While working from home has plenty of benefits - particularly if you're a fan of loungewear, sleeping in and early evening quiz shows - our lack of office technology and desk space can be a drawback. Hunching over a small laptop screen at your kitchen table can be tiresome, so we've rounded up the best portable monitors to help you have a more productive working day.
A portable monitor is essentially a compact second screen for your laptop, or phone or gaming console in some cases. Light enough to pack up and take to your favourite coffee shop, just plug the portable monitor into your device, and duplicate, or extend your screen for a more comfortable work setup when you're away from the office.
Heading into the office instead? Check out the best office gadgets.
Best portable monitors for 2024
ASUS 15.6 inch USB portable monitor
This ASUS portable monitor is a lightweight - just 800g - and slim choice. It features a USB type-C connector and workswith ASUS G752 notebook, ASUS UX501VW notebook, Apple MacBook and Chromebook Pixel. So if there are lots of you in the house, all with varying laptop models, this could be a useful shared household item.
The 15.6 inch screen features flicker-free technology which aims to help with strained and tired eyes. This is a welcomed feature, whether it's a long day at work, or a movie marathon. It comes with a protective sleeve which also functions as a stand.
Dell 14 portable monitor
A handy choice for presentations, this Dell model tilts between 10 and 90 degrees, so you can find your perfect position and easily share your screen with others.
The 14 inch screen device comes with a USB type-C cable and a smart-looking protective sleeve to help prevent the dreaded screen smash.
This is another portable monitor that offers a more comfortable viewing experience, as you can opt to reduce the blue light emissions.
ARZOPA 15.6 inch portable monitor
You can hook this 15.6 inch device up to your phone as well as your laptop which is ideal if you're sharing holiday snaps, or reading a recipe. Featuring a mini HDMI port and two USB-C 3.1 ports, you can play your Switch, Xbox and PS4 so it's one for gamers to consider. And if you really want to immerse yourself into the virtual world, you can make use of the 3.5mm headphone port.
Other features include 4K ultra HD picture quality, built-in dual speakers and a snazzy magnetic cover which doubles as a stand.
12.5 inch trio screen extender
This design really stands out, and functions quite differently to most traditional portable monitors on the market. Rather than sitting next to your laptop, this portable monitor fixes onto the back of your device. This lets you slide the screen out, so it's risen, and still attached to your laptop, a bit like an old slide-up mobile phone you'd find in the early 2000s.
A great pick for presentations, you can flip the additional screen around and share your work with those sitting opposite thanks to the 180 degree presentation mode.
It will work best if you've got a 13 to 14 inch laptop, and the kit comes with adhesive plates which lets you attach the portable monitor onto the back of your laptop.
Cocopar 15.6 inch portable monitor
A solid choice for travel, this portable screen weighs just 726g. Connect it to your phone and watch a film on the train, or on a flight. This portable monitor also works with Xbox and PS4, so the whole household can do as they please rather than arguing about what to have on the big screen.
ViewSonic 16 inch portable monitor
This portable monitor's versatile stand lets you switch between horizontal and vertical mode, so you can mix it up depending on the task at hand. The USB type-C connection allows for straightforward setup, and the large 16 inch screen is likely to work well for spreadsheet enthusiasts.
In terms of audio, you can plug in your headphones, or make use of the two integrated speakers.
ThinkVision M14
An incredibly light option at just 570g, this Lenovo pick is a neat portable monitor with a 14 inch screen. Smaller portable monitors are suited to those who enjoy a coffee shop setup as you're a bit more limited for table space.
This is a flexible choice with tilt angles ranging from -5 to 90 degrees and as an added bonus, there are ports on both sides so it's great for both right and left-hand users.
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