Portable monitors have been around for quite some time now. Most people think of portable monitors as a novelty, offering the convenience of portability at the expense of performance and image quality, and the Asus ROG XG17AHPE is a mobile gaming screen that shows portable monitors are no joke. It is packed with everything from a 240Hz refresh rate, 3ms response time, thin and light 17" IPS display and built-in speakers.

I can attest to how much of a pain it is to need a second monitor on the go, and even worse, how painful it is to try to travel with one. Sometimes I wish this monitor had been around in the old LAN party days; the XG17 fits easily into a backpack or large messenger bag; just connect it via USB-C and you're good to go.

The foldable Smart Case serves as both a cover and a stand for the XG17, but is a bit unwieldy. The monitor will fall flat if shaken even slightly, so you have to be careful with wobbly tables, which is very annoying if you happen to be in the middle of a "Mortal Kombat 11" match or a Twitter-flowing rant.

Some sort of fixed kickstand instead of the weird origami to keep the monitor from toppling over would have been great, but Asus went with it; there is a version of the XG17 that comes with a tripod stand and carrying bag for an extra $100, but it is already an expensive display, but it seems expensive.

The portability of the XG17 is its biggest selling point. It feels like carrying around a giant tablet that connects to a laptop or gaming console. I can't overstate how convenient it is to pair the XG17 with my work laptop and work on the balcony on a nice day. If you have limited space or no desk, this is a great companion for working from home. You don't have to worry about where to set it up.

However, the Asus screen is also designed for gaming. I put an Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 with an RTX 2060 and a 1080p 120Hz display and actually used the 240Hz upgrade offered by the XG17. starting with regular games such as CS Go and Call of Duty, I found that even in intense firefights, the fast I was impressed with the refresh rate and color accuracy.

However, my favorite non-scientific way to look at monitor speed and color is the Goku test, where I play Dragon Ball FighterZ with only Goku fighting on screen. The colors popped without oversaturation and corresponded to all the action on the screen. It passed the Goku test with a high GPS (Gokus Per Second).

The XG17 also works amazingly well with gaming consoles. I know many people who like to travel with their PS4 and are disappointed that they cannot access the HDMI port on their hotel TV. There is a place and a market for people who need a good looking display that is convenient to travel with. I wouldn't be surprised if these types of displays start being sold directly to various esports teams and leagues for on-the-go practice.

The XG17 also has a built-in 7800mAh battery, which lasted nearly three hours with no games and less than two hours when playing the final act of the Resident Evil 3 remake on the balcony. The monitor is Quick Charge 3.0 compatible and recovered to about 60% after an hour of charging. With the power bank, I could enjoy a few more hours of gaming when I was stranded at the airport or at a barbecue. Most of the time I kept the display plugged in and charging.

Outside of gaming, I found that I could use the XG17 standing up when connected in portrait mode to my MacBook Pro for working at the dining room table. Here I can efficiently create documents and monitor breaking news on Twitter and Slack. Like most people working from home right now, two screens are essential for me to get anything done, and the two USB-C and micro-HDM ports mean I can connect other devices as well, from my phone to my Nintendo Switch.

The XG17 provides an excellent second screen experience that can be easily moved around without compromising color or speed; given that a 27" 240 Hz can be had for about $400, the $500 price tag is a major barrier for most people. This portable monitor is for gamers who travel a lot and need a high-performance display that doesn't require checking in. But let's admit that we are targeting this niche of users; the ROG Strix XG17HPE is expected to hit store shelves in early May.