Viewsonic VA1655 monitor evaluate: USB-C energy involves a funds transportable

Finest Costs Right now: Viewsonic VA1655

Looking for a transportable monitor on Amazon can overwhelm you with a torrent of decisions from manufacturers you’ve by no means heard of. Which may lead you in direction of a model that’s a bit extra acquainted—like Viewsonic, a model that’s been within the enterprise for many years. There are benefits to enjoying it protected with a better-known model, like superior USB-C connectivity and an easy-to-use menu system, however the VA1655’s picture high quality doesn’t stand out from the gang.

Viewsonic VA1655 (15.6-inch) specs and options

The Viewsonic VA1655’s specs are equivalent to dozens of different cheap transportable displays. It has a 15.6-inch 1080p IPS-LCD show with a refresh charge of 60Hz.

• Show dimension: 15.6-inch 16:9 side ratio
• Native decision: 1920×1080
• Panel sort: IPS LCD
• Refresh charge: 60Hz
• Adaptive Sync: None
• HDR: No
• Ports: 1x Mini-HDMI 1.4, 2x USB-C, 3.5mm audio-out
• Audio: 2x audio system
• Extra options: Carrying case, built-in stand
• Worth: $109.99 MSRP

The transportable monitor’s connectivity is supplied by one mini-HDMI port, in addition to two USB-C ports. Notably, the USB-C ports each assist 60 watts of energy supply, to allow them to cost and supply video enter to the monitor. The monitor additionally ships with a carrying case.

Learn on to be taught extra, then see our roundup of one of the best transportable displays for comparability.

Viewsonic VA1655 design

The Viewsonic VA1655’s design is uncommon for a funds transportable monitor. It doesn’t use a removable kickstand carrying case however as a substitute integrates the kickstand into the monitor itself.

On the plus aspect, this implies the stand will at all times be with you. The stand additionally supplies an excellent vary of tilt adjustment with as much as roughly 45 levels of tilt; much better than rivals just like the Innoview Transportable Monitor, which depends on a kickstand case.

On the draw back, the built-in kickstand will increase the monitor’s thickness to 0.7 inches and its weight to 1.5 kilos. It’s noticeably thicker and heavier than most rivals that use a kickstand case.

Portability apart, the Viewsonic VA1655’s design reveals its funds value. The outside is constructed from black plastics that look low cost and really feel a bit hole, and the monitor permits some flex when it’s dealt with. That is par for the course with funds transportable displays, although, and the VA1655’s thickness means it feels extra sturdy than most.

As a result of the transportable monitor doesn’t have a carrying case with kickstand, it as a substitute ships with a padded sleeve to offer some safety when the monitor is saved. The sleeve works nicely sufficient however, just like the monitor itself, feels relatively low cost.

Viewsonic VA1655 connectivity

The USB-C ports each assist as much as 60 watts of energy supply. That’s greater than sufficient to energy the monitor, so that you don’t want any further exterior energy supply for it. ViewSonic doesn’t ship the monitor with a USB energy brick, although, so that you’ll want to purchase one individually or use one that you’ve readily available.

The USB-C ports assist energy pass-through, which suggests you’ll be able to join a USB-C energy brick to the transportable monitor after which join the transportable monitor to a laptop computer through USB-C. It will cost the laptop computer. Energy pass-through is a useful function that funds transportable displays don’t usually embrace.

Sadly, the monitor has a mini-HDMI as a substitute of full-sized HDMI. That’s a small disappointment as a result of mini-HDMI is far much less widespread, so adapters and cables that assist it are harder to search out. Nevertheless, an appropriate cable is included within the field.

Viewsonic VA1655 menus, options, and audio

The VA1655’s menu system is far simpler to navigate than most transportable displays due to a joystick management tucked across the right-hand aspect of the show. Most funds transportable displays bundle menu controls into the quantity buttons, which is awkward.

The monitor additionally supplies an honest vary of picture high quality settings, together with exact gamma presets and customized shade modes for RGB calibration. The monitor’s modest picture high quality units a restrict on how helpful these options will be, nevertheless it’s one other space the place the VA1655 beats most rivals.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Audio system are included, however they’re rated at lower than a watt of energy every. Their most quantity is low and bass-heavy tracks will instantly trigger distortion. They’re fantastic for listening to system notification sounds, however not a lot else.

Viewsonic VA1655 SDR picture high quality

Priced at roughly $110, the Viewsonic VA1655 is firmly within the funds transportable monitor class. With that mentioned, it’s additionally a good distance from the least costly transportable monitor accessible, as 15.6-inch 1080p alternate options will be discovered for as little as $60. The VA1655’s greater value sadly doesn’t purchase you a major enchancment in picture high quality.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

The Viewsonic VA1655 reached a most SDR brightness of 239 nits. That’s fantastic for many residence use, nevertheless it’s a good distance from the brightest on this class, and it gained’t at all times be sufficient to maintain the show usable whereas touring.

The VA1655 additionally has a semi-gloss show end. Whereas it partially dampens reflections, a vibrant mild supply reverse the show will simply overwhelm the panel.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Distinction isn’t a perk of the VA1655, although it’s typical for a funds transportable monitor. Its most distinction ratio of 1110:1 is mid-pack when the VA1655 is positioned in opposition to comparable rivals, just like the Arzopa Z1FC and Innoview Transportable Monitor.

When in comparison with OLED alternate options, nevertheless, the VA1655 is in far worse form. OLED transportable displays are costlier, to be honest, with funds choices beginning round $200. Nonetheless, it’s price realizing what an additional $100 will get you.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

The VA1655 struggles with shade efficiency. It handles simply 67 % of the sRGB gamut, in addition to 50 % of DCI-P3 and 51 % of AdobeRGB. That’s just like different funds transportable displays, nevertheless it’s a lot lower than costlier displays. The VA1655’s restricted shade gamut gained’t be a problem for many net looking or working in Microsoft Workplace, however it would show an issue if you wish to edit photographs or movies.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Viewsonic’s funds monitor is best in shade accuracy, however nonetheless mid-pack. The monitor’s shade accuracy is strong on common and higher than the Innoview Transportable Monitor. Nevertheless, it nonetheless suffers vital variations in some hues, together with cyan and crimson. These seem muted, with vibrant reds sliding to orange and blues wanting light or pastel.

The VA1655 is best in shade temperature and gamma checks. It has a default gamma curve that roughly tracks the goal worth of two.2 and a default shade temperature of 6700K, which is only a tad cooler than the goal of 6500K. The colour temperature variance might be noticeable to important viewers, nevertheless it doesn’t instantly stand out.

Sharpness is a perk for the VA1655. 1920×1080 decision throughout a 15.6-inch panel works out to about 140 pixels per inch. That’s a lot sharper than a 27-inch 1440p monitor, although not fairly as sharp as a 27-inch 4K show. In any case, the picture is obvious and crisp.

Viewing angles are first rate, too. The VA1655 is simple to view in each the horizontal and vertical planes, although brightness is decreased and shade fades if, for instance, you get up and examine the monitor from above. Nevertheless, the VA1655 helps to deal with even that, as its wide selection of adjustment makes it potential to view the show from many angles.

The Viewsonic VA1655’s total SDR picture high quality is satisfactory for primary day-to-day productiveness. It’s sharp and supplies affordable, although not exact, shade accuracy. Nevertheless, the VA1655’s brightness is in direction of the low finish even for a funds monitor, which may be an issue should you plan to journey with the show.

Viewsonic VA1655 HDR picture high quality and movement efficiency

The Viewsonic VA1655 doesn’t assist HDR. Which may appear disappointing, however funds transportable displays that declare HDR assist are, with out exception, stuffed with baloney. On this sense, the shortage of HDR is a perk. Viewsonic isn’t attempting to tug one over on prospects.

Movement efficiency is modest. The monitor has a 60Hz refresh charge, quotes a gray-to-gray pixel response time of seven milliseconds, and doesn’t assist Adaptive Sync. Which means 3D video games will look blurry in movement, at the least when in comparison with a gaming monitor with a 144Hz refresh charge (or higher).

A 60Hz refresh charge is typical at this value, although. Players might want to stretch their funds for a transportable monitor just like the Arzopa Z1FC, which has a 144Hz refresh charge (although even it nonetheless lacks Adaptive Sync).

Must you purchase the Viewsonic VA1655?

The Viewsonic VA1655 is a satisfactory entry within the extremely aggressive transportable monitor space. It has a couple of benefits over most funds alternate options like a built-in kickstand, USB-C charging with energy pass-through, and a superior menu system. Nevertheless, these benefits are countered by the VA1655’s cumbersome design. The monitor’s picture high quality is modest, too, and matched by cheaper friends.