AOC reports that its portable 16-inch USB-based monitor, the AOC e1649fwu, will see a price drop to $99 for a limited time at participating retailers. That's a $40 reduction from the original price.
For those used to working with two or more screens in the office, this is ideal when taking the laptop out on trips, as it adds an additional screen simply by plugging it into a USB port -- a separate power cord is not needed. The monitor also comes with a built-in Smart Stand that supports both landscape and portrait positions. It pivots out when needed and stores flush against the back of the monitor when not in use.
"The AOC e1649fwu combines productivity and portability into an elegant and lightweight display, providing an ideal take-along monitor for business presentations, and for other multi-screen applications like social media monitoring, photo editing, expanded spreadsheets and more," AOC said on Wednesday.
On a hardware level, the 16-inch LED-backlit screen features a max resolution of 1366 x 768 at 60 Hz, and a widescreen ratio of 16:9. Given that the USB connection supplies both video and power, there's just one port. There's also the built-in DisplayLink DL-125 which allows the monitor to be easily integrated into existing desktop environments including Windows XP / Vista / Windows 7 & Apple Mac OSX Tiger / Leopard and Lion. Linux support is also available through many of the standard distributions.
"The e1649fwu has a clean and modern aesthetic that is complemented by a black piano-polish finish on the bezel, while a hard glass screen offers superior protection," the company said. "One laptop can even support multiple USB Monitor connections to create a multi-monitor setup."
From March 16 through March 31, 2012, the monitor will be available for $99 at Best Buy, Walmart, Micro Center, Newegg, HHGregg, Amazon, Circuit City, CompUSA, TigerDirect, ABC Warehouse, Electronics Express, and other major retailers. That said, instead of buying one at the regular price of $139, consumers could feasibly buy two for $198 during the sale, making a laptop a three-screen setup. Not too shabby!
