Laptops are great, but the fact they’re portable computers means there's a limit on how big their screens can become. This usually tops out at about 17 inches across the diagonal - any larger, and it defeats the whole ‘portable’ point.
So if you find yourself in need of extra screen space while working on your laptop, you have two options. One is to get an extra monitor, the kind that sits on your desk and plugs into the mains. This is fine, and a great choice if you’re working in one place, but is no good if you expect to be travelling. You need a portable monitor.
Some may wonder why a device designed to be lightweight would require bulky additions. But if you’re used to a computer with more than one monitor, you will know that that extra screen space soon becomes non-negotiable and a part of your everyday work routine.
This class of screen is relatively new, and came about thanks to the ability of USB-C cables to carry both power and video signals. You can still connect to them using an HDMI cable, though you may need an adapter. Portable monitors often use the smaller and less common mini or micro HDMI standards, but being able to connect a single cable and instantly double your laptop’s screen space is a very convenient thing to do.
If you regularly find yourself working from hotels or coffee shops, having a second screen for your laptop (or even tablet, due to that HDMI port) can bring all the same benefits as having a pair of large screens on your office desk.
You can view more open windows at the same time, perhaps filling one with an important document while the other contains email and chat apps, or a second source of information you need to refer to. They have entertainment value too - some come with built-in speakers, and can playback streaming video if you can connect a suitable source, such as a streaming stick or your phone.
The screens on this list from Asus, Viewsonic, espresso and more, all have one thing in common - they’re as small and portable as a laptop screen, easy to connect to, and make remote working a much more seamless experience.
Here are some of the best portable monitors currently out there.
Best portable monitors at a glance:
- Best for OLED brightness and colours: Asus ZenScreen OLED MQ13AH - £400, Amazon
- Best for business travellers: LG Gram +view - £190, Amazon
- Best for portable entertainment: Asus ZenScreen Go - £300, Amazon
- Best for extra resolution: Uperfect 4K Portable Touchscreen - £300, Amazon
- Best for more screens: XFMTOP Laptop Screen Extender Monitor - £359, Amazon
- Best for budget screens: ViewSonic VA1655 - £165, Amazon
- Best for transporting: espresso Displays Portable Monitor - £548.11, Amazon
- Best for creativity: Asus ProArt PA148CTV - £410, Amazon
Asus ZenScreen OLED MQ13AH
Best for: OLED brightness and colours
OLED is currently the king of screen technologies, and this portable monitor from Asus puts out bright, vibrant colours with excellent accuracy - important if you’re doing any sort of creative work so that the colours on your screen match those in the final printed work.
It’s a 13.3in 1080p panel that will complement most laptops, and comes with both USB-C and mini-HDMI connections. There's a slightly annoying stand included that takes a bit of experience to successfully fold into a shape that supports it, but there's also a screw thread for a standard camera tripod, so you can support it that way if you’re working in a studio. It’s expensive as far as mobile screens go, but the performance makes it worth it.
Buy now £400.00, Amazon
LG Gram +view
Best for: business travellers
LG’s offering brings a 16in 16:10 screen with a 2560 x 1600 resolution, slightly outclassing all the 1080p panels available. It’s designed for the LG Gram 16 laptops, and uses the same IPS panel tech, but can be linked up perfectly well with any other laptop, as long as it can communicate with its USB-C connections - there's no HDMI here.
Business travellers will appreciate it’s lightweight, while the ability of the included cover to fold into a stand makes it convenient to use. Having two USB-C ports means you can connect your USB-C laptop charger to the monitor, and then charge your laptop through the connecting cable, reducing the amount of clutter on your desk.
Buy now £190.00, Amazon
Asus ZenScreen Go
Best for: portable entertainment
Asus makes a lot of portable monitors, so expect to see its products in a few positions on this list. This model is a 15.6in 1080p IPS screen that has some features many others don’t: speakers and a battery. This means it’s ideal for entertainment, as you can connect it to your phone (or even a streaming stick through an HDMI adapter) and not need to plug it into the power or a set of external speakers.
It’s also a great choice for using to extend your laptop desktop, with a built-in stand and Asus’ tripod connection making it a screen you can use anywhere.
Buy now £300.00, Amazon
Uperfect 4K Portable Touchscreen
Best for: extra resolution
A 4K resolution in a 14-inch screen may seem a little bit like overkill - and it is - but if you must have the sharpest images it’s possible. This screen from Uperfect is also HDR, so you can get deeper colour saturation with your higher resolution.
Along with this, it’s also a ten-point touchscreen (when connected via USB-C) and has two Type-C ports and an HDMI so it can be connected to just about anything.
Buy now £300.00, Amazon
XFMTOP Laptop Screen Extender Monitor
Best for: more screens!
We know the feeling. Sometimes two screens are not enough. If you want to extend your laptop desktop in both directions, then this is how you do it.
There are versions of this double-screen portable monitor available online under different names. What they have in common are a pair of 1080p IPS screens with both USB-C and HDMI connections, plus a frame that clips over your laptop’s existing screen with a kickstand at the back to support the extra weight.
If you’re using an M1 or M2 Apple laptop, check first that it can support multiple monitors - some are limited to just one - but if you’ve got the ports available, this is a great way to take your office on the go with you.
Buy now £359.00, Amazon
ViewSonic VA1655
Best for: budget screens
This 15.6-inch 1080p IPS monitor has mini-HDMI and USB-C connections, including power pass-through, and offers a stripped-back and basic approach to portable screens.
There's nothing flashy here - and at 250 nits it’s not the brightest panel - but what it does offer is a solid expansion for your laptop, and a pair of low-powered speakers if you want to use it for watching TV.
Buy now £165.00, Amazon
espresso Displays Portable Monitor
Best for: transporting
A range of displays kickstarted into life by an Australian group looking to address the changing ways in which people work, espresso comes in 13, 15 and 17-inch flavours, with some getting touch sensitivity. It also claims to be the world’s thinnest portable monitor at just 5.3mm thick.
The 15.6-inch 1080p touchscreen model is a good balance of size and resolution, but its price is rather high (you can get the 13-inch non-touch model for £299), and things like built-in stands and speakers, which are nice to have, don’t justify that price tag.
It’s beautifully designed, ultra-thin and light, so will be attractive to anyone not shopping purely on price.
Buy now £548.11, Amazon
Asus ProArt PA148CTV
Best for: creativity
Asus’ ProArt series includes laptops, PC components, and now portable monitors. The idea is that these screens offer the sort of features beloved by graphic designers and photographers, and allow them to carry on with their work while on the move, just at a smaller size than the 28 and 32-inch monitors they’re used to.
So, you get a 14-inch 1080p IPS panel with ten-point touch which is capable of displaying 100 per cent of the sRGB and Rec. 709 colour gamuts. There's also an integrated dial, on the back of the panel, which works with Adobe applications to take over tasks that you might otherwise have used the mouse for, speeding things up and simplifying your workflow.
There are two USB-C ports and a Micro HDMI for connectivity, and while it can’t compete with an OLED panel for brightness, the 300 nits on offer are very respectable.
Buy now £410.00, Amazon
