Espresso Pro 17 Monitor Review: A Quality Portable 4K Touch Display
Espresso 17 Pro Portable Monitor Review: 4K Resolution And Touch Support On The Go
| Espresso 17 Pro With Stand: MSRP $799 The espresso 17 Pro portable monitor with stand delivers a crisp 4K resolution with touch support, for added screen real estate and flexible input, at home or on the go.
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Portable monitors can be highly useful tools for any traveling professional. Having the ability to pack up a separate monitor that can be stowed away in a bag, easily setup alongside a laptop, and provide more screen real estate on the road can be a huge boon to productivity. The Espresso 17 Pro we'll be showing you here today is capable of all those things, and more, thanks to its 4K touchscreen and suite of available software.
The Espresso 17 Pro has a 17.3-inch IPS (In-Plane Switching) 60Hz 4K (3840 x 2160) LED backlit display, which was custom built for Espresso Displays. It delivers 1.07 billion, 10 bit color (8+2 FCR) with 100% DCI-P3 coverage, and the panel has a peak brightness of 450 nits (when powered by an adequate power supply).
The Espresso 17 Pro has a 17.3-inch IPS (In-Plane Switching) 60Hz 4K (3840 x 2160) LED backlit display, which was custom built for Espresso Displays. It delivers 1.07 billion, 10 bit color (8+2 FCR) with 100% DCI-P3 coverage, and the panel has a peak brightness of 450 nits (when powered by an adequate power supply).
Touch support on the espresso 17 Pro is available on both PC and Mac systems, which makes it one of the few displays to enable touch functionality for MacBook users. The compnay makes touch possible on Mac systems through the included espressoFlow software. Also available is Jot by Espresso, a touch-based digital work tool that provides a simple and easy way to clip, create, store, edit, or share content.
Espresso Pro 17 Portable Monitor Specifications
The Espresso 17 Pro features two USB-C ports, which deliver the same power, video and data transfer capability between host devices and power sources. Either USB-C port can be used for powering the device, or inputting video, and both ports are capable of power passthrough when the source serves as both video source and power supply.
Included with the display is the Stand Pro. This stand uses a magnetic attachment to hold the display securely in place. The stand allows for adjustable height, angle, and rotation of the display. A kickstand is built into the stand as well, allowing the display to be flattend down to 18 degrees, which is a nice height and angle for using the espresso 17 Pro for illustration and writing.
Espresso 17 Pro Display Experience
The espresso 17 Pro delivers rich and vibrant colors and a crisp 4K resolution. The 60Hz refresh rate is sufficient for delivering smooth reproduction of video, as well as during scrolling pages on the web, but is obviously much slower and less smooth than higher refresh panes. It is also adequate for gamers who may want a high-resolution display they can use for gaming on the go, that can be connected via one of the USB-C ports.
Touch capability on the 17 Pro is responsive and fast. It performs well when connected to a Windows laptop, or a MacBook. Having touch capability on a MacBook is a welcome feature on 17 Pro. It gives MacBook owners a feature many have been begging Apple for, for years. We should also note that the espresso 17 Pro has the ability to use a pen or stylus for input as well. More on that later in the review.
While viewing the display at an angle from either side, the image remains clear, sharp and vivid. One of the benefits of using IPS display panel technology is wide viewing angle support. Depending on lighting, however, reflections may be visible on screen due to the espresso 17 Pro having a glossy, glass surface. This can be seen in the image above from both angles, as the white door frame is visible vertically across the screen.
The 17.3-inch display can be oriented in both landscape and portrait modes as well. Auto-rotation support means there's no fiddling with control panels when rotating the display, and we found this function performed well during testing. It was quick and easy to adjust to whichever position, and touch capability remained funtional and accurate.
The Stand Pro Accessory
The included stand makes setting up the Espresso 17 Pro quick and easy while traveling. The Stand Pro can be folded down into a compact form, making it much easier to toss in a bag and take on trip. It can then be unfolded quickly, and is ready to use in seconds.
It should be noted, however, that adjusting the display’s angle can be difficult while it's attached to the stand magnetically, becuase the hinges are quite stiff. Once attached to the stand, trying to maneuver the angle of the display requires a fair bit of force, which can cause the user to pull the display from the magnet, and if not holding it properly, the display might be dropped onto the surface below.
All-in-all, though it's not perfect and requires care when altering the angle, the Stand Pro is a useful and sturdy accessory that improves the usability and functionaly of the display. We should also note the espresso Stand Pro can be purchased separately for $99 via the espressoDisplays website, should users want to leave stands at different locations or need a replacement for whatever reason.
espressoFlow And Jot Software
Included with the espresso 17 Pro portable monitor are two pieces of software that enhance its fucntionality -- espressoFlow and Jot. The espressoFlow software makes setting up and changing the layout of connected screens, or screen orientation, quick and easy. espressoFlow also allows for setting up layouts for specific applications, as specified by the user. Its workspace feature lets you arrange windows and apps based on specific
themes, jobs, or projects. Simply click a pre-set workspace to open
every window or tab in the exact layout specified. A battery section is also available, which shows the battery level of the device being used to power the 17 Pro.
The Jot app by espresso software also adds considerable functionality. Magic Jot allows users to drop into any project and add notes or markups, and you can do the same with screenshots, images, etc. It works well within popular apps such as Evernote, Microsoft OneNote, Notes app on Mac, Google Slides, and Apple Keynote, to name a few.
While the Jot app was originally on Mac devices only, it has been updated to be able to be used on Windows based PCs as well.
Espresso 17 Pro Accessories
Espresso Displays also offers a few accessories for the 17 Pro portable monitor. One is the espressoPen, which performed well during testing. The espressoPen is a high-quality stylus that can be attached to the monitor for saef keeping, via the same magnets that secure another available accessory -- the espressoCase. This case attaches to the top of the monitor, and covers the screen. It is rigid and well built and should protect the screen from damage during travel or while not in use.
The espressoPen can be purchased for $89, while the espressoCase can be purchased for $49 via the espresso Displays website.
One accessory that we did not receive for testing was the espresso Charge. The espresso Charge is a stylized, portable power bank that can power the espresso 17 Pro for an entire day's worth of work, according to the company. It is also custom built to fit magnetically on the bottom of the Stand Pro, keeping it out of the way, while adding a bit of height to the Stand Pro when attached.
The charging base can also be used to charge other devices while using the 17 Pro. Simply connect a USB-C cable in the second port of the display, and then to the device to be charged. The espresso Charge can be purchased for $199 on the espresso Displays website.
Final Thoughts On The Espresso 17 Pro
We realy like the the espresso 17 Pro portable monitor. This product is well built and its 4K display produces excellent visuals. Being able to pack up a monitor of this size and quality, and easily travel with it, makes it a great companion for professionals and creative types that are constantly on the go.
Over and above the obvious benefits of having a high-quality, portable display, the espresso 17 Pro also offers touch support with adds an additional layer of functionality. Couple the espresso 17 Pro with the epressoPen and you've got an precision input is possible for making handwritten notes on slides, or for artists who want to make a quick sketch.
Although we really like the espresso 17 Pro, its accessories and included software, there are some drawbacks to consider. One is its price. The espresso 17 Pro with Stand Pro, and a 3ft USB-C cable can be purchased on the espresso Displays website for $799. There is also an espresso Studio Bundle available which includes the 17 Pro display, Stand Pro, espressoPen, espressoCase, Creator 2 pack, and an 3ft USB-C cable for $949. While there are definitely more affordable alternatives out there, they more than likely don't offer the same feature set or the premium build quality and experience of the espresso 17 Pro. Outside of the cost, adjusting the angle of the display while attached to the stand can be tricky, and we wish the device supported mulitple inputs. If two video sources happen to be connected at the same time, the display is unable to connect successfully to either.
Those of you considering a high-quality, accurate portable monitor that supports 4K and touch, will likely consider the espresso 17 Pro is an excellent option. While it is a bit more expensive than some competitive devices on the market, it brings a lot to the table and offers excellent quality and useful features, not found on generic portable displays.
