Recommend a portable/travel external monitor

[boilerhorn 1237]

My work PC is a "corporate standard-issue" Lenovo ThinkPad X13 Gen 1.  As a laptop, it is kinda crappy.  Mediocre keyboard; 1920x1080; etc.  Add a decent monitor and it is suitable (not great) as a PC.

Need to work remote for a couple of weeks and was curious for a portable - one I can also throw in my backpack - monitor.

Wirecutter has some recs: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-portable-monitor/

Another option is "go buy a good one at BestBuy and return it the day before I leave" but that's unethical, IMO.

Thoughts and/or experience here?  

Getting a good laptop is an option, but my remote work timeline is more immediate.

[thunderlounge 7581]

How about a small projector and screen?

Cheap, especially just hd, and would work well enough.  Small travel screen, and you would be in good enough shape.

If working from a hotel, plug it into the tv. 

[Handcruser 2799]

My work PC is a "corporate standard-issue" Lenovo ThinkPad X13 Gen 1. 

Gross.

Ive got a Dell that has about a 45 minute battery life. IT has a new M3 Pro on order for me so after this trip I’ll be cookin’.

[Prepuce of Doom 20856]

My work-issued laptop is smaller than I prefer, with a monitor that is too small to comfortably split in half with two simultaneous windows.

I bought this last summer and am pretty pleased with it. I could be wrong, but I think it was recommended by Wirecutter. 

Edited February 5 by Prepuce of Doom

[immamac 41336]

10 hours ago, boilerhorn said:

My work PC is a "corporate standard-issue" Lenovo ThinkPad X13 Gen 1.  As a laptop, it is kinda crappy.  Mediocre keyboard; 1920x1080; etc.  Add a decent monitor and it is suitable (not great) as a PC.

Need to work remote for a couple of weeks and was curious for a portable - one I can also throw in my backpack - monitor.

Wirecutter has some recs: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-portable-monitor/

Another option is "go buy a good one at BestBuy and return it the day before I leave" but that's unethical, IMO.

Thoughts and/or experience here?  

Getting a good laptop is an option, but my remote work timeline is more immediate.

I’d stick to know brand monitors if you care about the extra features like if it has a hub attached to it etc. if it’s just a screen pretty much all of them are going to be the same panels and it’s a completely commoditized tech so you can just go to your favorite retail/e-tail place and buy what you think is right based on dimensions and portability/use case.

[elfenix 34000]

i have no idea how anyone can do anything on a 1080p(easant) screen.  i got fed up with that bullshit at the office (2x 1080p) and bought a 32" 4k LG with a built in USB-C hub with 60W PD.  one cable from the screen to the laptop in a scissor stand sitting next to it is the goddamn future.  leave a chrome window with teams, outlook, and the firm management software in tabs on the laptop, and then get actual work done on the LG. 

 

/tangent

Edited February 5 by elfenix

[MonkeyDoughnut 9944]

On 2/5/2024 at 12:20 AM, elfenix said:

i have no idea how anyone can do anything on a 1080p(easant) screen.  i got fed up with that bullshit at the office (2x 1080p) and bought a 32" 4k LG with a built in USB-C hub with 60W PD.  one cable from the screen to the laptop in a scissor stand sitting next to it is the goddamn future.  leave a chrome window with teams, outlook, and the firm management software in tabs on the laptop, and then get actual work done on the LG. 

 

/tangent

Same was side by side 30"....hated it... Went to 43" Dell...can't go back

[thunderlounge 7581]

10 hours ago, MonkeyDoughnut said:

Same was side by side 30"....hated it... Went to 43" Dell...can't go back

Same. Have 2 43” in the center, and a 40” on the left and right, on a U-shaped desk. Also a soundbar (hooked to the right side 40”) over the center, woofer over in the corner. 

[immamac 41336]

15 minutes ago, thunderlounge said:

Same. Have 2 43” in the center, and a 40” on the left and right, on a U-shaped desk. Also a soundbar (hooked to the right side 40”) over the center, woofer over in the corner. 

You have 4 monitors? 

[TexEx15 16784]

48 minutes ago, thunderlounge said:

Same. Have 2 43” in the center, and a 40” on the left and right, on a U-shaped desk. Also a soundbar (hooked to the right side 40”) over the center, woofer over in the corner. 

Pics?

[52-80 18962]

6 hours ago, thunderlounge said:

Same. Have 2 43” in the center, and a 40” on the left and right, on a U-shaped desk. Also a soundbar (hooked to the right side 40”) over the center, woofer over in the corner. 

this motherfucker is living in the matrix right here

[52-80 18962]

immacmac's cave.  1 for each forum and 3 for the porno

[MonkeyDoughnut 9944]

9 hours ago, thunderlounge said:

Same. Have 2 43” in the center, and a 40” on the left and right, on a U-shaped desk. Also a soundbar (hooked to the right side 40”) over the center, woofer over in the corner. 

Trader?

[thunderlounge 7581]

11 hours ago, immamac said:

You have 4 monitors? 

 

Yes.

 

10 hours ago, TexEx15 said:

Pics?

I'll grab one later today, once there isn't a bunch of shit on my desk.

 

 

[thunderlounge 7581]

Here's one from right after I got them set and turned on. Mind the mess. This is before I moved the original keyboard tray from the corner to the right side, and added another one center side.

 

 

 

 

And I did take one yesterday as well.

 

 

[Parliament 13979]

That’s awesome.  Other than porn, what do you guys do on those things?

[thunderlounge 7581]

For my setup:

Left : Roku/Switch

Center: Work machine (email/chat/etc left side, IDE/VM’s/etc on the right)

Right: My Mac Studio (which is why the soundbar is hooked up to that one.

 

[C-Man 26535]

7 hours ago, thunderlounge said:

Here's one from right after I got them set and turned on. Mind the mess. This is before I moved the original keyboard tray from the corner to the right side, and added another one center side.

 

 

 

 

And I did take one yesterday as well.

 

 

You know if you got rid of that globe, you'd have room for a fifth monitor

[thunderlounge 7581]

I think I’ll keep it.

 

[gsoda3 3187]

My work-issued laptop is smaller than I prefer, with a monitor that is too small to comfortably split in half with two simultaneous windows.
I bought this last summer and am pretty pleased with it. I could be wrong, but I think it was recommended by Wirecutter. 

There are a whole bunch of no name knockoffs on Amazon that work just as well. I have 4 monitors each at home and at the office. When I'm traveling I use my laptop and extend my screen on to one of these knockoff travel monitors. They're adequate, I've been using them for a few years now.

[BearSchlong 7963]

What Dell or other model 43” monitors have the best resolution for text? And are they flat or curved?

[MonkeyDoughnut 9944]

4 hours ago, BearSchlong said:

What Dell or other model 43” monitors have the best resolution for text? And are they flat or curved?

I've got the Dell and its great. It's flat.  I tried a few others that were larger, up to 50" both flat and curved and found 43" was the sweet spot, anything larger and it didn't "feel right".  Sides were an issue and too much head movement going on.

[Deej 76080]

On 2/7/2024 at 3:44 AM, 52-80 said:

immacmac's cave.  1 for each forum and 3 for the porno

Don't forget the one dedicated to the sex tent cam. 

[HiggyBaby 2489]

On 2/4/2024 at 11:15 AM, boilerhorn said:

 

 

Another option is "go buy a good one at BestBuy and return it the day before I leave" but that's unethical, IMO.

 

The correct answer is buy it, return it, then come back and buy it again on Open Box. And then return it.

[immamac 41336]

On 2/4/2024 at 11:15 AM, boilerhorn said:

My work PC is a "corporate standard-issue" Lenovo ThinkPad X13 Gen 1.  As a laptop, it is kinda crappy.  Mediocre keyboard; 1920x1080; etc.  Add a decent monitor and it is suitable (not great) as a PC.

Need to work remote for a couple of weeks and was curious for a portable - one I can also throw in my backpack - monitor.

Wirecutter has some recs: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-portable-monitor/

Another option is "go buy a good one at BestBuy and return it the day before I leave" but that's unethical, IMO.

Thoughts and/or experience here?  

Getting a good laptop is an option, but my remote work timeline is more immediate.

update on what you ended up doing?