Wantex: Portable computer monitor for big screen real estate.
March 14, 2019 7:03 AM Subscribe
WANTED: Very thin, portable approx. 24” HDMI computer monitor with flat-folding stand for travel.
There are lots of LCD/LED portable computer monitors out there aimed at gamers or people who want to have a bit more screen real estate. We travel and want to do work on a bigger screen while on the road in hotel rooms etc. I’d thus like something different that may not be explicitly described as “portable” : a THIN, approximately 24” monitor that we can fit inside a carry on roller bag, and use to take to work on the road. Can be powered from an outlet (i.e. doesn’t need to be USB-C or battery!) must have a sturdy-ish (ideally - adjustable!) stand that easily detaches and folds flat-ish, and have HDMI input, and have a reasonable color reproduction. We don’t need a high refresh rate for gaming. We don't need sound.
Does anyone know of such a monitor?
There are lots of LCD/LED portable computer monitors out there aimed at gamers or people who want to have a bit more screen real estate. We travel and want to do work on a bigger screen while on the road in hotel rooms etc. I’d thus like something different that may not be explicitly described as “portable” : a THIN, approximately 24” monitor that we can fit inside a carry on roller bag, and use to take to work on the road. Can be powered from an outlet (i.e. doesn’t need to be USB-C or battery!) must have a sturdy-ish (ideally - adjustable!) stand that easily detaches and folds flat-ish, and have HDMI input, and have a reasonable color reproduction. We don’t need a high refresh rate for gaming. We don't need sound.
Does anyone know of such a monitor?
Thin tends to be not very rugged. How often are you forced to gate check your bag?
Some of the people I know that travel often have started using the hotel room TV as an external monitor.
posted by Candleman at 8:46 AM on March 14, 2019 [1 favorite]
Some of the people I know that travel often have started using the hotel room TV as an external monitor.
posted by Candleman at 8:46 AM on March 14, 2019 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: An update: we might travel 3-6 times a year? Never have had to gate-check.
But we also want to use this as a spare monitor for home (in case both of us want to work from home on bigscreen projects - both of us only have laptops as our computers) that is thin and easy to put away.
posted by lalochezia at 8:52 AM on March 14, 2019
But we also want to use this as a spare monitor for home (in case both of us want to work from home on bigscreen projects - both of us only have laptops as our computers) that is thin and easy to put away.
posted by lalochezia at 8:52 AM on March 14, 2019
We own and love multiple of these laptop stands. If you want a higher, more comfortable screen and you're okay with it being laptop sized, that plus a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse will almost certainly be cheaper and more durable than a portable monitor.
posted by bagel at 9:30 AM on March 14, 2019
posted by bagel at 9:30 AM on March 14, 2019
I do this when I travel for work (by car, though) with a TV from Costco, which I transport in its original box and styrofoam inserts, which are drop-tested to take a decent impact. I've never found one with an "easily removable" stand - I keep a dollar store screwdriver in the box.
The monitor I'm on right now is one of those, a Samsung 28". It's light enough to pick up with one hand and carry under one arm.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:52 AM on March 14, 2019 [1 favorite]
The monitor I'm on right now is one of those, a Samsung 28". It's light enough to pick up with one hand and carry under one arm.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:52 AM on March 14, 2019 [1 favorite]
There are apps that let you use an iPad or Android tablet as a second monitor. It's not the big monitor you're looking for, but it would get you more screen real estate in a portable form factor.
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 10:15 AM on March 14, 2019
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 10:15 AM on March 14, 2019
Well - if you don't actually find a monitor/TV with a quick-release stand - you could just opt for a normal one, and then get a Pelican hardshell case designed for a monitor with a stand - pretty bulky though. (And pricy... you could buy several monitors for the cost of the case alone, yikes...)
posted by jkaczor at 10:20 AM on March 14, 2019
posted by jkaczor at 10:20 AM on March 14, 2019
I recently replaced my old work iMac with a MacBook Air plus an external monitor. I went for an LG 27" UHD monitor (the 27UK850) because I wanted both USB-C and 4K, but it is very compact for that screen size and has a detachable stand that breaks into a C-shaped 'foot' and a vertical tube with a plate that attaches to the monitor.
I also got Gator's Small Padded LCD Transport Bag. Despite being described as being for monitors up to 24", the LG 27UK840 fits into it perfectly and its outer pocket holds the monitor power supply, cables and the stand base (the rear tube hangs through one of the side handles). I've used it to take the monitor with me this week whilst I've been away on a course and it worked very well. The Gator isn't a hard case as such, but it has about an inch of dense foam padding either side of the screen and a build in anti-impact shield on one side and although I wouldn't trust it to checked baggage it seems robust enough to cope with routine travel.
posted by Major Clanger at 2:46 PM on March 14, 2019
I also got Gator's Small Padded LCD Transport Bag. Despite being described as being for monitors up to 24", the LG 27UK840 fits into it perfectly and its outer pocket holds the monitor power supply, cables and the stand base (the rear tube hangs through one of the side handles). I've used it to take the monitor with me this week whilst I've been away on a course and it worked very well. The Gator isn't a hard case as such, but it has about an inch of dense foam padding either side of the screen and a build in anti-impact shield on one side and although I wouldn't trust it to checked baggage it seems robust enough to cope with routine travel.
posted by Major Clanger at 2:46 PM on March 14, 2019
I see Costco has a ludicrously cheap LG 24 inch monitor at $90. You could just transport that in its original box.
posted by w0mbat at 12:53 PM on March 15, 2019
posted by w0mbat at 12:53 PM on March 15, 2019
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by tman99 at 8:05 AM on March 14, 2019 [1 favorite]