The 22-inch portable monitor is the new sweet spot of mobile productivity and entertainment, which will provide enough screen space without losing portability. However, when you get to shopping, the big question arises: touchscreen or no touchscreen? This choice has an effect on functionality, price, and the user experience. We will examine the advantages and disadvantages of both, present the best of offerings by brands such as Uperfect, ASUS, Lenovo, ViewSonic and Arzopa, and assist you in determining what type of 22-inch monitor best fits your budget.
Pros: It has an intuitive user interface, which can be both operated as input (through tapping, swipes, pinch-to-zoom) and as a way to present information (presentations, direct annotation) and to create (drawing, design), and functions as a tablet (Windows Ink or Android touch).
Cons: Costlier, can be glare reflective (matte is more popular), might be a little thicker/ heavier, is more power consumptive, can be fingerprinted and can be grabbed during typing.
Pros: Cheaper, generally lighter/thinner, uses less power (when it has a battery), a wider variety of panel types (high-refresh or OLED), matte anti-glare displays are more common, and no fingerprint problem.
Cons: It can only use keyboard/mouse/trackpad input, not as user-friendly as using on-screen elements, and does not respond to them directly.
The flagship touch model of Uperfect has a beautiful 4K IPS display, 10-point multitouch, and USB-C one-cable connectivity (power/video/data). Its sleek design and smart cover/stand are the added features that make it a high-end option with regard to professionals who require accuracy on touch when working away. Ideal for digital artists or presenters who would like to make notes on the screen.
ASUS offers a Full HD (1920x1080) IPS panel, 10-point touch with an inbuilt battery that makes it truly portable. It includes the Hybrid Signal technology by ASUS, which provides the possibility of connecting it either through USB-C or micro-HDMI. The stylus provided is more accurate in taking notes or in light design areas and serves as a flexible portable monitor for laptop users who want touch capability without having to carry a separate power source always with them.
The monitor has been specifically designed to meet the needs of business users, featuring an active pen (sold separately) as well as high-resolution touch with 10 points. It is extraordinary in terms of its ultra-thin design (less than 1kg). The stand has some levels of tilt, and it can be connected to USB-C. It is productivity and teamwork-oriented, which would be better suited to use during an annotation session or brainstorming.
The non-touch service of Uperfect is value and longevity-based. It is an ultra-large Full HD (1920x1080) IPS touchscreen with a massive built-in battery (10,000mAh) providing 6-8 hours of uninterrupted operation. Connectivity is offered using USB-C and mini-HDMI. The simplicity and lightweight nature of its design and included smart cover make it an ideal travel companion to users who value battery life and touch-free use.
ViewSonic is known more as a desktop monitor, but it has a lovely portable 22-inch model. It has a SuperClear IPS technology, which ensures wide viewing and vivid colours because the panel is Full HD (1920x1080). It connects via USB-C and HDMI. It is powerful with its good quality of build, good colour performance (100% sRGB), and flicker-free technology, and it is used in photo editing or media consumption when one does not need to touch the screen.
This cheap Full HD (1920x1080) IPS portable monitor is a monitor that can perform above its price. It has USB-C and HDMI connections, a slim design, and surprisingly high colour accuracy (about 90 percent sRGB). It has no touch or battery, but its low price and competent performance make it a great entry-level 22-inch monitor display, suitable for students or casual users who want to enlarge their laptop screen.
Targeted at gamers and content creators, this non-touch display has a Mini-LED backlight with hundreds of dimming zones to deliver outstanding contrast and HDR visualisation (1000 nits peak brightness). It also has a high refresh rate (144Hz) and low response time (5ms) to make the game run well. USB-C, HDMI and DisplayPort are flexible. It is the option of the users who require the highest quality of visuals and speed without touch input.
Creative Professionals: Direct stylus input is an excellent advantage to the digital artists, designers and photographers to find precision in their work.
Presenters & Educators: It is priceless to be able to annotate slides, drawings or documents on the screen when presenting or teaching.
Windows Tablet/2-in-1 Users: The extension of a touch-enabled laptop or tablet into a touch monitor provides a continuous, seamless workflow.
Productivity enthusiasts: These people feel more comfortable tapping, swiping, and interacting with on-screen controls than using a trackpad to perform specific tasks.
Lower-End Consumers: Non-touch monitors tend to be less expensive compared to similar-quality monitors.
Mobile Warriors Prioritising Battery: Non-touch The non-touch models and battery-less models in particular have higher battery life, such as the ViewSonic, or large battery life, such as the Uperfect Mars.
Gamers: Gaming monitors with high refresh rate and low response time (such as the Uperfect Titan) are not touch, to reduce input lag and cost.
Users who want Matte Finishes: Non-touch displays are also easier to find with anti-glare matte finishes, essential in high-brightness environments.
Minimalists: Customers who just desire a larger, secondary screen and are satisfied with either the trackpad on the laptop or an external mouse.
Although this is not the topic of the touch debate, it is worth mentioning that there is an increasing demand in the market for portable OLED monitors. OLED displays flawless blacks, interminable contrast and saturated colours. Most of the current portable OLEDs are smaller (15-16 inches) or non-touch (such as the future Uperfect Spectra 22" OLED). When ultimate image quality matters and you do not need touch, it may be a great option as a non-touch option, though with a high cost of a 22-inch OLED monitor.
No one option exists as better or worse between touchscreen and non-touchscreen 22-inch portable monitors, but it entirely depends on your primary application and your budget.
Select Touchscreen when: You absolutely need to be able to have direct interaction, annotation, or a tablet-like experience in your workflow, and can afford to pay a premium and deal with battery life/glare.
Select Non-Touchscreen when: You want the best value, the most extended battery life, the highest gaming performance, a matte screen or just a larger secondary screen.
Such brands as Uperfect have good alternatives in both categories (X Pro Touch vs. Mars/Titan non-touch), and ASUS, Lenovo, ViewSonic, and Arzopa offer good substitutes addressing specific requirements. Take your time thinking about how you are going to use your portable monitor on a day-to-day basis with your laptop. Are you going to be drawing pictures, making reports, playing games simultaneously, or simply winding up your spreadsheet? The answer to such a question will lead you to the ideal 22-inch companion, either the one that answers your fingertips or simply gives you some breathtaking images.
