Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG review

Finest Costs At present: Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG

A conveyable monitor is a wonderful journey companion and a great second monitor for cramped work-from-home setups, however the picture high quality of price range fashions can go away one thing to be desired. Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG supplies an upgraded expertise with superior brightness, distinction, and coloration efficiency—however the upgrades don’t come low cost.

Additional studying: See our roundup of the most effective displays to study competing merchandise.

Worth & Specs

The Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG is a bit totally different from most moveable displays obtainable right this moment. 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 measurement: 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 obtainable
• Audio system: None
• Worth: $399

The Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG retails at $399, which feels steep for a transportable monitor that lacks an OLED panel. Buyers might evaluate it side-by-side with Viewsonic’s ColorPro VP16-OLED, which generally retails for $399 on-line.

It’s not obtainable within the UK on the time of writing however yow will discover 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

The Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG’s kickstand units it other than most moveable displays. 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, in contrast to 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 moveable displays. It additionally helps use in portrait orientation.

Picture and video editors who need to preview their work will admire the monitor’s tripod stand, which lurks on the underside of the kickstand. In contrast to many moveable displays, 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 options offered for half the worth. An ornamental lip on the decrease bezel presents a little bit of aptitude, but it surely’s shiny and should trigger glare in vivid rooms. I count on higher at this worth.

Matt Smith

Connectivity consists of 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 system 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 applicable cable to hook up 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 supplies a greater variety of choices than most moveable displays. A fast, responsive joystick on the monitor’s proper flank is used to navigate the menus.

Asus supplies quite a few image-quality modes and changes for coloration, saturation, and coloration temperature, though a few of these settings are solely obtainable in particular image-quality modes. Nonetheless, Asus’ menu system far exceeds price range displays just like the Arzopa A1 Gamut and comes near the dearer Viewsonic VP16-OLED.

Audio system aren’t included. Most moveable displays embrace audio system, however the high quality is inevitably disappointing. I don’t suppose Asus’ resolution to ditch them is an issue.

SDR Picture High quality

The Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG is geared in direction of professionals who ceaselessly journey, however its picture high quality truly exceeds their wants. It supplies a vivid, crisp picture with good coloration efficiency. The monitor can deal with many images, videography, and digital artwork workflows, and appears enticing when it’s time to sit back and revel in a recreation or Netflix.

Matt Smith

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Brightness ranks among the many monitor’s strongest qualities, with a most brightness of 479 nits in SDR. Because the graph reveals, that’s greater than any moveable monitor we’ve examined this yr.

It’s not a trivial benefit. Transportable displays are extra probably for use in conditions the place mild management isn’t obtainable. The MB16QHG’s brightness will make it extra snug to make use of in these conditions.

Matt Smith

Distinction is first rate, although the MB16QHG’s efficiency will depend on your perspective. It’s superior to different moveable displays with an IPS LCD panel, such because the Azorpa A1 Gamut and AOC I1601FWUX. However OLED moveable displays, 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 will depend on your use. The MB16QHG appears nice when displaying vivid, colourful content material, as this obscures its comparatively weak distinction. OLED, which may dim every pixel individually, is a better option if you happen to get pleasure from, or work with, darker photographs, video games, and movies.

Matt Smith

It’s an analogous story in coloration gamut. The MB16QHG compares nicely to different IPS LCD displays, however not as nicely towards OLED options. Nonetheless, the MB16QHG manages to show a formidable 98 % of the DCI-P3 coloration gamut, which is sufficient for {most professional} images and videography.

Matt Smith

Coloration accuracy is advanced, because the MB16QHG is merely okay at default settings. It appears enticing, however testing revealed colours had been blown out and overly vibrant. The issue is an unlucky alternative of default coloration mode. The monitor ships in Surroundings mode, which ups the colour saturation to an unrealistic degree.

Luckily, the monitor’s coloration accuracy is improved in different modes (Customary Mode supplies a mean coloration error of simply 1.46), and the menu system presents loads of alternatives for calibration.

The monitor does nicely in coloration temperature and gamma with a studying of 6500K and a couple of.2 respectively. Each readings are exactly on our most popular targets. They point out the monitor’s picture appears reasonable and that content material is roughly as vivid as its creator meant.

Sharpness is one other perk, because the monitor supplies a decision of 2560×1600. That works out to a pixel density of roughly 188 pixels per inch—greater 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 moveable monitor round—that honor goes to its OLED opponents—but it surely earns excessive marks in brightness, coloration 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 top quality HDR expertise. Complicated high-contrast scenes, just like the black gap from Interstellar, present that a variety of luminance element is crushed. Brilliant areas of a scene seem as a uniform, vivid glow that lacks element. This happens partly as a result of the monitor isn’t vivid sufficient to make the brightest parts of the scene distinct.

The monitor’s HDR help is a perk if you must view an HDR video or picture however lack a laptop computer with HDR help. Simply preserve your expectations in examine.

Movement Efficiency

Surprisingly, the Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG delivers a refresh price of 120Hz. That’s similar to many moveable displays meant for avid gamers. The improved refresh price improves movement fluidity and readability in video games, but in addition proves helpful when scrolling by textual content or photographs.

Avid gamers shouldn’t get too excited, nevertheless, because the monitor sadly lacks Adaptive Sync help. Its absence permits display screen tearing in video games which don’t produce a body price equal or above the monitor’s 120Hz. To be honest, although, many moveable gaming displays additionally lack Adaptive Sync, so the MB16QHG isn’t at an obstacle.

Ought to I purchase the Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG?

The Asus ZenScreen MB16QHG is a flexible moveable monitor for productiveness, common use, gaming, and most content material creation. The monitor’s IPS panel can’t evaluate to OLED moveable displays, nevertheless—an issue, because the MB16QHG is priced to compete with them. Asus strikes again with superior sharpness (most OLED options are 1080p) and a 120Hz refresh price. I feel OLED is healthier for most individuals, however the MB16QHG is a stable decide if you happen to want a transportable monitor that’s brighter, and sharper, than OLED supplies.

This evaluation initially appeared on PC World.