If you often travel, a portable monitor can be useful as a second screen for your tablet or laptop, for example. This allows you to work more efficiently in the garden or on location at a client. What should you pay attention to when purchasing such a portable monitor? We list some points of interest.
1. Connection
It is wise to check which connections the portable screen supports, as this can sometimes differ. Sometimes the connection works purely on the basis of HDMI or USB, but it can also be both. Also check the connections on your device. For example, a MacBook Pro no longer has an HDMI input.
The cable provides the second screen with power and image thanks to your laptop or tablet. This means that you don’t have to worry too much about the battery life of the portable monitor, but keep in mind that the battery of your device will drain faster. You can use some portable screens wirelessly: then the battery life is important.
2. Speakers
Not all screens are equipped with a speaker. You then need to use the speakers of your laptop or tablet or connect a wireless speaker. With a speaker in the screen itself, the images and audio come from the same source and you are less likely to experience a delay in the image and sound. The disadvantage of a portable screen with speakers is that, of course, this makes the monitor somewhat larger.
3. Screen
The image itself is of course important in the search for a second screen. If you want a nice big screen, you have to realize that you have to take it with you everywhere you go. This is not good for portability. In this light it is also useful to see how heavy the monitor weighs.
Because you don’t always have your screen in the same place, you also have to deal with different light incidences. Some screens handle this better than others and a common criticism of portable monitors is that the screen reflects too much. In bright (sun) light, you can no longer read the screen properly. So it pays to read some experiences in advance about the monitor you want to buy.
If you almost always use a second screen in combination with a tablet, it is nice if the portable monitor also supports touchscreen. You can then easily work on both screens, without having to carry a keyboard or mouse.
Finally, look at the resolution of the screen. Do you really need a high resolution of 4K? This makes a second screen a bit more expensive. Only if you want to use the screen for games or for watching movies and series, 4K support can pay off. For daily work tasks and surfing the Internet, a step back is also fine. You then look at a Full-HD screen with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels.
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