Dell 14 Portable Monitor P1424H vs ASUS ZenScreen MB249C
The Dell 14 Portable Monitor P1424H is 27 pixels per degree sharper at a desk distance — 66 against 39, and that is the line between visible pixels and retina-class. Every other published specification for both is in the table, with the rows where they differ tinted.
Dell
Dell 14 Portable Monitor P1424H
66ppd · retina-classNo HDR~$290
Dell's answer to the travel screen is unusually plain: 14 inches, 1080p, two USB-C ports and nothing else, wrapped in a sleeve that doubles as the stand.
Best for: A travel second screen bought on warranty rather than specification
- USB-C (DP Alt Mode)· full speed
ASUS
ASUS ZenScreen MB249C
39ppd · visible pixelsNo HDR~$349
Calling a 23.8-inch monitor portable stretches the word, but this one ships with a carrying handle, a C-clamp arm and a hook for cubicle partitions, which tells you who it is for: hot-deskers and contractors who need a full-size second screen wherever they land that week.
Best for: A full-size second screen for a desk you do not keep
- HDMI 1.4· full speed
- USB-C (DP Alt Mode)· full speed
| Specification | Dell 14 Portable Monitor P1424H | ASUS ZenScreen MB249C |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$290 | ~$349 |
| Type | Portable | Portable |
| Screen size | 14 in | 23.8 in |
| Resolution | 1920×1080 | 1920×1080 |
| Aspect ratio | 16:9 | 16:9 |
| Pixels per degree | 66 — retina-class | 39 — visible pixels |
| Pixels per inch | 157 | 93 |
| Panel | IPS | IPS |
| Finish | matte | matte |
| Curvature | Flat | Flat |
| Max refresh | 60 Hz | 75 Hz |
| Response time | 6 ms GtG | 5 ms GtG |
| VRR | None | Adaptive-Sync |
| HDR tier | No HDR | No HDR |
| HDR certification | None | None |
| Peak brightness | 300 nits claimed | 250 nits claimed |
| SDR brightness | 300 nits | 250 nits |
| Local dimming | None | None |
| Static contrast | 700:1 | 1,000:1 |
| Colour depth | 8-bit | 8-bit |
| HDMI | None | 1 × HDMI 1.4 |
| DisplayPort | None | None |
| DSC | Not supported | Not supported |
| Port speed | 1 of 1 input at full speed | 2 of 2 inputs at full speed |
| USB-C | Video in over USB-C | Video in over USB-C |
| USB-C power | 65 W — Thin-and-light laptop | 60 W — Thin-and-light laptop |
| Thunderbolt | No | No |
| KVM | None | None |
| USB hub | None | None |
| Speakers | None | Built in |
| Stand | tilt | height, tilt, swivel, pivot |
| VESA | No mount | 100x100 |
| Weight | 1.3 lb | 10.67 lb |
| Released | 2023 | 2023 |
| $ per inch | $21 | $15 |
| $ per megapixel | $140 | $168 |
Dell 14 Portable Monitor P1424H: what it gives up
- 700:1 contrast is low even for an IPS panel of this class, and blacks look grey in a dim room
- The 72% NTSC panel is an sRGB-class gamut, not a colour-work screen
- No HDMI at all, so a console or a laptop without USB-C video cannot drive it
- There are no VESA holes, so the folding sleeve is the only thing that holds it up, and with no speakers the sound has to come from the laptop
- At around $290 it costs more than twice what an import-brand 1080p portable does, and the panel inside is not the better one
ASUS ZenScreen MB249C: what it gives up
- 1080p across 23.8 inches is 93 pixels per inch — visibly coarse next to any modern laptop panel
- 250 nits is dim for a screen this size in a bright room
- At 10.7 pounds with the mounting hardware it is luggage rather than a bag accessory
- HDMI is 1.4, which ASUS's own signal table runs to the panel's full 75 Hz and no further — there is no headroom above this panel at all
- The mounting hardware is what the price buys; the panel itself is the same class as desk monitors costing half as much
Full specifications: Dell 14 Portable Monitor P1424H · ASUS ZenScreen MB249C