A laptop monitor is necessary for your home office, gaming setup, or a trip with your kids. It extends your laptop screen onto another one, which has many benefits for you and your kids. But with so many options available on the market, and numerous features offered by a portable monitor, it can be difficult to choose something that will work best for you.
For this purpose, we’ve compiled a list of the best tips to follow when choosing a laptop monitor for your setup. To get an idea of what your ideal laptop monitor will look like, check out the Trio Laptop Monitor from Mobile Pixels.
Table of Contents
Quick Tips to Consider When Shopping for a Laptop Monitor
Consider the following factors when exploring your options:
Think about what you need it for
Determine what the main purpose of your laptop monitor will be. The features will look very different if you want it for gaming. For gaming, you should prioritize fast refresh rates and low response times.
If you want it for professional use, think about color accuracy, quality of display, and screen size – especially if you are a coder, photographer, or graphic designer. On the other hand, people who want to use it for general purposes have more wiggle room as they don’t have specific needs. They can opt for something that has a high-contrast VA panel.
Size
Monitors come in all shapes and sizes. In this case, it’s mostly sizing. The offerings on the market go all the way up to 16”. While getting the biggest screen possible might be tempting, you must ensure it works with your laptop and isn’t a hassle to lug around.
In addition, pixel density shapes monitor quality. The ideal PPI is 109 pixels per inch. A larger monitor has low pixel density if it has a lower resolution.
Refresh rates
When thinking about refresh rates, keep in mind that bigger is better. Refresh rates tell you the number of times your monitor updates with new information per second. It is measured in Hertz.
The higher this number is, the better, smoother, and more detailed the images on your external monitor will be.
Curved
You do not need a curved monitor. You may get tempted because they look cool and sleek, but they don’t add much to your experience for the price.
IPS screen
Choosing an IPS screen enables better viewing angles. Most external laptop monitors have IPS screens, so you may not have to consciously look for one.
Contrast ratio
Choose a monitor with a good contrast ratio – it should be at least 1000:1, giving you a good balance between black and white pixels. Keep in mind that the higher the price tag, the better the contrast ratios of the monitor.
Speakers
If you need speakers, choose a monitor that comes with built-in ones. Most external screens do not have built-in speakers.
Adjustable stand
Think about how you want to use the screen. Can you adjust it? Can it tilt forward and back? It is important to consider these aspects to ensure you have a smooth user experience.
Laptop Monitors: Thinking About Gaming
We’ve covered plenty of the requirements for professional laptop monitor setups in our other blog posts. Let’s take a brief look at what makes a good gaming setup.
Resolution
The more pixels there are, the better the picture. However, pixels can slow you down if you do not have a solid graphics card. Most video interfaces can not support refresh rates faster than 60Hz for 5K or 4K UHD signals.
It is best to choose something with a QHD 256×1449 resolution. With QHD, you get good pixel density with a finely detailed image on a 32″ monitor. Additionally, QHD is supported by decently priced graphic cards.
Competition
If you are a competitive gamer, you should prioritize speed, which means you should go for higher refresh rates like 144Hz or more. You should also go for the lowest response time and input lag.
You might have to stick to a 25″ or 27″ screen and consciously choose lower pixel density without HDR. The lowest response rate is 75Hz. Using the information in this guide you can now make the best possible decision for yourself!
