Need to buy a semi-portable large screen for Series 7 Ultra - any advice ?

Hi

This may sound bonkers, but I need a semi-portable large screen for my new Samsung Series 7 Ultra Notebook (NP740U3E-S04UK).

I already have an old-ish Samsung SyncMaster 244T (24 inch 1920x1200) screen at home, but it's A) heavy and B) delicate. In short it's not designed to be moved !
I find my notebook is fine for travelling but it's not brilliant for doing a full day's work on due to the small screen size 13", (running at 1920x 1080 res.).
Also I have a bad neck and my physio tells me that all laptops have a serious ergonomic problem which is that you are always looking DOWN too much, whereas ideally we should all be looking straight ahead and down slightly.

Can anyone recommend a large-ish semi-portable screen for when I'm travelling to somewhere by car. i.e. It needn't be all that light if I'm travelling by car!

I suppose at least 19 or 20 inches would be good. Resolution perhaps say 1920x1200?

With thanks

J


P.S. It's pretty irritating that my Samsung laptop's screen doesn't go flatter, as it rather gets in the way when trying to put a big monitor behind the keyboard ! (why on EARTH didnt samsung design them to at least go flat like my 8 year old Lenovo?) If pushed I suppose I could also take a portable/wireless keyboard with me though, which would mean that I could move the laptop body out of the the way / out of the line of sight! It is a pain though because it's yet another thing to have to carry (and to set up) for no good reason.

 

Regarding your posture, try using the advice here. It's what I have evolved into doing although, in my case, the need is to be looking at the display though the appropriate part of my varifocal lenses. However, I also know from experience that the 13.3" Series 9 with 1600 x 900 display meant I had to sit closer to the screen to avoid eyestrain, which is why I'm now using the 15" Series 9.

Would something like this meet your monitor needs? Although it is slightly bigger than you indicated (but note that 16:9 needs to be a side bigger than the older 16:10) it has an HDMI input and doesn't seem to be very heavy. The reviews look OK and one point they note is that the screen can be tilted. An HDMI cable is not included. I think you should also plan on using a separate keyboard. I suggest a space saver one with a layout as similar as possible to that in the notebook.

John

 

Thanks JR

Re that monitor (Samsung S22C300HS 21.5 inch LED Monitor Not a bad suggestion! Weight is respectable (2.5KG). Quality sounds good (if you can find one with no dead pixels).

BUT
1. I am growing to really hate the widescreen format - I keep just wanting more vertical height! (If that is my laptop can drive higher thon 1080p resolutions [??])
2. It looks like I would HAVE to have a separate keyboard, which is a mighty pain as the laptop's one is perfectly good.
3. It doesn't really look like it's designed for transport. (e.g. no lid to protect the screen during transport). (But I suppose I could transport it in the cardboard box it comes in if pushed! :^/ )

One or two of the reviews claim that the screen cant be tilted, but they may be idiots.

Re ergonomics, I was hoping that Windows 8.1 would solve the "make text larger" problem. (And I still dont know if it will because when I ran the upgrade the Samsung drivers failed catastrophically when I tried to install 8.1) For now I have made the text DPI "125%" which creates a few anomalies but it tolerable.

Re your ergonomics & sitting straight link - yes, that may well be better for lower back but it will be terrible for your upper back and neck. i.e. We will all end up as hunch-backs! Also how the heck is one supposed to read your laptop screen if you are sitting BACK away from it. i.e. Your head will be 'miles' from it! Yes, all fine if you have a huge screen I suppose, but not good if you have a 13" (or less!) laptop.

Cheers

J

 

I would still prefer a monitor that is *designed* for transport - i.e. is not only fairly light, but has some form of protection for the screen.

e.g. this sort of thing (except physically much larger, and higher resolution - preferably 1920x1200.)
Lenovo ThinkVision LT1421 Monitor Review | External Monitor Reviews | LAPTOP Reviews


In order to have two screens running at once, does that mean that it has to be a USB driven thing? Of can we use the HDMI port?

 

You would normally run the second monitor via HDMI (best, for a fully digital signal without any conversion) or VGA.

That Lenovo monitor runs via USB so it's a one cable solution for both signal and power. However, given the 2.5W power limit of USB 2.0, that's not conducive for good brightness and it is only 200 nit (probably equivalent to 1/4 brightness on your Series 7) and is quite a small panel. This Asus monitor is designed to use USB 3.0 with its higher power rating. You would need to look at a 15.6" FHD notebook in a shop to decide if that size meets your legibility requirements. Once you get anything bigger then it will need mains power, which will add to the baggage.

John

 

Ah... interesting. That Acer is still only 1920x1080, not 1920x1200 and 15" is still rather small for what is in effect a desktop monitor replacement.

Yes I dont mind too much about needing that additional power supply. It only needs to be "luggable" - i.e. for transport mostly by car. But it does need to be moderately light, robust enough to cope with being moved every day and have a cover for the front surface of the screen.

I am wondering what do people like auditors & accountants do when they are frequently driving from place to place, but want a nice big screen (possibly two at once?) to work from?

J