ZenScreen MB16ACE 15.6in Portable IPS Full HD USB Display w/ Type-C Port
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Saturday, October 2, 2021
By: Bailey
From: Edmonton
Strengths:
-Portable
-Good picture quality
-Remarkably complete on-board options
-Case/stand combination works well
-Fast setup and takedown during use
-Great for it's intended purpose and user
Weaknesses:
-Included cable is very rigid
-Limited brightness - Works well for indoor use but I wouldn't use it outside
-Expensive for a small 1080p monitor
-Of limited value outside of it's particular niche
Additional Comments:
Basically this monitor has a very specific user in mind: people who travel and end up working off of desks, tables, in hotel rooms, or generally away from office infrastructure. It won't make you forget having multiple full sized displays, but having this alongside a laptop is a major quality of life improvement over task-swapping on a single laptop display (this is basically the monitor equivalent of "the best tool is the tool you have").
The screen is small enough that the resolution isn't an issue. The display quality is quite good. The screen can auto-rotate between landscape and portrait, but you'll need to install software for it to work. To be fair, the software is pretty unobtrusive, but it is a limitation. It has a remarkably complete built in menu, even going so far gaming settings like crosshairs (I genuinely have no idea how well this screen performs for gaming). The brightness is adequate for working indoors, but it probably won't work well under direct sunlight. I haven't found this to be an issue, but it depends on where you'll be set up.
Most importantly: It's very portable. It's small, light, the cover/stand combination actually works remarkably well. I've used this dispalay for a couple of months and I haven't had any issues with durability. The single USB-C connection means the setup and takedown is very quick. It comes with a USB-C cable and a USB-C to USB-A adapter (I would recommend getting a 90 degree USB-C cable, though).
The biggest downside is the price. It is not cheap for a 15.6" 1080p display. Depending on how much you use/rely on multiple displays it's somewhere between a quality-of-life and a luxury item.
SO: If your workflow is seriously improved with multiple displays, and you often find yourself working out of a laptop bag, you won't be disappointed. I'm not going to say its a game-changer, but it makes working on the road feel much less limited (like using a mouse vs the trackpad).
On the other hand, if you're not that kind of user or this isn't something that comes up regularly for you, you're better off looking at basically any other non-portable display or just saving your money.
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