![Video thumbnail for FOPO "Triple" Portable 15" Laptop Monitors [S17] -- DEMO & REVIEW](https://video-meta.open.video/resized-posters/GgjYJus4br2/res640.webp?cb=1)
Up next in 10
Still using just the built-in screen on your laptop or notebook computer? Expand your world with the FOPO Triple Portable Monitor that adds a bright 15-inch HD display on both sides of your main screen, giving you tons more screen real estate! Tech expert Dave Taylor hooked up the FOPO S17 "Triple" Portable Monitor to his M1-based Apple MacBook Pro and found a lot to like, and a few quirks and oddities of its design that are worth knowing before you buy one for yourself...
Check it out at: https://amzn.to/3Z2T9sl
Visit Dave's Q&A Web site at: https://www.AskDaveTaylor.com/
#fopo #monitor #display #hdmonitor #externaldisplay #dualdisplay #askdavetaylor
Show More Show Less View Video Transcript
0:00
Two extra screens for your laptop
0:02
Let's check this out. Dave Taylor here, and I'm checking out this
0:12
This is the Fopo triple portable monitor model S17. And you're wondering what is it
0:18
Well, you just saw a preview, but basically there's one screen that folds from the
0:23
front and there's one screen that folds all the way around from the back
0:28
And then you just actually hook this onto the back of your laptop or notebook screen
0:34
And it has a nice little mechanism to control that. And then you plug them in and boom, you have a triple screen computer
0:44
setup and it's portable. So these generally speaking are going to be able to find all the power they need
0:50
via a USB-C connection to a modern computer like my MacBook Pro
0:56
So they are IPS panels and they run at native 1920 by 1080 at 60 Hertz
1:02
So that's HD resolution, which isn't as good as the resolution on my computer
1:07
screen, but it's plenty good enough for me to have maybe some video editing going
1:11
on and have an archive of library elements I want to reference and maybe have a
1:17
soccer game or something going on on the other screen. Cause Hey, you know, you need distractions, right
1:22
So it has a 72% NTSC color gamut. The screens are really nice and bright
1:27
I'll show you that in just a minute. And they have 178 degree viewing angle
1:33
And let me get this correct. The left screen can adjust from zero to 235 degrees and the right screen
1:41
can adjust from zero to 180 degrees. So if you want something very cozy, you could actually do something like this
1:49
But if you want it to be more expansive, you could definitely stretch it, you know, stretch and spread it out a little more, however you need
1:57
Now there are some compatibility issues with some of the Mac books that are
2:02
based based on the M1 chipset, and there's some issues with some Chromebooks
2:07
So you definitely want to check before you buy this. A lot of it is whether your computer can drive two external displays or not
2:15
but assuming it works. And like I said, my MacBook Pro M1 totally works great
2:21
This also allows you to use it with the PS4, with the Xbox one, with a switch
2:26
obviously Mac or PC. Again, double check with the company. If you're not sure that your system can support two external displays, but
2:34
nowadays it probably can. So there's also a back leg that you adjust, which you want to do because it is a lot
2:43
of weight to put on the laptop. In fact, let me go ahead and show you how this all fits because it's kind of clumsy
2:50
So I'm going to open up my laptop and generally I would say put it at 90
2:54
degrees, stretch this out, fit it on and then use, see, and you fit it on and it's
3:05
not as good as it could be. And then you can use the little back leg to get it to stay
3:12
Um, I guess I didn't do that quite right. Let's see. There we go
3:17
So there's that. And now it's all on and now I can adjust this screen as I desire
3:24
I do have the leg in the back taking some of this weight cause it's a lot of weight
3:29
And one issue I have is notice this one doesn't always stay in exactly the
3:34
position you want, but that's also because I have it at a fairly steep angle
3:38
So if we, their back leg is adjustable. Here's a little snapshot so you can see what I'm doing
3:44
And at different angles, there's less weight on the hinge. So it's a little bit more consistent on its adjustment
3:51
And so, oops, that's a little too much forward. Let's see, get it maybe there
3:58
There we go. And then it comes with a ton of cables, but really what you need is you need two
4:04
of the USB-C to USB-C for most computers. So on this, it comes with this cable, which is a 90 degree angle and then just a
4:14
regular cable. And my unit has multiple USB-C ports, so that makes it easy
4:20
And then I want to point out that on the edge are a lot of different controls and buttons
4:26
And there's even the ability to plug in a separate power source
4:30
If you're using this via the micro HDMI connection, and yes, it does include those
4:34
cables, HDMI doesn't give power. So you'll probably need to plug in a separate USB-C power cord to an external
4:43
power source. So this means it's fairly portable, but in some situations, depending on your
4:50
computer, might not be as portable as you hope. One thing I will say that is actually pretty intriguing is that, I guess I'll
4:57
turn it this way, the controls are rotated. So the top button on this is the bottom button on this and so on
5:07
So one of the screens, you'll find that if you're trying to turn the brightness
5:11
up, you need to push the down button. I found that a little confusing
5:15
I understand they have standardized displays that they're using for this. So naturally when one's on the wrong side, it ends up being sort of flipped 180
5:24
but it takes a minute or two. So if you plug in your screen to your computer and it doesn't actually turn on
5:30
then what might be happening is that you actually plugged it into the wrong one
5:34
because it's the top of one of these and the bottom of the other. Not sure which is which, I would say just experimentally verify
5:41
So that's most of how this works. Let me go ahead and give you a hands-on demo so you can see how easy it is to work with
5:49
Once it's hooked up, it's actually pretty darn easy to work with. If I close this middle window and on a Mac, you can go to system settings and you
6:00
can go to displays and then it will show you what displays you have hooked up
6:07
I can choose different displays. That's the left, that's the right, and I can arrange them differently
6:13
If I decide I want to have it so maybe I switch order for some inexplicable reason
6:20
I can do that here in the arrange displays. But generally speaking, I can just slide things around and they just move from
6:28
window to window like magic. So it's super easy to work with
6:33
Now, the issue is that it doesn't always have the angle or stay at the angle you want
6:40
So this is something where in particular the one on the right I've found doesn't
6:46
always stay at my desired angle. Sometimes it just sort of slides back, but here it's behaving well
6:52
In general, super easy to work with. Now let's switch this around so you can see how the back of it works
6:58
So this is really putting a lot of weight on the hinge on the laptop. So I've moved this screen in to help with the weight
7:05
Generally, you probably want to hold your screen while you adjust things, but
7:08
there's not much you have to do on the back. There's the little kickstand and kickstand comes out and then you can push this
7:15
button and adjust its height, which can be very helpful because then I can tilt it
7:21
back and get it at just the angle I want. And it supports the back of the computer screen so that the whole thing doesn't
7:28
just fall down. But if I want to take it off, then obviously I want to push this in, fold this
7:34
in, and then it just comes right off and closes. And now I need to put it away
7:41
So let's unplug the cables on both sides. And this screen folds into the back display out
7:52
And then once I've done that, then the other screen folds display in
7:57
And here we go. This is the whole unit. Nice and small and very portable
8:03
And all I need with this computer, at least, are two USB-C to USB-C cables
8:11
which are included. So it's super easy to work with. There's no drivers to install or anything
8:16
Now, let me jump back on camera with some more thoughts. Once you get the hang of it, it's actually pretty easy to work with, but I do feel a
8:24
little anxious when I'm doing that because you have a display facing outward
8:28
here, as you can see. And when you're adjusting things, it doesn't seem to adjust in a really nice
8:34
tight way, as you saw when I was trying to hook it up. That makes me a little nervous because this is a spendy device
8:41
But that's something I'll talk about again in a second or two. I want to say that it does come with a portable carrying case, which is nice
8:50
So in addition to those USB-C cables that I was already using, it also comes
8:55
with a ton of other cables. So this is, let's see, micro HDMI to HDMI, and everything comes in pairs
9:04
So HDMI to micro HDMI. And then this is USB-C to USB-A for maybe older PCs
9:12
And again, USB-C to USB-A. And there is a lint cloth, which if you need to wipe it up is good, or wipe it down
9:21
And then let's see what we have here. This looks like a little power adapter
9:25
And interestingly, it comes with one power adapter that is USB-A, so that USB-A
9:32
to USB-C. And then, I don't know, maybe you go USB-C to USB-C so that one source powers
9:42
both displays. Haven't tested that out because I haven't needed to. I will say this is a very nice little laptop case
9:49
And of course it does have the company name on it, which is nice. So overall, if you're really jonesing for a second and third display, and you want
9:58
to have it be reasonably portable, then this is a really interesting solution
10:03
It is kind of spendy. So if it's something where you want to have it in your co-working space or
10:09
something, or in your home office, then you really want to ask yourself, is this
10:14
the right solution versus buying a $100, $150 external display that isn't portable
10:20
But if this matches your usage needs, it's really pretty cool. And it's really nice to have three displays
10:28
You know, if you're doing day trading, if you're doing video editing, then having
10:32
all that extra screen real estate is really pretty fantastic. And yeah, I kind of was watching some TV on it too
10:40
So you can do that too. So really all we need to talk about is the price
10:44
But before I get to the price, I'm going to ask if you could subscribe to my
10:47
channel, click or a tap on that subscribe button, click or a tap on that bell icon
10:52
for notifications, and we're done. Now, if you would be so kind as to give me a like or a thumbs up, if you found
10:59
this valuable or helpful, I also really appreciate that. Great. Now let's move all of these cables and everything out of the way
11:08
This is the Fopo triple portable monitor S17 and its base price is $659.99
11:18
But right now on Amazon, I saw that it had a 10% discount and a $60 coupon
11:24
which drops the price down to $533.99. That is pretty spendy for an external display, but it's two external displays
11:33
and it's portable enough that you can slip it into its carrying bag and just take it with you
11:38
So if you are fine adjusting it and getting things just so, then this can be
11:43
a real amazing game changer for your laptop or a notebook or portable experience
11:49
So definitely consider if it's the right one for you, reach out to the
11:53
company to make sure your computer's compatible with it, if you're worried about that and check it out
11:58
That's all I got. I'll hope to catch you in my next video
#Computer Hardware
#Desktop Computers
#Laptops & Notebooks
#Gadgets & Portable Electronics
#Virtual Reality Devices