My home workstation has a 32-inch ultrawide monitor paired with a 28-inch monitor mounted vertically alongside it, which is why I feel cramped whenever I’m away from home and have to use my laptop’s cramped 13-inch screen. (I know, I know. First-world problems.) It’s just not enough space! A second monitor can improve your productivity, but that’s not really an option if you’re traveling frequently, working out of a coffee shop, or have a hybrid work role where you have to go into the office a few times a week. The answer, my friends, is a portable monitor. One of our favorites is on sale just today at Amazon.
Don’t ask me how to pronounce Innocn, but the company has discounted a few of its products just for today, one of which is the Innocn 15K1F 15.6-inch OLED portable monitor for $200 ($150 off). This monitor frequently dips to $250, but this is the lowest price we’ve ever tracked, and the deal expires today at 11:59 pm PT (2:59 am ET on September 28). I’ve been testing it for a few months and it’s pretty great. It has two USB-C ports and a Mini HDMI—if you have a laptop with a USB-C port, all you need to do is plug in a single cable to power this second monitor. Read our Work From Home Gear guide for more portable monitor picks.
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Why We Like Innocn’s Portable Monitor
Illustration: Innocn
There are a few caveats you should know about before snagging this portable monitor. First, you can use it perfectly fine with just one single USB-C cable connected from the monitor to your laptop. However, this will drain your laptop’s battery faster, and the Innocn will be restricted to around 30 percent brightness. The default brightness has been fine for me, but if you’re going to be working outside, then you can unlock additional brightness by plugging in a power source to the portable screen via the USB-C port. This will juice up your laptop at the same time, and you can max out the monitor’s brightness.
Second, the Innocn 15K1F comes with a kickstand case, but it’s … not great. The kickstand is a bit flimsy and takes up more space than needed. I recommend pairing it with a portable stand like this one from Satechi. Third, there are built-in speakers, but they don’t sound great; you should just stick with the ones from your laptop. Finally, this is a 15.6-inch screen—it’s pretty slim, but you’ll want to make sure your laptop bag has a sleeve big enough to fit it (and your laptop).
If these don’t sound like issues to you, then you’ll be quite happy with the 15K1F. It’s an OLED 60-Hz panel, so blacks are pretty deep and the colors are punchy, though I did do some fine-tuning in the picture settings. The panel has a 1,920 x 1,080-pixel resolution, which does look a little pixelated up close, but not enough to put me off. I like using it because I can fit a whole browser window and a few other apps on the massive screen, giving me a good amount of space for multitasking. I’ve also used it with my Nintendo Switch to play Super Smash Bros. while on the go.
It helps me be more productive when I’m working off a laptop. At this discounted price, that makes it a no-brainer.
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