Professional’s Score
Execs
- Helpful kickstand with tripod mount
- Wonderful brightness
- Good color efficiency
- 120Hz gives higher movement readability
Cons
- Construct high quality doesn’t impress
- Distinction ratio falls wanting OLED
- Not the very best worth
Our Verdict
The Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG delivers a shiny, vibrant picture and plentiful options, however its value feels steep subsequent to OLED alternate options.
Worth When Reviewed
$399
Greatest Costs As we speak: Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG
A conveyable monitor is a superb journey companion and a perfect second monitor for cramped work-from-home setups, however the picture high quality of funds fashions can go away one thing to be desired. Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG gives an upgraded expertise with superior brightness, distinction, and shade efficiency—however the upgrades don’t come low-cost.
Additional studying: See our roundup of the very best screens to study competing merchandise.
Worth & Specs
The Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG is a bit completely different from most transportable screens accessible at this time. It has a 16-inch 16:10 show panel, as an alternative of a 15.6-inch 16:9, and a decision of 2560×1600. Asus additionally upgrades the refresh price to 120Hz.
- Show dimension: 16-inch 16:10 widescreen
- Native decision: 2560×1600
- Panel kind: IPS LCD
- Refresh price: 120Hz
- Adaptive Sync: None
- HDR: Sure, VESA DisplayHDR 400 licensed
- Ports: 1x HDMI 2.0, 2x USB-C with DisplayPort Alternate Mode, earphone-out jack
- VESA mount: None, tripod mount accessible
- Audio system: None
- Worth: $399
The Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG retails at $399, which feels steep for a transportable monitor that lacks an OLED panel. Customers could evaluate it side-by-side with Viewsonic’s ColorPro VP16-OLED, which generally retails for $399 on-line.
It’s not accessible within the UK on the time of writing however you could find the ZenScreen MB16ACV for £199 if Full HD and 60Hz suits your wants, or the £349 MB17AHG pushes issues to 17in and 144Hz.
Design & Construct
Matt Smith
The Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG’s kickstand units it aside from most transportable screens. The stand folds down from the underside of the monitor and finally ends up sitting flat on a desk or desk. It’s considerably just like the Viewsonic ColorPro VP16-OLED however, not like that different, Asus’ stand doesn’t enhance the peak of the monitor. The stand design is steady and permits for a wider vary of tilt adjustment than most transportable screens. It additionally helps use in portrait orientation.
Picture and video editors who wish to preview their work will respect the monitor’s tripod stand, which lurks on the underside of the kickstand. Not like many transportable screens, Asus’ stand doesn’t double as a protecting show cowl, however Asus features a protecting carrying case.
Matt Smith
The monitor’s kind is a bit much less spectacular than its operate. Plastic dominates the chassis, and its rigidity isn’t any higher than alternate options bought for half the worth. An ornamental lip on the decrease bezel presents a little bit of aptitude, however it’s shiny and will trigger glare in shiny rooms. I count on higher at this value.
Matt Smith
Connectivity contains one full-sized HDMI 2.0 port and two USB-C ports with DisplayPort Alternate mode. The USB-C ports energy the monitor from both a linked machine or the included USB-C energy brick. A 3.5mm audio-out jack rounds out the choices.
The ports are typical for a transportable monitor, with one exception: the full-sized HDMI port. Many opponents, particularly these that are inexpensive, use a Mini or Micro-HDMI port. Meaning you’ll want an acceptable cable to connect with the monitor. It’s not an enormous concern, however a full-size HDMI port makes connecting a tad simpler.
Asus exceeds expectations with the monitor’s on-screen menu system, which gives a greater variety of choices than most transportable screens. A fast, responsive joystick on the monitor’s proper flank is used to navigate the menus.
Asus gives quite a few image-quality modes and changes for shade, saturation, and shade temperature, though a few of these settings are solely accessible in particular image-quality modes. Nonetheless, Asus’ menu system far exceeds funds screens just like the Arzopa A1 Gamut and comes near the costlier Viewsonic VP16-OLED.
Audio system aren’t included. Most transportable screens embody audio system, however the high quality is inevitably disappointing. I don’t assume Asus’ resolution to ditch them is an issue.
SDR Picture High quality
The Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG is geared in the direction of professionals who often journey, however its picture high quality really exceeds their wants. It gives a shiny, crisp picture with good shade efficiency. The monitor can deal with many images, videography, and digital artwork workflows, and appears enticing when it’s time to relax and luxuriate in a sport or Netflix.
Matt Smith
Brightness ranks among the many monitor’s strongest qualities, with a most brightness of 479 nits in SDR. Because the graph exhibits, that’s larger than any transportable monitor we’ve examined this 12 months.
It’s not a trivial benefit. Transportable screens are extra possible for use in conditions the place gentle management isn’t accessible. The MB16QHG’s brightness will make it extra comfy to make use of in these conditions.
Matt Smith
Distinction is first rate, although the MB16QHG’s efficiency relies on your perspective. It’s superior to different transportable screens with an IPS LCD panel, such because the Azorpa A1 Gamut and AOC I1601FWUX. However OLED transportable screens, such because the ViewSonic ColorPro VP-16 OLED and the Innocn 15K1F, present a greater sense of depth and dimensionality.
The diploma to which this issues relies on your use. The MB16QHG seems nice when displaying shiny, colourful content material, as this obscures its comparatively weak distinction. OLED, which may dim every pixel individually, is a better option for those who take pleasure in, or work with, darker photographs, video games, and movies.
Matt Smith
It’s the same story in shade gamut. The MB16QHG compares effectively to different IPS LCD screens, however not as effectively towards OLED alternate options. Nonetheless, the MB16QHG manages to show a formidable 98 % of the DCI-P3 shade gamut, which is sufficient for {most professional} images and videography.
Matt Smith
Colour accuracy is complicated, because the MB16QHG is merely okay at default settings. It seems enticing, however testing revealed colours had been blown out and overly vibrant. The issue is an unlucky alternative of default shade mode. The monitor ships in Surroundings mode, which ups the colour saturation to an unrealistic degree.
Happily, the monitor’s shade accuracy is improved in different modes (Customary Mode gives a median shade error of simply 1.46), and the menu system presents loads of alternatives for calibration.
The monitor does effectively in shade temperature and gamma with a studying of 6500K and a couple of.2 respectively. Each readings are exactly on our most well-liked targets. They point out the monitor’s picture seems reasonable and that content material is roughly as shiny as its creator meant.
Sharpness is one other perk, because the monitor gives a decision of 2560×1600. That works out to a pixel density of roughly 188 pixels per inch—larger than a 27-inch 4K monitor. Small fonts look crisp and high-resolution video reveals loads of element.
The Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG isn’t probably the most enticing transportable monitor round—that honor goes to its OLED opponents—however it earns excessive marks in brightness, shade efficiency, and sharpness.
HDR Picture High quality
The Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG helps HDR enter and carries VESA DisplayHDR 400 certification. Which may sound promising, however HDR efficiency doesn’t maintain up.
Brightness is an issue. The monitor approaches 500 nits in HDR, however that’s nonetheless not sufficient to ship a high quality HDR expertise. Complicated high-contrast scenes, just like the black gap from Interstellar, present that a whole lot of luminance element is crushed. Vibrant areas of a scene seem as a uniform, shiny glow that lacks element. This happens partly as a result of the monitor isn’t shiny sufficient to make the brightest parts of the scene distinct.
The monitor’s HDR assist is a perk if you could view an HDR video or picture however lack a laptop computer with HDR assist. Simply hold your expectations in verify.
Movement Efficiency
Surprisingly, the Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG delivers a refresh price of 120Hz. That’s akin to many transportable screens meant for players. The improved refresh price improves movement fluidity and readability in video games, but in addition proves helpful when scrolling by means of textual content or photographs.
Avid gamers shouldn’t get too excited, nevertheless, because the monitor sadly lacks Adaptive Sync assist. Its absence permits display tearing in video games which don’t produce a body price equal or above the monitor’s 120Hz. To be truthful, although, many transportable gaming screens additionally lack Adaptive Sync, so the MB16QHG isn’t at a drawback.
Ought to I purchase the Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG?
The Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG is a flexible transportable monitor for productiveness, common use, gaming, and most content material creation. The monitor’s IPS panel can’t evaluate to OLED transportable screens, nevertheless—an issue, because the MB16QHG is priced to compete with them. Asus strikes again with superior sharpness (most OLED alternate options are 1080p) and a 120Hz refresh price. I believe OLED is healthier for most individuals, however the MB16QHG is a stable choose for those who want a transportable monitor that’s brighter, and sharper, than OLED gives.
This evaluation initially appeared on PC World.