Broadly speaking, a portable monitor does everything a standard desktop monitor does. It just isn’t tied to a single location. However, there are a few use cases where a portable monitor is the only viable solution. Here are a few scenarios to use:

• Improved Productivity

According to the Graziadio Business Review, there are at least three ways increased screen size improve productivity: increased insights into data, more time for primary tasks, and decreased stress levels for better solutions. And while this study looked at monitor size, it’s safe to assume that overall screen size also has a significant impact.

Even if one screen is used as a workspace while the other is used as a communication space, you can save a significant amount of time that was previously wasted on task switching . There are almost certainly diminishing returns on adding more screens, but there is an unmistakable improvement in workflow with more screen real estate.

• Preview Screen for Creators

Even hobbyist photographers find it frustrating previewing photos on their camera’s tiny 2” LCD screens. It simply isn’t an option for professional media creators. A portable monitor connected to a camera, however, lets photographers and videographers check their footage right away on a larger, higher-quality display.

• Meetings with a Personal Touch

In a firm of 100 to 500 employees, an average of 7 people are involved in most buying decisions. That means either one medium-sized sales meeting or a few very small ones. And nothing is more professional than being prepared. Having your own presentation display – even a smaller one for small meetings – is a total power move.

And if that portable display also includes a touchscreen, it becomes more than a passive display. You and team members can now use it to produce content together or interact with presentations more directly with direct input. It opens up all-new avenues of 1-on-1 communication.

• Mobile Devices Scaled Up

Mobile devices are now an ever-present feature of modern life. However, the tiny touchscreen of a phone or even most tablets can feel terribly inadequate. A portable monitor can give you a full-sized experience from even your smallest devices.

A portable monitor can even make your phone feel more like a computer. With the addition of a Bluetooth keyboard and productivity apps like Google Docs or Microsoft Word, even basic smartphones can become a productivity powerhouse. Some tech companies are even taking it to the next level, like Samsung’s DeX that turns the phone into a fully functioning computer when plugged into a USB-C monitor.

• Full-sized Entertainment Everywhere

A less productive but equally popular use for portable monitors is entertainment. While we now live in a world where screens are everywhere, something is lost from the experience when watching a movie or playing a game from a tiny mobile device. A portable monitor is a great way to expand a mobile screen for a bit of fun on the go. Perfect for road trips, camping, or even a replacement for in-flight entertainment, a portable monitor is a great way to upgrade mobile viewing experiences.

• Expanding Specialized Device Displays

As screen technology improves, users are expecting clearer displays on their devices. A fuzzy LCD screen just isn’t enough anymore. However, with the right adaptors – and often right out of the box – it’s possible to upgrade everything from medical sensors to cashier’s counters with a portable monitor or touchscreen display.

At the very least, an external portable monitor improves the look of an out-of-date device or beautifies the space. In some contexts – like as a readout on portable medical devices or as part of a mobile wayfinding system – a well-placed portable monitor expansion can save time, money, and even lives.