Portable monitor recommendation?
Hi Tildes, I am going to Vienna in November (and if anyone wants to meet up send me a message! but that's another topic), and this is only half vacation, half for a work-related conference, so I want to be able to easily spend a couple hours on work even during the vacation part. To make this easier, I want to buy a portable 2nd monitor that I can plug into my laptop.
I have ZERO experience using such an item, and wasn't even 100% sure they really exist until I searched just now, so I don't think I have any flat requirements. However, I would super like if it takes touch input and comes with a pen! (no i do not want a tablet, I want a 2nd screen for my laptop that I can drag windows & paste between etc). It also should either be super lightweight or be safe to put in my checked luggage (preferably the latter). Minimum 1080p resolution, I don't think the size matters THAT much but at least the size of a normal laptop screen (and not netbook) would be good.
(oops I thought I was pressing enter on a tag but it sent the whole post! edited a bit to finish writing it)
FWIW, there are tablets you can do this with. I don't use the functionality very often but my Galaxy Tab S8+ can wirelessly act as a second monitor. The screen projection behaves exactly as though you've simply plugged into a second monitor.
It kind of sounds like you DO want a tablet when you say you want it to have touch input and a pen (which the Tab S8 does), that's why I mention it. If you're interested, I can look into it tomorrow and get you the actual name of the screen projection feature and possibly other models that support it.
Have you used this personally? A few years ago I had looked into doing this with my at-the-time android tablet (I use an ipad now) and everything I saw suggested that the screen mirroring software was super laggy because it's not a native mirror, it goes through an app which has to render.
If there's a hardware way to do this that doesn't involve an app at all I would definitely check this out though (with the safety of amazon's return policy, heh)
Beware in relying on Amazon's quick return policy on tablets, as they're one of the more common items that are swapped with a dummy I would imagine. I returned a tablet completely unopened, still wrapped in it's original cling wrap on 9/18, and it still says return started. I have confidence that it'll still process, as they need to personally inspect the item to make sure it is the same item I bought, just keep in mind it might not be a standard return + next day refund as it normally is with Amazon products
thanks for the warning! I'll keep this in mind
Yes, I have used this personally, it was not laggy at all. There was a just barely noticeable drop in resolution but that was it. Looks like the feature is called "Second Screen" and it seems to be built into the tablet's OS. It needs to be installed as an app on your PC as well. Language on the setup screen makes me think it maybe doesn't work with Macs so if you're a full Apple person the Samsung tablets may not be the play.
Definitely not telling that you must specifically get a Tab S8 to do this, just saying that it's worth not discounting tablets, especially if you want touch and a pen.
I have a tab S8 and I think I tried this a while ago. you do a bit of setup and then Windows can project to a wireless display like anything else out there. It's better than I expected if you're only doing simple tasks, but like any other wireless connection YMMV immensely based on your network.
But, the tab S8 isn't exactly cheap. I paid $700 for mine almost 2 years ago, and even if you require a pen you can find a good portable monitor with a physical connection for well under half that price. I wouldn't go out of my way to buy a Tab S if you don't already have one unless you can find a very deep discount used or something similar. Even then, I wouldn't use it for much more than displaying some more static documents compared to being a full fledged second screen.
I don't have a lot of experience with dedicated portable monitors either, but I've browsed various Art tablets for desktop and I can tell you that adding pen input will pretty much always reduce your choices and increase your price range, while adding a variety of compromises like a smaller screen, lower resolution, etc. Or pay out the absolute nose for something of Wacom quality (which can go all the way up to 4 figures). I'd really make sure you need that pen input over other specs while making a final choice.
But if you do know, I found this guide extremely extensive, with various price ranges and notes/mini-reviews of every recommendation.
hah, I actually do have a wacom tablet at home, which I bought significantly under market rate for a used wacom because it was a friend selling it (she had upgraded to the bigger version).
And then I found out I needed a stand too....oof. Definitely not wanting to pay their prices again! It sounds like maybe I should compromise on the pen thing and go for just touch
I have an iPad which I got specifically for this to use with my MacBook. It works quite well; no noticeable lag. It is great for coding or email or whatnot on the go. I would not recommend it with a non-apple laptop.
My ipad has been able to do this with PC and mac as well! I had to install an app for the pc, but with mac it was as simple as plugging it in.
I don't have a specific model to recommend, but I will recommend getting one that is roughly the same pixels per physical inch as your laptop monitor. Nothing is more jarring on a multi monitor setup than dragging from one window to the other and having the window balloon or shrink in size.
Wirecutter has some recommendations, including one that is a touchscreen. Overall, I don't trust their picks as much as I did before they got bought by the NYT, but it at least will serve as a starting point to understand what features and issues you should pay attention to.
I'm very disappointed that this announcement about a virtual screens headset turned out to be mostly vaporware/a scam. That kind of thing is my dream for being able to carry a big multi monitor rig anywhere. It would truly unlock my productivity while traveling, but also be great to take my laptop and sit outside one warm day.
Xreal is a brand that is actually available and seems to be able to do what you want? There are also a few other brands available that all offer similar functionality.
How good they actually are I don't know, but the point is that there are already various brands and models available for this type of product.
I’d say we’re getting close, but still one or two hardware generations away from it being a good option.
The Vision Pro is the only one I’m aware of with the resolution and passthrough quality to really be viable for serious work IMO, but it’s wireless only and frustratingly locked down so there’s no way to actually use all that potential with a laptop (also, y’know, $3500).
Anything else out there in the $300 - $600 range has enough hardware compromises that it’ll be a worse overall experience than a $200 portable monitor in the vast majority of situations.
I am not sure the comparison works between Xreal (and similar) glasses and the Vision Pro. As the latter is a VR headset with pass through cameras where the Xreal glasses are actually glasses which project an image in front of your vision.
While they do have AR functionality through the app. They can also be connected directly as an external monitor, which just happens to be in the form of glasses and not much else.
This also means that the entire resolution can be used for displaying the monitor. Unlike VR headsets where monitors get projected in a digital space which reduces their resolution.
All of this makes comparisons with things like the Vision Pro a bit difficult.
Having said that, having looked into it a bit more again the display quality seems to be good, but people do have connectivity issues with these. So I am not here to say they are perfect, but that seems to be more because of other issues.
Good points, and I think we've got two orthogonal questions within that. Firstly, passthrough camera vs. semitransparent screens: that's one I don't have especially strong opinions on, beyond what I've seen so far suggesting that the current generation of semitransparent options can be challenging to see clearly. I can imagine either option winning out there, depending how they develop, and I'd actually be pretty excited to see a higher end semitransparent device.
Secondly, projected virtual monitors vs. HUD mode: that's something I'm absolutely opinionated about! I haven't seen a HUD-style option that I'd consider usable in real life. The sensation of the monitor being fixed to a point in your vision and shifting in relation to the background with any tiny tilt of the head makes them unusable for any kind of detail work in my experience. If it's something like large, scrolling text they can be workable, but as a main monitor I've found it something akin to having a desk that visibly wobbles every time you breathe.
Projecting the monitor into virtual space fixes that, but then you're back to needing to deal with virtualised resolution and some amount of postprocessing to anchor the virtual display(s) relative to real space. You don't need a full VR/AR OS for that - I'd actually prefer a device that doesn't try to have a whole app ecosystem, just have it do the minimal geometry for anchoring and scaling like a Valve Index or a Vive and I'll be happy - but it does add a decent layer of active complexity beyond just driving a display.
I imagine the next "apple vision pro" from non-Apple will probably try to hit around the $2000 mark at best. The hardware alone required for a dense resolution isn't cheap, let alone the tracking and passthough tech .
I'd even wager than anything under $1500 this decade wouldn't suffice for anything related to productivity. This kind of device is one where you're staring at text for hours on end with a headset on your face. It's ironically harder to oprimzie for than pictures and video feeds.
I just left this comment saying that Xreal and similar glasses aren't the same kind of technology. The tl;dr is that pass-through is not applicable on these, and that resolution also works differently.
If you are purely interested in having a display projected right in front of you, the hardware requirements become much more reasonable.
Yeah, that was a whole digression I decided not to go into, but one of my biggest disappointments here is that the Vision Pro isn't particularly badly priced for what it could have been, but it is for what they're allowing it to be.
Pretty much any FAANG engineer who needs to travel for work could've been an ideal user, for example - the money's there, the genuine use case is there, the willingness to be an early adopter is there - but they're effectively forcing it to be an iPad rather than a MacBook, and the choice not to stick a Thunderbolt port on the side means anyone who buys this first generation is physically locked into that decision even if Apple do relent later on.
Give me the ability to get full use out of all that hardware I'd be paying for and you won't hear me complaining about the price. Much.
I've bought an Xreal earlier this year. While it's still a bit rough around the edges (both figuratively and literally), it does work and can be used productively. Although it for now is more suited for recreational use, I guess in 1 or 2 hardware generations we'll be at the point where displays like it and the apple ones will become more widespread.
I can vouch for this, I've been looking at a few of them recently. I'll probably wait until after the early adopter phase, but some of the glasses already on the market are getting good reviews from trusted sources.
So if it's in your budget range, you don't have to wait!
Oooh, that is interesting. And my birthday is coming up! Not sure about vision correction though. I'll have to do more research. Thanks for the tip.
No problem, certainly do more research! I have seen this on various tech channels with various responses. From what I gather, the image quality is quite good. But the software can be annoying, and some people seem to have issues connecting directly without software.
I went down this rabbit hole because my home 4K monitor is starting to fail (after eight years and four moves). It looks like the Viture Pro XR is probably the best of the currently available AR glasses, with a decent field of view, reasonable brightness, good software/support, and adequate comfort (including built-in myopia correction, prescription lens support, electrochromic darkening, etc.). Currently around $459 for the equivalent of three 1080p monitors.
yes, same!!!! it will be LIFE CHANGING for travel, I can't wait
It's far from comfortable, but I remember doing this virtual desktop setup as far back as the Vive. The only other thing holding it back was the pixel density, but it seems later headsets already fixed that.
I imagine the Apple vision pro is about 95% the way there compared to this Visor. But that just tells me that 1) it's still maybe 5 years off minimu and 2) the first batches of non-vaporware are not going to be cheap at all.
I don't think Immersed Visor is a scam or vaporware. Their promises are relatively modest. In comparison to what I'd consider the leading headset, Meta Quest 3, they are offering for double the price a higher resolution screen with substantially less features. It doesn't seem like a pie in the sky dream. They have kind of been scrambling after a disastrous in person demo, but as I understand it they had a pretty reasonable explanation, and people who asked for their deposit back at that point got it. I think it's really hard for a company of their size to launch this kind of project, but I still expect they are going to launch after a few more delays.
One thing that makes me significantly more trusting of them vs just a random kickstarter is... they were already a real company making a real product. Their customer base is people who use immersed every day, a product that I think beats the pants off Horizon Workrooms and has pros/cons vs VirtualDesktop. That's enough for me to give them a bit more faith than I would otherwise.
This is just what I was told by someone significantly more plugged into the VR scene than I am. I am hopeful that one of these things finally reaches a viable and relatively open state.
I would strongly encourage you to not put something like that in a checked bag.
Regarding a pen, if you're just wanting a touch stylus then just buy a touch stylus. If you want something like the apple pencil then you need to look at a slightly different category of device. Search for "portable pen display" or a "drawing tablet screen"
ah good call, yeah I think I'd want something closer to an apple pencil - the pen is so I can use the screen as scratch paper, because if it works out I think I will additionally use this at my crafting table which is in another room from my PC. It's a bit inconvenient right now because often I want to watch 5 seconds of a yt tutorial, then do something for a bit, then skip ahead and watch 10 seconds, etc. And I do a lot of running back and forth right now, and I don't want my phone because ads (also too small). But using my laptop for this might work and if so I'd want to keep all my crafting notes on the laptop which includes using it as scratch paper!
what is the reason not to check? damage because of pressure, damage because of things piled on it, theft? I'm a bit deconditioned physically after many years of autoimmune disease so I try to limit my backpack weight as much as I can for flights (and still sometimes need wheelchair help to make it through security). I think I have another year or two before air travel is easy for me (if that ever happens) so checking is a big QOL issue for me, not just a minor convenience
Breakage. Baggage handlers throw bags around pretty hard and they get crammed and squished a lot.
I guess you would have to evaluate that risk yourself.
I'm thinking if I keep the original packaging and add a layer of bubble wrap around that, and also put it in the middle of all my clothing, it can't be worse than having it shipped to me in the first place? But I'll see how heavy it is, I have been traveling with both my ipad and my laptop, so if it's not heavier than an ipad I could probably replace the ipad in my packing routine with this monitor
Realistically, if you have a structured suitcase then it won't be too risky. A big part of my bias is that I always use soft duffle bags.
oh yeah I always do stiff roller suitcases for checked bag, I don't want to carry that much weight. I don't think I've ever had something break in my checked bag, but I also don't really ever pack anything remotely fragile. I'm going to test-pack my backpack when I get home (out of town atm) and see how heavy an extra 5 pounds would really feel, and then decide what to do from there! maybe it'll just be okay to carry.
A touchscreen suitable for drawing will make your portable monitor quite expensive. Not quite iPad Pro territory, but you're probably looking at something like this or this.
I have used my Android OnePlus Pad (a pretty good high-res drawing tablet that comes with a pen) as a wireless external monitor on a Windows laptop, with SpaceDesk. This works well enough for Office-type applications, but it's laggy for anything graphics-intensive.
oof, $750 is probably more than I want to spend, but this one that creesch linked seems more affordable. I am not an artist (at least as far as drawing goes) and I don't need the pen to be super touch sensitive, I just need it to feel nice to handwrite on or draw simple diagrams like a square with a couple words to plan out some craft project. Do you think this one would work for that level of quality?
The lower-priced ASUS touchscreen monitor has some iffy reviews on build quality and durability. You might want to look at this one. It's the stylus compatibility that gets expensive.
yeah I don't think stylus compatibility is worth an extra $400 to me. That one looks great and the price point is about where I was hoping to be! My one concern is it seems a bit on the heavy side, do you think if I keep the original packaging and am careful to wrap clothing around it, that it would do okay in a checked bag? I don't think I can carry an extra 5 pounds in my carry-on, even if I am taking out my ipad.
I'd keep a flat panel monitor in your backpack, never in a checked bag. It shouldn't undergo flexing forces, and the internal glass panel is vulnerable to shocks. The portable monitor shouldn't add as much as five pounds to your carry-on.
I've seen too many suitcases dropped from cargo height to tarmac, heavy bags tossed on top of lighter ones, and other general mangling by baggage handlers.
Asus seems to have various portable screens specifically with input. Patience_unlimited linked to one, there is also this one which seems fairly popular and has a very reasonable price.
ahh wait, I think that one is used and I can't find a new listing for it, maybe discontinued? I'd rather not buy used, too big a chance it was returned because it was defective
I cannot work without a second monitor! I've traveled and worked remotely with the following setup:
These items + my 15" work laptop + my 13" personal laptop all fit into my carry-on backpack quite easily. I did not use any fancy sleeves for my laptops or monitor — I just slipped them into bubble mailers.
That Asus monitor is what I travel with as well, and it's great for the price. It's sturdy enough that I just shove it in the back of my backpack against the laptop compartment. I didn't love the foldable stand, but I use laptop + external screen on rickety rolling carts and the stand hasn't collapsed yet. It's brighter and sharper than my awful laptop screen. The power draw via USB-C doesn't diminish laptop battery life so much that it's unusable - I can still get around 4 hours of use before having to plug in.
fwiw battery life isnt a concern for me, i'll be using this only in my hotel. I don't even bring my laptop with me when I go out, so 2nd screen is a non-issue for my use case. But being a touch screen is a pretty hard requirement I think
oh wow that stand looks great!! I do want a touch monitor though, I find hotel chairs super uncomfortable so I always lie in bed to use my laptop and it makes a mouse super uncomfortable to use. I'm able to get by pretty well with a lenovo trackpoint and tapping the screen. My one complaint is the heat of my laptop on my legs for so long, I think some kind of wedge-shaped stand would fix that problem though
I purchased this one about a month and a half ago for $100. Used it on a business trip for 7 days straight every day without issue.
I like it because it has a high refresh rate, its large, has great controls and ports. Only thing I don't like about it is that it doesn't have a good way to protect the screen. So you need to be careful about how you pack it. Best to get a padded envelope style bag, as most of these screens have this problem, despite them being designed for portability.
If someone has recommendations for bags to put these screens in, I would appreciate it!
Not trying to argue with you, but what part of your workflow requires a touchscreen? Do you have a touchscreen or drawing tablet at your main setup location? (Home office, work cubicle, etc.)
I have a wacom tablet at home yes, but more importantly when I travel I don't like to sit on uncomfortable hotel chairs at uncomfortable hotel desks that are made for people 5" taller than me, so I work lying in bed. Lenovo trackpoint is great for about 80% of clicks, but I prefer to scroll by touching the screen, and I think with having 2 monitors I'll rely on touch to click even more than I already do (my laptop has a touch screen)