For gamers with day jobs, especially those who are always on the go, it’s impossible to understate the usefulness of a secondary monitor. Sure, you can get many things done on your laptop, or you can opt to play games on an iPad instead of a Switch or a Steam Deck.
Having a portable monitor gives you a whole new option when you’re working remotely or traveling. There are a bunch of different manufacturers that make portable monitors, but today, we’re going to take a look at a monitor from a newer competitor in the space: Arzopa.
Arzopa Z1FC 16-inch Portable Monitor: $169.99
Manufacturer: Arzopa
Release Date: October 2023
The first thing we must discuss is this atrocious logo being plastered across the plastic strip below the screen. I understand that people aren’t familiar with the Arzopa brand yet, as they’ve only been on the market for about four years, but why on Earth would you plaster the name across like a crappy stamp instead of embossing a raised version of the squiggly box logo used for the O the brand name.
As it stands, at first glance, the monitor looks like a super cheap third-party knockoff. It’s a shame because, undoubtedly, when searching for monitors on Amazon, people will take one look at these and scroll past them despite good user reviews and high praise. Indeed, a slight change could bring their products from looking cheap to stylish.
Regarding build quality, the Arzopa Z1FC is exceptionally lightweight and feels like a decently constructed product. It’s not nearly as sturdy as something with an aluminum frame, but while the plastic is light, it’s not flimsy and “cheap” feeling. I’m also not a fan of the tall, thin kickstand, but it’s been very stable throughout my testing, so while I still don’t trust it, it’s been surprisingly solid.
My biggest complaint is that the monitor didn’t come with any protection. Amazon sells a bundle that contains this monitor and a carrying bag, as well as a different bundle that includes this monitor with an AC Adapter so you can use the screen with products that don’t have enough juice to power the screen via the USB-C cable.
For the cost, I don’t understand why the carrying bag isn’t included, but honestly, including both the bag and the adapter in the box shouldn’t have added that much of an additional price so it just seems like Arzopa’s being cheap. Needless to say, the back of my monitor has little swirls and lines across it from the rubber feet of my laptop rubbing against it.
It’s not a significant issue, but it’s an unnecessary problem since the monitor should have come with some screen protection. Also worth mentioning is that I have to put the screen in my backpack face down so it doesn’t rub up against my laptop. Thankfully, the liner of the backpack keeps it from being scuffed, but again, it is an unnecessary problem if Arzopa hadn’t been cheap.
From a performance standpoint, the Z1FC is a terrific little monitor that truly does get a 144hz refresh rate as advertised. The monitor works great with my Macbook Pro, Dell Precision, and my Steam Deck connected to the docking station via USB-C. I can set up my laptop and Steam Deck dock on my desk or on the table I’m sitting at and connect both to the monitor, easily swapping back and forth with the input button to swap between gaming on breaks and work as needed seamlessly.
I do wish the resolution was a bit higher, though, because both my Macbook Pro and my Dell laptop support native 4K resolution while the Arzopa monitor is locked at 1080p, making for a massive text size mismatch while popping back and forth reading the screens on the Dell.
When connected to the Mac, the Arzopa screen forces the Mac to automatically adjust to the highest resolution and refresh rate that the monitor supports, so it’s not nearly as jarring as it is on the Windows machine. I usually do most of my work on my laptop monitor while leaving my monitoring tools and email open on the smaller screen since it doesn’t support as much viewing area.
While I appreciate the increased refresh rate, I wish the backlight was stronger because the monitor washes out quite a bit in rooms with high sunlight and outdoors. Still, given the price point, it’s hard to be mad at a 1080p HDR-capable portable screen with a higher than 60hz refresh rate for under $200.
The built-in speakers aren’t great, but at least they are dual speakers, which is better than many other portable monitors that are input only, so it works pretty well in a pinch since most work-grade laptop speakers are complete garbage. Unfortunately, the HDR seems to wash out the Arzopa screen when connected to my M3 Macbook Pro, but it works great when playing games connected to the Steam Deck.
One final note is that the Arzopa monitor has the ports embedded on the left side instead of the back. Some people may prefer rear port access, but it’s a non-issue for me because, as a right-handed person, I typically always put my second monitor on my right side so that my laptop screen is the primary monitor on the left.
Overall, the Arzopa monitor is a solid choice for a portable laptop monitor, and I’ll be anxiously awaiting their next version that hopefully supports 4K resolution, at 144hz or better, and includes a brighter backlight and a protective carrying case – even if it clocks in at a higher price.
The Arzopa Z1FC Portable Monitor is available via Amazon for a suggested retail price of $169.99, but as of the time of this publishing, it’s currently on sale for $119.99. The Z1FC was reviewed using a review unit provided by Arzopa. Additional information about Niche Gamer’s review/ethics policy is here.
