Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG review: Pricey but Alluring Portable Monitor

Value When Reviewed

$399

Finest Costs At present: Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG

A transportable monitor is a wonderful journey companion and a great second monitor for cramped work-from-home setups, however the picture high quality of finances fashions can go away one thing to be desired. Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG gives an upgraded expertise with superior brightness, distinction, and coloration efficiency—however the upgrades don’t come low cost.

Additional studying: See our roundup of the most effective displays to study competing merchandise.

Value & Specs

The Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG is a bit totally different from most transportable displays out there right this moment. It has a 16-inch 16:10 show panel, as an alternative of a 15.6-inch 16:9, and a decision of 2560×1600. Asus additionally upgrades the refresh price to 120Hz.

• Show dimension: 16-inch 16:10 widescreen
• Native decision: 2560×1600
• Panel kind: IPS LCD
• Refresh price: 120Hz
• Adaptive Sync: None
• HDR: Sure, VESA DisplayHDR 400 licensed
• Ports: 1x HDMI 2.0, 2x USB-C with DisplayPort Alternate Mode, earphone-out jack
• VESA mount: None, tripod mount out there
• Audio system: None
• Value: $399

The Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG retails at $399, which feels steep for a conveyable monitor that lacks an OLED panel. Customers could evaluate it side-by-side with Viewsonic’s ColorPro VP16-OLED, which usually retails for $399 on-line.

It’s not out there within the UK on the time of writing however you could find the ZenScreen MB16ACV for £199 if Full HD and 60Hz suits your wants, or the £349 MB17AHG pushes issues to 17in and 144Hz.

Design & Construct

Matt Smith

The Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG’s kickstand units it aside from most transportable displays. The stand folds down from the underside of the monitor and finally ends up sitting flat on a desk or desk. It’s considerably much like the Viewsonic ColorPro VP16-OLED however, in contrast to that various, Asus’ stand doesn’t improve the peak of the monitor. The stand design is steady and permits for a wider vary of tilt adjustment than most transportable displays. It additionally helps use in portrait orientation.

Photograph and video editors who need to preview their work will admire the monitor’s tripod stand, which lurks on the underside of the kickstand. Not like many transportable displays, Asus’ stand doesn’t double as a protecting show cowl, however Asus features a protecting carrying case.

Matt Smith

The monitor’s type is a bit much less spectacular than its perform. Plastic dominates the chassis, and its rigidity is not any higher than alternate options offered for half the worth. An ornamental lip on the decrease bezel affords a little bit of aptitude, but it surely’s shiny and should trigger glare in vibrant rooms. I anticipate higher at this worth.

Matt Smith

Connectivity consists of one full-sized HDMI 2.0 port and two USB-C ports with DisplayPort Alternate mode. The USB-C ports energy the monitor from both a linked system or the included USB-C energy brick. A 3.5mm audio-out jack rounds out the choices.

The ports are typical for a conveyable monitor, with one exception: the full-sized HDMI port. Many rivals, particularly these that are inexpensive, use a Mini or Micro-HDMI port. Which means you’ll want an acceptable cable to connect with the monitor. It’s not an enormous subject, however a full-size HDMI port makes connecting a tad simpler.

Asus exceeds expectations with the monitor’s on-screen menu system, which gives a greater variety of choices than most transportable displays. A fast, responsive joystick on the monitor’s proper flank is used to navigate the menus.

Asus gives quite a few image-quality modes and changes for coloration, saturation, and coloration temperature, though a few of these settings are solely out there in particular image-quality modes. Nonetheless, Asus’ menu system far exceeds finances displays just like the Arzopa A1 Gamut and comes near the costlier Viewsonic VP16-OLED.

Audio system aren’t included. Most transportable displays embrace audio system, however the high quality is inevitably disappointing. I don’t assume Asus’ resolution to ditch them is an issue.

SDR Picture High quality

The Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG is geared in the direction of professionals who continuously journey, however its picture high quality truly exceeds their wants. It gives a vibrant, crisp picture with good coloration efficiency. The monitor can deal with many images, videography, and digital artwork workflows, and appears engaging when it’s time to chill and revel in a sport or Netflix.

Matt Smith

Brightness ranks among the many monitor’s strongest qualities, with a most brightness of 479 nits in SDR. Because the graph reveals, that’s increased than any transportable monitor we’ve examined this yr.

It’s not a trivial benefit. Moveable displays are extra seemingly for use in conditions the place mild management isn’t out there. The MB16QHG’s brightness will make it extra snug to make use of in these conditions.

Matt Smith

Distinction is respectable, although the MB16QHG’s efficiency depends upon your perspective. It’s superior to different transportable displays with an IPS LCD panel, such because the Azorpa A1 Gamut and AOC I1601FWUX. However OLED transportable displays, such because the ViewSonic ColorPro VP-16 OLED and the Innocn 15K1F, present a greater sense of depth and dimensionality.

The diploma to which this issues depends upon your use. The MB16QHG seems nice when displaying vibrant, colourful content material, as this obscures its comparatively weak distinction. OLED, which might dim every pixel individually, is a more sensible choice should you get pleasure from, or work with, darker pictures, video games, and movies.

Matt Smith

It’s the same story in coloration gamut. The MB16QHG compares nicely to different IPS LCD displays, however not as nicely towards OLED alternate options. Nonetheless, the MB16QHG manages to show a powerful 98 % of the DCI-P3 coloration gamut, which is sufficient for {most professional} images and videography.

Matt Smith

Shade accuracy is advanced, because the MB16QHG is merely okay at default settings. It seems engaging, however testing revealed colours have been blown out and overly vibrant. The issue is an unlucky selection of default coloration mode. The monitor ships in Surroundings mode, which ups the colour saturation to an unrealistic stage.

Luckily, the monitor’s coloration accuracy is improved in different modes (Customary Mode gives a median coloration error of simply 1.46), and the menu system affords loads of alternatives for calibration.

The monitor does nicely in coloration temperature and gamma with a studying of 6500K and a couple of.2 respectively. Each readings are exactly on our most popular targets. They point out the monitor’s picture seems sensible and that content material is roughly as vibrant as its creator supposed.

Sharpness is one other perk, because the monitor gives a decision of 2560×1600. That works out to a pixel density of roughly 188 pixels per inch—increased than a 27-inch 4K monitor. Small fonts look crisp and high-resolution video reveals loads of element.

The Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG isn’t essentially the most engaging transportable monitor round—that honor goes to its OLED rivals—but it surely earns excessive marks in brightness, coloration efficiency, and sharpness.

HDR Picture High quality

The Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG helps HDR enter and carries VESA DisplayHDR 400 certification. Which may sound promising, however HDR efficiency doesn’t maintain up.

Brightness is an issue. The monitor approaches 500 nits in HDR, however that’s nonetheless not sufficient to ship a top quality HDR expertise. Advanced high-contrast scenes, just like the black gap from Interstellar, present that plenty of luminance element is crushed. Brilliant areas of a scene seem as a uniform, vibrant glow that lacks element. This happens partially as a result of the monitor isn’t vibrant sufficient to make the brightest parts of the scene distinct.

The monitor’s HDR help is a perk if it’s essential to view an HDR video or picture however lack a laptop computer with HDR help. Simply maintain your expectations in verify.

Movement Efficiency

Surprisingly, the Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG delivers a refresh price of 120Hz. That’s corresponding to many transportable displays meant for avid gamers. The improved refresh price improves movement fluidity and readability in video games, but in addition proves helpful when scrolling by textual content or pictures.

Players shouldn’t get too excited, nonetheless, because the monitor sadly lacks Adaptive Sync help. Its absence permits display screen tearing in video games which don’t produce a body price equal or above the monitor’s 120Hz. To be truthful, although, many transportable gaming displays additionally lack Adaptive Sync, so the MB16QHG isn’t at an obstacle.

Ought to I purchase the Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG?

The Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG is a flexible transportable monitor for productiveness, normal use, gaming, and most content material creation. The monitor’s IPS panel can’t evaluate to OLED transportable displays, nonetheless—an issue, because the MB16QHG is priced to compete with them. Asus strikes again with superior sharpness (most OLED alternate options are 1080p) and a 120Hz refresh price. I feel OLED is healthier for most individuals, however the MB16QHG is a stable choose should you want a conveyable monitor that’s brighter, and sharper, than OLED gives.

This evaluation initially appeared on PC World.