As a video editor, I often work on different locations, sets, and offices. And at every one of these places, I need to make sure my portable monitor for video editing delivers. Here are the critical specs to look for when shopping for a new portable monitor or second screen:
- Color accuracy: Wide color gamut (100% sRGB, AdobeRGB, DCI-P3, or ideally all three), good factory calibration, 10-bit panels if available.
- Resolution: At least Full HD (1920×1080) for crisp text and images, but 4K (3840×2160) panels are a huge benefit for checking fine detail and previewing output at target quality.
- Brightness & HDR support: To work in diverse lighting conditions (indoors, on set, and out in the field), high brightness (400-600 nits+) and HDR support are very useful.
- Portability & build: Lightweight, thin bezels, sturdy stand/case, USB-C power/data, and ideally low input lag.
- Connectivity: USB-C (w/ power delivery), HDMI, DisplayPort; sometimes mini-DP; best to have multiple inputs or daisy-chaining support.
- Extra features: Touch screen or stylus input, 120Hz refresh rate (if doing animations or slow motion editing), wide viewing angles (IPS, OLED, etc. ), anti-glare or low reflection surface.
Portable Monitors | Recommend for Video Editors
Below are ten models of portable monitors for video editors that I consider excellent for the job, and rank them for different use cases. I also compare some of my favorite brands, like ASUS, Dell, Lenovo, UPERFECT, and others, to help you narrow down your options.
Top 10 Portable Monitors for Video Editors
1. UPERFECT 16-inch 4K Sunlight Readable Monitor
For editing in bright sunlight or other very well-lit environments where glare and reflections are a major issue, this model from UPERFECT is a perfect choice. It gives you 4K resolution on a 16″ panel, with great color gamut, factory calibration, and outstanding brightness. If you’re editing video on the go or need an accurate external color reference monitor for the field, it can help.
Furthermore, if sometimes you need a touchscreen monitor for more interactive editing processes, gesture based controls, or drawing on overlays, check out the touchscreen monitors from UPERFECT. They have several portable models with high resolution, which also support multi-touch. To browse the whole range, click on bold: URL-2 in the same paragraph and it will take you to their collection of touch screen monitor models. In the meantime, if you need to squeeze more display real estate out of your laptop, a portable monitor for laptop from UPERFECT is a way to do it and make your life easier. Check out what’s available and what fits your needs here, by clicking bold: URL-3 and browsing their portable monitor for laptop models.
As I mentioned before, in very bright light, most screens are useless. However, UPERFECT’s sunlight viewable monitor is a model specifically designed to help. It features a brighter panel, an anti-glare matte coating, higher contrast, and helps reduce reflections, so you can still see detail without chasing the glare away.
Pros: 4K clarity, great daylight readability, excellent color.
Cons: Bigger and heavier than typical 15- or 13-inch portable monitors, higher power consumption.
2. ASUS ProArt PA148CTV
ASUS’s ProArt series has been very popular among video and film professionals. The PA148CTV is a 14″ 1080p portable monitor with 100% sRGB coverage, out-of-the-box color calibrated, and a built in stand for on-the-go viewing. It also supports stylus input for precision editing. Best for graphic designers and video editors who also do color grading, this screen provides an extra level of precision. Playback lag is nearly non-existent and the panel is bright enough for indoor work. Downsides include not being 4K, having fewer inputs, and it’s not as bright in sunlight as the UPERFECT 16-inch.
3. Dell UltraSharp UP2720Q
The Dell UltraSharp UP2720Q is a 27″ 4K ultra portable monitor that pushes the limits of professional color accuracy, with a built in Calman colorimeter. It’s also DisplayHDR 400 certified, has premium connectivity options, and is built for pro color critical workflows. The display has excellent brightness and contrast indoors; it’s only limitations are that it’s not super portable and it’s on the pricier side. If you want the very best and expect to work from the studio side a lot, it’s one of the best choices.
4. Lenovo ThinkVision M14t
Lenovo has a 14″ portable monitor with touch screen support that folds flat and is very travel friendly. The ThinkVision M14t also comes with stylus support, color profiling, and USB-C power/data. It’s at a sweet spot of compactness and screen space, although the touch response and low lag are also useful. Brightness is good at 300 nits, so it’s fine indoors; however, it isn’t great in direct sunlight, so this is less ideal for outdoor shoots without shade. Touch input is an advantage, so it’s one of my best portable touch screen monitors picks.
5. Gechic 1503H
Gechic has a line of more rugged or industrial grade portable monitors. The 1503H is a 15.6″ 1080p IPS portable monitor with good color accuracy, a multi-input array (HDMI and mini-DisplayPort), and a sturdy feel. It’s not 4K, but is more stable and reliable, lighter weight, and also easy to carry.
6. SideTrak Swivel
SideTrak Swivel has an interesting solution that works like a secondary screen, but straps to your laptop lid. You can rotate between portrait or landscape orientation, and use it as a free-standing monitor when needed. It’s a tradeoff, since maximum resolution is usually 1080p or below. Color accuracy is decent, but would probably need calibration. It’s also not as bright as most of the top 4K portable monitors, so outdoors or in direct sunlight it’s more limited. But for editors who travel frequently and need portable monitor for laptop or to simply add some screen space, this one is hard to beat for convenience.
7. HP Z27s (Portable)
HP Z27s is more of a fixed external monitor that you set up at your desk. However, if you look around, some newer portable style HP Z-series models begin to enter the realm of transportability. With a focus on color accuracy, factory calibration, professional inputs, and a color gamut that supports AdobeRGB, if you edit indoors or in controlled lighting it will serve well. Don’t expect extreme portability, though; this monitor is on the heavy and bulky side vs. a typical portable monitor for laptop.
8. ViewSonic VG1655-2K
ViewSonic has a portable monitor called VG1655-2K that sports a 2K resolution (2560×1620) on a 15.6″ screen. It’s better for work that needs detailed viewing and image clarity, so it’s sharper than basic 1080p. Many have USB-C with power delivery too. Color gamut is good, it’s well built, and it fits between mid-range and pro in terms of capabilities. Cons are that brightness is just average, so it’s not as usable in bright outdoor environments.
9. BenQ PD2500Q
BenQ has a line of portable monitors in the PD series that are known for design work, and video editing too. The PD2500Q is a 25″ display, so it’s more of a desktop monitor. But they also have some smaller portable PD-style monitors with the same standards for calibration and color. If your use of “portable” is more likely to be within a studio or going between home and office, they offer great value and performance for pros, especially for color consistency and calibration tools.
10. LG UltraFine or Gram+ Portable
LG has also made some portable models of their UltraFine displays and Gram+adjacent monitors that are really thin and light. If you want the lightest possible weight and can trade off some of the max brightness or HDR, then these are good options. They are very easy to carry around, give you excellent pixel density, and connect via USB-C too. But for HDR work, or editing in bright ambient light, you’d have to see how high their nit levels are first.
Brand Comparison and Final Thoughts
Here is a quick look at some strengths and tradeoffs:
- UPERFECT has done an especially good job of making portable monitors that you can actually use in bright light. The screens are 4K, some have touch or non-touch options, and are weatherproof. If you edit on location or need a sunlight viewable monitor, the sunlight viewable monitor from UPERFECT gets you what most other portable monitors cannot in direct sunlight.
- ASUS ProArt offers a great value for doing color work. They also have a host of ProArt calibration tools and wider color gamut coverage.
- Dell UltraSharp tends to have better options for studio side workflows where you care more about color accuracy, professional inputs, HDR and you don’t need as much portability.
- Lenovo and ViewSonic have good mid-range portable monitors that are on the lighter side, so transportability is best. But their panels aren’t as bright, and HDR is not as deep, either.
- BenQ is great for working to a precise color standard, especially if you have hardware calibration. BenQ gives you very good value, so it’s ideal for editors who work more indoors.
- LG, Gechic, SideTrak, etc. fill more niche roles, like ultra-lightweight, specialized form factors, or specific kinds of input and orientation flexibility.
Asking Yourself the Right Questions
Here are the most important questions to ask yourself when looking at the top 10 models above, to find the best one for you:
Where will you be editing most often: Studio, home, outdoors, on set, location? If that’s often outdoors or bright environments, then emphasize brightness, anti-glare glass, or matte surfaces (e.g. the UPERFECT sunlight viewable one above).
Resolution: What level of resolution do you need? If you edit 4K video, having a 4K monitor will help you see true framing and detail. For HD or editing on the fly, 1080p is enough.
Touch or stylus: Do you need to draw, annotate, or want more interactive control over the screen? Then the ThinkVision M14t or one of touch screen monitor from UPERFECT can make a difference.
Color-critical output: Do you need to worry about matching color-accurate output? Then you should look for factory calibration, high gamut (AdobeRGB, DCI-P3), panel uniformity, and possibly a built in colorimeter (Dell UP2720Q, some BenQ models).
Power and connectivity: Power consumption? USB-C power delivery makes cables simpler, which is good; you want to carry the fewest adapters possible. And check your laptop or power banks can actually deliver the right wattage to power it.
UPERFECT models worth special mention
As promised, UPERFECT deserves its own special mention for several reasons:
- They have models that are sunlight readable (see the sunlight viewable monitor link above) to help you see the screen when the sun is out. Very few portable monitors do that.
- They also have touchscreen monitor models for touchscreen input, and sometimes stylus support, which greatly expands your workflow possibilities.
- UPERFECT also has a selection of portable monitor for laptop models that are extensive; you can find matching screen sizes, resolutions, and feature sets for your machine and editing setup.
Choosing a UPERFECT monitor along with other premium brands from above gives you access to features you may pay a premium for elsewhere, or just not get. For video editors who work in the field or have to deal with variable lighting, those high-brightness and glare resisting panels are game changing.
Conclusion
To select the right portable monitor for video editing, there are tradeoffs between portability, brightness, resolution, and color accuracy to make. Of the top 10 portable monitors for video editors above, here’s a quick suggested mapping:
For editing outdoors or on location with bright sunlight, get something like the UPERFECT 16-inch 4K sunlight readable monitor.
For graphic design work or color critical editing on the studio side, the Dell UltraSharp UP2720Q or ASUS ProArt lines may be a better fit.
For travel setups where weight and carrying around matter most, something like the ThinkVision M14t or SideTrak Swivel give up on heavy specs for superb portability.
If I had to recommend only one, I’d probably go with the UPERFECT sunlight-readable 4K monitor, and then also get a secondary lightweight 1080p monitor to use for mobile/portable editing. That combination would give you great coverage for most scenarios.
Regardless of which portable monitor for video editing you choose, just make sure you calibrate your display, have consistent lighting, and tailor your workflow to the strengths of the monitor.
