Many portable monitors on the market are LCD panel, so if you’re looking for better quality panel, the Noma Trading Infinity QLED model has a 15.6-inch QLED panel that produces deep blacks and punchier colours. The Noma Trading Infinity QLED retails for S$300 on Shopee.
Unboxing
In the box, you’ll find the following items:
- Infinity QLED Portable Monitor (15.6-inch)
- Smart Case
- Screen protector
- User manual
- USB-C to USB-C 3.1 cable
- USB-C to USB-A cable
- Mini HDMI to HDMI cable
It’s nice that Noma Trading included a free screen protector in the box.
Build quality and design
The Noma Trading Infinity QLED has a relatively simple design, with thin bezels and flat edges, apart from a raised hump across the lower half which is used to house the monitor’s electronics. The enclosure of the display is made from plastic with a matte finish while the back opts for a brushed metal finish.
Smart case
The Noma Trading Infinity QLED comes with an accompanying smart case, which a faux-leather cover that doubles as a stand. The smart case magnetically attaches to the monitor and the holding power is quite strong, enough to not dislodge in a bag.
Flipping the case open will let the Noma Trading Infinity QLED stand at a slight angle, which is supported by the rubber feet of the monitor. The stand is well grounded on a flat surface, and does not slip backwards easily. Adjustments is quite limited, giving you just a few degrees of tilt. It would have been nice to wider range of tilt of the default range is good enough to match commonly angled laptop views.
There is no height no adjustments available on the smart case so you’d have purchase a monitor stand separately. At 650g, the Infinity QLED is relatively lightweight and the smart case protects the monitor when it placed in your bag.
Connectivity and features
Noma Trading Infinity QLED has two display input options – (1) mini HDMI, or (2) USB-C. These ports are located on the left side of the monitor, where you’ll also find an additional USB-C port. The bottom USB-C port only supports power for charging, and does not have video signal.
Do note that the Noma Trading Infinity QLED requires power for it work.If you are using laptop that supports USB 3.1 with Power Delivery (PD) protocol, or Thunderbolt interface, you can simply connect the monitor to your laptop with the included USB-C 3.1 cable. The monitor will be powered by your laptop, and will receive video signal from it as well. One cable is all you need.
For connecting devices that is not able to supply power to the monitor, you’d have to charge to the Noma Trading Infinity QLED separately via the other USB-C port. Once you supplied power to the monitor, video can be supplied either buy the USB-C 3.1 port or the mini HDMI port.
On the right side of the Noma Trading Infinity QLED, you’ll find yet another USB-C port labelled OTG, along with a 3.5mm headphone jack, a multi-function button for the OSD, and the power button. If the monitor is connected directly to your laptop via the USB 3.1 port, you can use a OTG port as an extra USB port for your laptop to connect devices like mouse and keyboard. There is a built-in speaker in the Noma Trading Infinity QLED, but I’m pretty sure your laptop speakers sound better.
On-Screen Display (OSD)
The OSD can be accessed via the multi-function button which resembles a scroll wheel with a little nub in the middle. The button is not my favourite implementation, but it remains straightforward to use and navigate, with different settings clearly labelled.
Settings you can change are pretty standard such as brightness and contrast levels, along with different picture modes.
Display quality
The Noma Trading Infinity QLED has a 15.6-inch display with a 60Hz refresh rate, with 1080p resolution. The QLED goes for S$80 more than its IPS counterpart, which is quite a significant bump. But if you want the nicest looking display then having the QLED model gives you that.
Noma Trading Infinity QLED produces deep blacks that looks way darker than on my MacBook Air, and the colours look rich and vibrant. The monitor is rated at DCI-P3 100%. Noma Trading did not mention of contrast ratio or brightness levels. But comparing to the MacBook Air, my guess is that the max brightness should be close to 400 nits. You can get a sense of the colours on the Noma Trading Infinity QLED with the video below.
The QLED display is a visual treat, especially when watching videos or playing games. Letterboxing on films are black instead of a slight grey tint I used to see on my MacBook Air. Watching Netflix’s version of ‘One piece’ on Infinity QLED was better than on my MacBook Air, as the colours were more punchy and detailed. Sharpness on the Infinity QLED is great as well. Text look crisp without being overly sharpened. Being a glossy display, it is best to avoid direct sunlight as it doesn’t seem to have any anti-reflective coating on it.
Conclusion
For those looking for an extra display for both work and play, the Noma Trading Infinity QLED is solid option due to the vivid colours coming from the QLED panel making it great for media consumption. The smart case is good enough to let the monitor stand alongside your laptop, or as standalone screen if you happen to connect it to your Nintendo Switch to play on a bigger screen. If you frequently work/relax on the go, the Noma Trading Infinity QLED is an option to consider especially if you appreciate the vibrant colours of an QLED screen.