As a freelance designer, I spend a lot of time between agencies, businesses and at different desks. Because of this, I’ve got myself a decent laptop and have perfected my portable setup to the point where I can show up to an agency and get to work right away. To really get a full grasp of the design I’m working on, along with the multitasking that comes with being a freelancer, I like to have two screens to work on. This is where the Lepow portable monitor comes in and truly shines.

Established in Hong Kong in 2011, Lepow produces high-end mobile accessories to users worldwide. Keeping creativity, originality and innovation in mind, Lepow aims to provide users with smart and creative solutions with their products. As many great brands know, it’s best to focus on one thing and do it well, than to diversify too much and do it not so well. Lepow has stuck to this approach and exclusively produces portable monitors.

Introducing the Lepow Portable Monitor

At 15.6”, the Lepow Portable Monitor is roughly the same size as any laptop you’re likely to be working on. This makes it a great companion to easily extend your digital workspace or switch between screens.

The monitor is also quite slim and very lightweight, and could easily be mistaken for an iPad or tablet. This means it’s light enough and roughly the right size to fit in your laptop bag without much disruption to your current setup.

Packaging

The monitor comes in a standard and straight forward box, which has a nice quality feel to it. Everything is neatly packed in the box, and Lepow even includes a free screen protector for your monitor.

Portability

The problem with separate monitors is that they’re bulky and sometimes need clunky cables to connect, then once they’re up they’re stuck in place. For me, the thing that stands out the most with the Lepow monitor is the portability. As a freelance designer I constantly work on different locations and as good as a laptop is, you just don’t have the screen space. This monitor is lightweight and slips easily into your bag alongside a laptop.

This handy little monitor completes my setup and allows me to maximize my proficiency when working on design projects. It’s also perfect if I have to travel for work. Instead of having to downsize and rely on a singular screen when travelling for work, the Lepow Portable Monitor allows me to extend screen space no matter where I am. 

The Screen

The monitor is HD and comes as 16:9, which is good for full screen video. It also comes with a metal casing with a nice clean finish, which works perfectly as a side companion to the main monitor with no noticeable issues.

Having used the monitor for a few weeks, the quality of the screen, so far,  seems good. Colours are rich and the resolution is good – everything you would expect from a monitor. However, it’s important to note that this is really for extending your work area and should not be relied on too heavily for colour matching. 

Now, not only do you get the monitor, but it also comes with a protective hard fabric case which I was particularly impressed with. This case also acts as a stand for the monitor, much like the Apple cases for the iPad, allowing this monitor to be deployed straight out of the box.

Connection

Another thing that is so convenient about this monitor is the connections. The monitor is powered by a USB-C connection and comes with a plug adaptor. However, with both a USB-C to USB-C and a USB to USB-C cable provided, you can also power the monitor directly from your laptop, so there isn’t any real need for additional plugs. Straight out of the box you can plug the HDMI and USB or USB-C into your laptop and it fires up as any monitor would. 

Sound

What surprised me about this monitor was that it also has built-in speakers. This is particularly convenient if you want to connect it to an Apple TV, Firestick or even use it with your games consoles, like a Nintendo Switch.

As a designer I’ll be using this monitor strictly for work purposes, but that’s not to suggest you couldn’t use it for a range of purposes. That’s the beauty of it really!

Price Point

I think it’s fair to say that this is not a unique product. There are many of its kind and you could even use an iPad in Sidecar, however that will cost you! This is also not a superficial product; as a designer, the use of additional screen space is priceless when undertaking design tasks. So, I think the price of $188.98 is fair as I’ll be using this monitor for a good few years to come, so I feel there is real value there. 

Where can I get one?

If you’re interested to learn more about the Lepow Portable Monitor and would like to purchase one for yourself, you can find them on Amazon:

Lepow Z1 Gamut ($199): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0863NZF2R
Lepow Z1 Black ($189): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07V1SQ966

Conclusion

This is a product that really focuses on portability and minimising your setup. As someone who uses large, fixed monitors at home for my full setup, I wouldn’t be able to replace them with this monitor. However, I find the monitor essential and versatile when working in the field.

In a future where more designers are becoming freelance and may be required to work remotely, the need for portable setups is going to become commonplace. 

As a freelance designer, this monitor is perfect for my on-the-go work set up for years to come. I’ll definitely be taking it everywhere I go from now on to ensure I can maximize my screen space and multitask like a boss!