The Portable Monitor I Swear by for DIY Work Setups Is Nearly 40% Off Right Now
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Hybrid work is nice in theory — you get to spend time at home while still interacting with co-workers in the office — but schlepping all of your work essentials from one place to the other can be super annoying, especially if you're like me and rely on public transportation that's always crowded. Pair this with a rather insufficient home office setup (the couch), and the problems rise up like a puff pastry. To make my life a little bit easier, I decided to get a portable monitor that I could use at home and on the go when I'm on longer train rides or flights. Of the many options out there, I landed on Azropa's 17.3" kickstand monitor.
The tech gadget piqued my interest thanks to its sleek and simple design. I'm no tech whizz, so I needed to find something that would be easy to set up, foolproof whenever I used it, and has just enough bells and whistles to make it worth the price. Lucky for me, this monitor checked all those boxes and then some.
Portable Monitor 17.3
amazon.com
$139.99
What stood out to me first was its super lightweight and super slim design. The monitor weighs just over 1.5 lbs. and is under.4 inches thick. For context, the 15-inch Macbook Air is 0.45 inches and weighs 3.3 lbs. and this monitor is 0.36 inches and weighs 1.4 lbs.
Getting it set up was a breeze. Truly, all you have to do is find whatever cord you need (it has two USB-C ports and 1 mini HDMI port), plug one end into your laptop or gaming device, and then the other into the monitor, and you're all set. It's perfect for tech novices who don't want to spend more than 5 minutes anxiously spiraling while trying to decode instructions that look like algebraic equations. Getting this kind of seamless setup is rare.
The monitor comes with a kickstand that goes outward to achieve an 80-degree angle (though you can move it to your liking) and can be used horizontally or vertically. I only wish there was a kickstand on each side of the monitor, which would allow me to make it a bit more comfortable, angling it on the left of my laptop.
The display's auto-rotating is stellar and works every time without any lag. Plus, it comes with three different display modes: Duplicate, extend, or second screen mode. I use the second screen mode and extend screen mode almost entirely to add more real estate to my virtual work setup, but the duplicate could be useful during presentations or gaming when all you want is a bigger screen. Note: It has an IPS display versus OLED, so if you're somebody who wants the crispest picture possible, you might want to go with another (likely pricier) option. It also isn't touchscreen, which is a bit of a bummer, but if you're like me and the laptop you're using doesn't have that feature either, it doesn't make much of a difference.
As for transport, getting this monitor in my large purses is a breeze. It slips in right next to my laptop and doesn't add any noticeable weight to the bag. Again, it's under 1.5 lbs. I've used it on trains, but I wouldn't bother attempting to use it on a plane, given a laptop alone hardly fits on an airplane tray table. What it's best for, however, is making my home workstation much more efficient. I set it up when I work from my kitchen island and feel much more productive with it. I'll also lay it flat like a tablet if I'm working on the couch and need an extended screen for some of the more relaxed work I have going on.
Overall, I'd recommend this to people with tight workspaces at home in need of a small facelift. The under-$200 addition — which is on sale for Memorial Day, btw, — really does improve the daily work experience without taking up much space. It fits great in small apartments, work bags, and works great during commutes. The easy set-up is great for taking it with you on trips and beyond.
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