft Surface, Lenovo, Honor Magic, and smartphones including Samsung Galaxy, S8, S9, Note 8, Note 9, OPPO, HTC, Huawei, Mate 10, Mate 10 Pro and many more.
Criteria for choosing the best portable monitor- Buyers Guide
The scope of portable dual screens aka portable monitors is not limited to one industry, but a variety of grounds where these second screens for laptops, CCTVs, game consoles or drones and many more fields, where these monitors are needed. However, apart from its commercial use, the primary job of this portable monitor is to extend the content of the laptop or PC and other basic job which we are frequently using it for is to enlarge our smartphone screens, don’t think we are forgetting the gaming. Though if we narrow down its use, there is always the need of something handy and something more portable without too many wirings like our traditional workstation or PC.
But the question is what things are needed to be taken under consideration while buying a portable monitor for ourselves? Below given features are the answers to this question.
Size of the monitor
The bigger the screen the better it would be, but that’s perhaps not a preference of many people here, some might want an extended screen for their laptop or some may want a bigger display for their phones. However, the standard size of portable monitor is 15.6 inch, 12 inch, 14 inch or if we go towards bigger then there will be 17 inch wide screen available in the market.
2. Touchscreen
Many of the portable screens have a touchscreen feature that mimics your smartphone in an exact way, they have 10 capacitive touch features giving the experience similar to a tablet. Though there are non touch portable monitors as well, you need to be specific whether you want this feature or not. If you are tight on budget, then you can skip the touch feature because this makes the monitor costly.
3. Connectivity
The most popular option is the USB connectivity; most portable monitors have this feature but don’t forget USB Type C, HDMI and VGA (although it is less demanding today). These connecting ports increase the more devices compatibility with the monitor though you must need to check whether your host device has that particular port or not, or more precisely if your host device has a supporting port or not.
4. Durability
Now this is not something that depends on your requirement, obviously, you don’t want a flimsy material device whether you have to use it at home or outdoors. It is a compulsory requirement that the device is built for rugged use, there are more chances of kids to use them when it comes to gaming. However, consider the one which comes with a protective case and have a screen protector to resist scratches and fingerprints.
5. Brightness
Thoroughly read the product description first before making a purchase, one of the main points you must need to see is the brightness, make sure it has 350cd/m² brightness at least, especially if there are chances in the future to bring this out in daylight, whereas 500cd/m² brightness is the best option.
6. VESA supportive
VESA mounting enables the monitor to be mounted on a wall to watch movies or to play games, if the user gets bored of using it in a standing position. Though it is a matter of preference for many, thus if needed then check VESA holes on its back.
7. Refresh rate
For some users refresh rate is not of much importance, although there are many who want high refresh rate monitors. Getting 144Hz is a dream specially in portable monitors, 120Hz is a great deal, whereas 60Hz is a minimum option yet a feasible deal for entry level monitors. In the above assorted list of the best portable monitors, you will find 60Hz refresh rate, which is absolutely not a thumb down for gaming, exploring, or for watching movies at the given price.
Conclusion
It’s time to wrap up on accord of the given list of ten best portable monitors of this year. There is absolutely no reason to worry about when buying any of these, they will definitely meet your needs at their standards. If you have to travel, if you have limited work space, if you are in a hurry or if in case you need to present your work to your employer, take a deep breath and bring out this portable monitor for smartphone, laptop or for PC and capture everyone’s attention in the conference room. On the other hand, if you are tired of the boring desktop placed in front of you or losing interest due to continuous switching from one tab to another, then this is the dual screen which will make everything hassle free, resulting in the optimal outcome of your efforts.