Are portable monitors actually worth buying?

SINGAPORE – Jaslyn Chen does not just use one or two screens during her day job as an intern at a public relations firm. Thanks to her dual-screen portable monitor from Acer, she has a three-screen workspace.

“This saves me from constantly toggling from buried windows, especially when I’m compiling reports from multiple tabs. It also lets me keep my e-mail inbox visible,” the 23-year-old tells The Straits Times.

Moreover, she can easily flip the screens vertically when she needs to review long spreadsheets or text documents. 

“The monitor is also an excellent mobile presentation tool for me,” she adds. “By angling one screen towards clients or colleagues while keeping my notes private on the other, I can seamlessly share my work on the go without us crowding around one laptop or hunting for a meeting room.”

Regular, flat-panel monitors are cheaper than ever these days. A quick search on e-commerce site Lazada surfaces multiple brand-name options for less than $200, such as a 24-inch Samsung model for $168.

But, as seen in Chen’s work set-up, portable monitors have also emerged in the last few years as an alternative option.

Before you rush out to buy one for yourself, here is what you should know.

What are the main uses of a portable monitor?

“The main reason users choose a portable monitor is to get extra screen space while they are on the move. The modern single-screen portable monitor is able to draw power directly from the laptop via its USB-C port, so users do not need to have multiple power bricks,” says Adrian Tang, general manager for business and marketing at Acer Singapore.

“A portable external monitor gives users more flexibility compared with a regular monitor because it is easier to move around and set up in different spaces,” says a spokesperson for electronics brand Asus, which offers portable monitors of various sizes under its ZenScreen range.

Some portable monitors, including the ZenScreen range, can also connect to smartphones and tablets through a function called DisplayPort Alt Mode. But it is best to check if your smartphone or tablet has a USB-C port compatible with DisplayPort Alt Mode before buying a portable monitor for this purpose. 

What if I use my computer for gaming/video editing/coding?

There are now portable monitors with souped-up hardware for gaming enthusiasts and graphic designers, says Tang.

These have higher resolutions and faster refresh rates that reduce lag, and/or premium OLED screens with true 10-bit colour depth to show images in full-resolution true colour. 

For example, the Arzopa Z1FC 16.1-inch portable gaming monitor ($155.99) has a full high-definition display with a 144Hz refresh rate. 

In recent times, dual-screen portable monitors have also appeared on the market, which have two screens stacked on top of each other, such as the model Chen uses.

“The two external screens can be combined into a single giant screen in a layout format, which is great for coding because it lets you see more lines of code before scrolling and also for web browsing and e-mail,” says Tang. “Acer is one of the first movers in the market for these dual-screen portable monitors, and we are seeing very strong interest and adoption from working professionals.”

When is a portable monitor less useful?

There are light and slim portable monitors out there for cafe hoppers and digital nomads, such as the ViewSonic VA1650 ($224), which weighs 700g and has a 16-inch display.

But bigger portable monitors have more limited and specific uses. For instance, the Asus 23.8-inch ZenScreen MB249C ($619), which weighs around 2.8kg, will not be easily lugged back and forth from home to office. But it is still portable enough to move between your work cubicle and a meeting room, or to tuck away into a cupboard if you are working from home.

Likewise with Acer’s dual screen PD243Y E ($527.12), which combines two 23.8-inch displays and weighs 4.4kg.

Users should also understand that these devices may have some ergonomic limitations compared with regular monitors, says the Asus spokesperson.

“Some models may offer fewer height, swivel or tilt adjustments depending on their stand design. Therefore, it is best to consider a portable monitor as a flexible second screen for productivity and convenience, rather than a full replacement for a regular flat-panel display.”

Are there portable monitors that can also be used as tablets?

If you want the functions of a tablet – that is, to be able to use it independently of a primary input device – you are better off getting a tablet which can be used as a second screen. 

Apple’s iPads can connect to Mac computers via a native function called Sidecar, which can connect two such devices via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, so long as certain system requirements are met, such as being logged into the same Apple account between both devices. 

Meanwhile, some Samsung tablets such as the Galaxy Tab S10 ($768) can connect to computers running Windows 10 or later via a function called Second Screen. 

That said, Samsung launched a unique device in April called The Movingstyle ($1,814), which can be used interchangeably as a second display, tablet or even faux television. 

The 27-inch device has an integrated kickstand, but it also comes with a detachable stand with hidden wheels. This makes it easy to be moved within a room, or even between rooms. Since it has a built-in battery, which lasts up to three hours on a single charge, you do not need to worry about finding a power outlet while moving it around.

The rollable stand also gives The Movingstyle the look of a sleek, standalone TV. And just like a Samsung television, it comes with its own remote control and major streaming services pre-installed, such as Netflix and Disney+.

Users can also access Samsung TV Plus, a free, ad-supported streaming service with channels such as Hot Ones and Kitchen Nightmares. 

But The Movingstyle cannot access terrestrial television channels, which means it cannot fully replace a television.

Nevertheless, people who do not watch terrestrial television and who want to reduce the number of devices they own might find The Movingstyle a useful all-in-one option that fulfils a few different needs.  

As Patrick Khor, head of visual display at Samsung Electronics Singapore, tells ST: “We’ve heard great stories of The Movingstyle being used by families with young children as a giant sketch pad, or content creators using it on the rolling stand as a second screen to review portrait-format content, then simply flipping it over to landscape format to watch some dramas when taking a break.”