We Tried a $99 Portable Monitor for Homework

A quick note: LASER gifted us this monitor to try out. We don’t do many product reviews, so when we do, it’s because we think it will really offer us and our audience value. 

I didn’t think we needed a second screen. We have enough screens.  The sole reason I decided to give it a go is because while I was reading the offer in my emails, I noticed my teenager trying to juggle viewing a website, while writing out a quote for an assignment (and having to toggle and check, toggle and check) – and so the possible value was sitting right in front of me.

The LASER 14-inch Portable Monitor is currently $99 at The Good Guys and Harvey Norman through June (usually $149), which is the first time you can get a 14-inch portable monitor in Australia for under $100. LASER is also an Australian company! 

If you haven’t come across one before, a portable monitor is basically a lightweight second screen you plug into a laptop, computer or phone (via a single USB-C cable) to give yourself extra room to work, study or watch.

Where it shines for school kids

Homework is where the additional screen earned its keep the fastest (and the main reason I asked to review it). Being able to have a worksheet, research tab or video lesson open on one screen while typing on the laptop on the other made a real difference to how the teenagers could maximise their time. Less tab-switching, less “wait, where was that thing,” more actually getting it done. For assignments, research projects and anything involving following instructions while writing, the extra screen space genuinely made a different to their focus (and mine when I tested it!).

And here’s the bit that made me laugh: I found the setup a little fiddly and ended up resorting to online instructions, but the teenagers took one look, connected the monitor and split their screens in seconds. How clever are teenagers? If you have one in the house, hand it over and let them sort it.

What I love about it

• It’s very light and slim, so it moves from the kitchen table to a bedroom desk easily (like picking up a magazine). The lack of weight actually worried me to begin with and I was concerned maybe it wouldn’t deliver on quality, but I was wrong. It definitely has. I like that they could add it to their school bag and you wouldn’t even know it is there.
• USB-C connectivity means one cable does the job linking from laptop/computer to the Laser screen (or even linking to a phone)
• The Full IPS display and ability to adjust contrast and brightness comes in handy especially when connected to a mobile phone
• The adjustable stand means it can sit right next to your laptop at a similar angle

Other ways families might use

Beyond homework, it’s had quite the workout in the week we have been testing it. It’s been a streaming screen for one kid while another has the TV, a bigger screen for video off a phone, and a handy extra monitor for my own work when I was doing some bookwork at the kitchen table. For a single device, it has a lot of applications. It is also so light, you could definitely attach it to a car seat, making it a really affordable and handy option for in car movies while travelling.

My verdict

At $99 this is genuinely good value, especially heading into a school term. If your kids are juggling laptops and homework, or you just want a flexible extra screen the whole family can share, it’s worth a look while the sale’s on at The Good Guys and Harvey Norman.