ViewSonic TD1655 review: Portable touchscreen triggers productivity

Sometimes one screen just isn’t enough. When it comes to getting the job done, more display space often translates into higher productivity. The ViewSonic TD1655 portable monitor is an affordable way to add extra screen space to your workspace.

About this ViewSonic TD1655 review: We spent a week with the ViewSonic TD1655 test device and paired it with a variety of computer products. ViewSonic provided the verification unit Android Authority for the purposes of this article.

ViewSonic TD1655 review: what is it?

The ViewSonic TD1655 is a portable monitor that can be used anywhere, just as easily as any laptop or tablet. It is primarily designed for mobile professionals, remote workers, and others who need extensive screen real estate outside of the office. It can be connected to Windows and Mac laptops, as well as phones, tablets and gaming devices.

See also: Best Portable Monitors You Can Buy

The slim package includes a 15.6-inch touch display with Full HD resolution, a pen and a built-in stand. It measures less than an inch thick and weighs only two pounds. This means it can fit in any backpack, laptop bag, or briefcase along with your primary device. With multiple connectivity and power options, the ViewSonic TD1655 may be the productivity solution you need.

How is the hardware?

The ViewSonic TD1655 portable monitor is a great piece of hardware. It’s more or less comparable to any 15-inch laptop – and significantly larger than a 13-inch laptop. It measures 355.6 x 232.5 x 15.24 mm (14 x 8.8 x 0.6 in) and weighs 0.95 kg (2.1 lbs). It’s light enough that it’s worth pounding the extra weight in your bag.

The chassis is made of plastic and the fold-out stand is made of metal. Not all portable monitors have it, but the TD1655’s stand is excellent. It offers a 45 degree range of motion, so you can adjust the display to almost any angle while working or watching.

ViewSonic ships the monitor with a soft, hinged cover to protect the display in your pocket. The cover locks into place magnetically and easily falls over the back of the monitor when in use. You’d be crazy if you didn’t use it.

The monitor and its settings can be controlled via a five-way joystick located on the back near the right edge. This little joystick acts as an on / off switch as well as a tool for navigating the settings menu on the screen. It works perfectly. The on-screen menu system is intuitive and easy to use. You can quickly adjust most facets of display performance.

There are a handful of ports on the left edge of the monitor. This includes two USB-C ports, a mini HDMI port, and a headphone jack. The connectors allow you to connect the TD1655 to a variety of source devices, depending on what you are working with. For example, I used the included HDMI cable to connect the TD1655 to my MacBook Pro and the USB-C cable to connect it to a Lenovo ThinkPad.

The USB-C ports support an output of up to 60 W, which means that you can power your laptop either via the display or via your laptop. This is practical as the power cord for the supplied charging stone is only 1 m long.

The stereo speakers on the back allow you to use the display to watch videos with sound.

Connected: Best monitors for work and leisure

Overall, the ViewSonic TD1655 is easy to use, can be combined with other devices and has useful functions such as a headphone jack.

What’s the screen like?

The TD1655 measures 15.6 inches across the diagonal and offers full HD resolution. It offers a large, pixel-rich canvas on which to work. The workspace dwarfs the 13-inch laptops I have on hand and allows multiple windows / apps to run at the same time with ease. The display has an aspect ratio of 16: 9, which is quite typical for a modern screen. On both Mac and Windows computers, you can set the main display and the position of the ViewSonic relative to the laptop screen.

ViewSonic chose an IPS LCD to provide lighting. It has wide viewing angles of 178 degrees. We found that the display maintained brightness and color even at extreme angles. According to ViewSonic, the display emits 250 nits of brightness with a contrast ratio of 1,000: 1. However, it wasn’t as bright as the display on a laptop I plugged it into, and it wasn’t as high-contrast either. I would have preferred to see more luminance from the screen.

The biggest problem with the screen is color. Red, green, and purples just aren’t accurate. It was easy to tell the differences when I held the portable monitor next to my laptops. The reds on the Lenovo looked deep and rich, while the TD1655 looked almost orange. This affects some, but not all, users. I would say the screen is not accurate enough if you are a photographer or videographer or even a web designer who wants to tweak, adjust or adjust colors. However, if you work on spreadsheets or documents all day, color accuracy doesn’t matter.

More: Best budget 4K monitors for gaming

Other than color accuracy and brightness, the size and resolution work really well. I found the TD1655 to be a boon to my productivity as it allowed me to expand my workspace to a larger area.

What I like about the ViewSonic TD1655

• Ports – – What do you dislike about a mini HDMI and two 60 W USB-C ports? That’s all you need.
• Stand – –The metal stand is easy to use, adjusts the display at several angles and holds it firmly.
• Soft cover – – The included cover keeps the display’s glass secure (and clean) when you move it.
• joystick – – The simple five-way joystick on the back really helps when it comes to adjusting settings.
• Touch screen – – The 10-point capacitive touchscreen works well and has pen support.

What I don’t like about it

• speaker – – The 0.8 watt speakers on the back are hardly worth using.
• colour – – The color representation is not accurate enough for editing photos or videos.
• No battery – – The TD1655 does not contain a battery, which means it must always be connected to a power source.
• Limited Mac support – – The touchscreen works natively with Windows, but requires additional software when connected to a Mac.

ViewSonic TD1655: Technical Specifications

	ViewSonic TD1655
display	15.6 in
resolution	Full HD 1,920 x 1,080
technology	IPS LCD 60Hz
brightness	250nits
contrast	800: 1
Ports	Mini HDMI USB-C x 2 Headphone jack
was standing	Yes
Home page	Yes
control	joystick
Dimensions	355.6 x 232.5 x 15.24 mm (14 x 8.8 x 0.6 in.)
Weight	0.95 kg 2.1 lbs

ViewSonic TD1655 Review: Should You Buy It?

There’s no question that adding more screen real estate improves productivity. Adding a second display to your laptop gives it a significant boost. While portable displays have been around for a while, few offer as many pros as the ViewSonic TD1655.

This monitor is thin and light so it can easily fit in your pocket. It has a large Full HD screen with wide viewing angles and a flexible stand that allows you to adjust the viewing angle. The solid port selection means you can connect the TD1655 to almost anything. With the small joystick you can easily adjust the settings to your needs.

The ViewSonic TD1655 is a bargain at the normal price of $ 250, although it is now available for $ 230. If you don’t need a touchscreen, consider the TD1655’s close cousin, the VG1655, which offers the same functionality except for the touchscreen at a bargain price of $ 180.