The humble USB has more to it than just charging phones. It is actually every traveler’s best friend! How do you ask? Well, it has the power to even charge monitors! Before you get overexcited and run to try it, you should understand that there are only specific types of monitors that allow this. If you travel frequently or would love a monitor that’s portable, you must definitely take a look at the best portable monitors in the market today.
Having said that, we should warn you that the choice may confuse you. The market simply has too many of them. A few are expensive but power-packed but there are a few that will nicely fit your budget as well. Your job is to compare and pick your favorite based on your requirements and affordability. To make this easier for you, we have come up with a list of the best USB powered monitors available right now. They are all tried and tested, and we are positive you will like them. Also, because we have done the research for you, it won’t take you more than a few minutes to decide what to buy and add it to the cart. Let’s begin!
Contents
Best Portable Monitors
1. AOC E1649FWU 16-Inch LED LCD USB Powered Monitor
This is a 16” USB powered monitor designed by AOC. It comes with a reliable, ultra-thin LED LCD display which requires no external power cord.
Check the features of the AOC LED LCD USB Powered Monitor below:
- It comes with a USB powered display which requires no external cords
- It is a 16” (15.8” viewable) display comes with a 200 cd/m2 brightness
- It is supported with the USB 2.0 technology
- It comes with a foldable flexi-stand, which helps to have a portrait or landscape view in the auto-pivot mode
- The ultra-slim design makes it carry on-the-go monitor for the frequent travelers and business presentations
- It is compatible with all the Operating Systems except Windows 2000 or earlier Windows Oss
2. AOC e1659Fwux- Pro 16-Inch Full HD LED USB Powered Portable Monitor
The brand AOC has designed this 16” class computer monitor which displays in full HD resolution. It has a new and improved sleeker design with a faster connection speed.
Features of the AOC e1659Fwux- Pro USB Powered Portable Monitor are:
- It has a higher transfer rate with the support of USB 3.0 technology
- It has a piano-black glossy finished design with a 15.6” viewable display
- It gives full HD 1920×1080 resolution with a 300 cd/m2 brightness
- A foldable flexi-stand makes you able to have a landscape or portrait view in an auto-pivot mode
- It is also compatible with Windows 10
- It is a USB powered monitor which requires no external cords
3. GeChic 1303i 1080p Touchscreen Portable Monitor
The GeChic portable monitor comes with a multi-touch screen at 10 points. This USB powered monitor is compatible with other desktop monitors, laptops, Mac Systems, cameras, tablets, gaming consoles, smartphones, and other compatible devices listed in the manual.
The monitor can be adjusted to three different viewing angles; 720, 620, and 520 due to the magnetic strip built into the protective cover. Compact size with lightweight design makes it extremely portable so that you can use it conveniently during travel.
Features of GeChic 1303i Portable Monitor are:
- This latest GeChic model has full HD resolution with 1920 x1080 pixels (1080P) resolution
- Certified functions make it perfect for the Windows Operating Systems
- You can connect it through multiple points like VGA, HDMI, two 5V DC inputs, and Mini Display
- You will face no lags even when you connect it to your laptop, thanks to the HDMI chipset
- You will not need to install the drivers to use this external monitor with your system
- It can be used in both landscape and portrait modes
- According to your usage, you can set color preferences like for games, movies, image viewing, standard, or vivid
- It can be your best companion while you are traveling with your phone or DSLR and want to view your captured photos and videos on a 13.3″ bigger screen
- An aluminum cover is sturdy and durable which protects the display from accidental drop off or any other damage
- It also works great at Kiosks as the users can interact using touchscreen functions
4. ASUS MB MB169B+ LED-Lit Portable Computer Monitor
Same as the previous model, the ASUS MB169B+ is a portable full HD monitor that comes with a single USB 3.0 cable for both the power and data transmission. It is featured with an EzLink technology and an auto-rotating display.
Features of the MB169B+ ASUS USB Portable Monitor are:
- It is bundled with a smart case from ASUS, which is a two-way adjustable stand with a protective sleeve
- It is one of the slimmest and lightest portable computer monitor in the world
- It comes with a single USB 3.0 cable for both the power and data transmission
- It has a sleek and metallic finished body design
- Comes with a 3-year manufacturer warranty
5. Lilliput UM-70 LCD USB Powered Monitor
The popular brand Lilliput has designed this UM-70 USB portable monitors which can be used perfectly as your PC’s second monitor. It is powered by a USB cable so you do not require any power cable or a VGA cable.
Features of the UM-70 Lilliput USB Powered Portable Monitor are:
- It has a screen size of 7” with an aspect ratio of 16:9 and contrast ratio of 250:1
- It has a screen resolution of 800×480 pixels
- It comes with an LED backlight for the brighter display
- It is powered by a USB, so not required any kind of external power adapters
- It is perfect for a spreadsheet, photo, IM client, email or video
- It is fully compatible with Windows 7, Vista, and Windows XP
- It doesn’t require any power cable or VGA cable
6. ASUS MB168B Portable USB Powered Monitor
This portable monitor from ASUS is a backward compatible monitor with a desktop or notebook. You can experience fast, and fluid images from your connected device and can have an on-the-go multi-display set up.
Features of the MB168B ASUS Portable USB Powered Monitor are:
- It is sleek and ultra-portable with a Zen-inspired design
- It has a display size of 15.6” with an LED-backlit TN
- It is one of the world’s slimmest and lightest USB powered portable monitors
- It comes with an auto-rotating display which is bundled with an ASUS smart case having a two-way adjustable stand and protective sleeve
- Comes with a 3-year ASUS rapid replacement warranty
7. GeChic 1503H 15.6″ IPS Portable Monitor
The 1503H portable display from GeChic is the most expensive USB powered monitor on this list. But it comes with some special features that the competitors don’t. The GeChic 1503H provides stunning picture quality compared to other portable screens. It offers vibrant and vivid colors and the viewing angles that will not disappoint you.
Features of GeChic 1503H Portable Monitor are:
- It requires no driver installation means you will get a true plug and play functionality
- It comes with a detachable stand which helps you to position the monitor vertically or horizontally with the viewing angles like 520, 620, or 720
- It has Type-C USB connectivity which makes it compatible with devices like a gaming console, desktop, laptop, TV stick, Raspberry Pi, smartphone, mini PC, etc.
- It offers 1920 x 1080 (1080P) Full HD (FHD) resolutions to let you enjoy the content on it without straining your eyes
- You can play games in panoramic views and can create presentations on-the-go while traveling
- It comes with built-in speakers, so you do not need to buy an external sound device for it
- Other accessories included in the package are an HDMI-A to micro-HDMI cable, a USB-A to the USB-C power cable, one protective cover, and mounting screws
8. ASUS ZenScreen MB16AC Monitor
If you have an Asus laptop or desktop, then go nowhere than to this MB16AC USB powered monitor from the company. This Asus ZenScreen has an award-winning slim design that will not acquire much space on your table.
Features of Asus ZenScreen MB16AC USB Monitor are:
- Though it is best for the Asus laptops, you can use it with any other brand PC for a second screen option
- The 15.6-inch IPS panel offers Full HD resolution to let you see true colors and vivid images
- It is compatible with both the USB Type-A and Type-C connectors
- The Eye Care Technology (ECT) from Asus provides flicker-free views for eliminating the eye fatigue
- Ultra-slim build with only 0.3-inch size and extremely lightweight structure with a weight of 1.7 pounds only
- It has a unique hybrid signal solution that cannot be found in other USB powered monitor brands. This feature allows you to use the monitor even for the medium-sized space or signal problems
- Ideal for the travelers
All of the aforementioned USB powered monitors are reliable and very easy to use. Besides the USB, they don’t require any other power source and that makes them a great, hassle-free purchase. We encourage you to choose any of the above without hesitation because we are positive you won’t regret your choice. Just make sure you buy one that first meets your needs and then your budget.
However, if you have any doubts about any of them, please feel free to write to us and we will get back to you.
Best Portable Monitors Compared
| Dell UltraSharp U3415W PXF79 | Acer Predator | Samsung S34E790C | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Response Time | 8 ms (gray to gray) Normal Mode 5 ms ( gray to gray) FAST Mode | 4ms | 4ms (gray to gray) |
| Contrast Ratio | 1000 to 1 | 1000 to 1 | 3000 to 1 |
| Panel Type | In-plane switching | LG.Display AH-IPS | Samsung SVA (Vertical Alignment) LCD |
| Viewing Angles | 178°/ 172° | 178°/178° | 178°/178° |
| Item Dimensions L x W x H | 32.47 x 8.5 x 20.62 inches | 32.48 x 12.17 x 23.07 inches | 13.4 x 20.9 x 35.4 inches |
| Screen Size | 34 inches | 34 inches | 34 inches |
| Item Weight | 18.6 pounds | 21.9 pounds | 22 pounds |
| Color | Black | Black | Black High Glossy |
| Preview |  |  |  |
| Price | $701.32 | $1,249.99 | $855.66 |
Advantages of a Portable Monitor
Ok, we have seen the USB powered monitors in the above list. Now, let’s quickly take a look at some advantages of using them.
There are some people asking why they should choose a USB powered monitor over a traditional VGA, HDMI, or DVI display. For all those my friends, I have listed down some most important advantages of the portable monitors, check them below:
- One of the most important and biggest advantages of USB monitors is, it is expandable. Most of the PCs and other media players have a limit of 1 or 2 video outputs, while the USB technology used in the above monitors, allows you to connect up to 6 screens with standard windows and up to 14 more screens by using a Windows Multipoint Server. If you use a Mac, then you can add 4 more to this. This means the USB technology helps to lower the overall infrastructure with installation and maintenance costs.
- Portable Monitors are ideal for customer checkouts and Kiosks. It allows the merchant to configure multiple displays on both the customer and employee side. Only using some software and one or more portable screens, it allows using a fully integrated solution without using any extra hardware.
- They provide a simple and elegant solution over a traditional display. You need separate cables for a touch data, a power supply and all for traditional displays while using the facility of USB monitors, you are becoming worried free of using a separate power brick, which makes them portable and efficient.
- They are also important when there is a matter of Size. The portable monitors use smaller connectors and thinner cables than VGA, DVI, and HDMI. No power brick to hide, because a single cable is enough to do it all. They are a digital transport medium, so there is no interface like you have with VGA.
- This monitor is the perfect choice for any application that needs the security of video information. It uses DisplayLink compression technology (DL2+, DL3) before a video is being sent from the computing device. Also, a USB powered monitor uses up to 80% less power than the traditional solution! Even though you use four USB displays, they will consume only 22% additional power over a single USB display configuration. Not only this, because they consume less power, they require less cooling too.
We hope this list of advantages has reinforced your faith in the portable monitors. They are very handy and to support portability, very easy to use as well. They don’t come with any software or hardware that’s not needed! This is why you must remember that they may not be ideal for those looking to work heavily on their monitors. The burden may be too much to handle. These monitors are meant for light usage during travel and other off-site purposes. And, we think they do an extremely great job in fulfilling their purpose. Have fun shopping for them!