A dual-monitor system is a fairly popular configuration for work, not only on desktops, but also among laptops. But if you have to work in different places, a regular monitor becomes not a very convenient option - here it is better to look at portable displays that are no larger than compact ultrabooks. Such as, for example, the ASUS ZenScreen Touch MB16AHT - a 15.6-inch touch monitor that is only 1.2 cm thick.
ASUS ZenScreen Touch MB16AHT specifications
| Visible diagonal | 15.6” |
| Curve | No |
| Aspect ratio | 16:9 |
| Screen type | IPS |
| Resolution | 1920×1080 |
| Update frequency | 60 Hz |
| Brightness | 250 cd/m² |
| Contrast | 700:1 |
| HDR support | No |
| Wall mount | Yes |
| Connectors | 2× USB-C (DP Alt Mode), Mini HDMI, headphone jack |
| Dimensions, WxHxD | 35.99×22.68×1.20 cm |
| Weight | 1.01 kg |
| Price in Ukraine | 15,999 UAH |
Package contents
Together with the monitor, the buyer also receives a carrying case, a power supply, two cables – USB Type-C and Mini HDMI – HDMI, a USB Type-C – A adapter, a tripod hole cover, and a quick user guide.
Design
Last year, we reviewed the previous model in the ZenScreen line – ASUS MB166CR. The new model is very similar in design, although there are some quite significant differences.
The ASUS ZenScreen Touch MB16AHT is also very similar in size to a thin and light laptop: the monitor weighs only 1 kg, and the dimensions of the case are not much larger than the dimensions of a 15.6-inch screen.
The frame around the screen is embossed, 8 mm wide on the sides and top and 24 mm wide at the bottom. Below the screen, on a panel with a surface that imitates brushed metal, there is a control joystick on the left and a power button with an operation indicator on the right.
As you can see, the ASUS MB16AHT has "got rid" of the control buttons - the previous model had two, and instead of them there is a much more convenient 5-way joystick. It also has additional connectors: if the MB166CR had a single USB Type-C port, through which it received both a video signal and power, then the new product now has as many as three connectors: two USB Type-C (both with support for DP Alt mode) plus Mini HDMI, which simplifies its connection to systems that cannot output a video signal via USB-C .
There is also a 1/4" tripod socket in the center on the back panel - but if in the MB166CR it was used to attach a removable leg, now it is a solution exclusively for additional mounting of the screen on alternative mounts.
The thing is that instead of a not very practical additional leg, the ASUS MB16AHT has a much more convenient stand - a thin metal plate along the lower half of the case, which allows you to adjust the monitor's tilt angle within quite wide limits. The only nuance is that holding the screen in portrait mode is now not as convenient as it was in the case of the MB166CR.
Menu
As mentioned above, the monitor is controlled using a 5-way joystick located under the screen on the left. It calls up a quick menu in which the user can assign their own functions to three deviations (right, up and down), deviation to the left closes the quick menu, pressing the joystick opens the main menu. This approach makes setting up the monitor much more convenient than it was in the previous model.
The menu structure is typical for ASUS desktop monitors and is no different from what we saw on the MB166CR. The first item in it is a set of Splendid video modes, then - settings for reducing the proportion of blue in the backlight. The Color section contains traditional image settings - brightness, contrast, color temperature, etc.
In the next item, Image, you can find other image parameters - dynamic contrast, sharpness, overdrive, screen proportions. In the Input Select item, you can switch between video inputs, in System Setup all system parameters are collected, in Shortcut you can assign your own functions to the joystick's "hot keys", and in MyFavorite you can create a template with the changes made.
Functionality
The ASUS ZenScreen Touch MB16AHT uses a 16-inch IPS panel (visible area – 15.6") with an aspect ratio of 16:9 and a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. The pixel density is slightly more than 141 PPI, and the dot size is 0.18 mm.
This is a fairly high density (for comparison, a 27-inch 1440p monitor has a lower PPI of 109), but for laptop users accustomed to higher resolutions on such a diagonal, Full HD may not seem enough.
The screen refresh rate is standard, 60 Hz. Brightness is regulated by changing the current strength without using PWM, which prevents screen flickering and ensures comfortable viewing even during prolonged use.
In addition to the OSD menu, you can also adjust image settings using another utility - DisplayWidget Center. It has the same functionality as the OSD , but is more convenient to use.
The main functional difference between the ASUS ZenScreen Touch MB16AHT and the already mentioned MB166CR is, of course, a touchscreen that recognizes up to 10 simultaneous touches.
It not only makes system management more convenient ( although you will have to zoom in on the Windows interface for this), but also allows you to use the proprietary ASUS Dial & Control Panel utility, turning the additional screen into a "control panel" for the laptop. The user can customize which elements will be present in this panel - both for system management and installed programs.
Of course, both the touch control and the aforementioned utilities work only when connected via USB-C – if you connect the system via Mini HDMI, this functionality will be missing. During testing, by the way, an interesting nuance was revealed – if you connect a PC via Mini HDMI and additionally via a regular USB port without support for DP Alt mode, the ASUS MB16AHT touch screen starts to control… the image on the main PC monitor.
We should also note the presence of built-in speakers (2×1 W), located on the side edges in the upper part of the case - it's hard to say why they are needed when connected to a laptop with its own speaker system, but "it will be there".
Image quality of ASUS ZenScreen Touch MB16AHT
The screen finish is somewhere between glossy and semi-matte; ghosting on a dark background can be noticed even when looking directly at the screen. However, they are very weak, and only very contrasting objects behind the user's back catch the eye - a brightly lit window, a turned-on lamp, etc.
The crystalline effect is almost absent, and the typical pattern of the reflection-diffusing layer can only be seen in a macro shot.
The uniformity of black is quite good for such a case: on a black background in a dark room, you can see light spots along the edges of the screen, but they do not interfere with work at all.
The glow effect, typical of IPS technology, is quite strong: when viewed from the side and from above, dark areas of the image take on a noticeable purple or brown tint, depending on the viewing angle.
Viewing angles are traditional for IPS: when viewed from the side, brightness and contrast are noticeably reduced. Compared to desktop monitors, this reduction is stronger, but not fundamentally so.
The Splendid section of the OSD offers various video modes for typical work monitor tasks: Standard, sRGB, Game, etc. When first turned on or after a factory reset, the monitor switches to the Scenery eco-mode - let's start with it.
Unfortunately, the panel's overall performance is not fundamentally different from what we saw in the previous model. Yes, the color gamut is frankly small: 60% sRGB (49% Adobe RGB, 49% DCI-P3), which makes colors noticeably pale.
Brightness is adjustable in the range of 19-194 cd/m² - at the minimum brightness you can comfortably work at the monitor even in complete darkness, the maximum will be quite enough for typical lighting at home or in the office, although there is no margin for brightness here.
But the ASUS MB16AHT is not very good with contrast: it seems that the touch layer makes the black glow quite high, so the maximum static contrast value we were able to obtain is only 460:1.
In the OSD menu, you can choose a color temperature from three templates or make your own adjustments in the User Mode item. It should be noted that all options offer an inflated temperature value compared to the standard one (6500K). The closest to it is the Warm option (7300K) - in it the image also has a cool tint, but not much.
There is no gamma adjustment in the settings, the value set by the manufacturer is overstated, up to 2.4 - this makes the image a little more saturated, with deeper shadows. However, the difference from the standard 2.2 is small, and given the low contrast, this should not be considered a serious flaw.
Color temperature uniformity has improved compared to the MB166CR, albeit only slightly: the most accurate match is observed in the upper right corner, the largest difference is in the lower left; the difference between them is ΔE = 4.8.
But the uniformity of the white field is pleasantly pleasing, especially considering the class of the monitor: the brightest area is the center, the darkest is the upper part of the screen; the maximum brightness difference at its maximum value is only 9% - this is very good even for desktop monitors.
Once again, we can state that in terms of color accuracy, the Scenery mode in the ASUS MB16AHT is far from optimal: the average ΔE value is almost 4, and for some colors it is 6 or more. Recall that it is believed that the average user can notice the difference between the reference color and how the monitor displays it if this parameter exceeds 3.
Therefore, as in the case of the MB166CR, we would advise switching from the initial Scenery mode to Standard, in which the color reproduction accuracy is noticeably better: the average ΔE value is around two, the maximum is below 5 (if you do not take into account the color with the worst result, which is an error in the operation of the test colorimeter).
In sRGB mode, the color accuracy is a little better, and the gamma value is closer to the standard 2.2, but the color gamut is a couple of percent smaller, the maximum brightness is only 150 cd/m², and in addition, almost all image settings are locked in this mode, so we would recommend using Standard as the main one.
The remaining modes in the Splendid menu differ mainly in the initial settings of gamma, brightness, color temperature, sharpness, proportion of blue in the backlight, etc. You can visually compare them in the following gallery.
Splendid = Standard, sRGB, Scenery, Theater, Game, Night View, Reading, Dark Room:
