AOC I1601FWUX review: A budget portable monitor with a touch of class

Price When Reviewed

$139.99

Best Prices Today: AOC I1601FWUX

The AOC I1601FWUX is a transportable 15.6-inch monitor at a rock-bottom worth. It’s slim sufficient to slot in a backpack and is powered by a single USB-C cable, so it’s a superb match with a USB-C laptop computer. Just be aware: This is a funds show higher suited to primary productiveness than leisure or content material creation.

Note: See our roundup of the best monitors to study competing merchandise, what to search for in a monitor, and shopping for suggestions.

AOC I1601FWUX: The specs

AOC’s I1601FWUX is much like most within the funds portable-monitor class. It has a 15.6-inch IPS show with 1080p decision and a 60Hz refresh fee. 

• Display dimension: 15.6-inch
• Native decision: 1920×1080
• Panel kind: IPS monitor
• Refresh fee: 60Hz
• Adaptive sync: None
• HDR: None
• Ports: 1x USB-C with DisplayPort Alternate Mode
• Stand adjustment: Tent, rotation
• VESA mount: None
• Speakers: None
• Price: $139.99

Both energy and video come over a single USB-C cable with DisplayPort Alternate Mode. The monitor lacks USB-A, HDMI, or DisplayPort enter, so it’s finest paired with a laptop computer or desktop that has USB-C out. 

AOC I1601FWUX: Design 

Matt Smith

The AOC I1601FWUX’s rear panel has a silver metallic end that appears enticing, delivering a extra premium look than anticipated for the worth. However, the entrance bezels are fabricated from black plastic, which detracts from the look of the gadget. 

Build high quality is stable. The rear panel doesn’t simply flex and solely permits for a number of levels of motion. There’s minimal flex within the show panel, too, which gives hope that dropping an merchandise on it wouldn’t trigger an excessive amount of harm. I’d nonetheless suggest shopping for a sleeve for the show, as any show is susceptible to scratches when left unprotected.

A removable kickstand is included with the monitor and works magnetically to help the gadget in both a panorama or portrait orientation. The stand could be very secure in portrait orientation, although utilizing it this fashion means the USB-C energy cable awkwardly juts out the “top” of the show.

Matt Smith

The stand presents about 20 levels of adjustment for tilt, which isn’t a lot, however a perk on this worth vary. Some opponents don’t modify for tilt or, in the event that they do, permit only a couple fastened positions. The AOC’s stand is designed to permit tilt adjustment throughout your entire vary of tilt supported.

The stand doesn’t modify for peak, and a VESA mount is just not an possibility. This is true for many transportable screens, nonetheless—Viewsonic’s ColorPro VP16 OLED is an exception, but additionally greater than twice the worth. 

AOC I1601FWUX: Features and menus 

The AOC I1601FWUX has a single USB-C enter that helps DisplayPort Alternate mode. This bundles USB-C, DisplayPort connectivity, and USB Power Delivery, providing a one-cable connection. That’s a helpful benefit over older transportable screens, which regularly have separate video and energy inputs.

This is a blessing and a curse, because the monitor doesn’t include some other ports, reminiscent of HDMI or DisplayPort. It’s USB-C or bust. The single port additionally means the monitor doesn’t work as a USB-C hub and might’t hook up with a number of inputs for straightforward switching between gadgets. Most of AOC’s opponents provide further enter choices apart from USB-C. 

Matt Smith

The monitor has only one button: energy. That’s it. Despite this, the monitor presents a number of primary picture high quality changes (reminiscent of brightness and distinction). The menu is opened with a fast press of the facility button when the facility is on, and extra fast presses transfer by the choices. It’s a bit awkward, however common for a monitor on this worth vary—and, given the shortage of choices obtainable, there’s not often a must entry the menu.

AOC I1601FWUX: SDR Image Quality

Let’s be clear: The AOC I1601FWUX is a funds monitor, and that impacts its efficiency. Unlike the Viewsonic VP16-OLED, which is a number of instances costlier, the AOC I1601FWUX is constructed to offer primary productiveness at a cut-rate worth.

Matt Smith

The monitor reached a most brightness of 228 nits, which is a hair above the promised peak brightness of 220 nits. That’s a modest stage of brightness for a contemporary monitor, although typical at this worth level.

Fortunately, the I1601FWUX has a matte show coat that reduces glare and makes the a lot of the brightness obtainable. The monitor is usable, although not good, in most rooms with synthetic lighting. Sunlit home windows can overwhelm it, although, so it’s an iffy alternative for vacationers trying to make use of it outside or in workplaces with massive home windows missing blinds or shades.

Matt Smith

The distinction ratio is available in at a decent 930:1. Contrast is way from distinctive, but additionally significantly better than the worst: briefly, it’s common. That’s a stable end result for a funds monitor, and it gives an inexpensive sense of depth and dimensionality. My overview unit’s uniformity was good, too, with out giant blotches or variances in brightness that may trigger the distinction to look decrease throughout parts of the show. 

Matt Smith

Color gamut is the place the I1601FWUX’s funds focus is most blatant, because it covers simply 63 % of sRGB and 47 % of DCI-P3. This stage of colour efficiency is relegated to solely to the least costly screens and seems noticeably duller and extra muted than most shows. It’s positive for doc modifying or looking the net however gained’t maintain up in content material creation and leisure. 

Matt Smith

The I1601FWUX disappoints in colour accuracy, too, with a a lot increased colour error than most screens we’ve lately examined. I seen that colours which ought to seem punchy and impactful as a substitute shifted in direction of a extra pastel look.

I seen related inaccuracies within the gamma efficiency, which got here in at a gamma curve of two.5. This is off the goal of two.2 and signifies that content material will seem a bit darker than it ought to. I seen this most in scenes the place folks wore darkish clothes, which lacked texture that ought to be seen. Color temperature got here in at 7400Ok, which is cooler than the goal of 6500Ok. I seen this most in pores and skin tones, the place hotter tones melted away to a flatter, extra sterile look. 

While the I1601FWUX’s colour efficiency is unremarkable, it does look sharp. The 15.6-inch 1080p panel packs 141 pixels per inch. For comparability, that’s a lot increased than a 27-inch 1440p monitor (109 ppi) and near a 27-inch 4K monitor (163 ppi). Videos and video games look crystal-clear and small fonts seem crisp.

It might look like I don’t have many type phrases for the monitor’s picture high quality, however the worth have to be remembered. Portable screens bought under $150 can’t afford to make sure exact manufacturing unit high quality management, so the I1601FWUX’s efficiency is about what I anticipated. The excellent news is that this: The monitor avoids any apparent, surprising picture woes, and its excessive sharpness makes it well-suited to the essential productiveness duties house owners are more likely to demand of it.

AOC I1601FWUX: HDR Image Quality

The AOC I1601FWUX doesn’t help HDR. That’s excellent news. A number of screens in the identical worth vary declare HDR help, however don’t be fooled—they provide little greater than the power to just accept an HDR sign and don’t provide a satisfactory HDR expertise. AOC’s resolution to maintain HDR off the function record is an trustworthy, correct illustration of the monitor’s capabilities. 

AOC I1601FWUX: Motion Performance

Gaming isn’t a precedence for the AOC I1601FWUX. It presents a typical 60Hz refresh fee and doesn’t help adaptive sync. Still, it really works effectively sufficient in a pinch.

Motion efficiency is okay for informal gaming. Ghosting is saved to a minimal and scenes are moderately clear throughout quick digital camera pans or when scrolling throughout a map. Small particulars, like character names or floating hitpoint bars, appear blurry and obscured. This is typical for any 60Hz IPS monitor. 

AOC presents three Overdrive modes: Weak, Medium, and Strong. The Weak mode presents some enchancment in readability with out vital issues, however the Medium and Strong settings introduce quite a lot of noise into transferring photos. I’d suggest sticking to Weak.

Should you purchase the AOC I1601FWUX?

The AOC I1601FWUX’s construct high quality and design stand out, providing a extra sturdy and premium really feel than typical on this worth vary, and the stand works higher than equally priced opponents. The versatile USB-C enter is one other perk, however the lack of further ports limits the monitor’s versatility. Image high quality doesn’t stand out and can be a downside for content material creators. On the entire, it’s a good selection in order for you a primary USB-C transportable monitor that feels extra sturdy than the options.