Pros
- Premium Design
- 10,000 mAh Battery
- Charges other Devices
- Work with DeX
Cons
- No Camera
- Mediocre Speakers
Specs
- Display: 13.3 inch IPS touch screen, 1920×1080 FHD
- Battery: 10,000 mAh
- Audio: 4 x 1W speakers
- Keyboard: Edge-to-edge backlit keyboard with a multi-touch trackpad
- Dimensions: 307 x 209 x 16 mm
- Weight: 1240 g
- Ports: 2 x USB-C, Mini HDMI, 3.5mm audio jack, Micro SD
In 2020, I looked into getting another portable monitor as my current display was becoming a little outdated. While scrolling through pages of portable monitors and external displays on Amazon, I came across what I first thought was a cheap mislabeled computer. After doing a little research, I realized that this portable monitor was something completely different.
The Eviciv Portable Monitor with Keyboard is an entirely different take on portable displays. It’s essentially a shell of a computer with everything you need from a laptop except for the processor and operating system.
Hardware
The Eviciv Portable Monitor could easily be mistaken for a premium laptop. It compares closely to the build of the first Galaxy Chromebook. It has a 13.3-inch 1920×1080 FHD display with a 16:9 aspect ratio surrounded by a good-sized bezel. There’s a backlit keyboard, a large multi-touch trackpad, ports on both sides, and four speakers. The screen rotates the same as any 2-in-1 laptop and can be positioned in tent or tablet mode.
Those specs are on par with what you might find in a mid-ranged Chromebook. Usually, I would be wondering what kind of performance or how much storage. But those types of questions are not needed here because this monitor will take on the performance of whatever you plug into it.
The left side of the keyboard houses the USB-C and Mini HDMI inputs for connecting to various devices. You can use the Portable Monitor as a secondary display for laptops, gaming consoles, or streaming sticks. With USB-C, you can connect to any device with the Display Port function including phones, tablets, and computers like the Rasberry Pi.
On the other side of the keyboard, you have the power button, a microSD card, and another USB-C. This USB-C port is only for charging the Portable Monitor but does support passthrough charging to other devices.
Included in the box are two USB-C to USB-C cables, one for charging and one for linking to a supported device. One HDMI to mini HDMI and the power brick. Eviciv is expecting you to keep everything close together because all of the cables are two feet or less.
Performance
Samsung’s DeX-capable smartphones are where the Eviciv Portable Monitor really shines. Hold down the power on the Eviciv Keyboard for a few seconds until you see the words “Phonedock” on the display. Plug the USB-C cable into your Samsung phone and auto-magically boot into DeX mode. While in DeX mode your phone will work as it normally does. In your phone’s notification bar, you also have options to mirror your phone to the display which is great for watching videos or streaming music. I tested Samsung’s Galaxy S20 Ultra, Note 20 Ultra, and Z Fold 2 and they all worked flawlessly.
The Eviciv Portable Monitor may be optimized for phones that support a Desktop mode but it works with many more devices. I have tested multiple Windows computers and Chromebooks using USB-C and the HDMI port. HDMI will render the keyboard useless however you have the power to position the display and any angle. A feature no other Portable Monitor can do.
All the scenarios mentioned above, just work. There is no confusing software or specialized connectors. Eviciv does provide a great On-Screen-Display menu that can be activated by swiping down with two fingers. With it, you can adjust the screen’s color gamut, turn on and off charging other devices, select the input method and rotate the display. This is an addition to all the normal settings you would find on a display like brightness and sharpness.
Display
The display is not bad, but not great. The 13.3-inch display could be better but this would have raised the price, so I’m ok with it. Out of the box, it did take a few tweaks in the setting to get the Color Temperature to where I thought it needed to be. The 1,920 x 1,080 resolution is not impressive but is good enough to get the job done. The display refresh rate is only 60Hz, but I had no issues playing games with the Nintendo Switch.
Audio
As for the speakers, they are located above the keyboard right below the display. The volume level was loud enough in a lightly noisy room. Anything more than that you will need to use the 3.5mm headphone jack to plug into external speakers. If you’re using a Samsung phone you do have the option to play sound through the phone.
Why do you really want it?
Using the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 and Dex at the same time was incredible. It transformed the Eviciv Portable Monitor and Keyboard into an experience that was close to what you get from a Chromebook. If you own a flagship device from Samsung or Huawei, (Easy Projection) this is an accessory I would recommend. It rolls all the accessories you would need into one easily portable monitor.
Amazon: On sale for $255
