Acer PM1 Portable Monitor Review – When You Need a Second Monitor on a Budget 

There has been a recent surge in sales of secondary monitors, primarily portable units. Devices like this have witnessed significant progress thanks to advancements in technology, such as Type-C USB power and the development of larger screens with more cost-effective processes, as seen in tablets and laptops. I’ve seen numerous ads online from companies like Temu and AliExpress offering portable monitors. However, the massive caveat here is whether you will receive a quality product, and in many cases, even receive the delivery of your purchase at all. With the Acer PM1 Portable Monitor (PM161Q) from a reputable brand, you don’t have to stress about any of these points. 

Acer PM1 Build & Design: Slim, Simple, and Surprisingly Lightweight

Being a portable monitor, the first two points to note are its weight and thickness. On most retail sites, the Acer PM1 is listed with a gross weight of 1.3 kg. However, the weight of the monitor itself is around 650g, which is relatively lightweight. This is equivalent to packing an additional three smartphones into your backpack, which makes very little difference when compared to your laptop. 

Its dimensions are around 355x210x6mm. It’s 6mm at its thinnest, with the bottom end, which houses the ports and buttons, measuring around 12mm. This is quite a thin unit overall and fits snugly into your laptop bag in front of your laptop. 

The rear also features a kickstand at the bottom end. This kickstand is relatively thin and seemingly flimsy. However, it gets the job done when placed on a solid-enough surface. It allows users to position the screen at angles between 15° and 35°. This works for the most part. However, using my home desk, which has its own monitor stand, requires a bit of a booster seat. This is due to it not having the standard monitor stand, and the backwards angle of the kickstand also takes away its viewing. 

It’s made of relatively inexpensive, matte black plastic that doesn’t convey a sense of a premium finish. Instead, you understand what the Acer PM1 was designed for, offering a cost-effective alternative for portable devices. For the most part, you’ll only be viewing this plastic via its front bezel around the screen. The surrounding bezel is relatively small, with a larger portion on the bottom end to showcase the Acer logo. 

In terms of ports, the device offers two Type-C ports, along with a mini-HDMI port on the left-hand side. There are three buttons on the right-hand side of the device: the Select button, an up-and-down toggle, and the Power and Cancel buttons. These buttons are easy to use, featuring a straightforward OSD menu that allows for switching sources, adjusting volume, and fine-tuning screen settings. 

Ultimately, the Acer PM1 won’t be winning any design awards. That said, I didn’t expect it to, and it doesn’t matter all that much. It gets the job done without being too unsightly. 

Acer PM1 Screen & Display: Sharp Resolution, Modest Brightness

In terms of the main specifications, the Acer PM1 features a 15.6″ IPS LED panel. This is on par with most standard laptop screens, so that most users won’t be unfamiliar with the setup. This includes 250 nits brightness, 170° horizontal and vertical viewing angles, 6ms response time, 100,000,000:1 dynamic contrast, and HDR support. Most importantly, it features a 1,920×1,080px resolution for the display, rather than the upscaled offerings found on many other portable monitors. 

Many would consider a 15.6″ above the sizing standard for a portable monitor, but if your laptop has similar dimensions, then you shouldn’t have much trouble lugging it around. 

There are a few downsides to the PM1. For starters, the brightness is slightly lower, so it may not be ideal for use in direct sunlight. I have never found myself in this situation, and even in brightly lit rooms, it worked fine. It does have an anti-glare surface, which absorbs much of the reflection, so you won’t have to worry too much about reflections and glare in brighter environments. 

The other point to note is its lack of colour certifications. As a result, the colours aren’t all that bright or bold, offering a more muted approach. This isn’t very effective when working on art or designs, but leans more towards coding or Excel spreadsheets. 

While it lacks the brightness and eye-popping colours, it does offer a crisp finish thanks to its 1080p resolution. This makes working with text a breeze, allowing users to spend hours reading emails, typing code, or completing those spreadsheets. 

Performance & Compatibility: Plug, Play, and Portable Power

As a portable monitor, the first thing that came to mind when testing the Acer PM1 was its compatibility with a list of devices that I carry around with me. Even during the review period, I received a few other products for review, which I also tested in various configurations to ensure that they work as expected. I’m glad to say that it did. 

The easiest and most common use case would be connecting to your laptop. Using its mini-HDMI to HDMI cable, it conveniently connects to most laptops. When at home, I used one of my smartphone’s Type-C cables to power the Acer PM1. However, when carrying it around in my laptop bag, I could connect it directly to the laptop for convenience. Depending on your laptop, you could even power and connect the monitor using a single Type-C cable. It did take a bit of tinkering to get this to work, but eventually, once completed, it became an easy plug-and-play use. 

In addition to the laptop, I also managed to connect devices such as my smartphone, handheld gaming device, and more. Using a Samsung smartphone, connecting it to the PM1 automatically triggered the Samsung DeX OS to boot up. This has always been one of my favourite features on Samsung smartphones, and its ease of use with a Type-C enabled monitor makes it even more convenient. 

For the handheld device, things weren’t as straightforward. Instead of the standard HDMI or Type-C connectivity, I had to use my Type-C adapter, which includes an HDMI, Type-A and Type-C USB ports. Here, I can add the power source via Type-C, connect the monitor via HDMI, and also connect a portable HDD or gaming mouse, allowing me to use it like a fully-fledged Windows laptop. 

The Acer PM1 offers complete portability and can be powered via your power bank while on the go. Instead of draining the battery of your smartphone, handheld or laptop, users have the option to connect it via the power bank and extend the usage of all devices for an hour or two. 

Most of these features are pushed via the inclusion of DP-Alt mode. This is a modern feature on many Type-C devices, but it never makes the flashy specifications list. It allows users to connect Type-C devices to external monitors to transmit DisplayPort video and audio. With many also having Thunderbolt certification, it not only carries video and audio, but also power from either device. 

While I wasn’t able to test this as part of the review, and with the growing availability of Type-C TV sticks, users may also be able to plug that directly into the monitor and use it like a portable TV, streaming their favourite shows over WiFi. 

Away from the visuals, there are two aspects of the PM1 I need to mention. For starters, while it does offer x2 1W speakers for convenience, they’re not the most powerful. You won’t be using the screen to watch many movies. The second is its lack of wireless support. I will note that many other screens don’t offer this either, but it would’ve been a handy inclusion, especially when working remotely. 

Is the Acer PM1 Portable Monitor Worth Buying in 2025?

The Acer PM1 portable monitor is a great asset for users seeking an ultralight secondary monitor for their on-the-go lifestyle. It ticks almost all the boxes when it comes to bare necessities, and while it may not be premium or offer the best-in-class features, it gets the job done. At a retail price of R2,499, it’s affordable enough to consider without needing to risk a purchase from one of the many risky sites. 

RELATED: Which Honor 400 Smartphone Is Best For You?