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Title: The best portable monitors in 2025

Date: Tue, 03 Jun 2025 09:00:37 +0000
Link: https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessorie...

Portable monitors have been around for years, but their importance
skyrocketed during the pandemic. And with the continuation of remote and
hybrid work positions, theyΓÇÖre going to be staples for the foreseeable
future. But picking one isnΓÇÖt as simple as it seems. At this point, almost
every major PC maker has its own take on travel-friendly displays, with
prices ranging from as little as $100 to nearly $1,000. So to help sort
through the confusion, I tested out a bunch of options to put together a
short list of the best portable monitors on sale today.

Table of contents

Best portable monitors for 2025

Things to consider before buying a portable monitor

What to look for in a portable monitor

Portable monitor FAQs

Best portable monitors for 2025

Things to consider before buying a portable monitor

Before you start looking at specific products, itΓÇÖs super important to
think about how and where you plan on using a second monitor as a portable
display. Larger panels are great for home use where you may only need to move
it or put it away when you have company over. Meanwhile, smaller screens are
great for travel and whipping out at a coffee shop or shared workspace. But
if you go too small, you may be adding extra weight to your bag without
providing a ton of extra utility, especially if it lacks a good USB-C cable
or mini HDMI for connectivity. Screen size and compatibility with your
existing devices should be top considerations.

ItΓÇÖs also important to consider your typical workload, as artists may get
extra value out of monitors with higher maximum brightness, HDR, wider color
accuracy and a higher contrast ratio. Those who spend all day looking at
spreadsheets wonΓÇÖt get as much value from more vibrant displays or FHD
displays with high refresh rates, but they may still benefit from having a
basic plug-and-play second monitor for multitasking.

What to look for in a portable monitor

Aside from price and screen size, some of the most important specs in a
portable monitor include panel type, pixels per inch, brightness, refresh
rate and connectivity. Most portable monitors use IPS LCD displays, which
generally offer good viewing angles, strong brightness and good power
efficiency. However, some higher resolution models now feature OLED screens
that support wider color gamuts, better color accuracy and contrast ratio,
which can be a major benefit for artists and content creators. Some budget
models may use TN panels, as that can help cut costs and reduce energy
consumption. That said, we generally try to stay away from those as they
often have worse image quality compared to IPS screens.

For brightness, 300 nits is the lowest we recommend ΓÇö anything less can
make the monitor hard to use even in some indoor environments. Ideally, we
look for screens that are closer to 350 or 400 nits and above for better
accuracy and visibility.

Connectivity is also important because if you canΓÇÖt easily hook your phone,
gaming console, or laptop to a monitor, it becomes an oversized paperweight.
Most travel displays include an HDMI port or USB-C port(or both), which cover
the large majority of devices. ItΓÇÖs rare to find a portable monitor these
days with only USB-A, since the majority of devices have moved over to USB-C.
However, we also like models that support passthrough power over USB-C
connections, which reduces the complexity of your setup and decreases the
number of cords and adapters you have to carry around.

Finally, most portable monitors feature 60Hz refresh rates, which is fine for
most use cases. However, if youΓÇÖre looking for a gaming monitor, there are
models with 120Hz or even 240Hz refresh rates. These are excellent choices
for gamers looking to maintain smooth fps while playing on the go.

Portable monitor FAQs What are the disadvantages of a portable monitor?

The main disadvantage of a portable monitor in comparison to a regular
monitor is size. Most portable monitors sit in the 14- to 17-inch range to
allow them to be as portable as their name suggests. While you can find some
portable monitors sized at 20 inches or larger, they become less and less
convenient to take on the go the larger they get.

What is the difference between a tablet and a portable monitor?

A tablet is essentially a portable computer that can run apps, games and more
without a supporting device. Portable monitors are indeed supportive devices
designed to expand your screen real estate; in order for them to have any
use, they must be connected to a laptop or tablet.

What ports should I look for in a portable monitor?

The most important port to look for on a portable monitor is the one with
which you'll connect the monitor to your computer. Most portable monitors
will have either an HDMI or USB-C port to do this. After that, it's handy for
a portable monitor to have other connectors such as a USB-A port, extra USB-C
ports and others for you to hook up additional accessories.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at
https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessorie...
120050851.html?src=rss

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