Mobile Pixels DUEX Plus DS 13.3" Black 2024

A brilliantly portable second screen with a disappointingly mediocre panel. Buy it for the sliding mechanism, not the picture quality.

The 60Hz refresh rate and 2ms response time are about what you'd expect from a portable productivity panel, sitting right in the middle of the pack at the 58th percentile. What surprised us is how much the display quality drags the overall experience down. The 250-nit brightness is rough if you're anywhere near a window, and the color coverage is mediocre at best. For a screen that's supposed to make you more productive, it sure makes you squint a lot. The sliding mechanism and 270-degree rotation are the real stars here, not the panel itself.

If you're comparing this to the MSI MAG 271QPX QD-OLED E2 or the LG UltraGear 27G810A-B, stop. Those are full-size desktop gaming monitors with OLED panels and high refresh rates. They're not in the same category. The Duex Plus DS is for laptop users who need portability above all else. The ASUS ROG Strix XG27AQDMGR and Alienware AW2725D are similarly irrelevant here. The real competition is other portable monitors, and in that space, the Duex Plus DS holds its own on portability but falls behind on display quality. If you want better color and brightness in a portable form factor, you'll need to spend more elsewhere.

Pricing is all over the place depending on where you shop. In Canada, you'll see it listed anywhere from CAD 309 to CAD 563 across two listings, which is a massive spread for the same product. The best deal we found is at the lower end of that range. At around CAD 309, it's a reasonable buy if you travel constantly and need a second screen. At CAD 563, you're getting fleeced. Shop around before you commit.

The Mobile Pixels Duex Plus DS is a clever idea that mostly works if you know exactly what you're getting into. It's a 13.3-inch 1080p IPS panel that clips onto the back of your laptop and slides out when you need a second screen. The compact design is genuinely impressive, ranking in the 97th percentile for portability in our database. But the display itself is a letdown, landing in the 22nd percentile overall. At 250 nits and 72% NTSC, it's fine for documents and Slack, but don't expect it to wow you with color or brightness.

If you're looking for a portable monitor with good color accuracy or brightness, this isn't it. Go get something with at least 400 nits and better color coverage instead. And if you're a gamer, skip this entirely and look at a proper portable gaming monitor with a higher refresh rate. The Duex Plus DS is for spreadsheet warriors and email triagers, not creatives or gamers.

The Duex Plus DS is a niche product that nails the portability part and whiffs on the display part. If you're a road warrior who lives in coffee shops and needs a second screen for email and documents, it's a solid pick, especially if you can find it at the lower end of the price range. But if you care about color accuracy, brightness, or build quality, this isn't the one. It's a productivity tool, not a media machine.