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The 3 Best Portable Monitors - Fall 2024

Updated Sep 10, 2024 at 03:17 pm
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 and give you extra screen space to work with. Also, 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 to power 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 325 monitors, and below, you'll find our recommendations for the best portable monitors for laptops. 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. Check out the best lightweight laptops if you're also looking for a laptop.


  1. Best Portable Monitor

    The espresso Display 15 Touch is the best portable monitor we've tested. It has good enough picture quality for a portable display and few handy features. When connected via one of its two USB-C ports 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 can lift the display significantly above a table for better ergonomics. 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. It's best to get this monitor directly from espresso's website if you can't find it easily available from retailers.

    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, though it doesn't get nearly as high as the espresso's stand accessory. 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 minimal 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. Sep 10, 2024: Confirmed that our picks are available and accurate.

  2. Jul 15, 2024: Confirmed the availability and accuracy of our picks and verified proper linking to each product.

  3. May 16, 2024: Verified our picks for accuracy and consistency.

  4. 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.

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

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.