A popular trend as of late, portable gaming monitors offer some interesting versatility. Rather than have a bulky traditional monitor that you’d need to plug into a wall outlet, they let you freely move your setup around to whatever suits you. They’re commonly used as a nice compliment to a main gaming screen, to keep chatting programs open on, an extension for productivity on laptops’ small screens, or as a solid way to play portable games on a larger screen without having to invest in a dock. Portable monitors tend to be the side accessory, and never the star of the show, but in the case of UPerfect’s UGame J5 60Hz 4K portable monitor, it wants to be a highlight of your setup. 

  

Cramming a 17.3” 3840x2160 IPS screen into the fairly flat design of the UGame J5 60Hz monitor feels like an impressive feat, even if laptops have been doing it for a while now. The side and top bezels are super slim, which makes everything on screen look especially sharp, though there’s a massive bezel across the bottom of the monitor, which hampers the effect, though there’s curiously no branding across it. 4K looks incredible, especially on its 17-inch display, with sharp visuals, even when scaled up. I’m disappointed that the PPI of the screen isn’t mentioned anywhere, but the end result does provide you with a crisp picture at the very least. 

The decision to go with a matte finish on the screen is somewhat of a mixed bag; you don’t have to deal with reflections, but it does take away from some of the vibrance. It all depends on your use case, but for me, being up close to a matte screen like you would with a laptop, where you can really scrutinize the display, highlights the lack of contrast. However, if you decide to use the UGame J5 4K monitor as a secondary screen on your desk, then it’s not nearly as noticeable, and is more of a benefit. Overall, colors are impressively accurate, so anything from gaming to casual browsing use looks good no matter what.

Trailing down the right side of the screen are the four included ports: two USB (for power or display-in), a full-sized HDMI which is very nice to see, and a 3.5mm audio jack. The monitor has speakers, but they’re so lifeless and tinny that you’re better off using anything else. Over on the back is a surprising and welcome inclusion--a VESA mount. If you wanted to hook the screen up to a monitor mount, you can, which is leagues better than having to deal with the magnetic case that props up the display normally. 

Even though the J5 is a little on the heavy side, weighing in at a  little over 2lbs, it’s still lightweight enough to carry with you on the go if you happen to need a portable screen, while also offering a quality role as a high quality secondary display on a mounted setup. Those that still use Samsung DeX should also be aware that the screen allows for wireless casting to, giving you an almost laptop-like experience. There is a little bit of lag when you do that, but it’s very usable, especially for watching media on. 

The UGame J5 makes for a nice screen to hook an ROG Ally up to, as well. It’s not that much bigger than the handheld, but if you have anything that can do HDMI or USB-C out, having the larger display can improve a lot when you want a more console-like experience from a handheld. 

On the whole, the UPerfect Ugame J5 60Hz monitor does an exceptional job, whether it’s as a primary gaming screen, or a supplementary monitor for side tasks. The problem is, despite how nice of a display it is, you really do pay a lot. Retailing for about $500 on sale, the J5 is a lot of investment. If you’re looking for a screen that can handle a lot of versatile conditions, it’s worth it, but even if you want a sharp secondary display, you might find yourself happy enough with a cheap lower quality monitor. Regardless for why you might use it, though, the J5 is an incredible screen.

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Coupon Codes:
GBATEMP90  ($90 off for an order amount above $600)
GBATEMP40  ($40 off for an order amount above $300)