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Lepow portable monitor vs. AOC portable monitor

Which Lepow or AOC portable monitor is best?

With remote working exploding in popularity over the last couple of years, PC users are getting better than ever at managing their workspace and accomplishing tasks efficiently. One way to increase productivity is to add a secondary display to your setup. While it’s easy to find a cheap, dependable secondary desktop monitor, there are fewer portable monitors to choose from.

Both Lepow and AOC are known for their variety of portable monitors. While AOC is no stranger to effective desktop monitors, though, it doesn’t appear that it has the same team of engineers behind its portable monitors. Most users will be happier choosing a Lepow portable monitor, largely because they’re significantly more reliable.

Lepow portable monitors

Lepow doesn’t claim to deliver mind-blowing or groundbreaking peripherals, and when it comes to portable monitors, that’s OK. While high-refresh rate portable monitors do exist, they fill a pretty obscure niche, which is to say that most portable monitor owners won’t need super high-end specs to be satisfied.

There are some important things to consider when looking for the right Lepow portable monitor for your needs. It’s recommended to choose one with a 1080p resolution, but you shouldn’t have to pay much attention to that part because the majority of Lepow offerings do sport Full HD panels. It is worth noting what kind of connectors each one uses so you can be sure the one you choose is compatible with your laptop.

More advanced specifications such as peak brightness and color volume are also worth keeping in mind. You’ll spend a bit more for a monitor with above-average brightness and color gamut coverage, but unless you need something with commercial-grade capabilities, you still shouldn’t have to shell out too much hard-earned cash.

Lepow portable monitor pros

  • They’re relatively reliable
  • Most are reasonably priced
  • They generally don’t weigh much
  • Some offer high dynamic range support
  • Their color gamut coverage is average to above average
  • The models with built-in kickstands are especially stable

Lepow portable monitor cons

  • There aren’t any with high refresh rates
  • Display panels aren’t offered in OLED versions
  • Lepow does not produce any portable touchscreens
  • The folding stand covers tend to be a bit wobbly

What are the best Lepow portable monitors to buy?

Lepow Z1 Pro

What you need to know: It offers the best balance of image quality and price.

What you’ll love: This is a refined version of last year’s Z1 and has seen a significant improvement in terms of color volume. It’s also up to 10% brighter than the previous version. Despite its great quality picture, it’s about as slim and light as any other monitor.It offers decent HDR support and measures 15.6 inches.

What to consider before buying: The speakers aren’t particularly useful and the colors aren’t especially accurate out of the box, so consider calibrating it manually.

Sold by Amazon

Lepow C2S

What you need to know: This is one of Lepow’s most robust portable monitors.

What you’ll love: The kickstand on the back is significantly more stable than the folding stand covers most portable monitors use. This model is also one of Lepow’s sleekest designs, with a brushed-metal frame and an in-plane switching or IPS panel, a type of display technology known for a wide viewing angle but below-average contrast ratio.

What to consider before buying: It won’t win any awards for its brightness or color gamut coverage, but it’s fine for everyday tasks during remote work.

Sold by Amazon

Lepow Lite H1

What you need to know: The Lite H1 is a good choice for minimalists who don’t want to waste any space.

What you’ll love: Measuring only 14 inches, it’s one of Lepow’s smallest offerings. In fact, without the cover it weighs just a hair over one pound, making it one of the lightest portable monitors on the market. It has both USB-C and Mini HDMI connectors, so it should work perfectly with a wide range of devices.

What to consider before buying: The stand is a bit flimsy at some angles.

Sold by Amazon

AOC portable monitors

It’s important to give credit where credit is due, and many of AOC’s desktop gaming monitors offer good performance and great overall value. Unfortunately, that standard of quality doesn’t seem to apply to the portable monitor division. While AOC’s portable monitors look good or even great on paper, real-world reviews tell a very different story.

In contrast to its dependable and highly cost-effective desktop monitors, AOC’s portable offerings are plagued with reliability issues almost across the board. While it’s possible to find a decent portable monitor from AOC, looking for one is a bit like playing the lottery. If you’re looking for a premium portable monitor you can depend on, you’ll be best served by one from Lepow or another reputable brand.

AOC portable monitor pros

  • There are a couple touch-enabled models 
  • Their native resolutions and pixel densities are top notch
  • They claim compatibility with a huge range of devices
  • Some need only a single cable for both power and video transmission

AOC portable monitor cons

  • Highly inconsistent quality control
  • Touch capability is hit or miss
  • Brightness levels and color gamuts are mediocre
  • The built-in batteries in some models are not very useful

What are the best alternatives to AOC portable monitors to buy?

Since we can’t recommend any AOC portable monitors in good faith, consider one of these premium models from another, more reliable manufacturer.

Uperfect QLED

What you need to know: It boasts the widest color gamut and highest peak brightness of anything in its price range.

What you’ll love: Thanks to premium technology like quantum dot filtration, this model delivers bolder and more intense colors than pretty much any other. Its 99% coverage of the Adobe RGB color space (which is used by many photographers) and 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 color space (which is used in the movie industry) are superior even to most high-end desktop monitors. Its HDR performance, or its ability to display a high dynamic contrast and bring out highlights in supported media, is surprisingly good.

What to consider before buying: The only real knock against it is the lack of touch capability.

Sold by Amazon

Uperfect Touchscreen

What you need to know: It’s a straightforward, well-designed option with a high screen-to-body ratio.

What you’ll love: Less than a fifth of an inch thick with a novel, streamlined adjustable stand, this is one of the sleekest options on the market. It has a pair of USB-C connectors along with 10-point touch capability and a 3ms pixel response time that results in smooth motion with minimal blurring and on-screen artifacts during fast-moving scenes.

What to consider before buying: At about 2 pounds, it is a touch heavier than most others.

Sold by Amazon

Uperfect OLED

What you need to know: This is the best-looking portable monitor out there.

What you’ll love: There are almost no other OLED monitors in existence, whether meant for portable or desktop use. This portable display looks fantastic thanks to a practically infinite contrast ratio and per-pixel dimming that eliminates many drawbacks of LCD panels.

What to consider before buying: Its premium technology comes at an extremely high price.

Sold by Amazon

Should you get a Lepow or AOC portable monitor?

Based on overwhelmingly worrisome long-term user reviews, you should avoid AOC portable monitors. Lepow makes some excellent midrange alternatives, while UPerfect delivers some of the best premium portable monitors in the world.

 

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Chris Thomas writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.

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