The Most Anticipated Portable Monitors of 2023

Asus Portable Monitors
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

Portable monitors have are extremely helpful for mobile workers who need more screen real estate while on the go. Many desktop users also deploy them monitors as smaller, secondary screens to complement their bigger displays. To help you choose, we maintain an up-to-date list of the best portable monitors. And, in 2023, the best models may be yet to come.

We saw some excellent portable monitors at the CES 2023, which will be arriving soon in the North American market. Asus and Viewsonic showed off a number of lightweight screens with OLED or IPS panels, high resolutions and even high refresh rates. 

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Asus ZenScreen MB17AHG

Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG

Asus ZenScreen MB249C 

ViewSonic VX16

Screen Size

17.3 inches

16 inches

23.8 inches

16 inches

Resolution

1920 x 1080

2540 x 1600

1920 x 1080

3840 x 2160

Panel Type

IPS

IPS

IPS

OLED

Refresh Rate

144Hz

120Hz

60Hz

60Hz

Connectivity

2x USB-C

1x HDMI

2x USB-C

1x HDMI

2x USB-C

1x HDMI

2x USB-C

1x HDMI

AvailabilityTBDTBD TBD 2H 2023
Price TBD TBD TBD TBD

Asus Portable Monitors for 2023

For mobile gamers, Asus unwrapped its ZenScreen MB17AHG, boasting a 17.3-inch Full HD IPS panel and a fast 144Hz refresh rate. Asus even squeezed in AMD FreeSync Premium support to keep frame rates buttery smooth. Connectivity options include USB-C (DisplayPort Alt-Mode) and HDMI, ensuring you can connect to just about any modern computer on the market.

The ZenScreen MB16QHG is slightly smaller in stature, with a 2560 x 1600 (16:10) IPS display and a 120Hz refresh rate. However, suppose you’re not that much of a gamer and mainly want a portable monitor for productivity. In that case, you might feel so bad about trading an inch in diagonal size and the 144Hz refresh rate for the higher resolution display of the ZenScreen MB16QHG.

Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG

Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG (Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

While most portable monitors top out at around 17 inches, Asus’ ZenScreen MB249C is the exception. It measures 23.8 inches across, putting it within spitting distance of 27-inch gaming monitors. Despite its size, Asus claims that the monitor is just 17.7mm thick and weighs just 6.17 pounds (or about as much as the best gaming notebooks). 

Asus ZenScreen MB249C

Asus ZenScreen MB249C  (Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

Given its size, the ZenScreen MB249C has an integrated handle for easy transporting, which also doubles as a kickstand for placing it on a desk. Asus includes a C-clamp system in the box for attaching the monitor to the edge of your desk, while arm and partition hook mounting options are also available. The monitor also features 60-watt USB-C Power Delivery for connecting to (and powering) a laptop with a single cable. 

Viewsonic Portable Monitor for 2023

ViewSonic also expanded its portable monitor portfolio at CES with the VX16 and the ColorPro VP16. The VX16 is the more exciting of the two, as it boasts a 15.6-inch 4K OLED panel with a 60Hz refresh rate. 

ViewSonic VX16

ViewSonic VX16 (Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

It may not appease hardcore gamers, but this monitor should be great for photo editing, watching videos, and handling your day-to-day workload thanks to its 400-nits panel and 100 percent sRGB and DCI-P3 coverage. In addition, the sub-two-pound VX16 features a sturdy, adjustable stand along with USB-C and HDMI connectivity.

Brandon Hill

Brandon Hill is a senior editor at Tom's Hardware. He has written about PC and Mac tech since the late 1990s with bylines at AnandTech, DailyTech, and Hot Hardware. When he is not consuming copious amounts of tech news, he can be found enjoying the NC mountains or the beach with his wife and two sons.

  • PlaneInTheSky
    E-ink monitors are much more exciting as portable monitors using little to no energy.
    Reply
  • MiniITXEconomy
    PlaneInTheSky said:
    E-ink monitors are much more exciting as portable monitors using little to no energy.

    For productivity uses, they do make the most sense.
    Reply