Best Portable Monitors: Quick Menu
The best portable monitors offer a quick way to extend your screen – whether you’re using a laptop, tablet, phone, or games console. Want to know which is best? Our team of reviewers put the top models to the test.
Portable monitors are lightweight, compact, with a slimline design that’ll slip right inside your backpack or bag, letting you expand your screen real-estate whether you’re at home, in the office, on campus, or on the go. Like any traditional monitor, they come in a range of sizes, with high resolutions, response times, and refresh rates. And don’t let the size fool you – the very best portable monitors even include impressive color space coverage for photo editing and graphic design.
We’ve tested everything from the best business monitors to the best monitors for photo editing, so we know what to look out for when choosing a portable monitor. As part of our review process, we’ve compared specs, performance, viewing angles, and more across a range of Full HD, 4K portable monitors, touchscreen displays for everyday use.
The quick list
When it comes to the best portable monitors, finding the right one for your needs is the key. You wouldn’t want to end up, after all, with a work-focused display when what you really need is a gaming one, or vice versa. That’s why we gathered the best ones below for every need and even budget. While we haven’t written full reviews, our reviewer has already tested quite a few of them herself, so you can rest assured that they’ve been tried and tested by us.
1. Asus ZenScreen OLED MQ13AH
Best portable monitor overall
Its bright, vibrant OLED screen, excellent color accuracy, and lightweight form factor make this a fantastic option for most users.
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Best budget portable monitor
Though slim on features, this budget option is amazingly lightweight and deliver great picture quality for how much it costs.
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3. Asus ROG Strix XG16AHPE
Best portable monitor for gaming
Though only a 1080p panel, this comes with a 144Hz refresh rate and Nvidia G-Sync, which makes it ideal for fast-paced titles.
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Best portable monitor for MacBook
If you’re more of a business or productivity power user needing to extend your MacBook’s display, then this is the ideal choice.
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Best 4K portable monitor
A must if you want a portable 4K display, it boasts 600 nits of brightness, 1500:1 contrast ratio, and 100% Adobe RGB.
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6. Asus ProArt Display PA148CTV
Best portable monitor for creatives
Its 100% sRGB, 100% Rec. 709 color gamut, and high color accuracy make this a great touchscreen portable monitor for creatives.
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7. Asus ZenScreen Go MB16AP
Best portable monitor with built-in battery
This one comes with a built-in battery that can last up to three and a half hours on a single charge, as well as wireless connectivity.
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8. The Portable Monitor Flex 14-inch
Best triple portable monitor setup
If you need a dual-screen portable monitor to complement your laptop screen, we found the very versatile Flex a good performer, especially for meetings and multitasking.
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Best 17-inch portable monitor
This good-looking 4K model from Intehill is a bit of a unicorn as there just aren’t a lot of portable monitors with this screen size.
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Best OLED portable monitor
A portable OLED monitor with solid build quality and a vibrant panel, this is a top choice for those looking for one on a tight budget.
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The best portable monitors 2024
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The best portable monitor overall
There are many things about the Asus ZenScreen OLED MQ13AH that makes it a worthy top recommendation if you’re seeking a portable monitor for productivity and casual use. It’s a bit on the small side, but at least that means it’s the perfect size of that 1080p resolution. And its 1.08-pound weight means that you’ll hardly feel it in your backpack when traveling or commuting.
In terms of performance, you’ll be hard-pressed to complain. It’s got 100% DCI-P3 color gamut and a color accuracy of Delta E < 2, delivering excellent color performance. It also has a bright panel, topping at 360 nits, so you won’t have to squint through your eight-hour workday – although we wish the display itself isn’t so glossy and prone to annoying reflections.
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 best budget portable monitor
Though a little slim on special features – it has a built-in stand, of course, and for travel purposes, it comes with its own travel case. It also has portrait mode for reading documents and coding, as well as two 0.8W speakers, but that’s about it. However, if you don’t really need anything fancy, it’s the best one out of all the budget portable monitors you’ll see on Amazon.
This 15.6-inch 1080p display is a little dim, with its brightness topping at 250 nits, but it has two USB-C ports, one of which has 60W power delivery (plus a mini HDMI). It’s also very light, one of the lightest options on here, coming in at only 1.5 lbs – an advantage if you’re a digital nomad on an extended trip around the world.
We’re still working on testing and reviewing this display, but ViewSonic’s budget monitors haven’t failed us yet, and this one is also very highly reviewed by verified customers on Amazon.
The best portable monitor for gaming
There aren’t a lot of portable monitors geared towards gamers. Luckily, Asus has us covered with its line of ROG portable gaming monitors. There’s a few of them worth looking at, but if you want the best, we suggest going for the Asus ROG Strix XG16AHPE, which we’ve gamed on ourselves (although we are still working on a review for it).
This 15.6-inch version comes with a versatile built-in kickstand that gives users the option to switch from landscape to portrait mode, which comes in handy if you’re also a coder. Though only a 1080p panel, it does come with a 144Hz refresh rate, which makes it ideal for fast-paced titles, as well as Nvidia G-Sync support.
There is a built-in battery, which also makes this a worthy proposition if that’s important to you, but it’s small and only gives you up to two hours of use (less if you’re gaming). There are speakers built-in as well, though you’d want to rely on a gaming headset instead.
The best portable monitor for MacBooks
If you’re a MacBook user who is a photographer, videographer, or graphic designer by trade, we recommend checking out our best portable monitor for creatives suggestion further down this list. However, if you’re more of a business or productivity power user needing to extend your MacBook’s display, then the LG Gram +view 16MR70 is the ideal choice.
The LG Gram line is known for its super-lightweight nature, and you can expect the same from this portable monitor, sitting at only 1.45 pounds for a 16-inch display. It’s, in fact, lighter than many of the smaller options on this list. Naturally, it works beautifully with the MacBooks, especially with its two USB-C ports. And while its color accuracy isn’t anything to write home about, it does offer DCI-P3 99% color gamut, which is a nice concession.
While we have yet to get our hands on this display for a proper review, which we plan on doing soon, it’s been positively received by Amazon customers. It’s currently enjoying a 3.4 out of 5 rating, with some reviewers declaring it an impressive portable monitor despite its minor flaws.
The best 4K portable monitor
What makes the UPerfect True 4K portable monitor such a must for those seeking 4K in a portable package is its blinding 600 nits of brightness to go along with that UHD resolution. While the HDR support is not Vesa-certified, its 1500:1 and 100% Adobe RGB more than make up for it, providing a vibrant and dynamic image.
If only you didn’t have to reset the brightness every time the screen is manually powered off. It’s a minor quibble, but considering how much power this screen takes – you’ll need somewhat powerful hardware to make use of that higher resolution – and the fact that your laptop is as likely to be on battery power than not, it is worth noting.
The other minor issue is its cover, which also functions as its stand. As a cover, it’s fine. But, as a stand, it can sometimes be a little flimsy, a regular issue with portable monitors. That said, at least there are more than enough ports on hand.
The best portable monitor for creatives
Content creators who often travel for work don’t always have the convenience of having access to a screen real estate big enough for a comfortable creative workflow. Luckily, some manufacturers have seen to it that they too have options in the portable monitor scene, and the Asus ProArt Display PA148CTV may be the best one we’ve seen and tested.
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.
First is its touchscreen capability, which allows you to make adjustments to your work directly onto the screen. Then there’s the built-in integrated dial you’ll find in the rear of the monitor. It works seamlessly with several Adobe editing software, allowing you to fine-tune your work while minimizing your use of the trackpad or mouse.
The best portable monitor with built-in battery
You might not feel comfortable with spending quite the asking price of the Asus ZenScreen Go MB16AP since it is pretty pricey. However, that’s probably the biggest strike against it. Outside of that and the fact that it is a bit on the chunky side, there’s much more to love than not.
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.
As far as the panel itself goes, it’s not right for any serious photo or video editing but good for productivity work with a 1080p resolution and bright enough 220 nits. Colors look good for most regular work as well as streaming. But, the star of the show here is not the screen but the features, especially the battery, making this perfect for the digital nomad who needs extra screen real estate.
The best triple portable monitor for laptops
If one extra screen is good, two must be better – and that’s where a fold-out portable monitor like the Flex 14 comes in. A versatile device powered by a single cable, you can set both 14-inch 1080p dual-screen portable monitors flanking your laptop. But you can also use a single display in landscape or portrait mode, or in a triangle formation for teams..
Given its weight, this is more suited for when you’re working from home or hot-desking in the office than using on the commute. In our hands-on testing, we found the build quality felt solid, the aluminium providing real stability, and overall flexibility was very welcome. Set-up was fast and simple, and performance was good. Images were clear and crisp, with good control over settings.
Color space coverage is only 72% sRGB – so the focus here is on expanding your screen real-estate over color-accuracy for content creators. If you use a laptop that’s between 11in and 18in and need a three-screen set-up for meetings and multitasking, this is a very flexible option.
Read our full The Portable Monitor Flex 14-inch review
The best 17-inch portable monitor
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.
While we found its backlighting to be somewhat center-focused during our testing, the color coverage is good for most with 100% Adobe RGB and 93% DCI-P3. HDR is on offer as well though its 400 nits is not quite bright enough for strong results – not to mention that it didn’t quite hit its advertised peak brightness when tested.
Back on the plus side, there’s plenty of connectivity on hand with the ability to use either USB-C, mini-DisplayPort, or a full-fledged HDMI port. The Intehill 17.3-inch Portable 4K monitor also comes with Vesa mounts as well as a smart case that doubles as a stand.
Read our full Intehill 17.3” Portable 4K Monitor review
The best affordable OLED portable monitor
Graphic designers and videographers may want to look elsewhere. But, for everyone else interested in a portable OLED monitor and on a budget, the Innocn 15A1F should be in the running.
That might seem strange considering that the colors here are pretty spectacular. When tested, we found the monitor to have a fairly wide color gamut to the tune of 176.3% sRGB and 124.9% of DCI P3. Plus, OLED panels offer a very consistent image across all sections. All this makes for a vivid display. However, it is held back for professional work somewhat by its 1080p resolution at 15.6 inches. And, it doesn’t quite have the brightness to fully take advantage of true HDR. That said, it still looks great.
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.
How to choose the best portable monitor for you
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. When it comes to plug-and-play simplicity, they’re usually the best monitors for a dual set-up since you can take it with you on the daily commute, across school campus, and just about everywhere else.
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.
For most mainstream Windows PCs, that should be fine. For everything else, it could be more problematic. Running over USB-A can also limit resolution and color fidelity due to lower bandwidth. That said, some portable monitors support micro HDMI and even VGA.
Speaking of bandwidth and resolution, most portable monitors are 15.6-inch panels with a 1080p resolution of 1,920 by 1,080 pixels. But more compact models with 11-inch screens are available.
Battery or no battery is another critical question. You can get portable screens both with and without. Screens without a battery are cheaper and lighter. However, if you’re using a mobile screen away from the mains, they will drain your laptop’s battery pretty fast.
The final significant factor is brightness. If you plan to use your portable display outside, you want as much of that as humanly possible. Most are limited, only topping out at a little over 200 nits. Aim for the brightest you can get while considering that more glowing screens will use up even more battery when powered by your laptop.
How we test the best portable monitors
We’ve tested a range of professional displays, including the best monitors for video editing, the best monitors for MacBook Pro, and the best gaming monitors. So, we know what to look out for when you need a second screen to take with you.
When it comes to testing the best portable monitors, we evaluated the displays across many aspects, starting with how premium the design and build felt, how lightweight the monitor was, the screen size, and whether it offered full HD or 4K resolution.
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.
Importantly, we assessed how minimal the latency was and how good the display looked, in terms of the color accuracy and saturation. We also analyzed how ergonomic the monitor stand/cover was and what type of user the monitor would be best suited for.
We tested the best monitors for graphic design – and these are the ones we recommend
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