I’ve used dual monitors for working, where possible, for as long as I can remember. Then came ultra-widescreen monitors which I’ve upgraded to for a more fluid workflow. However, there are still times when I’m working on a laptop with a single screen wishing I had a second monitor. This isn’t always easy though as lugging around a monitor while travelling or working in a confined space isn’t exactly doable.
Our Vissles-M review takes a look at a 15.6-inch portable touchscreen monitor which aims to be your on-the-go external monitor for laptops, Android smartphones, and even game consoles. Read on for our full review and see why it earned a Top Pick of 2020 Award here at Techaeris!
Specifications
The Vissles-M 15.6-inch Portable Touchscreen Monitor has the following features and specifications:
- 15.6” Full HD portable touchscreen monitor, IPS Panel, weighs only 620g
- Works with a laptop, PC, Android phone, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox
- 10-point touch screen, highly accurate and ultra-responsive
- Easy to use via USB Type-C or micro-HDMI connection
- Foldable with Smart Protective design prevents it from dust and scratches
| Product Name/Model | Vissles-M |
| Product Type | Portable Touchscreen Monitor |
| Panel Type | IPS |
| Touchscreen Type | 10-point Capacitive Touchscreen |
| Display Surface | Anti-glare |
| Viewable Area | 13.55 x 7.62″ |
| Resolution | 1920×1080 |
| Brightness | 220cd/m2 (Typical) |
| Contrast | 800:1 |
| Display colours | 262K |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 |
| Viewable Angle | 178°(89°/89°)H, (89°/89°)V |
| Input | Micro-HDMI, USB Type-C |
| Output | 3.5mm audio jack |
| Speaker | 2x 1W |
| Dimensions | 14 x 9 x 0.25-0.38 inches (355.6 x 228.6 x 6.35-9.65mm) |
| Weight | 1.37lbs (620g) |
| Compatibility | Microsoft Windows, Mac OS, Chrome OS, Linux |
| Supported Android Phones | Samsung: S8, S8+, S9, S10, S10+, Note 8, Note 9, Note 10, Note 10+, S20, S20+, S20 Ultra Huawei: Mate 10, Mate 10 Pro, Mate 20, Mate 20 X, Mate 20 Pro, P30, P30 Pro, Honor V20 OnePlus: OnePlus 7, OnePlus 7 Pro, OnePlus 7T |
What’s in the box
- Vissles-M 15.6-inch Portable Touchscreen Monitor
- USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable
- Micro-HDMI to HDMI cable
- USB Type-A to USB Type-C cable
- Protective Case
- Cleaning Cloth
- Product Manual & Information Guide
Design
The Vissles-M 15.6-inch Portable Touchscreen Monitor is light and thin. It measures roughly 14-inches wide and 9-inches in height. Towards the base which house the ports and controls, it is just over 1/3-inch thick. The rest of it is a mere 1/4-inch thick.
The back is flat aside from the hump on the bottom. Printed on the left and right side of the hump are icons for power, controls, and audio on one side and two circle icons for the two USB-C ports and the HDMI logo for the Mini HDMI port. When in use, the power, control wheel, and 3.5mm audio jack are on the left side while the display ports are on the right.
The front of the Vissles-M has relatively small bezels. The top and sides are about 3/8-inch thick while the bottom is thicker at about an inch. When used in landscape mode, it’s not that noticeable and, depending on your setup, does bring the display up to a similar level to most laptops. Finally, the bottom edge of the monitor has a pair of rubber feet to prevent slippage while in use.
The Vissles-M also comes with a detachable cover stand. To be honest, you’ll likely put it on and leave it on for use and protection. The cover itself is very thin, has a carbon fibre finish, and attaches to the monitor magnetically. The back isn’t a full piece as it stops just above the rear hump, making the back almost flat when closed. The front has hinge about two-thirds of the way up from the bottom which allows it to function as a stand when opened. The inside of the cover stand has a nice rubbery finish which doesn’t affect the screen at all when closed.
Display
While the max brightness of the Vissles-M is only 220 nits, it worked well indoors. The touchscreen isn’t shiny like most tend to be, and thus helps reduce the glare in the event light is shining off of it.
Colours are not only nice but there are also different colour profiles that you can choose from: sRGB, Adobe RGB, DCI-P3, and NATIVE. While the company didn’t divulge the colour gamut coverage percentage, the fact it supports three popular colour profiles is a bonus. While it only displays 262K colours, it was more than adequate for gaming, basic photo editing, and other productivity tasks.
Ease of Use
The Vissles-M Portable Touchscreen Monitor does require DP ALT_MODE in order to fully function. As the company notes:
Note: The connected device MUST support DP ALT_MODE for touchscreen functions. DP ALT_MODE is also required to use a single USB-C cable for power/data (touchscreen). HDMI connections require a USB-C external power source. macOS and Windows 7 systems do not support touchscreen function. When you connect the iPad Pro, it only supports the mirror function.
On that note, the Vissles-M is really plug-and-play. We tested the Vissles-M on a Dell XPS 15 laptop, Dell Latitude 5400 laptop, Huawei P40 Pro smartphone, Google Pixel 4 XL smartphone, Nintendo Switch, and an Xbox One X. In all cases, the display fired up and worked right away via USB-C on the first three devices and HDMI on the consoles. Unfortunately, as I found out, the Pixel 4 XL doesn’t support DisplayPort Alt Mode. Apparently, Google explicitly disabled it at the kernel level.
While powered on, pressing the power button will let you toggle between HDMI and USB Type-C connection. Holding the power button for about five seconds will turn the monitor off. When off and connected, holding the power button for 5 seconds or so will turn it back on.
Holding the dial up will increase brightness while holding it in the down position will decrease brightness. Pressing the dial in brings up the menu. Menu options include:
- Brightness/Contrast: Brightness, Contrast, Eco (Standard, Game, Movie, Photo), DCR (On/Off), Sharpness (0-4)
- Color Settings: Color Temp (6500K, 9300K, user), Hue, Saturation, Low Blue Light, Color Gamut (sRGB, Adobe RGB, DCI-P3, NATIVE)
- Audio Settings: Mute (On/Off), Volume
- Other Settings: Aspect (Full, 16:9), FreeSync (On/Off), Language, HDR (Off, Auto, 2084), Reset
- Input Source: Type C, HDMI
The Vissles-M portable display really is plug in and use. A minor note here, if you are using the HDMI connection, you will have to connect the monitor to a power source as well.
Performance
As far as performance is concerned, I had no issues with the Vissles-M. If a computer didn’t work via USB Type-C, the HDMI cable worked just fine. Depending on your computer, however, you might find the included cables a little short though, so you may have to pick up a longer cable depending on your setup and the primary connection type you’ll be using for this monitor.
Gaming was fine as well, not as good as your dedicated gaming monitors with low response times but I didn’t feel adversely affected gameplay-wise when connected via my phone, the Nintendo Switch, or the Xbox One X.
Not only is this a portable monitor but it also has touchscreen support. This is especially useful for when you’re mirroring your smartphone in addition to the usual benefits of having a touchscreen.
To be honest, I’ve had to sneak in my review time with the Vissles-M as my wife quickly absconded with it for her work-from-home setup. She has commented on how it has improved her workflow when using her laptop in a non-permanent setup.
I will mention that it does seem to get a bit warm after a bit of time. I’ve used the monitor for up to 14 hours in a single day, and even though it does get warm, performance isn’t affected at all.
Sound Quality
The Vissles-M portable monitor also sports two 1W speakers. They don’t get overly loud and actually remind me of some laptop speakers from a few years ago. It is crisp and clear though, even at full volume so it is useable in a pinch. Still, like most laptops even, you’ll want to get a decent set of cans if you want to truly enjoy your videos, music, or gaming while using this display.
Battery Life
The Vissles-M does not have an internal battery, so why a battery life section? We won’t be scoring on battery life but I did want to draw attention to the fact that the monitor can be powered from the device you have it connected to or via an external power adapter.
When connected to a smartphone or laptop that’s not plugged in, you’ll be drawing battery from that device. For example, with the Huawei P40 Pro, I saw a drain of about 15% every 10 minutes with the monitor set to 50% brightness. On the flip side, if the monitor is plugged into an external power source, it will charge your phone while connected. When connected to a laptop running on battery mode, the draw didn’t seem quite as bad but the system did end up having a reduced battery life.
While Vissles-M didn’t come with an external power adapter, they did include a rather short USB-A to USB Type-C cable. This can be connected to a 5V/2A (minimum) AC power adapter and will power the monitor just fine. You can also connect it to a power bank if you don’t have a nearby outlet. It is nice that you don’t need to power the monitor independently but if you find yourself in a situation where you easily can, you may want to plug it in to reduce the drain on the device it’s connected to, like your smartphone.
Price/Value
With an MSRP of $229, the Vissles-M is the same price as a decent 22- or 24-inch monitors. It does offer great value due to its portability, different colour profiles, touchscreen functionality, and the fact you can run it without needing to plug it in separately.
The Vissles-M can currently be pre-ordered from the Vissles website for $199.99 with shipping expected in November.
Photo Gallery
Wrap-up
If you are looking for a second monitor and work in a space that isn’t that big or a larger portable screen for your gaming, the Vissles-M portable touchscreen monitor is an excellent choice.
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Last Updated on March 20, 2021.
