REVIEW – I do most of my work on a Surface Pro, mostly because as a professor I walk a lot around campus and I don’t want to lug anything heavy. I do miss a big screen, I have to admit, so when I was given the chance to evaluate the Kwumsy KX portable touchscreen monitor, I thought this was my chance to upgrade my experience and maybe get the multiple monitor thing going when I’m on the road or just at a coffee shop.
What is it?
The Kwumsy KX is 15.6”/1080p touchscreen monitor with the option of also using it as a keyboard.
What’s in the box?
- Kwumsy KX portable touchscreen monitor
- Two USB C-to-C Cables (Their literature says I should have only had one, but I had two).
- A USB C-HDMI and 2 USB A cable
- Some instructions
Hardware specs
- Resolution: 60HZ@1920*1080P FHD
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Product interface: TYPE-C*4
- Screen: IPS wide perspective, 220CD/m²
- Power consumption: <11W
- Speaker: 2 PCS
- Compatibility: MAC/Windows/Android
- Product size: 363.8*232.3 *17.9MM
- Product weight: 1.78 KG
- Product material: aluminum alloy
Setup and features
I guess I’m not alone in wanting a multiple monitor experience when I’m away from the home or office, because there are all different kinds of portable monitors available out there, but none really do the same thing as the Kwumsy KX. The Kwumsy KX portable touchscreen monitor works with Android, Mac and Windows and it can act as a stand-alone monitor or as an expanded screen. It can also be used as a keyboard that supports nine languages.
Because it can do so much and work with so many systems, I had a smidge of a problem getting this screen set up. I could get it to work as an extra monitor with my Surface without any trouble at all, but I did struggle to get the touchscreen to work. They sent instructions but my Surface uses a Mini DisplayPort and a special dongle to connect to HDMI, and none of the instructions really discussed this. I don’t blame Kwumsy; they would have a hard time addressing all the different set-ups that are out there. I wound up doing a little online searching. For me, the issue was that I had to have my Surface in tablet mode to get the touchscreen features to work.
This stand is pretty genius! It detaches and slots into the back of the Kwumsy KX to support it in landscape and portrait modes, but when you’re done it folds away flat to the back of the screen. It also swivels!
This is the back of the screen with the stand folded down. There are also two sets of feet that pop out on the bottom of the photo to support the Kwumsy KX as a keyboard.
Once I had everything working, I found the Kwumsy KX touchscreen monitor to be a really well-designed extra monitor. For starters, it comes with a stand that folds flat for travel, but can be switched to support the screen in landscape and portrait views. It can be rotated and tilted as well. The screen itself looks great and supports 10-point touchscreen technology for Windows users and one point for Mac.
The build quality is impressive. It just seems like a sturdy piece of gear. All of that comes at a price, though, and in this case, the price is weight. I was surprised this monitor weighed over three pounds. I appreciate the ruggedness but I might not make this my everyday carry screen because it is just plain heavy compared to my laptop itself. However, the simplicity of the setup – the built-in stand and the ease of the plug-and-play does mean that I’d be likely to take it on a trip. Sometimes I am sent on long work trips for 12 weeks or more – the Kwumsy KX touchscreen monitor would give my hotel room or apartment the dual-screen setup that I enjoy at home.
When I got my first look at the Kwumsy KX, I was struck by all the USB -C ports on the side of the screen. There are four, and in my configuration two are taken up by the connections to make it operate. One goes to my computer and the other powers the screen. Depending on your setup, you might only use one. I was a little annoyed that they didn’t include a power supply when they included cables, but not all setups require one.
I don’t know about anyone else but I’m an old-school touch typist. I think I adapt fairly readily to many keyboards, but when I tried out the Kwumsy KX touchscreen monitor’s keyboard feature, I had a rough time. Could I type? Yes. Could I type accurately? No. The 98-key touch keyboard was easy to set up and lets you switch between languages very easily, but the feeling of the screen under my fingers didn’t give me enough feedback that my fingers were in the right spot. Perhaps I could get used to it eventually, but I’m probably going to only use the Kwumsy KX as a keyboard in a pinch.
A couple of neat things about the Kwumsy KX touchscreen monitor in keyboard mode are the fact that it has a couple of different kinds of feet to support whatever pitch feels right, plus it still also allows for an extended screen. So you could use it as your keyboard and still enjoy the rest of the Kwumsy KX screen for your tasks. It’s a slick setup if you can get used to it!
I tested this screen mostly with my laptop since that’s how I envision using it. I didn’t have a USB-C to lightning cable to test its use with my iPad, but I did try to hook it up to my Samsung Z-Flip. I used the included USB-C cables and an ample power supply but I couldn’t get it to work. Maybe it’s because I have a weird novelty phone? I’m not exactly sure how I would use the screen with my phone anyway, so I didn’t try searching out a solution.
What I liked
- Ease of use (built-in stand, plug and play)
- Overall quality
What I’d change
- I hope they can figure out why phone didn’t work and fix that — it doesn’t matter much to me but it might to someone else
- I wish they’d included a power supply
Final thoughts
Overall I really liked the Kwumsy KX touchscreen monitor. As a keyboard, I have a hard time getting used to it, but as a touchscreen monitor, I think it looks great, and is so nice to have a built-in stand that packs flat. I think I’ll get a lot of use out of it!
Price: $389.00
Where to buy: Kwumsy
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Kwumsy.
