OLED screens have been a revolution for laptops, with the extra brightness and color saturation the show know-how provides taking these laptop producers who select to implement it to the following stage. These screens, with their self-lighting pixels and no want for a backlight, can be thinner and lighter than ever, which lends itself to better portability.
The identical is true of exterior displays, significantly transportable ones. These diminutive shows, that are simply slipped in a bag alongside your laptop computer for some further desktop actual property while you’re travelling, have lengthy suffered from being dim and uninteresting. The ASUS ZenScreen MQ16AH fixes this drawback with a really respectable brightness stage and a color gamut that can attraction to creatives.
ASUS ZenScreen MQ16AH: Key specs
| Display: | 15.6in OLED, 1920x1080px, 60Hz |
| Connectivity: | 1x Mini-HDMI, 3x USB-C (1x DisplayPort enter, 1x DisplayPort output, 1x energy), 3.5mm headphone jack, 1/4″ tripod socket |
| Dimensions: | 35.9 x 22.6 x 0.9cm |
| Weight: | 650g with out stand |
ASUS ZenScreen MQ16AH: Design and construct
The MQ16AH is available in a sturdy and well-designed field, the slender slate of the monitor cocooned in cardboard and padding. There’s even a colour-testing report included, in its personal plastic bag, which informs us that the display has been manufacturing unit pre-calibrated, and can show 95.5% of sRGB. The ASUS web site takes issues additional, letting slip that it manages 100% of DCI-P3. Somewhat than a throwaway factor to take up house at a practice desk, that is clearly a severe display.
That is additional underlined by the construct high quality. It’s onerous to carry design prospers to one thing like a monitor – they’re all sort of gray and rectangular, however what you are able to do is make it refined and straightforward to make use of. ASUS has managed this – the ports, of which there are a shocking quantity, cluster across the decrease a part of the display so there is no drawback with cables pulling it over. The buttons, which modify the display’s parameters by way of the OSD in addition to turning it off if wanted, are unlabelled however you’ll get the cling of them fairly rapidly with some trial and error. Usually, it’s very properly put collectively.
There’s an exception, nevertheless. If you wish to stand it on one thing, you’re in for a fumble. There’s a typical digital camera tripod connector on the again, so it may be used as a images help utilizing one thing you doubtless have at hand, however as a substitute of a kickstand there is a foldy piece of leather-based and vinyl within the field that’s somewhat like a magnetic pill cowl however with none of the allure.
It’s accompanied by a sheet of hieroglyphics from the Ikea college of instruction manuals, apparently displaying 5 alternative ways of attaching the quilt magnetically to the again of the display, none of which appear to work. Ultimately, we discovered a method of attaching it with out the magnet coming off or the quilt materials sagging as quickly as we put it on a flat floor, however it might have been simpler – a easy plastic stand that attaches to the tripod gap, maybe – and this is able to additionally make it simpler to make use of in portrait. ASUS has considered this, with folding flaps on the quilt that permit it to lean again barely when within the taller, thinner configuration, however it’s not excellent.
ASUS ZenScreen MQ16AH evaluation: Efficiency
Our color measurements for the display confirmed 100% of sRGB, an enchancment over ASUS’ claims, 96% of Adobe RGB, and 98% of P3. ASUS claims 400 nits of brightness for this transportable OLED display, however in our measurements it might solely handle 318. There is a purpose for this: each time we tried to show the brightness up previous 80%, even with an exterior energy provide related, it displayed an error message saying that the ability was inadequate to go any increased. Nonetheless, that’s a superbly good end result that outdoes many laptop computer screens, and the image high quality is superb. You would possibly be capable to get to 100% utilizing the HDMI interface together with a USB-C energy provide… however there is a niggle with that.
It’s a Mini HDMI port. This steadily unloved connector sits between a full-size port and the Micro selection, and desires an adapter all of its personal. With a dongle it’s potential to make use of this port to attach issues like sport consoles, a Raspberry Pi, or perhaps a streaming stick, and the 60Hz refresh fee provides a easy end result, however you’ll want to attach a Bluetooth audio answer on to the supply, or use the three.5mm headphone jack on the display, to get sound. The easiest way to hook up with the MQ16AH is by way of USB-C, as this may present each energy and video over the identical cable, however apparently not full brightness.
Nonetheless, all the advantages of an OLED are right here. The desert dawn picture we had been utilizing as a Home windows desktop background throughout our testing confirmed some wealthy hues, and the viewing angle is sweet and broad. OLED screens may be extraordinarily reflective, and our workplace window was clearly seen, however the ASUS ZenScreen MQ16AH is vivid sufficient to overpower most reflections at 80% brightness.
ASUS ZenScreen MQ16AH evaluation: Worth
The ASUS ZenScreen MQ16AH retails for £449 within the UK, however we do advocate you look out for periodic and seasonal provides round occasions like Black Friday and Prime Day, as ASUS normally hits these occasions pretty onerous. It is not low cost for a transportable monitor, however it’s additionally higher than most transportable displays, so this might be a selection for you between professional aspirations and funds limitations.
Ought to I purchase the ASUS ZenScreen MQ16AH?
Not everyone wants a transportable monitor like this. A 28in 4K display goes to make a way more engaging second display in the event you’re working at a desk. A 15in OLED solely is smart in the event you often work on trains or in lodge rooms or different ad-hoc places, when the power to slide one thing right into a bag and hook up with a laptop computer utilizing only one cable comes into its personal. The tripod attachment, likewise, might be preferrred for a small subset of customers, the sort who want to watch photographs on one thing simply cellular that’s bigger than a three-inch display. Or you may purchase an inexpensive mini tripod and carry that with you to keep away from messing with the included stand. Should you’ve acquired a job that 15 inches of OLED panel can be excellent for, then this one shines, however it’s not going to be for everybody.
