The espresso Display 15 doubles down on appearance. Not only does it have a great-looking LCD, its aluminum-and-glass exterior makes the screen match a MacBook or iPad perfectly.
Even better, it comes with a clever magnetic stand that can hold the display above your notebook, or beside it if you prefer.
espresso’s 17-inch Pro version from 2023 is the best portable monitor I’ve used, so I went into my review of the smaller version with high expectations.
espresso Display 15 review
An external display makes you more productive, especially when you’re working on a small laptop screen. And that’s true whether you’re in the office or a coffee shop. Fortunately, there are quite a few portable monitors to choose from.
espresso Display 15 stands out from the competition in a couple of ways. One of them is design — it’s far more professional looking than portable monitors from rival companies that I’ve tried. And espresso’s new Stand+ brings some welcome innovation.
Table of contents:
- Beautiful, 15.6-inch 1080P display
- Gorgeous even with the screen off
- Taking it on the chin
- USB only (mostly)
- espresso Stand+ stands tall
- espresso Display 15 final thoughts
- Pricing
Beautiful, 15.6-inch 1080P display
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
I understand that while the overall look of a mobile monitor is important, the LCD is the critical feature. And espresso Display 15 delivers.
The resolution is 1080p Full HD, which means 1920 by 1080 pixels at a 16:9 aspect ratio. It offers 16.8 million colors, and gets color calibrated at the factory. The refresh rate is 60 Hz. Its backlight goes to 300 nits. Those are the specs you’re looking for in a good portable display.
My basic test for third-party screens is how well they compare to a MacBook. So consider that the 15-inch LCD in a MacBook Air has a 2880 by 1864 resolution, 1 billion colors and 500 nits brightness. A glance at those specs might indicate that espresso’s product can’t compare, but numbers don’t tell the whole story.
In daily use, the espresso Display 15 looks gorgeous. I use it with a MacBook and don’t notice the difference in resolution. I write, use the web, access spreadsheets, and never wish the screen had a higher resolution. Nothing looks grainy or “bitmappy.” Watching video is no problem, either.
That’s all true if I take the portable monitor outside. It can’t handle full sun, but I can work on a desk in a shady spot.
What it comes down to is that a MacBook display — and I’m being realistic here — is better than most of us need. I love the way mine looks, and I’m sure you’d say the same, but 224 pixels per inch on a screen that sits a couple of feet from your eyes is over the top. This LCD’s 141 ppi is plenty.
Just remember, though, that I’m not a graphic designer. While I want a beautiful screen, and it makes me more productive, my livelihood doesn’t actually depend on it. But if you’re an artist, I recommend espresso 17 Pro instead. Not only is it bigger, it’s 4K and includes a touchscreen. Or there’s the newly announced espresso 15 Pro.
Gorgeous even with the screen off
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Unlike other makers of other portable monitors, espresso puts a lot of effort into the overall look of the Display 15. The exterior is mostly aluminum, not the usual plastic. And the fact that it’s a mere 0.2 inches thin is equally impressive. The result is something any executive can be proud to set up, or it should impress your customers.
The color matches the Apple space grey quite well. And even if you chose starlight for your computer, the monitor’s curved corners and flat edges make it harmonize with the look of a MacBook.
Taking it on the chin
The screen weighs 2 pounds, so it should be easy to carry around. But to get that super-slim design, some of the internal components of the espresso Display 15 spread out into a “chin.” This is no problem when you’re using the LCD — I don’t even notice it — but carrying the screen around is a different story.
The chin expands the monitor to 14.1 inches by 10.1 inches. That makes it 0.33 inches wider than a 16-inch MacBook.
This is probably no big deal to anyone with Apple’s largest notebook, but those with a smaller one will need a laptop bag designed for 16-inch laptops to fit in their espresso Display 15.
If you don’t want to use a laptop case, you should really invest in espresso Case ($49). Despite the name, this optional accessory is actually a flip cover that attaches magnetically to one edge of the external monitor to protect the LCD from scratches. You can flip it around to the back to get it out of the way, and then fold it out to become a stand. Which you don’t really need because get Stand+ along with the purchase of the Display 15.
USB only (mostly)
On the right edge of the espresso Display 15 sits a pair of USB-C ports. Don’t search the device for an HDMI port — it doesn’t have one. Nor does it need one. Simply plug the device into your Mac, iPad or even recent iPhone models to start using it. The cable you need comes in the box, in a quirky purple for some reason.
The second USB-C port is for power. The external monitor can run off current from your computer, but that’s a drain on the battery, of course. It dropped my 13-inch iPad port 40% in an hour. A USB-C cable connected to a wall charger keeps the display going and charges your computer, too.
If you insist on HDMI, espresso sells an adapter cable ($45). The same goes for Mini Display Port — there’s an adapter cable ($45) for that also.
espresso Stand+ stands tall
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Typical stands let you put a portable monitor to the left or right of your laptop. The espresso Stand+ can do that too, but also lets you position the screen above your computer. It’s a nice trick for those of us who arrange our regular, full-size display that way when working at home. I’m accustomed to looking above my notebook for the second screen, and that’s where it is, even if I’m working from a hotel room.
Stand+ holds the Display 15 up so the bottom of the actual LCD (not the chin) is 9.75 inches above the desk. That’s plenty high enough for me to see it over my notebook.
My initial thought on seeing this arrangement was that it would be dangerously unstable. Nope — I can tap and even whack the screen and it won’t tip over. espresso’s designers did a brilliant job. That said, the screen and stand have to be arranged carefully upright. The screen can tilt a bit, but no more than that.
Just sit there’s no confusion, Stand+ doesn’t have to be that tall. You can configure it with the bottom of the LCD about 4 inches above the desk.
I like that the Display 15 and Stand+ cling together magnetically. That makes setting up my computer and screen easy. And switching between landscape and portrait modes is as simple as rotating the display.
espresso Display 15 final thoughts
Photo: espresso Displays
This external monitor is beautiful, whether you’re using the LCD or looking at the back of the peripheral. That makes it ideal for Mac or iPad users who want to impress the people around them, like customers. And you’re not sacrificing functionality — the LCD is very good quality.
And Stand+ is a brilliant bit of kit that significantly enhances the display.
★★★★★
Pricing
espresso Display 15 costs $299/€299/£259. That’s above the price of many rival portable monitors, but these don’t have the same premium design and build as this one.
Buy it from: espresso
espresso provided Cult of Mac with a review unit for this article. See our reviews policy, and check out more in-depth reviews of Apple-related items.
