A portable monitor can come in really handy when you’re traveling – you just have to make sure you get a good one. With so many options to choose from, it might be hard to find the best portable monitor to spend your money on, but don’t worry – we can help you out with that!
You never know when you could end up needing extra screen real estate, and that’s precisely why portable monitors are all the rage right now. In the past couple of years, the popularity of portable screens has reached new heights, and as days go by, more and more people realize just how beneficial these can be.
Whether you’re traveling for work or you simply need to upgrade your portable gaming set-up – a portable monitor will come in handy.
On that note, we’ve decided to present you with an ultimate guide on portable monitors and possibly help you out find your next one. So, without further ado, let’s take a look at our picks!
Page Contents
- 1 Before you buy the best portable monitor
- 2 What to consider when buying the best portable monitors
- 3 Tips for buying and using the best portable monitor
- 4 Our top picks
- 5 The advantages of owning the best portable monitors
- 6 How to set up your new portable monitors?
- 7 FAQs about your new portable monitor
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | SPECIFICATIONS | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
BEST OVERALL  | BEST OVERALL |
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BEST BUDGET  | BEST BUDGET |
| View Latest Price | |
UPGRADE PICK  | UPGRADE PICK |
| View Latest Price | |
BEST LIGHTWEIGHT  | BEST LIGHTWEIGHT |
| View Latest Price | |
BEST FOR PHOTO EDITING  | BEST FOR PHOTO EDITING |
| View Latest Price | |
BEST WITH TOUCHSCREEN  | BEST WITH TOUCHSCREEN |
| View Latest Price | |
BEST SCREEN QUALITY  | BEST SCREEN QUALITY |
| View Latest Price | |
BEST FOR GAMERS  | BEST FOR GAMERS |
| View Latest Price | |
BEST FOR MACBOOK PRO  | BEST FOR MACBOOK PRO |
| View Latest Price | |
BEST WITH HDMI  | BEST WITH HDMI |
| View Latest Price |
Before you buy the best portable monitor
Before you move on, what you need to realize is that portable monitors aren’t for everyone, nor are they a necessity.
They are particularly useful to people that travel around a lot, whether for work or for pleasure. On the other hand, if you’re always in front of your PC or a laptop from the comfort of your home, well, then you don’t really need something like this.
With that being said, if you spend most of your nights in a hotel room, well, then that’s a different story. These bad boys are ideal for those scenarios. They will easily fit in any backpack or a laptop bag, and with most of them being lightweight – you won’t even know you’ve got one on you!
What to consider when buying the best portable monitors
Now, let’s talk a little bit about what you should look for in a portable monitor. Knowing which specs to go for will be essential if you want to end up with a device that matches your needs perfectly. So, on that note, let’s talk about some portable monitor specs and features.
Display resolution
Display resolution is arguably one of the most essential things when it comes to monitors, regardless of their size and portability.
Now, some of you might think – the more, the merrier, but that’s not necessarily the case. Portable monitors are usually small in size, rarely ever bigger than 17 inches, which means that for an average consumer, everything beyond 1080p is a waste of money and complete overkill.
However, if you’re doing professional photo editing or video editing or if you’re an artist, well, then you might need to step things up and get a 4K panel.
For best performance, we’d advise matching the resolution of your portable monitor to your laptop’s resolution. However, as long as you get the matching aspect ratio, everything should work fine.
Screen technology
When it comes to screen technology, the most preferred panels are definitely IPS (in-plane switching) panels. Rarely do we encounter a portable screen with a VA or TN panel, or better yet, rarely do we encounter a good VA/TN portable monitor.
You’ll want to look for an IPS panel for various reasons. First of all, they have much better and wider viewing angles, which is something that is often overlooked. A portable monitor will rarely sit at an optimal viewing angle, so that’s something to keep in mind.
Furthermore, color accuracy and contrast are much better on an IPS panel compared to a VA or TN one. Most of the modern-day IPS panels have outstanding color accuracy and will often cover over 95% of the sRGB color space.
Screen size
Many like to match their portable screens to their laptops in terms of size, but that is not something that you have to do. As we’ve said, as long as you match the aspect ratio – everything should work perfectly.
With that being said, most people opt out for 15.6″ or 17.3″ when they buy a portable monitor for a laptop, as those are the most common laptop screen sizes. And, if we’re being fair,15.6” and 17.3” is what you should look for. Both of them are easily portable and offer just enough screen real estate that you can easily do whatever it is that you need to do.
For portability purposes, you could go even smaller, say 13.3″, but at that point, you’re sort of losing on the value of a portable screen.
Variety of display inputs (USB-C, HDMI or DP)
Another thing to consider when buying a portable laptop screen is the variety of display inputs.
Since you have to connect your portable laptop monitor to your laptop, you have to find the matching display port.
Most commonly, you would connect your portable monitor with a mini-HDMI, display port or a USB C. USB Type C is the most versatile out of all display inputs because aside from carrying a display signal, it can also power up your external screen.
However, since some older laptops don’t come with an appropriate USB port, you might have to resort to HDMI, HDMI mini or a display port to connect the two.
Power & connectivity
As we’ve mentioned earlier, USB-C can act both as a display input/output and a power source, allowing you to transfer data and power simultaneously through the same cable.
Another option you might have is Thunderbolt 3 or 4. In its essence, Thunderbolt 3/4 and USB C are quite similar. They use the same ports, their connectors are interchangeable, and they look exactly the same. The only difference is – Thunderbolt is twice as fast.
One thing to keep in mind is that just because your portable monitor sports dual (display and power) transfer does not mean that your laptop does. Some older laptops with early-generation USB-C ports do not support this feature.
Battery
Portable monitors wouldn’t be so portable if they were as dependent on a power outlet as their regular-sized counterparts. Therefore, you’ll want to look for a portable screen with a high-quality, built-in lithium-ion battery.
Lithium-ion batteries are small in size but powerful, and as such, they’re the ideal match for your portable monitor. Keep in mind, built-in battery will add to the overall cost of the monitor, but it will make your life on the road easier.
Ideally, you’ll want to look for a device that comes with a 5000 mAh battery or larger. At this point, depending on the display, you would be looking anywhere between 2.5 to 5 hours of screen-on time.
Weight
As is the case for most portable gadgets and devices, weight plays a major role.
As you can imagine, portable displays aren’t that heavy. Some of them weigh as little as 1.2 lbs which is as light as your regular water bottle.
When it comes to weight, it’s not just about the portability and how easy it is to carry a portable display in a bag, but also, those few extra pounds could make a difference when you’re flying and have to pay for extra baggage costs.
Extra features
Another thing to look out for, or better yet, watch out for, are the extra features that come along with portable monitors.
One of the features that is becoming more and more popular is wireless connectivity. While convenient, this technology is still not advanced enough to offer a satisfying end result.
Furthermore, some of the gaming portable monitors come with a set of built-in speakers. Speakers on a monitor are nothing more than a gimmick. They’re often quiet and awful-sounding; therefore, speakers are not something that should attract you as a feature. They’re a nice bonus, but other than that – they’re virtually useless.
Warranty
Warranty is something tech manufactures are often pleased to give you, but not so much when it comes to portable screens for laptops. Most of the time, these devices will be warranty-free, and if you want one, you’ll probably have to pay extra for it.
Since this piece of equipment won’t lie around on the table as much as some other monitor would, you would think it would be wise getting a warranty, but we don’t think so. Warranties don’t cover for physical damages, and those are the ones that are most likely to happen with these portable devices, so getting a separate warranty would just be a waste of money.
Just make sure you treat your screen with proper care and everything should work out just fine.
Tips for buying and using the best portable monitor
To make sure you get the best portable monitor and make the most of it – we just have to give you a few tech tips.
First of all, you have to know what you want and what you need. It can be easy to overspend when shopping for a product like this, and if you don’t know what your requirements are, it can be easy for a salesperson to take advantage of you.
Next up, if you need a portable gaming monitor, don’t focus on resolution or color gamut. Instead, focus on the type of panel and the refresh rate. At 15 or 17 inches, you are more likely to benefit from a high refresh rate than from a bunch of extra pixels you couldn’t see even if you wanted to.
Finally, make sure your portable monitor has at least one USB Type C port. Even if your laptop doesn’t support USB Type C – your phone most likely does. So, if you want to play games or watch Netflix from a phone, you can do it on a bigger screen.
- Assess your needs and wants.
- For gaming – prioritize refresh rate and panel type.
- Always look for USB Type C.
Our top picks
Finally, it is time for you to meet our contestants. Here we have 10 different products, each of them suited to a particular category. We’ve done our best to make our list as versatile as possible so that each and every one of you can find a product that matches their needs.
BEST OVERALL: ASUS ROG Strix 17.3" Portable Monitor
The best portable monitor for laptop, phone or a gaming console!
In our opinion, ASUS ROG Strix portable monitor is hands down the best portable screen your money can buy.
It is a Full HD (1920 x 1080) display with a refresh rate and response time that can parry some of the finest gaming monitors on the market. This puppy has a 240 Hz refresh rate and a 3 ms response time, so if you have a powerful GPU inside your laptop, you’ll get to enjoy all those frames in a buttery smooth fashion.
Connectivity-wise, ROG Strix PM sports a micro-HDMI and a hybrid-signal USB-C port so you can both use and charge your display at the same time. However, this one also comes with a quick-charge, 7800 mAh battery that will provide you with 3 hours of screen-on time at a 240 Hz refresh rate and maximum brightness.
Pros:
- Excellent for gaming & work
- Top of the line refresh rate
- It comes equipped with all the necessary equipment
Cons:
- A premium-priced product
- Most laptops won’t make the most of it
BEST BUDGET: ASUS 15.6" Portable Monitor (MB168B)
Great value for money!
Here we have another product from ASUS, only this time it is a lot more budget-friendly option.
The portable monitor is for those who simply need some extra screen for work and aren’t planning on gaming or doing some professional photo or video editing work.
This is a WXGA TN panel with a 1366x768p resolution and a 76 Hz refresh rate. As you can see, you won’t be able to consume 1080p content with this one, but it will get the job done for some light, corporate work.
As far as ports go, there is a single USB 3.0 port on the side that you’d use to both power up and connect your small computer monitor to the source.
Pros:
- A solid, affordable option
- Lightweight and easily portable
- It comes with an ASUS Smart Case
Cons:
- A TN panel
- Sup-par color gamut
- Lacks HDMI and USB-C connectivity
UPGRADE PICK: INNOCN 4K 15.6” Portable Monitor
Go OLED or go home!
This incredible OLED panel is probably the most top-of-the-line portable monitor you can buy. It’s 15.6”, so it’s not the biggest screen out there, but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in pixels and incredible color range and accuracy. And oh, it is also a touchscreen.
This is a 4K panel with a 100000:1 contrast ratio, 400 nit peak brightness, and a 100% DCI-P3 coverage, displaying over billion colors, making it ideal for professional photo and video editing. The refresh rate is set at 60 Hz, but the pixel response time is excellent at just 1 ms.
Pros:
- 100% PCI-P3 color gamut
- 10-finger touchscreen
- Lightweight and portable
Cons:
- 4K at 15.6” is an overkill
- Only 60 Hz refresh rate
- A premium-priced product
BEST LIGHTWEIGHT: Cocopar FHD HDR 15.6” Portable Monitor
Light as a feather!
This 1.59 lb portable monitor is as lightweight as they come. Even so, it is as good as they come.
This is a 15.6″ 1080p IPS panel, with HDR capabilities, offering you deep blacks and fine details. At 15 inches, this 1080p HDR panel will allow you to enjoy movies and TV shows on the go without any problems, especially if you’re usually watching video over your phone.
The display connects to your laptop or a phone via a hybrid-signal USB C or a Thunderbolt 3 and a mini-HDMI port, so you won’t have any problems running it away from the power outlet.
Pros:
- Lightweight and portable
- A quality IPS panel
- Excellent value
Cons:
- None at this price point
BEST FOR PHOTO EDITING: UPERFECT 4K 17.3” Portable Monitor
Is Adobe RGB enough for you?
When photo and video editing, you need as many pixels as you can get, and you want that image to be crystal clear and color-accurate. This display delivers all that and then some.
With 100% Adobe RGB color gamut, this 17.3” 4K IPS panel is absolutely perfect for professional photo and video editors, photographers and videographers that are often on the go.
Also, this portable monitor is a connectivity king. It comes with a full-sized HDMI, a mini-DisplayPort, two times USB-C and a Micro USB port.
Pros:
- 100% Adobe RGB color gamut
- 4K IPS panel
- 5 separate ports
Cons:
- Premium-priced product
- No touchscreen
- Locked at 60 Hz
BEST WITH TOUCHSCREEN: UPERFECT 15.6" Touchscreen Travel Monitor
Touch sensitivity for more efficient workflow!
Sometimes it can be quite useful to have a portable touch screen monitor. With a capacitive touchscreen monitor, you can basically transform your laptop into a powerful tablet. This one, in particular, has a 5-point touch capacity, which is not as good as 10, but is still enough for most uses.
Aside from touchscreen, you’re looking at a 15.6” inch, 1080p IPS display with a 100% sRGB color gamut and a 2000:1 contrast ratio, so you could even use this one to tinker around in Photoshop and do some photo editing.
Pros:
- 100% sRGB color gamut
- 5-finger touchscreen
- 6 separate ports
Cons:
- Could use a 10-finger touch capacity
BEST SCREEN QUALITY: Cocopar 4K 17.3” Portable Monitor
4K all the way!
If you’re looking for a top-of-the-line display, then you should look no further. This Cocopar portable monitor comes with a 17.3” IPS display panel with HDR support, 100% Adobe RGB color gamut, 3 ms response time, and it does all of that at 3840×2160 pixels.
Whether you just want to enjoy crystal clear video content or do some photo or video editing – this one has got you covered. It comes with an array of ports, including a full-sized HDMI, mini-DisplayPort, a hybrid-signal USB-C, power only USB C, 2x USB 3.1 and a 3.5 mm headphone jack.
Pros:
- 100% Adobe RGB color gamut
- 4K
- 7 separate ports
Cons:
- At this price point, it should offer more
- Only 60 Hz refresh rate
BEST FOR GAMERS: G-STORY 15.6” 165 Hz Travel Monitor
For gamers on the go!
As a gamer, you can never get enough FPS. And although this monitor won’t give you extra FPS, it will manage to display all of them. At 165 Hz, this portable gaming display will offer you a buttery smooth gaming experience whether you run it on a console, laptop or mobile device. Also, it is 1080p, so it won’t put too much pressure on your GPU to pump out those extra pixels that could jeopardize your gaming performance.
Aside from a high refresh rate, this bad boy has a 1 ms response time and is both FreeSync and G-Sync compatible, which is why we have crowned it the best portable gaming monitor.
Pros:
- Very high, adaptive refresh rate
- 5 separate ports
- Great value for money
Cons:
- Thick chin
- Not the best color gamut
- Peak brightness could be better
BEST FOR MACBOOK PRO: ASUS ZenScreen 15.6" (MB16AHP)
The best portable monitor for MacBook Pro!
We know it’s an insult to Apple lovers to pair an Apple product with something without an Apple logo, but since they don’t make portable monitors – ASUS ZenSceen will have to do the trick.
You’ll be able to connect this 15.6″ IPS screen to your MacBook Pro via a USB C cable. The only problem you will encounter is the difference in aspect ratio, since MacBook Pro’s screen is a 16:10, while ZenScreen is a 16:9. But, since we couldn’t find a quality 16:10 portable screen, you’ll just have to deal with some black bars.
Pros:
- Good value for money
- It comes with a 7800 mAh battery
- Lightweight and portable
Cons:
- Only two ports
- Peak brightness could be better
BEST WITH HDMI: UPERFECT 15.6" Travel Monitor
Thin and light!
With a portable monitor, HDMI port is not something you often see on the side of it – but not on this one. This portable monitor can be connected to your laptop with a standard full-sized HDMI cable without the need for an adapter or dongle.
Aside from a full-sized HDMI port, this 15.6″ 1080p IPS panel comes with a USB C port, mini-DisplayPort, micro-USB and 3.5 audio port for peripherals, as well as the standalone PD port supporting up to 100W powering supply.
Pros:
- Great value for money
- 6 separate ports
- Lightweight and portable
Cons:
- None at this price point
The advantages of owning the best portable monitors
Owning the best portable monitor comes with an array of advantages and benefits. If you don’t know any which ones, allow us to tell you.
The first and most significant advantage is right there in the name – portability. Being able to carry a portable monitor in a standard laptop bag is as convenient as it can be.
Next up, most of them look really good. When placed on a desk, most of them look like a large tablet that is conveniently propped up for a better viewing experience.
Also, gaming on the move has never been easier. Whether you game on your laptop, console or even a mobile device – a portable screen will come in handy.
Furthermore, most portable monitors are a budget-friendly option compared to their full-size counterparts. For instance, a 4K 240 Hz full-sized monitor would set you back more than a thousand dollars, where a portable, 15 or 17-inch portable monitor with the same screen would only cost a fraction of that.
Finally, having a portable laptop screen can help you improve your workflow, efficiency and even gaming performance. If you do a lot of work on your laptop while you’re on the road, having extra screen real estate would be more than useful to you.
- Easily portable.
- Modern, elegant aesthetic.
- Efficient gaming while traveling.
- Cost-efficient.
- Beneficial for improving work performance and efficiency.
How to set up your new portable monitors?
Setting up your new portable monitor, small screen, or any other monitor for that matter is a very straightforward process. To make it even easier, we’ve broken it down into a step-by-step guide.
First up, you’ll have to identify your laptop’s, tablet’s or mobile phone’s output. For modern phones and tablets, the output is almost exclusively a USB C port, but a laptop could have more than a few.
Your laptop could come with an HDMI, USB C, Thunderbolt or a DisplayPort output. Some older laptops could even have VGA and/or DVI outputs.
Now that you’ve got that sorted out, all that’s left to do is match your laptop’s output to your portable monitor’s input. For example, a laptop HDMI output would be paired with a portable monitor HDMI input.
If the input/output does not match, don’t worry – you can bypass that problem with a simple adapter or a dongle. For example, a laptop HDMI output would be paired with a USB C input via an appropriate HDMI/USB C adapter.
Once you’re done with all of that, all that’s left to do is set up your monitor the way you want it to. Set up the resolution, orientation and all that extra stuff, and you’ll be good to go.
FAQs about your new portable monitor
Since there are a lot of questions about portable monitors that were potentially left unanswered during this article, we thought we would just answer them for you this way.
Most modern-day laptops support portable monitors, although you could run into some compatibility issues with some really old ones.
Yes. If your laptop has an adequate USB C port, you can simultaneously charge and use your portable monitor.
Not necessarily. With the right equipment and enough ports on your laptop, you can connect two monitors without a docking station.
Yes. If your Dell laptop has dual HDMI/USB C outputs, or even one HDMI and one USB C output, you should be able to connect two external monitors to your laptop without running into any issues whatsoever.
If your laptop has limited ports, you can use an adapter or a splitter with HDMI, USB C or Thunderbolt ports to connect dual monitors.
While you can display an image signal on two separate monitors using an HDMI splitter and a single cable, you can't extend them – only duplicate them.
