Viewsonic TD1656-2K overview: A conveyable contact monitor constructed for work

Finest Costs As we speak: Viewsonic TD1656-2K

I don’t find out about you, however I at all times want my laptop to have a touchscreen. Whereas I don’t continuously attain up and contact the monitor, there are conditions the place it’s a helpful different to utilizing the mouse. The ViewSonic TD1656-2K tries to fill that position, providing a transportable touchscreen monitor suitable with each Home windows and MacOS.

ViewSonic TD1656-2K specs and options

The ViewSonic TD1656-2K’s show panel specs aren’t uncommon for a 16-inch transportable monitor. It has a 16:10 side ratio, a local decision of 2560×1600, and an IPS LCD show panel with a refresh price of 60Hz. There’s no adaptive sync and HDR just isn’t supported.

• Show measurement: 16-inch 16:10 widescreen
• Native decision: 2560×1600
• Panel sort: IPS LCD 8-bit
• Refresh price: 60Hz
• Adaptive sync: None
• HDR: No
• Ports: 2x USB-C with DisplayPort Alternate Mode and as much as 65 watts Energy Supply
• VESA mount: No
• Audio system: 2x 2-watt audio system
• Worth: $349.99 MSRP

Dig into the small print although, and the show’s goal stands out. It has a capacitive 10-point multi-touch display screen, which you’ll be able to manipulate together with your fingers or with the passive stylus that’s included within the field. The monitor additionally has two USB-C ports, each of which assist video enter and as much as 65W of Energy Supply in each instructions.

The TD1656-2K lists assist for each Home windows 11 and Mac. I spent most of my time with it related to a PC laptop computer but in addition related it to a Mac Mini to verify that the touchscreen functioned (it did).

Additional studying: See our roundup of the most effective transportable screens to study competing merchandise.

ViewSonic TD1656-2K design

The ViewSonic TD1656-2K’s design is acquainted from the entrance, with slim bezels on three sides and a barely thicker chin on the underside. Across the again you’ll discover an expanse of silver metallic. The shade of silver utilized by ViewSonic is arguably a bit too gentle to comply with present traits (gunmetal and black shades appear in vogue proper now), however it appears to be like skilled.

A material-covered show stand and canopy ships with the monitor. Just like the show itself, it appears to be like skilled however not fashionable. It’s a semi-rigid cowl that gives good safety from scratches or reasonable falls. It doesn’t totally enclose the monitor, nevertheless, so it could nonetheless enable objects to wedge in between the case and the show.

When it comes time to make use of the monitor, you’ll should fold the show stand right into a desired place and connect the monitor to the stand magnetically. I discovered it a bit complicated at first, because it’s not instantly clear how the show ought to fold, and the handbook provided no assist.

As soon as I used to be comfy utilizing it, nevertheless, I found the stand works effectively. It helps a number of completely different viewing angles, from almost upright to considerably reclined, and may also be utilized in portrait orientation, which isn’t frequent for any transportable monitor stand.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

ViewSonic TD1656-2K connectivity

The ViewSonic TD1656-2K depends on two versatile USB-C ports. Each assist DisplayPort, which implies both can be utilized to attach a PC to the transportable monitor.

The USB-C ports additionally assist as much as 65 watts of Energy Supply in each instructions. That is an unusual function for a transportable monitor, as most solely assist sufficient Energy Supply to energy the monitor itself.

It opens up some new connection choices. When utilizing the TD1656-2K with a laptop computer, for example, you possibly can join USB-C energy to the monitor after which join the monitor to the laptop computer to cost the laptop computer whereas it inputs video to the monitor. That’s not potential with many transportable screens, since their Energy Supply is proscribed.

ViewSonic TD1656-2K options

Contact is, after all, the ViewSonic TD1656-2K’s headline function. It has a 10-point capacitive touchscreen layered beneath a easy, shiny panel. The touchscreen felt responsive and confirmed no points with mistaken or missed inputs. I discovered the touchscreen particularly helpful with multi-touch gestures, like Home windows’ five-finger pinch to shut all apps.

The monitor additionally ships with a passive stylus. The stylus is stubby, and the tip is curved with a plastic protector that forestalls it from scratching the show’s floor. Even so, I discovered it comfy to carry and use. It doesn’t want energy, so it’s gentle and by no means must be charged.

Whereas the touchscreen does work effectively usually use, it’s not excellent for artistic work. The passive stylus felt comfy in my hand, however contact enter contains some latency. Although not readily noticeable when utilizing contact to navigate apps together with your fingertips, it’s apparent when utilizing the stylus to attract in Affinity Picture, Photoshop, Paint, and related apps. There are additionally no buttons or additional options. It’s a easy, passive stylus, and that’s it.

Even so, the stylus is okay for much less demanding customers. I want to make use of a touchscreen, when it’s out there, for some picture touchups. The ViewSonic TD1656-2K felt like a superb match for my occasional enhancing wants. In case you’re an aspiring or skilled digital artist, nevertheless, the latency may very well be irritating. 

Matthew Smith / Foundry

The on-screen menu is managed with the facility button and quantity buttons on the monitor’s proper flank. The textual content is small, however the controls are straightforward to make use of. That, nevertheless, is partially due to the dearth of choices. Customers can regulate brightness, distinction, quantity, the audio mode, and that’s about it.

Talking of audio, the monitor has a pair of 2-watt audio system that carry out higher than most. Most quantity is excessive sufficient to fill a small workplace with sound and audio high quality, although modest, is evident and largely avoids distortion. There’s no bass, so the audio system are a nasty alternative for leisure, however they work for listening to a podcast or having chill tunes on within the background. That’s greater than will be mentioned for many transportable screens.

ViewSonic TD1656-2K SDR efficiency

The ViewSonic TD1656-2K’s $349.99 MSRP is in direction of the higher finish of pricing for transportable screens, however a lot of the added price goes in direction of the touchscreen and USB-C connectivity with as much as 65 watts of Energy Supply. The show panel itself is a 16-inch IPS show with a 16:10 side ratio and backbone of 2560×1600.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

ViewSonic comes out swinging with a most brightness of 381 nits. That’s a lot increased than typical for a transportable monitor, and it helps the show stay usable in all kinds of conditions, together with rooms with brilliant lighting that may’t be dimmed or turned off (like, say, a company bullpen). The show is shiny although, so glare can nonetheless be a problem.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Distinction can be a energy for the TD1656-2K, although it relies on your perspective. Most transportable screens have an identical IPS show panel. In comparison with such friends, the TD1656-2K’s measured distinction ratio of 1620:1 is healthier than common and gives a beautiful picture.

Nevertheless, because the ViewSonic VX1655-4K-OLED exhibits, OLED transportable screens are in a special league. They supply a extra immersive picture with higher depth and shadow element in darkish scenes. To be truthful to the TD1656-2K, nevertheless, just a few transportable OLED touchscreens exist, and so they’re very costly (round $500).   

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Shade gamut sadly proves an issue for the TD1656-2K. It delivers simply 99 p.c of sRGB and 76 p.c of DCI-P3. These are low figures, coming forward of solely the Azorpa A1 Gamut, a price range transportable monitor that’s typically offered for lower than $150.

The TD1656-2K’s modest colour gamut means it actually shows fewer colours general, and that leads to a much less alluring look. It’s probably not an issue for those who’re in Excel or searching Threads, after all, however extra apparent if you wish to edit photographs or watch YouTube.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Shade accuracy works extra to Viewsonic’s favor. Whereas the TD1656-2K’s colour accuracy just isn’t the most effective we’ve examined, it’s definitely greater than sufficient to ship a lifelike, sensible picture.

The TD1656-2K additionally did effectively sufficient in gamma and colour temperature. It achieved a gamma curve of two.3, which is barely off our goal of two.2. This implies the picture seems a tad darker than it ought to, however not by a lot. Shade temperature got here in at 6400K, off the goal of 6500K, which implies the picture is ever-so-slightly hotter than perfect.

Sharpness is a energy. The TD1656-2K’s decision of 2560×1600, which works out to round 189 pixels per inch (PPI). That’s higher than a 27-inch 4K monitor, which gives 163 PPI, and aggressive with most high-end Home windows laptops. The monitor appears to be like sharp even when viewing small, high-contrast textual content.

The ViewSonic TD1656-2K’s general picture high quality is okay however has caveats. It’s not aggressive with most transportable screens offered in the identical worth bracket, although it makes up for that by together with a touchscreen

ViewSonic TD1656-2K HDR efficiency

HDR just isn’t supported on the ViewSonic TD1656-2K. Whereas that may appear a bit disappointing, it’s for the most effective, as transportable screens have limitations that make them a nasty match for HDR. It largely comes all the way down to brightness. Larger brightness means increased energy draw, which isn’t an important match for a transportable monitor’s use case.

ViewSonic TD1656-2K movement efficiency

Movement efficiency isn’t a precedence for the ViewSonic TD1656-2K, both. It has a refresh price of 60Hz and doesn’t assist Adaptive Sync for easy body pacing. That makes the monitor a nasty alternative for fast-paced video games, as important movement blur can detract from the motion, and also you’ll want to make use of V-Sync to keep away from unpleasant body tearing.

Whereas I perceive the TD1656-2K just isn’t meant for gaming, I discover the dearth of a better refresh price a bit irritating. A conveyable touchscreen monitor is arguably a really perfect use case for a 120Hz refresh price, as it should assist the show appear and feel extra responsive. Sticking with 60Hz is a minor disappointment forgiven solely by the actual fact most different transportable touchscreens make the identical alternative (although a number of firms, like Uscreen, provide each).

Do you have to purchase the ViewSonic TD1656-2K?

Shopping for the TD1656-2K nets you a brilliant show, a responsive touchscreen, an appropriate stylus, and a semi-rigid material cowl that doubles as a stand and helps use in each panorama and portrait orientation. The monitor additionally contains two USB-C ports with as much as 65 watts of Energy Supply, which gives additional flexibility in how the monitor is related. The monitor’s colour efficiency disappoints, nevertheless, and its movement efficiency is a poor match for gaming. 

Finally, the ViewSonic TD1656-2K is a transportable touchscreen monitor that’s higher in a company bullpen than a house workplace or studio.