ViewSonic VG1656N review: A portable, affordable wireless monitor

Portable monitors are a dime a dozen (almost literally, if you buy them on sale). But what if you want a portable monitor that’s also wireless? That’s exactly what the ViewSonic VG1656N offers at an affordable price. Unfortunately, ViewSonic sacrifices the monitor’s image quality to make it happen.

ViewSonic VG1656N specs and features

The ViewSonic VG1656N’s basic specifications are identical to dozens of competitors. It has a 16-inch IPS display panel with a 16:10 aspect ratio, 1,920 x 1,200 resolution, and a 60Hz refresh rate. None of these specifications are remarkable on their own, and the VG1656N’s nearly $300 MSRP would be hard to justify without its unique features.

● Display size: 16-inch 16:10 widescreen
● Native resolution: 1920×1200
● Panel type: IPS
● Refresh rate: 60Hz
● Adaptive sync: None
● HDR: None
● Ports: 2x USB-C 3.2 with DisplayPort Alternate Mode and 60 watts Power Delivery-in
● VESA mount: None
● Speakers: 2x 2-watt speakers
● Wireless display: Yes
● Price: $299.99 MSRP

Wireless connectivity is what sets the VG1656N apart. Though not uncommon, wireless portable monitors tend to be expensive, with many models sold above $300. That makes the VG1656N relatively affordable.

Further reading: See our roundup of the best portable monitors to learn about competing products.

ViewSonic VG1656N design

Unboxing and setting up the ViewSonic VG1656N was a bit confusing, due to the fabric-covered magnetic stand that attaches to the portable monitor. I was able to set it up without consulting the manual, but it took me a few minutes to puzzle out the right orientation. It’s a good thing I didn’t need a manual, because my review unit didn’t have one in the box.

The bundled stand is decent. It looks flimsy but proved remarkably stable—it takes significant force to knock it over. The stand can be folded to support several tilt angles and is stable once in place. The detachable stand also helps ViewSonic keep the VG1656N’s weight and bulk to a minimum: The display panel weighs 1.8 pounds and measures only 0.38 inches thick.

The stand supports both landscape and portrait orientation. That’s a big perk, as portrait orientation is often a better use of a portable monitor’s real estate, and the VG1656N’s 16-inch display panel is the perfect size for portrait-mode placement next to a 27-inch monitor.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

The VG1656N is a wireless display with a built-in battery, so it can connect to a PC or Mac without any wires. This is made possible with a bundled Wi-Fi dongle. The monitor and dongle pair automatically, and I had no trouble with interference or mixed connections.

The dongle connects to your PC over USB-C. It’s large—about twice the size of most USB flash drives—so it’ll be a tight squeeze if your computer’s USB-C ports are close together. You’ll also want to keep track of the dongle, since it’s required for a wireless connection.

ViewSonic VG1656N connectivity

The ViewSonic VG1656N’s wireless connectivity is clearly its headline feature.

As mentioned, the monitor connects wirelessly to a USB-C dongle that you’ll need to plug into your PC. There’s no setup required; so long as the input mode is set to Wi-Fi, the VG1656N will automatically search for and connect to the bundled dongle (though a pairing mode is included if you need to pair with a different dongle).

Matthew Smith / Foundry

The monitor’s wireless connectivity is fine, but it’s no miracle. Wireless displays tend to suffer noticeable input lag, and the VG1656N is no exception, though it’s not too bad.

Slow-motion recording at 240 frames per second showed input lag of around 100 to 200 milliseconds. I couldn’t visually notice a delay in real-time, but the monitor felt a little sluggish. Even so, most people looking for a wireless monitor will find the lag acceptable, and I suspect less critical owners won’t notice it.

Wired connectivity is still available, through two USB-C ports. Both support DisplayPort Alternate Mode and USB Power Delivery, so either can be used for video input or to power the monitor. There’s one port on each flank, making the monitor easier to use with short USB-C cords.

ViewSonic VG1656N features

There’s not much to talk about when it comes to the VG1656N’s menu system. Controlled by the power and volume rocker, it offers just a few image quality adjustments: brightness, contrast, and four preset image quality modes.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

The 2-watt speakers are decent, with good volume and clarity. However, there’s no bass, so games, movies, and music sound thin, though they’re acceptable in a pinch.

The monitor’s built-in battery claims up to 3.5 hours of battery life. This varies widely with brightness settings—at full brightness, I saw it drain in about 1.5 hours. The battery can only power the monitor and can’t be used as an external battery for other devices.

Viewsonic VG1656N SDR image quality

The Viewsonic VG1656N isn’t a portable monitor that’s marketed on image quality. A look at the company’s official web page shows little information about image quality aside from resolution. Instead, the VG1656N is marketed mostly for its wireless connectivity and support for both landscape and portrait mode.

A quick note: I tested the monitor’s image quality when it was connected to power and again on battery power. It appeared to operate identically in both situations.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

First up is brightness. This is an area where portable monitors tend to post mediocre results, and the Viewsonic VG1656N is no exception. It achieved a maximum brightness of 251 nits, which is similar to most competitors. This level of brightness is fine for use in a room with a few shaded windows but can look a bit dim if sunlit windows are nearby.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

The VG1656N’s contrast also falls in line with the alternatives, such as the Asus ZenScreen MB16HG. A contrast ratio of 1260:1 is fine for a standard portable monitor. However, as the Viewsonic VX1655-4K-OLED makes plain, OLED portable monitors can provide a richer, more immersive image.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Color performance is where the VG1656N runs into trouble. The monitor displayed only 64 percent of sRGB and 49 percent of DCI-P3. Most portable monitors can display a far wider range of colors covering up to 100 percent of sRGB and 74 to 81 percent of DCI-P3.

The Viewsonic VX1655-4K-OLED once again takes things to another level, hitting 100 percent of both sRGB and DCI-P3. Put simply: The VG1656N’s range of colors is relatively narrow, which means colors can look dull and muted. It’s fine for office productivity and web browsing but not great for entertainment or content creation.