Expand Your Screen for Work or Play With the Best Portable Monitors, Reviewed

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If you use your laptop or smartphone for graphic design, film editing, or intensive workflows, you’re likely juggling multiple windows all day. The solution for those small screen woes? Increase your screen real estate and grab a portable monitor.

A portable monitor can turn you into a pro multitasker, with an additional display for smoothing out your workflow or streaming video for a little YouTube action at work. The best ones link to your phone or computer in an instant, providing seamless dual displays with a simple cable. These monitors also come in handy when gaming on the go, connecting to your game console for a seamless play experience. If you're looking to expand your workstation, enlarge YouTube videos, or game on the go, we tried out several portable monitors to find the best.

Link up with these other laptop options. Check out our picks for the best laptop docking stations, computer mice, and fast chargers.

The Best Portable Monitors

What to Consider

Compatibility

Check your portable monitor’s inputs and ports to see if it’ll work with your laptop, smartphone, or gaming console.

Most portable monitors link to laptops via a USB-C, HDMI, or Thunderbolt cable. Some portable monitors are powered by the laptop via the USB-C or Thunderbolt cable, while others require a separate power source like a wall outlet.

HDMI connections smoothly output video with a steady frame rate, making them great for game consoles and working. USB-C rivals the quality of HDMI with the added benefit of power, but note that only USB-C 3.1 and above can output video as well. USB-C 3.0 and earlier will require a separate video cord, such as an HDMI or mini HDMI.

Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4 connections are the fastest of the bunch—the latter can transfer at speeds as fast as 40 gigabytes per second, which is twice as fast as the typical USB-C.

Some premium options, like those from Asus, use rechargeable batteries for a few hours of use without the need for a power cable. Consider grabbing a rechargeable portable monitor if you plan on using your monitor without a power source nearby.

Always refer to your laptop’s port specs when searching for a portable monitor. Some USB-C ports, for example, may not provide a video signal or support pass-through charging, which charges your device while plugged in. Just because a portable monitor supports a specific feature doesn’t mean it will work on your laptop.

Although you can find portable monitors that connect via USB-A or VGA, we recommend avoiding them because they have slow transfer speeds that lead to low resolution. UCB-C, Thunderbolt, HDMI, and mini-HDMI provide the fastest transfer speed between your device and portable monitor.

Resolution

The standard portable monitor size is 15.6 inches, with a 1080p (1920 x 1080) resolution, though size and display vary between products and brands. If you’re looking for a seamless portable monitor, find one with the same size and resolution as your laptop screen. If your laptop’s native resolution is 1080p, find a portable monitor with the same output to keep your connection simple and easy on your eyes.

Theoretically, you’ll only run into issues when mismatching aspect ratios. Stick with the basic 16:9 widescreen ratio to avoid having to adjust your device’s settings.

If you’re using a portable monitor for gaming, consider reaching for one with a high refresh rate. Refresh rate refers to how frequently the display draws a new image each second, measured in Hertz. We recommend a monitor with a refresh rate of at least 120 Hertz for smooth, uninterrupted gaming.

How We Selected

To find the best portable monitors, we consulted reviews from expert sources as well as customers. We also called in a few portable monitors for hands-on testing, using them as second monitors for our laptops at home and work. We considered factors like price, resolution, refresh rate, and use cases to find a balanced list of portable monitors. Whether you’re looking for a second screen for gaming or smoothing your workflow, these are the best out there.

15.6-in. Portable Monitor

A seemingly universal favorite, this ViewSonic portable monitor earns high marks for its screen quality and portability while remaining competitively priced. The 15.6-inch display has a 1080p resolution and 16:9 aspect ratio. It is also has Full HD resolution, a.k.a. 1080p, which should match most laptop screens.

There is also an adjustable riser so you can set the screen at the same height as your laptop’s display. This ViewSonic weighs just 1.5 pounds, so you can easily carry it with your laptop in your bag.

Portable Monitor

Frequently available for $200 or less, this Arzopa portable monitor has many of the same features as more expensive monitors. This 15.6-inch IPS display gives you full HD resolution, a 60-Hertz refresh rate, and a plethora of input options (one USB-C, one USB-A, and a mini HDMI). It’s also super portable—it’s only 0.2 inches thick and weighs just 1.4 pounds.

I’ve tried this monitor with my 2023 MacBook Pro, and it connected without issue. I could plug in with a USB-C to USB-C cable without adjusting any settings, and the lightweight, thin design makes it easy to stow away between uses. Although the speakers sound tinny and not as bright as I’d hoped, this panel is still an excellent value at its price.

ZenScreen MB16AMT Portable Monitor

If you need touchscreen capabilities and have the budget to pay for it, this Asus ZenScreen is the way to go. The 15.6-inch display supports 10-point touch gestures like pinching, swiping, dragging, and scrolling on most newer Windows and Android machines. Plus, it has a 7800mAh battery built-in that lasts for four hours—a boon for travel and remote working.

The 1080p screen has a 178-degree viewing angle while the stand, which doubles as a case when you’re not using the monitor, lets you orient it horizontally or vertically. With USB-C, USB-A, and mini-HDMI inputs, it also has plenty of connectivity options.

Slide Portable Monitor for Laptop

Of course, it makes sense that if you’re going to use a second monitor with your laptop, you will want the two displays to be side by side.

SideTrak has taken that idea one step further with a monitor that attaches directly to your laptop. The 12.5-inch monitor has magnets that stick to your laptop, and while it can be easily removed, you won’t need to do that often—the display slides into the frame on the back of your computer when you aren’t using it.

The IPS display boasts a 1080p resolution, though it isn’t as bright as some other monitors, nor does it have as wide of a color gamut. Still, weighing just 1.5 pounds, it is a very convenient way to add a second monitor to your laptop.

ROG Strix Portable Gaming Monitor

With the highest refresh rate on this list, USB power delivery, and a bright, crisp screen, the ROG Strix is the best portable monitor for smooth gaming. It can connect to game consoles, smartphones, and laptops with USB-C and micro-HDMI ports, while its built-in battery gives it a 3-hour lifespan on max settings. It also comes with a cover that limits dust buildup and scratching and props the screen vertically or horizontally.

Many user reviews say it’s the best portable gaming monitor available due to its fantastic performance and solid speaker quality, though it’s much pricier than other options on this list.

Z1-Gamut Portable Monitor

Another value-driven monitor, the Lepow Z1-Gamut is one of Amazon’s best-sellers. It’s with good reason as it gives you a lot of bang for the buck. At 320 nits, it’s a very bright screen, and such vibrance is then coupled with a wide color gamut. The 15.6-inch IPS display is full HD (1080p) and supports HDR.

Even better, bundled with three cables (USB-C to USB-C, mini HDMI-HDMI, and USB-C to USB A), it has everything you need to start using it right out of the box.

ProArt Display Portable Touchscreen Monitor

Frequently cited as an excellent display for MacBooks, the ProArt Display is a 14-inch screen that seamlessly pairs with devices. It features a touchscreen for responsive controls and whiteboard planning, plus micro-HDMI and USB-C ports connect to Apple products and other devices.

Several users say this is an excellent external monitor for artwork and workflow. It also has a mount for attaching it to tripods for a more stable display than its included foldable case. Several users say this portable monitor has terrific brightness and display quality, and love that it doesn't require tinkering with Mac menus to adjust.

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