Viewsonic ColorPro VP16-OLED review: Compact monitor delivers big wins

Price When Reviewed

$399.99

Best Prices Today: Viewsonic ColorProfessional VP16-OLED

$399.99

Portable screens are a well-liked possibility for vacationers and anybody with restricted desk house. However, most transportable screens endure with a easy kickstand that provides restricted adjustment. Viewsonic’s VP16-OLED improves on this with a extra versatile stand that may sit on a desk or rise above it. The monitor’s top-notch OLED panel is icing on this ergonomic cake.

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

Viewsonic ColorProfessional VP16-OLED: The specs

The Viewsonic ColorProfessional VP16-OLED could seem costly at a look. Priced at $399.99 MSRP, and presently retailing for that on-line, this monitor is way more costly than the $150 transportable screens well-liked on Amazon.com. It’s additionally priced above finances OLED screens, such because the INNOCN 15.6-inch OLED portable monitor.

• Display dimension: 15.6-inch
• Native decision: 1,920 x 1,080
• Panel sort: OLED
• Refresh fee: 60Hz
• Adaptive-sync: None
• HDR: None
• Ports: Micro-HDMI 1.4, 2x USB-C with DisplayPort Alternate Mode, 3.5mm audio out
• Stand adjustment: Height, tent, flat
• VESA mount: None (tripod mount obtainable)
• Speakers: Yes
• Price: $399.99 MSRP

However, the Viewsonic is aggressive with the Asus Zenscreen MQ16AH, a really comparable monitor additionally priced at $399.99. The Viewsonic and Asus screens go toe-to-toe in most metrics, together with decision and refresh fee, however Viewsonic gives sensible options that may attraction to skilled customers.

Viewsonic ColorProfessional VP16-OLED: Design

Matt Smith

Viewsonic opts for a easy, skilled search for the ColorProfessional VP16-OLED. It has a notable lip across the show, which will help present some safety, and inflexible bezels that don’t go for an edge-to-edge glass look. That stated, Viewsonic features a observe that the OLED panel is fragile. It must be dealt with with care and guarded by a sturdy case when touring. 

The VP16-OLED has a built-in stand that folds behind the show. It can perform as a kickstand or develop right into a base that holds the monitor 4 inches above your desk. This is a significant benefit over transportable screens with a fundamental kickstand. The VP16-OLED is extra ergonomic and takes up much less desk house, as the bottom of the stand is far smaller than the width of the monitor. 

The versatile stand does include a trade-off in heft. The monitor’s mixed weight of 4.8 kilos is on the heavy facet for a conveyable monitor: most weigh lower than three kilos, and a few are lower than two kilos. 

You received’t discover a VESA mount for utilizing third-party VESA stands (the identical is true of most transportable screens), however the VP16-OLED does supply a tripod mount tucked away on the stand’s rear. The monitor additionally ships with a hood that can be utilized to scale back glare from the show’s shiny panel.

Viewsonic ColorProfessional VP16-OLED: Features and menus

Matt Smith

The VP16-OLED’s stand additionally homes its ports, offering one other benefit over the extra typical kickstand method. Ports are simpler to search out and hook up with, as they are often reached with out transferring your complete show. 

Connectivity consists of two USB-C ports, every of which assist DisplayPort Alternate Mode and as much as 40 watts of energy supply. The monitor has a most energy consumption of 15 watts, so most USB-C energy sources shall be ample. 

The monitor additionally gives a Micro-HDMI 1.4 port and a 3.5mm audio-out jack. Remember that the Micro-HDMI 1.4 port doesn’t ship energy, so a further USB-C energy supply is required when utilizing that video enter. 

Viewsonic ships the monitor with a USB-C energy brick and three cables: USB-C to USB-C, USB-A to USB-C, and HDMI to Micro-HDMI 1.4. Everything wanted to make use of the monitor is within the field. 

Matt Smith

On-screen menu controls are included on the stand. They work properly sufficient, although I discovered the menu a bit awkward to navigate resulting from how the arrow buttons are organized. The monitor consists of DCI-P3, sRGB, REC709, DICOM-SIM presets. Deeper within the menus lurks extra controls for gamma and coloration temperature changes. These are dealt with per-preset, so it’s simple to customise completely different presets to satisfy your preferences or wants. 

The monitor has audio system. They’re weak in quantity however clear sufficient to be helpful for a fast examine of audio ranges when modifying video or audio content material. Podcasts and YouTube movies sound superb, too.

Viewsonic ColorProfessional VP16-OLED: SDR picture high quality

Most transportable screens can get away with picture high quality adequate for Word paperwork and net looking, however the value and audience of the ColorProfessional VP16-OLED holds it to a better commonplace—one it’s capable of meet and exceed.

But first, a fast observe in regards to the outcomes: PC World hasn’t performed a whole overview for a conveyable monitor not too long ago. The screens used for comparability under usually are not direct opponents to the VP16-OLED, however do characterize a spread of panel expertise which can be present in competing screens. 

Matt Smith

The Viewsonic VP16-OLED will get off to a robust begin in brightness, delivering as much as 375 nits. That’s nice for a standalone OLED monitor, simply beating the Alienware AW3423DWF’s QD-OLED panel and rating alongside typical IPS shows such because the Gigabyte M27Q X and NZXT Canvas 27Q. The Asus ProArt PG32DC, a high-end OLED monitor that retails for $3,499, takes the win with 540 nits.

Matt Smith

Unsurprisingly, the VP16-OLED has a superb distinction ratio that exceeds the sensitivity of the colorimeter we use for testing. While there are technical variations in distinction amongst OLED screens, they’re exceptionally tough to note. 

You will discover the VP16-OLED’s enormous benefit over an IPS show such because the Gigabyte and NZXT screens. OLED seems darker and richer in dim scenes, but has extra depth in vibrant content material. It’s a recipe for wonderful leads to video games, motion pictures, {and professional} apps.

Matt Smith

The VP16-OLED goes above and past in its coloration gamut, which spans your complete sRGB and DCI-P3 coloration areas, and 97 % of AdobeRGB. This defeats each the Alienware AW3423DWF, which has a QD-OLED panel from Samsung, and the Gigabyte M27Q X, which has an IPS show with Quantum Dots.

A coloration gamut this huge is appropriate for absolutely anything you’d throw at it together with photograph and video modifying, digital artwork, and animation. And, as talked about, the monitor consists of a number of preset modes that extra exactly restrain the colour gamut to satisfy specific requirements. These are useful if you wish to work inside a smaller coloration house, corresponding to sRGB, and make sure that colours seem correct.

Matt Smith

Speaking of accuracy, the VP16-OLED does properly sufficient, although that is one space the place it falls wanting the aggressive set at its default settings. Other transportable screens could ship higher outcomes out of the field. To be honest, although, this degree of coloration accuracy is sufficient to present a practical, lifelike picture.

The VP16-OLED’s default settings supply a coloration temperature of 6200Okay, a bit hotter than the goal of 6500Okay. This means the picture appears somewhat pink and rosy. The default gamma got here in at 2.3, a bit above the goal of two.2, which implies content material could seem a bit darker than it ought to. 

However, the monitor’s menus supply a formidable vary of gamma and coloration temperature modes that, in my testing, have been correct to their targets. That means you’ll be able to regulate the picture to any coloration temperature or gamma settings you’re employed requires, or that your eyes choose. 

Sharpness is great. The monitor’s 1080p decision could not appear excessive on paper, but it surely works out to a pixel density of 141 pixels per inch. That falls between the pixel density of a 27-inch 1440p monitor and a 27-inch 4K monitor. Content appears crisp and small fonts seem clean. 

The Viewsonic ColorProfessional VP16-OLED’s general picture high quality is great. It scores extraordinarily properly by most metrics. Color gamut is its strongest trait, delivering outcomes which can be tough to search out in any monitor. The VP16-OLED’s vivid, punchy presentation will please prosumers, and its coloration efficiency and quite a few picture high quality choices will meet the requirements of content material creators.

Viewsonic ColorProfessional VP16-OLED: HDR picture high quality

Viewsonic doesn’t supply HDR assist with the ColorProfessional VP16-OLED. This could come as a shock provided that many cheaper transportable screens declare HDR assist. However, the HDR efficiency of most screens on this class is lackluster, so its absence is much less stunning than it could appear. 

Still, some skilled customers shall be dissatisfied by this omission. Those who need HDR ought to look in direction of the Asus Zenscreen MQ16AH, one other transportable OLED monitor bought on the identical $399.99 MSRP.

Viewsonic ColorProfessional VP16-OLED: Motion efficiency

The Viewsonic ColorProfessional VP16-OLED doesn’t supply options that improve its movement efficiency. It has a 60Hz refresh fee and lacks Adaptive Sync. 

OLED does supply some benefit in movement readability although, due to the superb pixel response instances. The ColorProfessional VP16-OLED quotes a gray-to-gray response time of 1 millisecond, which has similarities to many screens marketed to avid gamers. This helps cut back movement blur. Motion readability is worse than a 120Hz or 144Hz monitor, but it surely’s superior to most (if not all) 60Hz IPS screens.

Should you purchase a Viewsonic ColorProfessional VP16-OLED?

Matt Smith

Viewsonic’s ColorProfessional VP16-OLED is a good transportable monitor. It delivers beautiful picture high quality with strong brightness, very good distinction, and a particularly huge coloration gamut. What actually units the VP16-OLED aside, although, are the extras. The monitor has a flexible stand, a hood that can be utilized to scale back display glare, and a tripod mount to be used on-the-go. It additionally ships with all of the cables and energy adapters wanted to make use of the show with any USB-C, USB-A, or HDMI output. 

The ColorProfessional VP16-OLED is a bit dear at $399.99, however no extra so than different transportable OLED screens, and its many perks make it simple to advocate.