Maximise Mobile Gaming With the Arzopa G1 Game 15.6

Small enough to fit inside a standard backpack or satchel, the Arpoza G1 can accompany almost any hardware, enhancing the visuals for better clarity.

The Arzopa G1 Game 15.6-inch portable monitor isn't the smallest piece of kit, but it is small enough to fit inside a standard backpack or satchel. It can accompany almost any small-screen hardware, enhancing the visuals for better clarity and sharing. Having tried it with various devices, it seems there is nothing this portable monitor cannot do.

Ever found the display on your phone is not big enough? Need a wider working area for your laptop display? Want to game on the go, but without relying on the tiny proportions of your portable game console display?

The answer is a portable monitor. Resembling a large tablet/hybrid device, these lightweight displays are a great way to maximize the display options, whatever device you’re using.

With the Arzopa G1 Game 15.6-inch portable monitor, you could be playing games, watching a movie on your phone, or even sharing your desktop with people in the same room.

You can take a portable monitor almost anywhere. They’re more like a tablet computer than a traditional external monitor and can be used with almost any device you own.

For example, a portable monitor is a great way to play videos on your phone without having to squint. You can use it to maximize the display options on a portable console, or set it up as the main display for a single-board computer (SBC).

You can also employ a portable monitor as an additional display for your PC or laptop.

The beauty of a portable monitor isn't just the weight; they’re also very easy to set up.

The G1 Game 15.6-inch portable monitor is a full HD (1920x1080) IPS display with 100% sRGB, 16:9 display ratio, and a 178-degree viewing angle (horizontal and vertical), with an incredible 144Hz refresh rate.

Lightweight and slim, the display has a 1000:1 contrast ratio and 300-nit brightness, which is about the same as a typical phone. Physical dimensions measure 36.5x23x0.9cm, while the G1 Game monitor weighs just 987 grams (35oz). For comparison, that's roughly double the weight of a standard 10.2-inch iPad.

Thanks to a Mini HDMI port, USB Type-C2 port, and a combination USB-C and C1 port (for power delivery and DisplayPort), the Arzopa G1 Game boasts compatibility with a wide selection of devices. It also has dual speakers built-in and a 3.5mm audio port.

The display ships with an aluminum alloy dual-purpose cover and stand, which also doubles as a screen cover. There's also a short user guide and a screen cleaning cloth. Cables are included: a 1-meter USB-C to USB-A power supply cable, a Mini HDMI to HDMI cable, and a USB-C to USB-C cable.

Ordering through the website gives you a 30-day risk-free guarantee and 12-month hassle-free warranty on the device.

Unboxing the Arzopa G1 Game is slightly confusing at first. The stand/cover doesn't appear to fit initially, but it's a simple case of flipping the cover over the top of the Arzopa G1 Game and propping it up. The dual-purpose stand and cover is magnetic, and combined with the display's pair of rubber feet, you can be confident there will be no slippage.

It's a plug-and-play experience, so all you need to do is plug in the PSU, connect a device, and switch the monitor on. The controls at the side let you switch between the various input channels if nothing is automatically detected. You can be up and running with the Arzopa G1 Game in less than a minute. The chances are that it will boot up before your game console.

Want to use a phone with the device? If your handset doesn't have HDMI over USB Type-C or (rare these days) an HDMI or DP output, then it's probably not going to work.

Because the Arzopa G1 Game has no battery, it will require power from another device. This might be from an external power supply, using the included PSU, or even from the device you connect. Several connections are possible.

A laptop with USB Type-C port can connect directly to the Arzopa G1 Game and power it through the one cable. Of course, the laptop battery will drain faster.

If your PC or laptop doesn't feature USB Type-C, you can use the external PSU and the HDMI to Mini HDMI in tandem. Alternatively, use the USB Type-C to USB-A cable to power the monitor from the computer's standard USB port—this still requires two cables, but avoid the need for an external power brick.

With a phone or tablet, you can use Type-C to Type-C while powering the monitor from the external PSU. Consoles and TV boxes require standard HDMI to Mini HDMI.

Compatible with most PCs and laptops, the Arzopa G1 Game portable monitor will work with almost device, one way or another. Thanks to HDMI, DisplayPort, and USB Type-C support, the list of compatible devices is likely to grow rather than shrink.

Mobile phones from Sony, Samsung, and Huawei are compatible; while an iPhone can be connected with a Lighting to HDMI adapter.

Laptops such as the Apple MacBook, MacBook Air, and iPad Pro will work with the G1 Game, as will the Microsoft Surface Book 2 and SurfaceGo. Laptops from Dell, HP, Lenovo, Google, Razer, NVIDIA, and others should work.

The Arzopa G1 Game Portable Monitor is also compatible with consoles. If you own a Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Xbox One or Xbox Series, Sony PlayStation 3, 4, 5 and many other HDMI-compatible game systems, the G1 Game will work.

In short, if the device has an HDMI out, DisplayPort out, or HDMI over USB Type-C, then it should work with the Arzopa G1 Game portable monitor.

Check the Arzopa website for the full list of known compatible devices.

With so many HDMI-compatible devices around a typical household, it probably makes sense to have at least one device that has a degree of portability to it. The Arzopa G1 Game fits nicely in a backpack, measuring about the same as a typical folder. This affords various possibilities.

Thanks to the basic controls (power/input select/brightness, etc.) and simple use (it is literally plug-and-play) it is a reliable solution. Despite the dimensions, there is no discernible dip in picture quality. You’re not getting 4K quality from the Arzopa G1 Game, but it's certainly an upgrade for the majority of portable tech devices that you might connect to it.

The beauty of this device is its simplicity. It's a monitor, after all, and anyone who has owned or used a computer can plug one in, connect the source cable, and enjoy what's available to watch.

To give you an idea of just how flexible the Arzopa G1 Game is, I tried it with these devices:

The first device I tested with the Arzopa G1 Game was my 2017-model HP Envy—a workhorse, "PC replacement" laptop. Its HDMI out port is used permanently with my main second monitor, and I was interested to see how it worked with the Arzopa G1 Game.

The answer? Perfectly. I needed to adjust the brightness on the portable display slightly, but otherwise this was perfect.

The original Evercade retro gaming console features a Mini HDMI port, so I needed an adapter for hooking this up. Curiously, with the device powering before after hooking it up to the Arzopa G1 Game, it displayed a message indicating the cartridge wasn't installed.

After restarting the console and disconnecting and reconnecting the Mini HDMI cable, it worked fine with the Arzopa G1 Game.

It was a surprise how well this worked. While the Steam Deck detected the Arzopa G1 Game's USB Type-C cable as a low-charging device, it connected perfectly. The Arzopa G1 Game auto-detected the Steam Deck, enabling instantaneous game play.

Aside from the usual tablet tasks, I use this device as a backup to my laptop. It has DeX mode, Samsung's proprietary desktop mode, which looks better on a larger display than on the tablet itself.

Samsung DeX is configured on my tablet to launch as soon as a display is detected. Sure enough, the desktop environment opened, ready to use.

I find a portable monitor is probably most valuable to Nintendo Switch fans. The console's display is okay for on-the-go multiplayer, but we all know it is too small.

Happily, the Switch works great with the Arzopa G1 Game. In fact this is the test that took me longest to complete, as I was enjoying it so much...

Finally, I gave the Arzopa G1 Game 15.6-inch portable monitor a slightly different task. Hooking the Roku to the portable monitor meant finding an external power supply for the streaming stick, but this was a minor issue. Aside from a lack of HDMI-CEC compatibility (again, not an issue), it worked fine.

Portable monitors are an odd category of device. At first, it seems there is no need for an over-sized tablet with no internal battery (and no touchscreen). But then you hook something up, and suddenly it all makes sense.

The Arzopa G1 Game 15.6-inch portable monitor stands out as an easy-to-use display with compatibility for everything I’ve tried with it. The wide viewing angle is useful for groups, the 144Hz refresh rate is superb for a smooth gaming experience, and the colors are as good as you would expect from a quality desktop monitor.

You'll find the Arzopa G1 Game on Amazon US, or Amazon UK.

Deputy Editor for Security, Linux, DIY, Programming, and Tech Explained, Christian has extensive experience in desktop and software support, and has been published in Computer Weekly, Linux Format, Tech Radar, ad ComputerActive.Christian also produces MakeUseOf's weekly show, the Really Useful Podcast.His current passions are his cigar box guitar, his retro gaming site (www.gamingretro.co.uk) and his family.