A few weeks ago, I was scrolling through Tiktok when I saw someone showing off this portable monitor that they had bought. It was interesting looking, in that it looked like a tablet that was way too big and not touch screen. But I watched the entire Tiktok completely fascinated. Being in my third year of college with lots of friends who are either very much into gaming or intensive studying, I have considered buying a second monitor to help myself out. But the issue is that I travel around a lot. I do homework in both my office on-campus and in my dorm room. I also go home for the weekend to see my parents and do tons of studying there. For these reasons, I chose not to pursue getting a monitor since they’re so stationary and permanent. I need something that can move around like me.
I ruminated on the thought of getting the portable monitor. It’s a little expensive (the cheapest one I found and ultimately bought was around $118) and I like to make sure I’m not just buying something because of the hype. But I thought about it a lot and how it could help me with multitasking on my beloved MacBook. I don’t own a desktop, so everything I do is on my MacBook and I literally use it for everything from work, to studying, to watching Netflix. I did argue with myself that I already owned an iPad and that there is a function called SideCar where you can use your iPad as a second monitor. However, I also use my iPad to take notes, especially during my Zoom classes, so I couldn’t use it as a second when it mattered most. So it made sense, in the end, to invest further into what I already use since I use it so much.
I decided to buy the GTEK Portable Monitor off of Amazon. It was kind of awkward to use at first since I had never had to attach my iPad to my MacBook to use it as a second monitor (SideCar is done wirelessly). But after a few hours and playing around with the settings that come with having a second monitor, it began to feel really natural and help me multitask a lot faster than I thought it would. I’ve had my second monitor for a few weeks now and I’m very upset that I hadn’t heard of it before. It has seriously made me so much more productive and I really enjoy how it has a 15.6-inch screen. I honestly prefer to watch my lectures or even Netflix on it. It’s also really light to carry and easy to transport so I have no problem taking it to my office or home. Even if a portable monitor might seem excessive to you, I think it’d be good to consider getting a second monitor in general.