Acer PD163Q Review: Double Your Productivity with This Dual-Screen Portable Monitor?

Portable monitors have gained popularity in recent years, enhancing productivity on the go. This trend aligns with the increasing number of screens on our professional and personal desks.

There are several ways to add more screens to your laptop. For Mac users, one option includes a clip-on device that extends one or two monitors to the left and right of the laptop’s main screen.

Other manufacturers offer portable screens that connect via USB-C or HDMI. The Acer screen falls into this category, offering a stacked dual-screen setup in a 16:9 format, effectively tripling your display options.

Technical Specifications

This screen was provided by Acer for the purpose of this review.

Design: Bulky Yet Practical

Initially mentioned, this screen resembles a laptop when folded. However, it’s more akin to a 2010s-era laptop than a modern ultra-thin one. Notably, it’s quite thick at about 2.5 cm, which means it takes up significant space whether it’s being transported or placed on a desk.

Beyond its thickness, its practicality shines when unfolded. The screen offers multiple configurations. The most straightforward use is in a tower-like setup with the screens stacked one above the other. This setup mirrors a typical desk arrangement. Another configuration is a book-like setup with both screens vertical, which might be interesting to try once but is generally impractical for daily use.

There is also a tent mode where each screen faces in opposite directions. This can be useful for showing the same content to oneself and another person across, suitable for meetings or collaborative work.

As for connectivity, the device is fairly well-equipped. It includes USB-C for video and power (depending on your laptop’s ports), an additional USB-C for power, plus an HDMI port and a headphone jack.

In terms of design flaws, there is a notable issue. The stand that supports the screens when upright covers the ports when folded. This design oversight means you can’t keep cables plugged in when folding the device, which is inconvenient if you need to quickly pack up without moving the device. In one instance, I nearly severed a USB-C cable by folding the stand too quickly while the cable was still connected.

Image Quality: Could Be Better, But Is It Necessary?

Before getting into technical measurements, it’s clear these screens are not the most advanced. They feature a somewhat outdated 1080p resolution and a 60 Hz refresh rate. In 2025, one might expect higher pixel density and refresh rates.

A 120 Hz rate would have been a nice touch for enhanced visual comfort. Personally, I’m used to monitors with refresh rates of 240, 360, or even 480 Hz, so the downgrade to 60 Hz is quite noticeable, even for basic tasks like word processing.

Despite the technical specs, the screen’s IPS nature comes with its limitations. The colors are not very accurate, and there are hardly any configuration options available.

While there are a few preset modes, they restrict brightness adjustments, except for the standard mode, which allows changes to brightness and contrast.

Technical measurements confirm these impressions. Color accuracy is measured by Delta-E, and ideally, we want this value to be below three on average, and certainly under five. The standard mode achieves an average Delta-E of 4.88, which is above the ideal threshold, with many colors scoring above five (red, in particular, is significantly off). This is disappointing, especially since this is the only mode that allows for brightness adjustments.

The Reading mode performs slightly better with a Delta-E of 3.88, but it’s still above the ideal threshold, meaning there will be a noticeable difference between the displayed and actual colors. However, considering this is more of a work-oriented screen rather than for creative use, these discrepancies might be forgivable, especially given its price point.

In terms of color temperature, the screen nearly hits the target value of 6,500 K, coming in at 6,478 K, which is commendable. As for brightness, although Acer claims 250 cd/m², our tests only achieved about 210 cd/m², making it less suitable for use in bright outdoor environments.

Finally, color space coverage is another important metric. The Acer PD163Q covers 109% of the BT.709 space and only 73% of the DCI-P3 space, confirming its suitability primarily for office tasks rather than color-critical applications.

Uses of the Acer PD163Q: Maximizing Productivity

The potential applications of a product like this extend beyond its design, specs, or image quality. It’s important to consider the intended uses promoted by the manufacturer and how these hold up in real-world scenarios.

This product is not aimed at gamers but rather at a demographic seeking enhanced productivity in a mobile setting. This includes students, remote workers in cafes or on terraces, and professionals on the move. I’ve tested these scenarios during the review (and enjoyed a few cocktails on a sunny terrace).

For a typical student, setting up the device for a class takes some time and space but proves worthwhile for long sessions, which can last between two to four hours. The setup allows for comfortable work during these periods.

As a developer, this product is ideal. I could run my development IDE on my laptop, have documentation or a browser open on one of the portable screens, and use the third screen for Docker or logging. This setup is perfect for such tasks.

Additionally, group work often involves brainstorming with others. In these cases, I used the tent mode to display information simultaneously on both screens, allowing everyone around the table to follow along. Although I never used the screens vertically, I understand why the option is available.

From a software perspective, several capabilities are provided. You can mirror the display on both screens in tent mode, use the two screens as one (note the central bezel may be distracting), or use each screen separately, which suits most use cases.

Price and Availability

The Acer PD163Q is available at a recommended retail price of 399 euros. Its price has not dropped significantly since its release a few months ago. This price is reasonable, though slightly on the higher side.