ASUS ZenScreen MB169CK 15.6-Inch Portable USB-C Monitor: specs and uses

The ASUS ZenScreen MB169CK is a slim portable monitor with a 15.6-inch Full HD screen. It connects to a laptop with a single USB-C cable and adds a second display wherever you work, whether that is a desk, a café table or a hotel room. Here is what its specs mean.

Screen and panel

ASUS calls it a 16-inch class monitor, with a 15.6-inch display. It is Full HD (1920 x 1080) and uses an IPS panel. IPS screens typically keep colour and brightness consistent when viewed from an angle, which suits a monitor that sits beside a laptop or is tilted on a table. The surface is anti-glare, which reduces reflections from lights and windows.

The monitor is 0.5 inches thick, about 14.2 inches wide and 8.9 inches tall (roughly 1.3 x 36 x 23 cm), and it weighs 3.7 lb (about 1.7 kg). It is slim enough to slide into a laptop bag.

Connecting with USB-C

The monitor has two USB-C ports and a mini-HDMI port. ASUS says the USB-C connection uses DP Alt mode, which carries a video signal over the USB-C cable. The brand says a single USB-C cable can duplicate or extend your laptop screen, and that USB-C handles both power and video, so it is plug and play.

This typically works only when the laptop's USB-C port supports DisplayPort Alt mode and can provide power to the monitor. If it doesn't, the mini-HDMI port is the alternative, and the monitor will then need its own power source. Check the manual for how the second USB-C port is used.

Orientation and stand

The monitor has a 360° kickstand and a built-in tripod socket on the back. The kickstand lets you set the angle for landscape or portrait use. The tripod socket allows mounting on a standard camera tripod or a compatible mount, which can raise the screen to eye level. ASUS also says the monitor can detect its orientation and switch between landscape and portrait modes via its DisplayWidget Center software.

Eye Care

ASUS says the monitor uses its Eye Care technology, with TÜV Rheinland certification for flicker-free and low blue light features. ASUS describes the aim as a comfortable viewing experience. Those are the brand's certifications; how comfortable any screen feels depends on the person, the room lighting and how long they use it.

Who it suits

A portable monitor makes sense for people who work on a laptop in more than one place, such as travelling professionals, students, remote workers and anyone who wants a second window for email, notes or reference material. It is not meant to replace a large desktop display for work that needs a big screen.

What to check before you buy

• That your laptop or phone has a USB-C port with video output (DP Alt mode), or a mini-HDMI-compatible output with a cable.
• Power needs. If the source can't power the monitor over USB-C, you will need a separate adapter.
• Cables. Check what is supplied in the box and what you need to source.
• Software support for your operating system, if you want automatic rotation.
• Screen size and resolution against what you need for your work.
• Carrying protection, such as a sleeve, since the panel is thin.

The short version

• 15.6-inch Full HD anti-glare IPS portable monitor from ASUS, model MB169CK.
• Two USB-C ports (DP Alt mode) and mini-HDMI, with one-cable connection on a compatible laptop.
• 360° kickstand, tripod socket and software that switches between landscape and portrait.
• TÜV Rheinland certified flicker-free and low blue light technology, according to ASUS.

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