9 Ways a Portable Monitor Supercharges Your Laptop

March 27, 2024 yamarisjohnson

Have you found yourself wishing for more screen real estate while working from your laptop at home or on the road? A portable monitor is the perfect solution for expanding your mobile workspace without the bulk of a full-sized secondary display.

While laptops offer flexibility and mobility unmatched by desktop computers, their relatively small screens can feel constraining after prolonged use. You’ve probably noticed your productivity and comfort level take a hit as eye strain, scrolling, and window-switching add up over the course of a workday. The best portable monitor alleviates these issues by adding an extra-high-definition display that is lightweight, compact, and easily transported alongside your laptop.

In this blog, we’ll explore 10 ways a portable monitor complements your laptop for increased productivity anywhere life takes you.

1. Expand Your Viewing Area for Comfort and Focus

One of the biggest advantages of using the best portable monitor for a laptop is the ability to spread out your workspace across dual screens. No longer will you feel constrained by a single 13-inch or 15-inch laptop display; you’ll gain an additional 12 to 15 inches of screen real estate with a portable monitor. This allows you to keep multiple applications, windows, and documents in view simultaneously instead of constantly minimizing and maximizing. The expanded view improves focus and reduces unnecessary movements between screens.

2. Leave Your Laptop Closed for All-Day Comfort

On days where you’ll be working for many hours straight, you may find it more comfortable to leave your laptop closed and use the portable monitor as your primary display. This upright positioning is easier on your neck and back compared to hunching over a laptop. It also keeps your laptop’s keyboard out of the way if you need the full desk surface. Simply connect your portable monitor to your laptop via USB-C or HDMI and you have an ergonomic dual-screen setup without opening your laptop lid.

3. View Content from the Couch or Bed

There are several benefits to using your large portable monitor while relaxing on the couch or in bed:

You can get comfortable with pillows and blankets supporting your back instead of an office chair. This allows you to work or relax for longer periods of time.

Position the portable monitor at the perfect angle on the coffee table, right in front of the couch. Find the most ergonomic setup without straining your neck.

Binge watch your favorite shows on a bigger screen without squinting at your laptop. Lay back and fully immerse yourself in the content.

Catch up on emails, documents, or online learning from bed without holding up your laptop all night. Prop it up comfortably on a stack of pillows.

Enjoy movies or gaming on a larger display without being tied to a desk. Sprawl out and get cozy under blankets for the full home theater experience.

Use the large portable monitor as a second screen to browse recipes in the kitchen without dragging your laptop back and forth. Keep an eye on steps from a safe distance.

Catch up on audiobooks, podcasts, or music by displaying scrolling lyrics or artwork on the portable monitor. Glance over for visual stimulation.

Give presentations wirelessly to clients or supervisors from the comfort of your couch. Use the portable monitor as an external display without crowding around a laptop.

Take business calls anywhere at home while multitasking on other apps visible on the portable monitor. Find your most productive environment.

So in summary, a portable monitor lets you get comfortable while working or relaxing in any room without compromising productivity or the enjoyment of content.

4. Keep Working during Charging with Portable Power

One downside of relying solely on a laptop is that you eventually have to stop working once its battery runs low. With the best portable monitor, you have the option to continue using the external display even while your laptop charges its battery. Many portable monitors come with their own built-in battery that provides power for several hours, keeping your dual-screen setup running strong. An integrated power bank lets you work uninterrupted and take calls from anywhere in your home or even outdoors.

5. Enhance Your Gaming Experience Beyond a Laptop

While gaming capabilities on laptops have improved tremendously, their displays still can’t compare to a large desktop monitor. By connecting your laptop to a portable monitor, you expand its screen real estate for more immersive gaming without being tied to one location. Its higher resolution also provides sharper, smoother graphics than your laptop alone. Take your portable monitor anywhere—from your bedroom to a friend’s house—to enjoy games, movies, and shows on a bigger canvas.

6. Keep an Eye on System Processes While Working

When tackling intensive tasks like video editing, photo manipulation, or coding projects, it’s useful to monitor your system’s performance and processes. The best travel monitor lets you dedicate its full-screen view to system monitoring tools like Task Manager without interrupting your workflow on the primary display. This way, you can easily see CPU, memory, disk, and network usage in real-time to optimize your projects and troubleshoot issues.

7. Display Work on the Go for Clients and Colleagues

Portable monitors are also handy for collaborating with clients, colleagues, and supervisors on the move. Bring your portable monitor along to client meetings or coworking spaces to display your work-in-progress on a larger scale than your laptop alone. Its portability means you don’t need access to a full desktop setup. Simply connect the monitor to your laptop and walk through projects, presentations, and spreadsheets together on the spot.

8. Teach and Present Wirelessly from Anywhere

Portable monitors are a boon for educators, trainers and presenters who find themselves teaching both in-person and virtually. While on the go, you can use your portable monitor to deliver wireless presentations directly from your laptop. Connect to the portable monitor via WiFi for a bigger canvas free of wires and cables. Its small footprint also means you can easily transport your dual-screen setup between classrooms, conference rooms and other venues.

9. Switch between Devices for Ultimate Flexibility

Unlike fixed desktop monitors, large portable monitors let you switch video sources on the fly. Connect to your laptop for work but seamlessly switch over to a smartphone or tablet during breaks. Some portable monitors even support multiple simultaneous connections over HDMI, USB-C, and wireless options. This level of flexibility is invaluable for environments that require switching between personal and work devices frequently throughout the day.

In Summary

A portable monitor takes the mobility of your laptop to the next level by expanding its screen real estate wherever you need it. Dual screens boost productivity, comfort and focus, whether you’re working from home or on the go. So don’t limit yourself to your laptop’s single display. Invest in a portable monitor to maximize your mobile workspace, no matter where life’s adventures take you.