If you’re like me, your laptop is your primary workstation. And for good reason! You can take it with you everywhere.
Of course, there are advantages from working at home or the office. Like being able to walk around in your underwear (not so well received at the Livid Lobster office for some reason), or being able to plug into an extra monitor.
But that last one is changing, because AOC has built a perfectly good monitor that just happens to run off of nothing but a USB cable AND is small and light enough to stick in a backpack and take it with you from place to place!
AOC USB 16″ Monitor Video Review
USB Monitor Drivers
The one thing you’re going to need in order to use this monitor is the proper driver. AOC offers both Mac and PC drivers which you can download here:
http://us.aoc.com/support/downloads
After installing the driver you just have to reboot your system, then plug in and configure the settings in your OS.
Summary
It’s rare when we get products in the studio that have universal appeal, but every member of the Geek Beat team lusted over the USB only, backpackable AOC monitor. Combined with reasonable performance and an excellent price point – the AOC E1649FWU is simply an excellent value. So we’re awarding it a Geek Beat Editor’s Choice award!
You can pick up the AOC E1649FWU on Amazon for a very limited time for $99 (regularly $129). Is it worth it? Well, Cali and I each just bought one to travel with…
It’s worth noting that this is an excellent way to add a third display to a desktop Mac setup as well. My iMac only has a single video port so for any more than one external, you need to go with USB. I got one of these today – the setup was totally painless and I’ve now got the three-monitor setup off a single iMac that I wanted. One thing to note though, there is no power switch, so to turn it off you need to disconnect it from the computer.
I have had one of these usb monitors for several months. Works great and because it is so light this monitor is so easy to travel with.
This sounds awesome… I’ve been wanting to see something like this for awhile. But not for taking with me on the road with my laptop… for use around the house as auxillary displays. Now all they need to do is add in wireless capability and touchscreen options.