Image: Vaio
As a multiple monitor addict, a second screen for my work laptop is a must when I’m traveling. But I’ll also admit that lugging around that second screen isn’t great for my back when I’m already weighed down by tons of tech. It all adds up.
So, the new Vaio Vision+ 14 is right up my alley! It’s a 14-inch, USB-C travel monitor that weighs just 325 grams (0.72 pounds).
This thing isn’t a one-trick pony. In addition to being feather-light and crazy thin—12.4mm at its thickest, 3.9mm at its thinnest—it also includes a fold-out kickstand and USB-C power passthrough, so you don’t have to choose an awkward spot for the screen when you need to recharge.
The included protective cover can even elevate the screen above your laptop display for a top-and-bottom orientation. But as Tom’s Hardware points out, the cover brings the total weight of the travel monitor up to 1.7 pounds.
And the display is just okay. The 14-inch LCD isn’t touch-sensitive, it only has a 1920×1200 resolution, and it costs 54,800 yen in Vaio’s home territory of Japan (just shy of $340 at today’s exchange rate).
Vaio has been a separate brand from Sony for ten years now, and while the company does technically sell laptops and other hardware in the US, it doesn’t seem particularly active here.
Vaio’s US store is only selling four laptop models and no accessories, so you might have to do some legwork to import the Vision+ 14 travel monitor when it goes on sale this Thursday. Or you can settle for one of the more widely available picks among the best portable monitors.
Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer, PCWorld
Michael is a 10-year veteran of technology journalism, covering everything from Apple to ZTE. On PCWorld he’s the resident keyboard nut, always using a new one for a review and building a new mechanical board or expanding his desktop “battlestation” in his off hours. Michael’s previous bylines include Android Police, Digital Trends, Wired, Lifehacker, and How-To Geek, and he’s covered events like CES and Mobile World Congress live. Michael lives in Pennsylvania where he’s always looking forward to his next kayaking trip.
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