With traveling back on the list of things to do, nomad workers must be fully equipped for the challenges ahead. While laptops and tablets can do wonders in terms of productivity, having an additional screen is definitely a boon. But what screen should you get? ASUS has again lent us a portable monitor for us to review and play with in the ASUS Zenscreen Ink MB14AHD. A mouthful name but is it a good portable monitor? Let’s find out in this review.
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To interact and configure the ASUS Zenscreen Ink MB14AHD, you can make use of the menu buttons on its left side to access the OSD menu. The top-most (right-most in the picture) is the power button while the rest are buttons to navigate the menus. You can also make use of the official software which can be downloaded via the official product page to tweak the display.
From the bottom (left in the picture) is the 3.5mm jack, two USB-C ports that can take in power, and a micro HDMI port. No ports or buttons are located at the right side of the display.
Should you find yourself having a spare tripod near you, you can make use of it as a stand for the ASUS ZenScreen Ink MB14AHD.
For performance and calibration, we used the X-Rite i1 Display Pro. Data and tables displayed below were taken using the aforementioned tool. Below the Color Gamut are various tests for refresh rates, MPRT, etc. You can test your own display’s capabilities using the handy tools provided on www.testufo.com.
| Target | Achieved | |
|---|---|---|
| White Point | CCT: CIE Illuminant D75K u’: 0.229, v’: 0.315 | CCT: 7490K u’: 0.299, v’: 0.315 |
| Black Point | 0.300 cd/m2 | 0.802 cd/m2 |
| Brightness | 220 cd/m2 | 220 cd/m2 |
| Gamma | 800:1 | 274.616:1 |
You can test your own monitor’s frame rate and refresh rate using BlurBuster’s Frame Skipping test.
Nothing surprising here. the ASUS ZenScreen Ink MB14AHD is rated to have a refresh rate of 60Hz. Good thing is that it does not display any gaps when tested using the frame skipping test.
You can test your own monitor using BlurBuster’s Frame Skipping test.
The measured persistence is near to the 5ms advertised on the box.
You can test your own monitor’s MPRT using BlurBuster’s MPRT test.
To take advantage of the touch-screen or pen, you first have to setup the Zenscreen Ink MB14AHD with your PC. On Windows 10, you can only use the touch functionalities on one screen. If you find yourself having trouble with it, you can refer to the handy video made by ASUS for help.
One thing noticeable while using the ASUS Zenscreen Ink MB14AHD is that it responds incredibly well. Touches are registered instantaneously on-screen and even with your fingers, clicking is precise and lands where you want the pointer to be. It’s also 10-point touch meaning that you can do magic as you can execute different commands depending on the number of fingers that you have on the screen.
Since we’re talking about how to interact with the screen, it’s best to also talk about the other half of the package. The included ASUS Pen is a bit on the chunkier and heavier side but is surprisingly precise when interacting with the ASUS Zenscreen Ink MB14AHD. While you can attach it to the backside of the display as it is magnetized, the portable monitor does not have a pocket or slot for the ASUS Pen.
You already have a huge touch-screen so why not use it for mobile games? I tried playing with the ASUS Zenscreen Ink MB14AHD and as expected, it performed with great precision and is incredibly snappy. It’s also cool to experience playing a touch-screen game on a large screen while doing something productive.
The ASUS Zenscreen Ink MB14AHD is unfortunately not built and designed for entertainment. Although you have good colors and contrast, the whole package does not come with speakers and only comes with a 3.5mm jack port for external output.
Another thing worth saying about the ASUS Zenscreen Ink MB14AHD is that it does not come with batteries. You cannot use it unplugged and it needs a power source to function. This power source can be your typical smartphone charger (or the included one) or a compatible USB-C power port.
The ASUS Zenscreen Ink MB14AHD is another quality product from ASUS. Despite being a smaller version of their mainstream displays, it does not pull any punches. Colors are on the spot and the display is bright enough to be a designated second screen to any workstation. It’s mobile, comes with a pen for presentations/signatures, and is easy to setup.
Although I don’t often use screens for presentations, I can see the practical use of having a touch-screen display for presenting. It adds a bit of personal touch to your visuals and the ASUS Zenscreen Ink MB14AHD does a splendid job in realizing it. The pen and touch-screen display combo is a match made in heaven and the experience felt smooth when I tried my hands on it.
Unfortunately, I cannot vouch for its usage in terms of making art as I have neither the tools nor skills to try it out. Hopefully, another artistically inclined reviewer or user would give out their opinion about this device in the near future.
As with most things with the ASUS brand, the ASUS ZenScreen Ink MB14AHD has a price tag that may not be for everyone. You can check out the price below but to give you a quick hint, the price itself is more expensive than most mid-tier gaming monitors.
The ASUS ZenScreen Ink MB14AHD is a great product overall. It delivers what it promises despite its smaller size and is built with quality similar to that of its larger siblings. It does its job well as a secondary screen and is light enough to be carried during travels. In addition, it sports a very professional look and is not a product you’d be embarrassed to take out of your bag. Unfortunately, these advantages and features come at a price which may be high enough to deter even those looking to experience it.
The ASUS Zenscreen Ink MB14AHD is available locally here in the Philippines. It has an SRP of PhP 25,050.
Visit the official ASUS Zenscreen Ink MB14AHD product page here.
