You decide that you want a portable second screen for your Macbook. A portable second screen extends your laptop’s display and can double your screen real estate. It could serve as a travel companion, or at least enable you to work from anywhere locally, beyond your home.

If you’ve already found a portable monitor that catches your eye, you might be concerned about its compatibility with your Macbook. Limited knowledge about compatibility can make choosing the right monitor feel daunting.

How should you go about choosing a portable monitor for your Macbook? This guide covers what you should specifically look out for.

Can You Use a Portable Monitor With a Macbook?

A common question is whether one can use any portable monitor with a Macbook, including a non-Apple monitor. Fret not.

Portable monitors with compatible ports with Macbooks can be easily connected. Generally, if a portable monitor lacks a USB-C port which is present on most modern Macbooks, you would need an alternative cable or adapter – such as a USB-C to HDMI cable if the monitor has an HDMI port.

A portable monitor with a similar screen size and display resolution to a Macbook would pair well. Moreover, your portable monitor should be relatively light, so the combined setup of your Macbook and monitor will not be too difficult to carry around.

There is a vast variety of portable monitors in the market. Most can work with Macbooks, although some setups may require adjustments (such as an additional cable or adapter). 

Rather, the question is often about how well your Macbook and portable monitor pair together, and how much the setup would inconvenience you. For instance, incompatible ports, screen sizes, and display resolutions may be frustrating. Performance issues, like blurry text or images on display, can render it straining to use your portable monitor.

Quick Guide to Choosing a Portable Monitor for Macbook

Use the following items as a checklist to ascertain a portable monitor’s compatibility with your MacBook — and thus how useful it would be for your productive MacBook-monitor setup.

1. Opt for portable monitors with compatible (USB-C) ports

Most modern Macbooks have USB-C, one of the most versatile ports that support high-speed data transfer, video output, and power delivery. There are exceptions, but those belong to older Macbooks that might use USB-A or HDMI ports.

Hence, look for portable monitors with USB-C ports. Generally, you can save time, money, and frustration, if the ports are compatible with your Macbook. 

Commonly, many portable monitors have USB-C and HDMI ports, and they should work with your Macbook Air or Macbook Pro. Yet, some older or budget portable monitor models might offer alternative port options that are incompatible with your Macbook. In such cases, you might need to purchase additional adapters or cables. The connection process might be more complicated. 

In fact, performance may be affected if you connect a portable monitor to a MacBook using a USB-C to HDMI cable, compared to a direct USB-C cable connection. 

This part sounds a little technical, but hear me out. When using a USB-C to HDMI cable, the MacBook has to convert the video signal from its native USB-C/Thunderbolt format to HDMI. This conversion process might cause a slight delay and can potentially affect video quality, especially if the monitor’s resolution and refresh rate are high.

To save yourself from the hassle of potential additional purchases and performance issues, opt for portable monitors with the most compatible ports with Macbooks – USB-C.

2. Get a monitor with a comparable screen size

Get a portable monitor with a comparable screen size to your Macbook. Macbook models range from 13-16 inches. Of course, your portable monitor does not have to be the same exact size as your Macbook, although you might prefer that. 

First, we should rule out bigger screens that are not portable. Screens that are 17-18 inches or above are less likely to fit easily into your bag, and would be heavier in general.

Most portable monitors come with a 13.3-inch or 15.6-inch screen. The 13.3-inch portable screen can fit easily into your bag and is usually lighter than the 15.6-inch screen. Thus, it is more portable. However, the 15.6-inch screen fits more detail and is superior from a productivity standpoint.

Both screens are fine. Decide between screens in such a size range and consider the trade-offs.

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3. Consider their combined weight

Consider this (if you haven’t): Your portable monitor is only portable if you can carry it with your laptop – unless you pair it with a tablet or phone instead. The reality is that carrying both your portable monitor and Macbook around can be tedious. Keeping them in your backpack, while being mobile for hours on end, can be unergonomic. 

Don’t underestimate the combined weight of your devices. Add them up. 

Additionally, if you plan to travel overseas with your Macbook and portable monitor, ensure their combined weight falls under carry-on baggage limits that differ between airlines, typically 7-10 kg. This can be difficult, especially if you tend to overpack on your trips.

On the lighter end of the scale, the 13-inch Macbook M1 Air is 1.29kg (or 2.84 pounds). On the other hand, the 16-inch Macbook M2 Pro is 2.15kg (or 4.74 pounds). Here are your important considerations:

• If you already have a heavier Macbook Pro, you want your portable monitor to be much lighter. 
• Generally, it doesn’t make sense for your portable monitor to be heavier than your Macbook. Ideally, you want it to be around half or two-thirds the weight of your Macbook. 
• Watch out for portable monitors with a built-in battery, as these ‘portable’ monitors carry extra weight and bulk.

4. Ensure display resolutions are not too far off

Consider a portable monitor’s display resolution. This determines how sharp your images and texts appear. 

If the display resolution of your portable monitor is not too far off your Macbook’s, you can view both screens comfortably without causing strain on your eyes.

What are the common display resolutions of macbooks? The 13-inch Macbook Air and Macbook Pro has a retina display of 2560×1600. The 16-inch Macbook Pro has a retina display of 3456×2234.

For a portable monitor, you can do just fine with a resolution of 1080p (1900×1080) – most affordable portable monitors have this resolution. That means the portable screen has 1920 pixels horizontally and 1080 pixels vertically. Why is this doable? Simply put, the 1900×1080 pixels are packed within a smaller 13-16 inch screen, compared to a regular monitor’s 24-inch screen. Thus pixel density is increased — text and images can actually appear sharp on a portable monitor with 1080p resolution.

Avoid lower resolutions such as 720p or 1366×768. These resolutions are too far off your MacBook’s resolution, and can potentially cause you strain. Even if you could manage them, you might experience discomfort, and your eyes will need to adapt between your MacBook’s higher resolution and such low resolutions. This is not easy when viewing both screens at the same time.

5. Consider build quality

Next, consider build quality as you will be carrying your portable monitor in your bag, taking it on commutes or travels.

Macbooks have a reputation for having good build quality, often using premium materials such as aluminum for the casing. On the other hand, the build quality of portable monitors tends to vary widely, depending on the brand, model, and price range. Some budget-friendly options may use less sturdy and robust materials. They may come with plastic materials or lack sturdy hinges.

Check on your portable monitors’ construction materials and if possible, have a feel of it in your own hands. Check the reviews. Make your call on whether you want your monitor’s build quality to be comparable with your MacBook’s.

If your portable monitor is less durable, you will need to take extra care in storing it properly. Just take note of this and take precautions when you travel with it.

6. Consider your monitor’s battery and charging options

Decide if you need your portable monitor to come with a battery. Most portable monitors come without a battery, and this is a good thing – it reduces its cost and weight. However, that means the portable monitor must be powered by an external source, either via USB-C directly from your laptop or from its own power adapter.

Macbooks are known for having very good battery life, so it’s arguably not too bad if it powers your portable monitor. 

I’d recommend you pick a portable monitor without a built-in battery, unless you are strongly against drawing on your MacBook’s power.

Additionally, your MacBook’s battery will be consumed faster by a portable monitor with a higher display resolution (beyond 1080p), higher refresh rates (beyond 60 Hz), or a larger screen. 

Ask yourself if you truly need these ‘superior’ specifications before you invest in an (expensive) portable monitor. Note: This consideration is more important if you travel or work beyond your home frequently. You want to reduce the potential inconveniences of backpack load and your battery depleting fast.

Related: Portable Monitor: Does It Impact Your Laptop Battery Life

Choose the right portable monitor for your Macbook

Using this detailed guide, go ahead and make the right investment in a portable second screen for your Macbook.

If you need help with other factors in the decision-making purchase process, check out this detailed guide on choosing a travel monitor for your laptop (not specific to Macbooks).

If you are ready to invest but haven’t selected a portable monitor, check out this Forhelp 15.6-inch 1080p portable monitor which is budget-friendly and ticks all the boxes for a reliable second screen that meets your remote work and travel needs.