If you need an affordable portable monitor for casual use, perhaps when traveling or in the office, then you’ll do well with the Lepow C2 15.4-inch monitor. It’s light, has an assortment of connection options, and has a reasonable IPS screen.
Do you need a lightweight yet sturdy portable monitor with a decent screen and affordable price tag? If so, the Lepow C2 Series 15.4-inch monitor may be the perfect solution for you.While the screen can’t compete with a high-end monitor (it’s slightly washed out and could be brighter), the 1080p resolution and 60Hz refresh rate is more than satisfactory for casual browsing, office work, and the occasional gaming.It flawlessly connects to a range of devices like laptops, computers, phones, and game consoles, and will especially benefit those who lead a transient lifestyle.Let’s explore the Lepow C2 Series 5.4-inch portable monitor in detail.
What Is the Lepow C2 Series Portable Monitor?
Lepow has been in the game since 2011 and has established itself as a decent and affordable choice, albeit with an oddly named product line. It’s not long ago that we reviewed the Lepow Z1 Series monitor and the C2 Series offers some nice improvements over that: a tweaked form factor and the addition of Mini DisplayPort support being the most noticeable.
Included with the Lepow C2 Series 15.4-inch portable monitor is:
It’s fantastic that Lepow has included all of these cables because it means you have everything you need to connect to your devices out of the box. You can, of course, use your own cables if you find Lepow’s too short (which you may find with the power cable especially).
What Does the Lepow C2 Look Like?
The Lepow C2 is understated and stylish. The 15.4-inch screen is surrounded by reasonable bezels: 0.315 inches (0.8 cm) top, 0.59 inches (1.5 cm) sides, and 0.945 inches (2.4 cm) bottom. It’s black all over, apart from the silver metal kickstand and some detail on the back. The model is also available with a grey shell if you’d rather.
Weighing 1.54lbs (700g), the Lepow C2 is far lighter than expected, though it doesn’t feel flimsy. You can comfortably carry it in one hand or sling it into your backpack without it feeling like a burden. While that might not be relevant if you’re planning to use this as a semi-fixed second monitor, it’s handy if you want to take it out and about.
On the back of the Lepow C2 is an adjustable metal kickstand which, when fully extended, places the monitor at a 120-degree angle to your desk. Thanks to the sturdiness of the kickstand, you can easily set it at any angle without fear of the monitor falling over.
This also means that you can use the monitor in portrait view, which is something that previous Lepow models lacked. If you often work with long documents or chat applications, where height is more valuable than width, this will prove beneficial to you.
On the back left of the monitor, you’ll find four physical buttons for power and controlling the on-screen menu. There’s also a 3.5mm headphone jack. On the right, there are four ports: mini HDMI (video), USB-C (video and power), USB-C (video), and mini DP (video).
All in all, there’s little to qualm about the Lepow C2’s form factor. It’s sleek, portable, and sturdy. The only downside is you’ll need to buy a separate case if you want to keep it protected on the go, but that’s a minor quibble.
What Devices Does the Lepow C2 Connect to?
The Lepow C2 offers an impressive range of connection options: USB-C (there are two separate ports—one only supplies power, the other power and video), mini HDMI, and mini DP. This means that you can hook the monitor up to a wide range of devices like your laptop, mobile phone, tablet, and game console.
During my tests, I connected the monitor to my desktop computer, Huawei Matebook X Pro laptop, Samsung S8 phone, and Nintendo Switch. All of these worked flawlessly. The monitor quickly detects input and automatically switches to the correct one (you can also manually switch via the on-screen controls).
The Lepow C2 doesn’t include a battery. This means that it’ll need to draw from your device’s battery via USB-C (this is the only port that offers video and power). Thankfully, a wide range of devices support this (both my laptop and phone did). However, if yours doesn’t (my PC and Switch didn’t), or if you want to connect via HDMI or DP, you’ll additionally need to connect the included power supply via the second USB-C port.
If you’re only using the Lepow C2 at home, that probably doesn’t matter too much. However, it’s something to consider when traveling. Be sure to test your devices beforehand to see whether you’ll need that additional power connection, and bear in mind that you’ll need to be near a wall socket if so.
How Does the Lepow C2 Perform?
The Lepow C2 boasts a 15.4-inch IPS screen, with 1920 x 1080 resolution, 60Hz refresh rate, and an IPS panel. The screen has a matte finish, which means you don’t get any annoying reflections like you might on a tablet.
On that note, the Lepow C2 comes with a cheap plastic screen protector. Throw it away and don’t use it. Not only are you unlikely to successfully apply it without a myriad of air bubbles, but it makes the screen very reflective. If you want to protect the screen, buy a carrying case instead.
There’s no noticeable input lag on the screen. This means that whenever you move the mouse, type, or do something in a game, that action happens without discernible delay. Honestly, I was expecting some input lag, especially when playing games, but was pleasantly surprised.
The image is sharp and clear. In my testing, I noticed no blurriness or screen tearing. The viewing angles are reasonable. While the image does get darker at wider angles, looking head-on is ideal and it holds up well enough.
For the most part, the Lepow C2 offers good color—defined and without banding. However, you may notice everything has a slight blue tinge, which gives a washed-out appearance. This is especially noticeable if you use this as a second monitor alongside a higher quality IPS display. Though you can adjust the colors via the on-screen menu, it did little to alleviate the problem.
The screen is also reasonably bright, but not fantastically so. Though you won’t struggle to see the display, since it’s clear in all light settings, you might wish for that extra oomph. You can adjust the brightness via the on-screen menu, but the change is negligible. Annoyingly, the brightness setting on the Lepow resets every time it powers off.
All that said, this is still a great display, especially for the price point. While you could probably spend more on a portable monitor and get an even better screen, it’s likely you’ll be satisfied with the quality of the Lepow C2 monitor. It holds up perfectly well for casual use, which is what it’s designed for.
The back of the Lepow C2 features two speakers which reach a decent volume. As you might expect, these are basic and unimpressive, but work well enough in a pinch. Handily, there is a 3.5mm headphone jack too, and you’re better off using that.
Should You Buy the Lepow C2 Portable Monitor?
The display on the Lepow C2 portable monitor isn’t flawless, but it’s decent for the price. While I wouldn’t recommend using this for anything that requires precise color accuracy, it works nicely as both a second monitor and a display to use when traveling.
The fact the Lepow C2 supports a range of inputs, and therefore a considerable assortment of devices, is fantastic. The fact it handles them all flawlessly is even better. It works, and it’s as convenient as it could be. It also delivers fantastically on the portable promise because it’s light and easily adapts to both portrait and landscape views thanks to the sturdy kickstand.
For casual home and office use, the Lepow C2 15.4-inch portable monitor comes well recommended.
