The ASUS ProArt PA148CTV is one of the best portable monitors we've tested so far. The 14 inch 1080p screen delivers amazing text clarity and doubles as a 10-point multi-touch screen, but only on Windows PCs. It has a slew of unique features for content creators, including a unique control wheel that you can use to adjust your settings. It comes factory calibrated, and it shows, as it has excellent accuracy out of the box. Although it can display almost the entire sRGB color space, it has only decent coverage of the wider Adobe RGB color space, which might disappoint some users. Unfortunately, it's not very good for gaming, with a relatively slow response time, a limited 60Hz refresh rate, and it doesn't support any advanced gaming features like a variable refresh rate. As this is a portable monitor, the stand has terrible ergonomics, but it's a bit better than some of the competition, as the built-in kickstand has a wide tilt range and can also support the monitor in portrait orientation.
Our Verdict
The ASUS ProArt PA148CTV is an okay monitor for most uses. It's marketed mainly as a media creation monitor, but it's alright for watching videos, and it's a decent office monitor with excellent gray uniformity and amazing text clarity. On the other hand, it's not a great choice for gaming, as it has a relatively slow response time and no support for advanced gaming features like a variable refresh rate, and it doesn't support HDR.
- Excellent gray uniformity.
- Excellent text clarity.
- Low input lag.
- Limited 60Hz refresh rate and no advanced gaming features like VRR.
- Low contrast ratio.
- Terrible ergonomics, as expected for a portable monitor.
The ASUS ProArt PA148CTV is a decent portable office monitor. The relatively small size doesn't deliver much screen space to work with, but the high pixel density results in excellent text clarity. It has decent viewing angles, but the stand has a limited range of motion, as it can only tilt. It has outstanding gray uniformity and very good gradient handling. Finally, it has decent reflection handling and decent peak brightness, but it's not bright enough for a really bright environment.
- Excellent gray uniformity.
- Excellent text clarity.
- Low input lag.
- Low contrast ratio.
- Terrible ergonomics, as expected for a portable monitor.
The ASUS ProArt PA148CTV isn't a very good choice for gaming. It's okay overall, thanks to the low input lag, but it has a relatively slow response time, so motion looks a bit blurry. It also lacks any advanced gaming features like support for a variable refresh rate. The small size of the screen makes it hard to see fine details in modern games, but it could be an okay choice for older games on the go.
- Excellent gray uniformity.
- Low input lag.
- Limited 60Hz refresh rate and no advanced gaming features like VRR.
- Low contrast ratio.
- Relatively slow response time.
- Terrible ergonomics, as expected for a portable monitor.
The ASUS ProArt PA148CTV is an okay monitor for watching videos. The small size isn't ideal for watching movies with a few friends, but it's better than a phone. It has excellent gray uniformity and very good gradient handling. It's best-suited for a moderately-lit room, as it's not quite bright enough for a really bright room, and it has a low contrast ratio, so blacks look gray in the dark.
- Excellent gray uniformity.
- Low input lag.
- Unique additional features for content creators.
- Great SDR color gamut and excellent color volume.
- Low contrast ratio.
- Relatively slow response time.
- Terrible ergonomics, as expected for a portable monitor.
The ASUS ProArt PA148CTV is an alright portable monitor for media creation. It has great colors, with nearly complete coverage of the sRGB color space, but it has limited coverage of the wider Adobe RGB color space. It has very good gradient handling, so banding shouldn't be an issue. The biggest limitations of this monitor are its small size and limited ergonomics, but it's okay for making quick edits or if you're looking for an extra screen for quick access to settings or controls.
- Excellent gray uniformity.
- Low input lag.
- Unique additional features for content creators.
- Great SDR color gamut and excellent color volume.
- Low contrast ratio.
- Terrible ergonomics, as expected for a portable monitor.
The ASUS ProArt PA148CTV doesn't support HDR.
Changelog
- Updated Mar 14, 2023: We've added a comparison to the recently reviewed espresso Display 15 Touch, which has better ergonomics.
- Updated Jul 15, 2021: Review published.
- Updated Jul 13, 2021: Early access published.
- Updated Jul 12, 2021: Our testers have started testing this product.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 14 inch ASUS ProArt PA148CTV, which is the only size available. ASUS has other portable monitors available, but they're completely different models, and we don't expect our results to be valid for them.
| Model | Size | Native Resolution | Max Refresh Rate | Panel Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PA148CTV | 14" | 1920x1080 | 60Hz | IPS |
If you come across a different type of panel or your ASUS ProArt PA148CTV doesn't correspond to our review, let us know, and we'll update the review. Note that some tests, like gray uniformity, may vary between individual units.
Our unit was manufactured in February 2021; you can see the label here.
Popular Monitor Comparisons
The ASUS ProArt PA148CTV is one of the best portable monitors we've tested. It has a better response time, higher peak brightness, and better color accuracy than most similar portable monitors on the market.
For more options, check our recommendations for the best budget monitors, the best USB-C monitors, and the best office monitors.
The ASUS ProART PA148CTV is much better than the MSI Optix MAG161V. The ASUS has a much faster response time, significantly better colors, and amazing accuracy out of the box. The ASUS is a bit smaller but significantly lighter, making it a slightly more portable option. The ASUS is also quite a bit brighter than the MSI, and it has slightly better reflection handling, meaning it can handle a bit more glare or a brighter environment.
The ASUS ProART PA148CTV is better than the ASUS ZenScreen Touch MB16AMT. The ProArt has much better colors, with a much wider color gamut in SDR and better color volume. The design is a bit different between them, as the ProArt has a built-in kickstand, but the ZenScreen Touch relies on a folio case. The folio case doubles as a screen protector when folded but doesn't support the monitor as well.
The Lenovo ThinkVision M14 and the ASUS ProArt PA148CTV are nearly identical, but the ASUS is better overall. The ASUS has a much faster response time, resulting in less blur behind moving objects. The ASUS is also a bit brighter, and it's more accurate out of the box. They both have two USB-C inputs that both support DisplayPort Alt Mode, but the ASUS is a bit better for connectivity, as it also has a Micro HDMI port.
The ASUS ProArt PA148CTV and the MSI Optix MAG274QRF-QD are very different products with different intended uses, so the results aren't really comparable. The MSI is a desktop fixed gaming monitor with a high refresh rate and advanced gaming features, while the ASUS is a simple portable monitor designed for extra productivity on the go.
We buy and test more than 30 monitors each year, all of which we purchase ourselves, without cherry-picked units or samples. We put a lot into each unbiased, straight-to-the-point review, and there's a whole process from purchasing to publishing, involving multiple teams and people. We do more than just use the monitor for a week; we use specialized, custom tools to measure various aspects and deliver objective, data-driven results. We also consider multiple factors before making any recommendations, including the monitor's cost, its performance compared to the competition, and whether it's easy to find.
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