Portable monitors have become more abundant in the market since we tested Intehill’s P15NF portable monitor. Monitor manufacturers have shown their interest in improving portable monitors for gamers, particularly those who can’t carry their large 27 or 32-inch monitors when traveling.
Portable gaming monitors are now more affordable than ever and boast incredible specs you would rather find on premium displays. It will still take a considerable amount of time to compete with regular monitors but with the current configuration, the latest portable gaming monitors don’t seem to disappoint.
Today we are taking a look at one of the best-selling portable gaming monitors on Amazon, i.e., Arzopa Z1FC 16-inch portable gaming monitor which currently retails at $169.99. With a 144Hz refresh rate offering, this is one of the most exciting displays you will find online. We will analyze the display in detail with hands-on testing to provide our verdict at the end.
Packaging and Accessories in the Box
The portable monitor comes with a few accessories out of the box, mostly cables. There is a user manual too but as we approach the section on how to use it, you will find that the user manual is not needed most of the time.
The package is pretty decent but doesn’t contain thick foams to protect the display. This is something that should be taken care of but most of the time, the seller takes care of proper packaging.
Inside the package, you will find three different cables: 1x Mini HDMI, 1x USB C to C, and 1x USB C to A. The HDMI cable will let you connect the monitor to your platform and the USB cables are going to power up the display. We will take a look at how to use the monitor later, but now let’s take a close look at the monitor itself.
Build Quality and Looks
The monitor boasts a 16.1″ screen size, which is somewhat bigger than the standard 15.6″ laptop display. The monitor is pretty thin(as it should be) and measures just 0.3 inches. The weight is 1.7 lbs and it feels pretty light in the hands. You can carry it easily inside a backpack without any hassles except that you have to take care of the display.
The monitor uses an aluminum body and a bezel-less IPS display. The only thick bezel is at the bottom where you can see the ARZOPA logo. There is no additional stuff on the front and the connectivity features are located on the sides.
Screen Specifications
| Screen Size | 16.1 inch |
| Panel | IPS |
| Resolution | 1920x1080p |
| Viewing Angles | 170/170 degrees |
| Brightness | 300 nits |
| Contrast Ratio | 1200:1 |
| Color Gamut | 100% |
| Refresh Rate | 144Hz |
Compatible Platforms
Desktops, Laptops, Smartphones, Switch, Xbox, PS3, PS4, PS5, and various other gaming consoles. Please refer to the official product page for all the compatible laptop and smartphone models.
Connectivity and the Ease of Use
We are not sure why Arzopa would not equip it with a protective cover that can also be used as a kickstand. The Z1FC uses a small plastic kickstand that can be folded back to its original position. This is a wise design that is definitely more convenient but it comes by sacrificing the protective cover many portable monitors come with.
It’s highly stable though and we didn’t see any wobble at any angle so, no complaints here.
The connectivity and controls are all on the left side. At the bottom, there are three connectivity ports for each cable that comes inside the box. At the top, you will find an OSD, Volume +/-, and Power/Return buttons for easy access to the monitor’s settings and various multimedia functions. Fortunately, the menu buttons don’t hurt the fingers like the Intehill one.
The OSD menu has basic functions like Brightness, Contrast, Color saturation, Volume, and some visual modes. You can also increase/decrease the brightness just by pressing the +/- buttons provided at the top-left. Unfortunately, there is no 3.5mm audio jack on the monitor, making you rely on connecting your audio device to the main computer, laptop, console, or mobile.
Display Quality
The display used is an IPS one and it was a standard one. The contrast is also fine but the brightness is impressive at 300 nits. Even at 50% brightness, everything looked crisp and clear. Viewing angles are somewhat lacking when you view the screen from the sides.
The colors don’t fade but there is a little bit of shift in shades. Overall, it’s what you would expect on a regular IPS panel. The color gamut is 100% sRGB and as you can see from the image above, the colors are not very vibrant. They get the job done but don’t expect it to be very color-accurate.
Gaming
Gaming was pretty fun on the monitor. The smooth 144Hz refresh rate provided the fluidity we needed for competitive gaming. Even in triple-A titles, the smoothness was pleasant enough. Nonetheless, we are unsure how good is its response time. It felt ok but it didn’t seem to have 1ms GtG response time.
Arzopa didn’t specify the response time on their product page and if we were to guess it, it would come out to be around 4ms GtG, since most regular IPS panels have 4 or 5ms response time. The brightness and the clarity of the screen are decent for gaming in different scenarios. Whether you are playing at night or in a well-lit room, you will have enough brightness to see everything clearly.
Speakers
We weren’t hoping for the speakers to be good at all because when we tested Intehill’s portable monitor, we were disappointed with them. The same can be said with Arzopa Z1FC, which boasts dual 1W speakers. These were dull and didn’t have enough power to make audio delivery audible.
The built-in speakers won’t be of any good use and you probably would want to use dedicated speakers or headphones. Unfortunately, the Z1FC doesn’t come with peripheral connectivity and you won’t find a 3.5mm jack on the display. The only way to make sure you hear the audio clearly from the built-in speakers is by ensuring complete silence in the room. These can be good for places where you must maintain silence but forget about immersion.
The Verdict
Portable monitors, particularly the gaming ones are getting the recognition they deserve. From basic 60Hz panels to high refresh rate OLED panels, there are a plethora of them to choose from. The Arzopa Z1FC provides a middle path, offering a fairly smooth gaming experience. While the picture quality is on par with the modern budget displays, you won’t find it vibrant or color-accurate.
The display is easy to use, requiring you just two cables to connect to your device and get started in no time. Its compatibility with multiple platforms that include a wide range of laptops, computers, consoles, and smartphones, makes it an ideal choice for gaming on the go. It does lack powerful speakers though, which we would not recommend anyway for gaming as headsets do a much better job of delivering good immersion.
There are areas where the display can be improved but since the price tag is just $179.99, it’s hard to complain. With the monitor currently at $70 off on Arzopa’s official website, it makes buying it a no-brainer. We wouldn’t advise it for color grading though, which you will be better off with Intehill’s portable monitor. However, gaming and basic office work will go hand in hand simultaneously. Considering all the pros and cons of the Z1FC, we give it XG Silver for being a satisfactory piece of hardware for gaming.
Know about our Awards
- 16.1″ 144Hz Display: Arzopa Z1FC 16.1″ portable…
- Portable Monitor with Kickstand: The portable…
- 106% sRGB IPS Screen: The 16.1″ portable monitor…
- Second Monitor for Your Laptop: The ARZOPA…
