Best portable monitors for Mac

Macworld

Most monitors sit on a desk and don’t move any more than their stand or arm allows. We have a separate round up of the best monitors for Mac.

But sometimes a more portable solution makes sense when the MacBook’s own screen simply isn’t large enough. There are two main types of portable display: travel monitors that can be slipped into a backpack; or moveable monitors that can be carried from one room to another or quickly hidden from sight when not in use.

Here are our picks for the best portable displays to match with your Mac.






1. Plugable 15.6-inch USB-C Portable Display: Lightweight portable USB-C 15.6-inch HD screen















Pros

Full HD (1920×1080 at 60Hz) IPS display

Lightweight  

Integrated folding travel cover and stand

85W pass-through charging

2x downstream 10Gbps USB-C ports


Cons

HD not 4K

Not much larger than a laptop screen














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Plugable



$239.95


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Size: 15.6-inchResolution: 2K (1920×1080 pixels) aka HDConnections: 3x USB-CWebcam: NoStand: FoldableOrientation: Landscape

This 15.6-inch Full HD IPS display doubles most laptops’ screen space and is simple to setup and connect, and then disconnect and lightweight enough to carry away when you’re done.

Weighing just 1.85lb (840g) with its cover/stand or 1.35lb (615g) without, it is barely noticeable alongside your laptop in your backpack or briefcase

On the back of the display is a detachable PU vinyl cover that can protect the screen in transit or storage and doubles up as a foldable stand that is easy to setup.–Simon Jary


Read our full

Plugable 15.6-inch USB-C Portable Display review







2. Asus ZenScreen MB249C: Large but portable 24-inch HD screen















Pros

Large HD screen area

Sturdy built-in and foldable kickstand

Offers USB-C for easy single-cable connections

Good image quality


Cons

Too large for a backpack

HD not 4K














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Size: 24-inchResolution: 2K (1920×1080 pixels) aka HDConnections: USB-C or HDMI to hostWebcam: NoStand: FoldableOrientation: Landscape

Portable monitors are usually associated with travel but, in reality, most never leave the home or office they’re shipped to. Many purchase portable monitors not for their portability but instead their versatility and ease of use—so it can be moved across a home or corporate office. At home, it could let you have two home office setups without having to purchase two monitors, or simply store the monitor out of sight in a cupboard when not in use. In an office, it could be carried to meetings if you need to lead a presentation or study a large spreadsheet. I’ve been on many a call, trying to keep on track on my MacBook as the presenter talks through a complex Excel doc. As large a portable monitor as possible is what you need in those situations—or a wide TV screen.

The Asus ZenScreen MB249C pairs a sizable 24-inch screen with several stand options including a kickstand/handle that makes it easy to tote around a house or corporate office. It provides excellent image quality for its intended purpose. It’s bright enough and scores well in contrast, color gamut, and color accuracy, all while avoiding notable problems or pitfalls.

The MB249C is a great choice for a second decent-sized monitor, too, as it offers multiple ways to mount and orient it alongside your primary monitor.–Matthew S. Smith

Read a full Asus ZenScreen MB249C review on PCWorld.







3. UPerfect Delta Max Touch: Stacked dual-screen monitor















Pros

Quality dual HD screens

Foldable

Flexible adjustments


Cons

Touch basic and sporadic

Scant instructions














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Size: 2x 18.5-inchResolution: 2x 2K (1920×1080 pixels) aka HDConnections: USB-C or Mini-HDMI to hostWebcam: NoStand: FoldableOrientation: Landscape

The standard way of adding more than one external display is to have two external monitors side by side, creating a wide extended screen display. A vertically stacked monitor, such as the UPerfect Delta Max Touch, can be more ergonomic as the body doesn’t need to frequently turn left and right. The line of sight remains directly in front of the user, reducing frequent rotation of the neck.

It looks sleek in black aluminum, with a built-in stand folded flush to the outside of the lower screen. You can modify the angle of the stand to adjust the height and angle of the screen to suit your best working posture. The central hinge also allows for flexible adjustment of the two screens to a comfortable and ergonomic angle when used in either a stacked arrangement or folded back on itself to share meeting content with people facing you—say, so you looking at one screen and the clients on the other side of the meeting seeing the other.

The screens are supposed to feature touch controls and while it’s definitely there the touch functionality is basic at best and awkward in use. Ignore this aspect and just see this portable monitor as a great solution if you want a good-looking, well-built and super-adjustable portable extended dual screen that connects to your laptop for a more spacious screen experience. The ability to run off two computers and the flexibility to bend right back to offer front and back mirrored screens could be the solutions you are looking for in a adaptable dual-screen display.

This is a dual display that can be folded and stored out of sight when working from home, or commuted short distances to an office or farther afield in a car. There’s a larger non-touch version that we have in the test labs right now. The Delta Mega version is larger with dual 23.8-inch screens that work even better with chart or spreadsheet work. Once reviewed, we’ll update this feature.


Read our full

UPerfect Delta Max Touch Dual Screen Monitor review







4. Limink LK14 Al Alloy Portable Triple Monitor: Best screen extender for portability















Pros

Adds two 14-inch screens

Portable

Easy setup


Cons

HD, not 4K














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Limink



$499


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Size: 14-inchResolution: 2K (1920×1080 pixels) aka HDConnections: USB-C or HDMI to hostWebcam: NoStand: ConnectedOrientation: Landscape

If you need a bigger screen you can plug a display into your Mac laptop, but if you want multiple screens without the giant extra monitors, a better option is to buy a portable external display. These displays tend to not be much larger than the display on your laptop, but they don’t add a much more weight and can more than double your screen space.

The Limink LK14 portable Tri-screen Monitor is a screen extender that your MacBook fits into and adds a 14-inch screen either side of the laptop’s own. It is compatible with 13-16-inch MacBooks, and connects via either USB-C or HDMI cables (included).

Setup is easy and you can attach and detach this extender to your MacBook in about a minute.

It’s HD rather than 4K and so is not as sharp and clear as the MacBook’s own. But it’s fine for spreadsheets, browsers and other mainstream applications. It’s great for adding supplementary screen estate when you’re on a video call, or for presentations.

At $699, it is expensive, but you are paying for portability and two decent screens. The whole package, which comes with a leather protective cover, can be folded up and placed in a drawer when not in use, and is light enough (3.3lbs; 1.5kg) to take with you on your travels.–Simon Jary


Read our full

Limink LK14 Al Alloy Portable Triple Monitor review







5. Arovia Splay: Ultra-portable, foldable monitor and projector















Pros

Foldable display

Converts into projector  

Power bank function


Cons

High cost














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Size: 24.5-inchResolution: 2K (1920×1080 pixels) aka HDConnections: HDMI to hostWebcam: NoStand: FoldableOrientation: Landscape

This clever display is actually an LED Pico projector that can transform into a fold-out 24.5-inch monitor via a collapsible shroud that surrounds the projector as it projects the image from your computer via the HDMI connection. The price is high but this portable all-environment, 2-in-1 screen might solve your display needs away from a standard desk setup.

Setup is easy and there’s a useful video available for teaching you all its tricks. When collapsed the whole thing fits into a small box a bit larger than an iPad mini or over-ear headphones case (see our photo above), albeit quite a fat one, at 9.5 x 9.5 x 3.5 inches. It weighs 2.5lbs (1.1kg), so combined with the foldability it’s more portable than traditional fixed and firmer monitors.

The 24.5-inch screen displays a native 1920 x 1080 resolution in a 16:9 aspect ratio, with a max brightness of 760 nits in display mode.

While the nanomaterial screen is flexible, it is taut and wrinkle-free. You adjust focus and brightness via controls on the top of the projector body. Comapred to a standard hard monitor it’s not as great for reading a lot of small text on the screen but its target function for viewing from distance.

The Splay is marketed at on-the-road presentations and trade shows, videos, but it would work as well for showing videos at home or on a camping trip when a laptop just isn’t large enough. The 44Wh battery should keep the screen bright for up to four hours and handily can triple-up as a power bank to top up your phone or laptop via USB-C. It has stereo speakers built-in, with volume controls on the projector.

A 35-inch version of the Splay is planned for launch in August.