These four portable monitors are on sale for Prime Day: G...

Innocn, Arzopa, Veout, and WGK portable monitors — Portable monitors from Innocn, Arzopa, Veout, and WGK are all on sale, ranging from $39 to $153. (Image credit: Innocn, Arzopa, Veout, WGK, Amazon)

If you ever travel with your laptop, want to game on a console in places where you don't have access to a TV, or just want a second (or third) screen for your desk, a portable monitor is a must-have. And with many screens at all-time lows, veering into impulse-buy territory (this 15-inch model is incredibly $39), there's never been a better time to pick one up.

But how do you know what to buy when there are dozens of brands (especially on the low end) that you've probably never heard of (I haven't, and I've covered tech for 20 years)? Below are a few quick portable monitor shopping tips, followed by four of our favorite current deals.

LCD, IPS, or OLED? OLED is the best in terms of color saturation and deep blacks, but it costs much more. IPS has better viewing angles than lesser screen technologies, and is becoming the standard even on budget screens. So you should stick to IPS or OLED at this point.
Get a monitor with a kickstand. Most portable monitors still have floppy folding covers that double as stands. I've had a screen with one for years and it's awful. A rigid kickstand that's attached to the back and swings out will make you want to use your monitor more often and in more places. All of our deal picks below have kickstands.
Pay attention to brightness. This spec is often buried on product pages, but it matters a lot, especially if you use the monitor in bright spaces. If using it with your laptop, try and get something that is close to the brightness of that screen. You don't want a washed-out second display.
Get a cover or sleeve. Since these screens have a kickstand, they likely don't come with a protective cover. But you'll certainly one something to at least protect the screen while traveling. So budget in some extra money to protect your second-screen investment.

Productivity pick: Veout VE-1 16-inch portable monitor

The VE-1 isn't the cheapest deal of this bunch, but I'd argue it's the biggest bargain. It's a little larger than most, thanks to its 16:10 display, which also gives it more pixels for getting work done. It's also rated to 300 nits of brightness and is slim and light for travel. It also comes in different colors for a few dollars more. I like this deal so much that I bought one in late 2024 to replace my aging portable monitor from 2018.

Better for movies and games: Arzopa A1 15.6-inch portable monitor

This glossy FHD model is better for movie watching and games, as it's 16:9 and has a glossy screen. I couldn't find a brightness spec for the A1, but most of the over 1,100 reviews on Amazon seem to be happy with its brightness. It's also light at just 1.6 pounds.

The sub-$40 budget king: WGK W156F1

This screen has a few things going for it, other than its shockingly low price. It has a kickstand and VESA mounts so you can attach it to an arm. It also sports a matte screen, which is better for work and for use under bright lights. Don't believe the spurious claims of HDR and surround sound from the tiny speakers. But for the price, this portable screen is a steal.

The OLED champ: Innocn 15A1F

Yes, the Innocn 15K1F is more than $100 more expensive than some other deals here. But it's also OLED, for deep blacks and vibrant colors, with a rated 400-nits of brightness that puts it ahead of most portable monitor competition.

If you're a photo or video editor on the go or you just want a screen that will look good next to your laptop's OLED display, which also doesn't cost a lot, this is one of the best options we've seen so far this Prime Day. The main downside seems to be that this model lacks a kickstand, so you'll have to use the included wrap-around sleeve as a stand, and those tend to be fiddly or flimsy (and sometimes both).

More Prime Day Tech Deals

After a rough start with the Mattel Aquarius as a child, Matt built his first PC in the late 1990s and ventured into mild PC modding in the early 2000s. He’s spent the last 15 years covering emerging technology for Smithsonian, Popular Science, and Consumer Reports, while testing components and PCs for Computer Shopper, PCMag and Digital Trends.

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