FQQ S14 14” Portable Laptop Monitor Extender Review

As someone who often works with multiple tabs and windows open on my computer at all times, I heavily rely on dual monitors. Unfortunately, I also like to take my work to coffee shops and the like to break up the monotony of working from home. The portable monitor market has blossomed over the past several years, meaning people like me can now readily find a screen made to travel with us. One such option, the FQQ S14 14″ Portable Laptop Monitor Extender, claims it offers “the productivity of working on dual screens with the portability of a laptop” to help you work more efficiently.

But can something under $300 really provide a quality picture? I put it to the test to find out so that you can have all the information you need on this device before you buy it.

This is a sponsored article made possible by FQQ. The actual contents and opinions are the sole views of the author, who maintains editorial independence, even when a post is sponsored.

Unboxing and Design

The FQQ S14 14″ Portable Laptop Monitor Extender is advertised as “lightweight” and “easy to carry.” When the box arrived at my door, I was worried this wasn’t going to be the case, as the packaging is quite large and elaborate. However, the packaging was mainly filled with protective layers of foam meant to keep the portable monitor safe during transport.

Once I opened the box, I was impressed not only with the packaging but the contents as well. The manufacturer included everything needed to use the device straight out of the box. Moreover, it had bonus accessories I was not expecting, like a screen protector and a carrying case.

The FQQ S14 comes with:

• 1x FQQ S14 14″ Portable Laptop Monitor Extender
• 1x FQQ S14 carrying case
• 1x screen protector
• 3x cables (USB-C, HDMI, USB-A)
• 1x power adapter

The FQQ portable monitor is small. When folded up, it measures just 12.1 x 8.6 x 0.32 inches, making it just as compact as a small laptop. It can easily fit into a laptop bag or rest in a desk drawer when not in use.

Despite its size and lightweight design, the S14 still feels like a durable device. Nothing feels “cheap” or flimsy, and the way it folds together keeps the screen safe when transporting.

To use the device, you fold out the monitor at the hinge and pull to extend the portion that clips to your laptop. The hinge offers a rotatable angle of up to 180 degrees, which is great for those who want the true feel of an extended monitor.

Since the FQQ S14 weighs just 1.65 lb, it barely adds any weight to the laptop. However, the included kickstand can provide additional stability if needed. The height and angle are both adjustable. However, I personally struggled to get the kickstand to stay in place. It also needed more height adjustment options.

Connecting to a Laptop

FQQ offers a total of four models, each made for different size laptops. This particular model, the S14, works with laptops between 14 and 17 inches. Unfortunately, it is not compatible with smaller laptops, such as my 13-inch Lenovo Yoga. As the manufacturer states, you should check your laptop’s length, height, and thickness before purchasing.

Based on your laptop, you can use one of two connection methods: USB-C or HDMI. If your laptop supports it, you can get by with just a single USB-C cable, and the laptop will power the extended monitor. Otherwise, you can use the included USB-C to USB-A cable and the power adapter to power the portable monitor. For this reason, the S14 has a total of three ports: a USB-C port for connectivity and power, a second USB-C port for power only, and an HDMI port for connectivity.

Assuming you have a compatible laptop based on size, the S14 is a plug-and-play design. Once you connect via USB-C or HDMI + USB power, your laptop will recognize the portable monitor and instantly begin displaying. I tried it with both a MacBook Pro and Windows 10 laptop and had no issues with connectivity.

An Okay Display

I loved that the FQQ S14 was simple to set up and begin using. When I hooked it up to my MacBook Pro, it even natively operated as an extension screen, which I have noticed isn’t always the case with monitors. This saves time and makes it easy to simply hook the portable monitor up when you need it and continue working without wasting time messing with the settings.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t nearly as thrilled with the display quality as I was with the design and connectivity. When I hooked the monitor up for the first time, I instantly noticed a significant difference in the brightness and coloration between the portable monitor and my MacBook, as you can see from the image below.

The S14 portable monitor does include buttons and settings to adjust the brightness, color, and other aspects of the display. However, I found it hard to navigate the settings menu to make adjustments. Even after I learned which buttons to press to make the changes I thought would correct the issues, I saw little to no change in the display.

Eventually, I decided to try using the settings available on my MacBook itself. Although I made a bit more progress here, I was never able to get the extended monitor to match the display on my MacBook. Although this may not be an issue for everyone using dual monitors, it can be problematic for people like me who do a lot of work with graphics and website content, as the colors displayed on the screen may not be true.

Brightness and color aside, the monitor does have decent image resolution, and the refresh rate is fairly responsive. I wouldn’t recommend it for gaming or anything of that nature, but for someone who works with spreadsheets or documents and just needs the space for multiple windows as they work, the S14 portable monitor would be beneficial.

Summary

It is hard to find a portable monitor that is lightweight yet durable and easy to connect to devices. However, the FQQ S14 offers all of this at an affordable price in comparison to other brands. It would not be an ideal choice for anyone who works in graphic design or a similar field where color precision is key, but would work well for people in fields like data entry or those who simply enjoy having two monitors at once.

You can purchase the FQQ S14 14″ Portable Laptop Monitor Extender with everything you need to begin using out of the box for $299.99.