Get insider access
Preferred store
Your browser is not supported or outdated so some features of the site might not be available.
We've recently released our Test Bench 2.0 update for Monitors! Read about our new VRR Flicker R&D Article and our Pursuit photo R&D Article to learn more.

The 3 Best Portable Monitors - Spring 2024 Reviews

Updated
Best Portable Monitors

Although standard desktop monitors are what most people need for working at home or at the office, a different type of monitor is beneficial if you work on the go. Known as portable monitors, these displays are about the same size as a laptop screen, give you extra screen space to work with, and one of the main benefits is that they're easy to carry. Like laptops, they can also deliver sharp text thanks to their high pixel density.

However, portable monitors have some drawbacks as they don't have as good picture quality as desktop monitors, which is why they're better to use as a secondary display next to your laptop. Most of them still require power from an external source, so you'll need a cable powering the display and another charger handy for your laptop, but some do have built-in batteries. Most come with USB-C ports, making it easy to connect your laptop quickly.

We've bought and tested over 310 monitors, and below, you'll find our recommendations for the best portable monitors for laptops, including the best portable gaming monitor. For more options, check out our recommendations for the best USB-C monitors, the best monitors for MacBook Pro and MacBook Air, and the best office monitors. If you're also looking for a laptop, check out the best lightweight laptops.


  1. Best Portable Monitor

    The espresso Display 15 Touch is the best portable monitor we've tested. It delivers good enough picture quality for a portable display and has a few handy features to help with your workflow. You can connect to it via one of its two USB-C ports, and it works with various devices, including some Samsung phones. It has a responsive touchscreen that works well with Windows and macOS PCs, letting you easily complete work that requires touch movements. It even has a rotation lock that adjusts the image into portrait mode when you turn the display.

    What makes this better than most portable monitors is that it's available with different accessories. One of those is its stand, which offers decent ergonomics, letting you place the screen in a few different ways. You can also get a case with a kickstand if you prefer. On top of that, it has good picture quality for a portable display with sharp text clarity and great color accuracy, and it displays a wide range of colors in SDR, resulting in life-like images.

    See our review

  2. Best Budget Portable Monitor

    If you don't need or want a premium monitor like the espresso Display 15 Touch, the Lenovo ThinkVision M14 is a good alternative that you can get for a low cost. It's different from the espresso monitor because it doesn't have a touchscreen or as good picture quality, but this is what you have to expect for a cheaper portable display. That said, it also has two USB-C ports, which each support DisplayPort Alt Mode. This means you can connect your laptop to either port, and if you connect a power source to the other input, the monitor can pass power through to your laptop, so you won't need a separate charger.

    Aside from that, it has a built-in kickstand that offers tilt adjustment and even has a small height adjustment to set it to the same screen height as your laptop. It also offers decent picture quality for a portable laptop, but it's limited in extra features. If you need something simple and don't necessarily care about picture quality, you can sometimes find the ViewSonic VG1655 for cheaper, but it doesn't get as bright as the Lenovo.

    See our review

  3. Best Portable Monitor For Gaming

    Although portable gaming monitors are less common than portable monitors for work, you can still find some options if you're looking for the best portable monitor for laptop gaming on the go. The ASUS ROG Strix XG17AHPE is a great choice for mobile gaming or if you need something on the side of your main gaming monitor. It has an incredibly high 240Hz refresh rate to provide a smooth gaming feel, but if you aren't going to take advantage of such a high refresh rate, then the ASUS ROG Strix XG16AHPE is a good alternative. It has a lower 144Hz refresh rate and is similar otherwise, but it can be harder to find.

    The XG17AHPE is great for gaming as it has a faster response time than the espresso Display 15 Touch, resulting in better motion handling with almost no noticeable blur behind fast-moving objects. It even has a 7800 mAh battery, lasting nearly three hours of gaming. Lastly, it supports FreeSync VRR technology with G-SYNC compatibility, ensuring a nearly tear-free gaming experience from almost any source.

    See our review

Notable Mentions

  • ASUS ProArt PA148CTV: The ASUS ProArt PA148CTV has more features than the Lenovo ThinkVision M14, like a touchscreen, but it costs more for a minimal difference in performance. See our review
  • ASUS ZenScreen OLED MQ16AH: The ASUS ZenScreen OLED MQ16AH delivers better picture quality than most portable monitors, like the espresso Display 15 Touch, as it displays deep blacks thanks to its OLED panel. It's a good choice if you want something with such great picture quality, but it also risks permanent burn-in with exposure to static elements over time. Untested - Join the discussion

Recent Updates

  1. Apr 25, 2024: Removed the ViewSonic VG1655 and renamed the Lenovo ThinkVision M14 as the 'Best Budget Monitor' as it's close in price to the ViewSonic and performs better. Replaced the ASUS ROG Strix XG16AHPE with the ASUS ROG Strix XG17AHPE because of availability.

  2. Mar 19, 2024: Made sure that all monitors are still available for purchase, and updated text for accuracy.

  3. Jan 30, 2024: Removed the Lepow Z1 and the Lepow Z1 Gamut as they're hard to find; added the ASUS ZenScreen OLED MQ16AH and the LG gram +view 16MR70 to the Notable Mentions.

  4. Nov 08, 2023: Replaced the ASUS ProArt PA148CTV with the Lenovo ThinkVision M14 because it's cheaper and added the ASUS to Notable Mentions.

  5. Oct 12, 2023: Removed the Lenovo ThinkVision M14 because it's becoming harder to find, and it's similar to the ASUS ProArt PA148CTV; updated text for clarity throughout.

All Reviews

Our recommendations are based on what we think are the best travel monitors currently available. They're adapted to be valid for most people in each price range. Rating is based on our review, factoring in price, and feedback from our visitors.

If you would prefer to make your own decision, here is the list of all of our portable monitor reviews. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. Most monitors are good enough to please most people, and the things we fault monitors on are often not noticeable unless you really look for them.