AOC E1659FWU And GeChic On-Lap 1502I: Portable Monitors, To Go

Features
By
published

AOC and GeChic recently introduced a pair of portable, USB-powered displays. GeChic’s On-Lap 1502I boasts a 1920x1080 resolution and 10-point multi-touch. AOC’s E1659FWU delivers simplicity and a low price. We compare their display performance today.

Setting Up The AOC E1659FWI And GeChic On-Lap 1502I

AOC E1659FWU

AOC’s portable monitor is super-simple to operate, and can be quickly and easily hooked up to any PC desktop or laptop. It’s compatible with Windows versions as far back as XP, and no matter what flavor you’re running, there are only a couple of steps involved.

Everything happens through a USB cable; there are no other inputs. This includes power as well as video. The second-generation standard is supported with some limitations, especially when it comes to the throughput needed for playing back DVDs on the screen. A USB 3.0 cable is included, and the E1659FWU works best when you attached it to a USB 3.0 port.

Regardless of your Windows version, you need to install drivers from the included CD before connecting the monitor. After agreeing to the license terms, the install takes a minute or so. Then you should re-boot. Once you’re back up and the monitor is connected, it automatically sets itself to extend mode. Since your desktop resolution is probably higher than 1366x768, you'll probably want to specify which area of your main display will act as the transition area. If you open your display control dialog box and change the monitor configuration to duplicate (as we had to for some of our tests), your main screen will be forced to the E1659FWU's lower 1366x768 resolution.

Once you have it up and running, you’re done. There is no OSD available. The only adjustments are brightness and contrast, which can be accessed through a system tray icon. The sliders themselves are controlled with your mouse pointer. There are no buttons to manipulate on the panel.

GeChic On-Lap 1502I

Installing the On-Lap 1502I is a matter of connecting the USB port to either a computer or power outlet, and hooking up a VGA or HDMI video signal source. The screen automatically comes up in Windows 7 or 8 in an extended desktop configuration. The touchscreen functions work right out of the box with no additional driver installation. Windows 7 only supports touch for basic mouse operations. In Windows 8, it’s 10-point multi-touch-compatible.

Since GeChic includes calibration controls, we dialed the On-Lap in for our tests. The Brightness control, as in most monitors, modulates the backlight rather than actually changing the black level. Our only caution is to leave it set above 12. Any lower and visible flickering results. That shouldn't be a problem though, since you have to set the screen to at least 21 if you want more than 50 cd/m2. The RGB sliders allowed us to generate decent grayscale numbers, which you’ll see on page six.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
GeChic On-Lap 1502I Calibration Settings
Contrast70
Brightness90
Color TempUser
RGBRed 43, Green 40, Blue 43

Moving on to the benchmarks, we were able to test both panels exactly like their desktop counterparts.

Christian Eberle
Christian Eberle
Contributing Editor

Christian Eberle is a Contributing Editor for Tom's Hardware US. He's a veteran reviewer of A/V equipment, specializing in monitors. Christian began his obsession with tech when he built his first PC in 1991, a 286 running DOS 3.0 at a blazing 12MHz. In 2006, he undertook training from the Imaging Science Foundation in video calibration and testing and thus started a passion for precise imaging that persists to this day. He is also a professional musician with a degree from the New England Conservatory as a classical bassoonist which he used to good effect as a performer with the West Point Army Band from 1987 to 2013. He enjoys watching movies and listening to high-end audio in his custom-built home theater and can be seen riding trails near his home on a race-ready ICE VTX recumbent trike. Christian enjoys the endless summer in Florida where he lives with his wife and Chihuahua and plays with orchestras around the state.

17 Comments Comment from the forums
  • g-unit1111
    Interesting, I'm interested in getting one of the USB displays but the resolution is keeping me from purchasing one. I'd like to see how the AOC monitor compares to the ones being offered from Asus, HP, Dell, and so on and so forth.
    Reply
  • mathew7
    So....I am looking for a few years for a small (15" would be limit) portable VGA+HDMI monitor (as in not a bulky stand). I don't need FullHD resolution, but it should accept it.

    In a related note, I have been thinking about a laptop-styled monitor+keyboard (and maybe mouse/touchpad) but to be plugged into a desktop PC. You know...when you receive a PC case (or go to someone) and have to debug it. But again, 15" is already big (I'm using a 12.5" thinkpad when not at my gaming/workstation PC).
    Reply
  • Amdlova
    can connect to smart phone!???
    Reply
  • ceberle
    You can connect the On-Lap to a phone or tablet via its HDMI/MHL port. The AOC will only work via USB.

    -Christian-
    Reply
  • Nicolai8086
    When can we expect a Miracast (or WiDi) version of these screens?
    Reply
  • CrisCrossed
    Two words:
    Able HD
    http://www.able-hd.com
    One of the most funded projects on kickstarter. These guys make portable monitors that are HD and really cheap. Unfortunately, they still have their flaws (the circuit board is exposed and not attached to the screen) but you cannot beat the price/performance.
    Reply
  • Nicolai8086
    The weight is impressive, but i wouldn't call 17" portable.
    Reply
  • g-unit1111
    12343796 said:
    Two words:
    Able HD
    http://www.able-hd.com
    One of the most funded projects on kickstarter. These guys make portable monitors that are HD and really cheap. Unfortunately, they still have their flaws (the circuit board is exposed and not attached to the screen) but you cannot beat the price/performance.

    I have to say after reading about these that I do want one. When my laptop's primary display is 1920 x 1080, why would I want to add a second monitor that's 1366 x 720?
    Reply
  • egaskill
    Portable display for Raspberry Pi?
    Reply
  • CrisCrossed
    I have to say after reading about these that I do want one. When my laptop's primary display is 1920 x 1080, why would I want to add a second monitor that's 1366 x 720?
    I'm sorry, I mistyped. The monitor is actually a FHD (1080p) display, and it comes in 15.6 and 17 inch screens. I hope this helps. I'm ordering mine soon to use with a LAN box.
    Reply