Plugable portable USB-C monitor review: I used it with my MacBook Air and I’m never going back

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Over the years, I’ve trained myself to only use one monitor.

That may seem counterproductive to the millions of people out there who can’t live without a second (or third) screen at their workstations, but it works for me. It gives me more desk space, saves me money, and helps discourage digital clutter. And thanks to Plugable’s new $199 portable USB-C monitor, my hard-fought habits might have to finally die.

Plugable, a brand normally associated with docking stations, has entered the monitor game with a portable display that just works. You plug a cable into the monitor, and into your laptop, and that’s it.

High-end professionals might have needs that extend beyond what this thing can do, but for many, it’s a godsend — thanks to its extreme portability, simplistic ease of use, and versatility.

Plugable portable monitor price and specs

When you plunk down $200 on Plugable’s display debut, this is what you get:

Normally when listing device specs, I’d include things like processors, cameras, and battery life, but hey, the Plugable monitor doesn’t really have any of those things. It’s…just a monitor, for better or worse. The $199 package also includes an attached travel cover that also acts like a stand, and a USB-C-to-USB-C cable that will make the whole thing work in the first place.

Plugable portable monitor design

The travel cover is great.
Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

In keeping with the product’s overall simplicity, Plugable’s portable monitor also doesn’t have much going on design-wise. It’s a big, black rectangle that displays whatever you want it to display. Easy enough!

This is a good thing, as it’s extremely easy to figure out how to use the Plugable portable monitor without any kind of quick start guide or instruction manual, though the device comes with one of those in case you need it, too. There are no ports, buttons, nor features on three of the display’s four sides. On the right side, you’ll find buttons for controlling brightness and switching between picture modes, as well as three USB-C ports that do a variety of things that we’ll get to later.

Plugable also included a travel cover with the device that attaches magnetically — and as far as I can tell — stays that way. The cover is also designed to be used as a stand for the monitor in the absence of another one. In all, even with the cover on, the monitor is about 1.8 pounds in weight. You won’t even notice it in your backpack, which is lovely.

This is the source of my first problem (of very few) with the Plugable monitor: It can be hard to find the right vertical angle for it. You can fold the cover into a stand in a variety of ways (such as by laying it out flat on the desk or folding it up into a triangular shape), but in each configuration, your options are pretty limited. Put simply, the monitor is almost always going to be angled slightly upward, not unlike a laptop display. If you would prefer something more head-on, a traditional second monitor setup is probably the way to go.

Plugable portable monitor display

You can use portrait mode if you like, but the travel cover won’t work as a stand.
Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable

This thing wouldn’t matter if the screen weren’t any good, right? Thankfully, Plugable did just enough to earn a passing grade here.

The 15.6-inch, 16:9 monitor is basically the perfect size as a laptop companion, as it’s as big (if not a little bigger) than most laptop displays. Its 300 nits of peak brightness are more than good enough for indoor office space usage, and the 1080p resolution is right in line with the expectations for a cheap-ish portable monitor, if not exactly awe-inspiring.

Some may be disappointed to hear the refresh rate maxes out at 60Hz. In a vacuum, I would be, too, but there are other things to consider. First, this device relies entirely on USB-C for image output. And finally, there just aren’t that many things the average professional needs a 120Hz refresh rate for, if we accept the premise that this monitor is mostly intended for work.

Folks who do video-centric jobs that might require a higher refresh rate should probably look elsewhere.

If I have one major gripe with the Plugable monitor’s display, it’s the less-than-ideal viewing angles. When looking at the display head-on, everything is sharp and clear, but when looking at it from a slight angle to the side or above, it becomes harder to see. This is a problem as old as displays themselves, so I’m not meaning to single out Plugable here, but I did notice it, especially in conjunction with the physical angle problems I had with the stand.

Plugable portable monitor features

This image from Plugable’s website demonstrates how power pass-through works.
Credit: Plugable

I should probably mention how exactly this thing works, huh? 

Fortunately, it doesn’t take too many words to do so: Plug the provided USB-C cable into a port on your computer that supports video output. If you have a relatively modern laptop, that shouldn’t be a problem. Then, plug the other end into the bottom USB-C port on the monitor, which is helpfully labeled “Host” on the monitor itself. 

After a few seconds, you’ll have a perfectly functioning second display. On a MacBook, you’ll have to briefly give the monitor permission to work the first time, but that’s literally the only bit of friction I had with the entire experience. It’s so remarkably simple that you’ll instantly hate any other monitor you’ve ever had to set up that gave you even the slightest bit of trouble in the process.

But that’s not all! Remember those other two USB-C ports I mentioned earlier? You can use those while the monitor is connected to your laptop (or phone or tablet) for a variety of things. The top port allows you to connect and use other USB-C devices, such as portable speakers, while the middle port functions as a passthrough for charging your laptop, ensuring the display stays powered.

That last bit is especially useful because, in the absence of a power adapter, the Plugable monitor will drain your laptop’s battery in order to power itself. There’s no onboard battery in the monitor. In fairness, though, I didn’t notice a huge amount of power drain on my M2 MacBook Air, and found it perfectly safe to use the monitor for long stretches without plugging in.

Your mileage may vary depending on what kind of laptop you have, though.

Plugable portable monitor performance

Just try not to touch this part.
Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable

As far as performance is concerned, almost everything is in order. I didn’t notice any kind of connectivity issues in my time with the Plugable portable monitor. When it’s connected to your laptop, it stays that way — and the video signal doesn’t ever get interrupted as far as I can tell.

The only performance issue worth noting is that the corner of the monitor where the three USB-C ports lie can get very warm to the touch after even a short usage session. The first time I tested the monitor at home, I was shocked at how hot it was after about 20 minutes of watching football highlights on YouTube. 

It’s not a dangerous or concerning level of heat, but it’s worth mentioning. To Plugable’s credit, I suppose, the heat is localized entirely to that corner of the device and doesn’t permeate the whole chassis.

Is the Plugable portable monitor worth it?

Plugable’s debut in the monitor space isn’t mind-blowing or revolutionary, as there are other cheap portable monitors out there. Plenty of them come in at $100 or less, too, so Plugable doesn’t exactly win on price, either.

But what Plugable does have is a trustworthy brand name and a device that I can confirm works exactly as intended. It’s just so stunningly easy to get the Plugable monitor up and running and doing exactly what you want it to do. You don’t need a chunky HDMI cable or a power adapter (though you can use one if you want) — you just need a host device and a USB-C cable. 

I’d like to see future iterations of this product with higher resolutions and better refresh rates, but for now, Plugable’s first portable monitor is an impressive debut.