This $130 portable monitor made my $1,000 Dell look ancient

For the longest time, I used two 24-inch displays as my main desktop setup. When these two displays died an premature demise, I opted to half methods with my typical setup and go together with a 34-inch curved Dell show, which price me roughly $1,000 and has served me properly for fairly a while.

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However, even with 34 inches of display actual property, my workflow tends to require a second monitor. And slapping two 34-inch displays on my desk is not precisely a viable resolution (particularly given I’ve two bookshelf audio system on my desk).

Recently, I used to be despatched a 16.1-inch portable monitor to overview, so I linked the Hongo 144Hz portable gaming monitor alongside my Dell and was left pleasantly stunned by the sheer visuals given how comparatively inexpensive the factor was.

ZDNET Recommends

Hongo 16.1-inch Portable Gaming Monitor

This portable gaming monitor can serve a number of purposes and does so with a bright and crisp display and a relatively affordable price.

Not only has the extra screen made a huge difference, but the monitor is a significant improvement over what past portable monitors I’ve used. It’s clearer, brighter, and less prone to flicker than my portable monitor of the past. In fact, the Hongo monitor is considerably brighter than my Dell 34-inch, which, again, was nearly $1,000.

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The difference is quite stark, with the whites on the Hongo being crisper and more pronounced than the Dell. To be fair, the Dell monitor is at least seven years old, so it makes sense that a new monitor (especially one geared toward gaming) would be brighter. 

The specs

Enough with the small talk, let’s take a look at the specs for the Hongo portable gaming monitor.

• 16.1″ 144Hz refresh fee
• 1080P FHD with HDR and FreeSync
• 0.2″ thick and only 1.3 lbs.
• Works with Linux, MacOS, Windows, Steam Deck, Switch, Xbox, PS5, iOS, and Android.
• Can easily switch between horizontal and vertical modes (must be supported by your OS).
• Built-in speakers.
• Two USB-Type C connectors.
• One micro USB connector
• One mini HDMI connector.
• One 3.5mm headphone jack.
• Includes a foldable cover that doubles as a stand, two USB-Type C cables, an HDMI-to-mini-HDMI cable, and a power brick.

One thing to keep in mind is that the HDMI connector cannot provide power to the display. For that, you must use one of the USB-Type C connectors.

I’ve tried the Hongo portable gaming monitor in each panorama and portrait orientation (on Ubuntu Budgie) and it really works to perfection. I want panorama mode, however largely due to cable routing. Either method you flip the show, it really works nice as a secondary monitor.

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I opted to forgo the included stand and use an previous, low-profile cellphone stand I had sitting round. This configuration permits me to put the portable monitor very near my main monitor, so I can simply see what’s occurring on each shows.

I additionally linked the Hongo show to my Nintendo Switch (by way of the USB Type-C cable) and it labored completely. My check was with the sport Hollow Knight. Although the audio system do sound a bit tinny, you possibly can at all times join a pair of headphones for higher sound.

ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation

You’d be hard-pressed to discover a higher portable (or secondary) monitor for the value. The Hongo is brilliant, crisp, and simply arrange to make use of in nearly any configuration you would possibly want. 

If you are trying to simplify your desktop workflow (and don’t need two massive displays at your desk) otherwise you desire a portable monitor that may be linked to varied forms of units, the Hongo portable gaming monitor is likely to be simply what you want.