I have spent more time in cars than I care to admit. My family used to travel every single weekend across the country to a variety of different tournaments. I used to dread sitting in the back of the station wagon for hours on end – staring out the window at trees passing by.
A brief respite came when my brother bought a Gameboy, but Tetris only held my heart for so long. I need a bigger screen. Yeah, my phone is okay but it usually gives me neck problems in the car. I’ve recently heard Portable monitors are improving with minimal lag so I decided to test one out on a recent road trip around Chicago. In this case I got my hands on the new AOPEN 16PMQ6QT. It is a 15.6 inch monitor that is incredibly thin and lightweight.
I took the AOPEN on a few trips and enjoyed my time with it. I was able to connect it directly to my phone or laptop with a USB C port. On my phone (Note) I simply used the charging port and connected directly to the monitor. My screen displayed without any troubleshooting. I just connect the USB C port into both screens and it displays.
It is fantastic to be able to watch a movie or sporting event in the car without squinting at a small screen. Quality wasn’t quite on par with the phone using 4G and minor pixelation occurs, but with a good signal I don’t see deterioration. This is probably more noticeable because it is a bigger screen. Don’t be mistaken – the connection display itself is gorgeous full HD (1920×1080). The pixelation occurs while trying to connect my phone and stream only.
I do have to plug the monitor in on trips to get a bright screen. The screen can run off some device power, but it dims itself and powers off everytime I try to adjust the brightness. It is clear the device should remain plugged in. The monitor itself, however, is near perfectly balanced, and I found it comfortably sitting in my lap on trips. Its ultra-thin profile allows me to slip it into my laptop bag right along with my laptop itself.
The monitor performs adequately for my personal uses. There are no issues using it for pictures, documents and basic functionality. It looks great and it’s a good companion. I love the 10 point touch screen which allows me to access docs and apps with ease. Where I am slightly more impressed is its ability to handle connecting to my phone for gaming. I tested the monitor playing Madden from my phone on Xbox Gamepass.
I did notice a very minor delay in response time connecting this way. Keep in mind Gamepass requires an Internet connection and games can be played from the cloud. It is hard to know if the slight delay is due to controller input lag (connected to my phone via bluetooth) or due to the monitor response time. I am sure it is a combo of both.
AOPEN advertises the monitor as a great option for a big screen for your Nintendo Switch. I didn’t get to test this for myself, but I think the lag time would be non-existent due to a direct connection and no need for internet cloud based gaming.
This monitor shines as a portable companion to a phone or laptop. I see myself using it often, especially on trips. I don’t see myself using it much at home though. I do have a host of monitors in my basement, so there really isn’t a need for me.
I would really like to see this monitor with a great battery. If AOPEN can find a way to keep this model slim and offer battery power, I’m fully on board. For now, it is a cool gadget with a beautiful large screen that enhances trips.
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