Last year, I reviewed the Cevaton S6 and I thought it was a nice and convenient laptop screen extender. Now, I have the Cevaton P5 in house and this one may be a better choice for many users. While having three screens is spectacular, that third screen can become a pain to haul around. The Cevaton P5 trims down to one screen, which adds a second display to your laptop setup. I really love having three displays, but not everyone needs three, so here we have the P5.
Estimated reading time: 12 minutes
I travel a lot, but when I go to events like MWC, CES, and IFA, I don’t bring an extra display. I’m on the move so much at those events that I don’t want the extra weight. But when I go on family vacations or other week or two long trips, where I am not moving so much, I love having an extra display. The Cevaton S6 did an outstanding job for me, but I did feel it was heavy and bulky. The Cevaton P5 trims things down and is much easier to transport, though there was no bag or case included. Let’s get into the full review of the P5.
The Quick Take
Anyone who is away from their main work rig probably misses their setup when gone. I know I do. I have a hard time using a 16″ or 15″ laptop for more than a few days. I am used to a 57″ wide screen display at home. The Cevaton S6 was a lifesaver for me, but it was also bulky. The Cevaton P5 is a much more portable option and it was really great. It’s also more affordable than the S6, which is a big factor. There are a few things I loved and a few things I hated. Here’s the quick take of my likes and dislikes.
- What I liked:
- Still simple to use and setup
- Nice design, slimmer bezels and easy to set up
- Full-size 15.6″ display
- Full-HD with good colors and sharp resolution
- All the cables you need to make it work are included
- Price is better than the S6
- What I didn’t like:
- The brightness still needs to be improved
- I’d like to see this in a 16:10 aspect ratio instead of 16:9
- No carrying bag or pouch
I liked the Cevaton P5, and I think it’s a good addition for users who need a second display. I think it beats the S6 in portability, but I wish it would have increased the brightness. I’d also like to see the aspect ratio be changed to 16:10. But overall, I think most people will be pleased with this device, and adding a second display is what most people want.
Specifications
The Cevaton P5 has the following features and specifications:
- Upgraded 15.6″ Detachable Screen – Ultra Portable: This 15.6-inch Cevaton laptop screen extender features a detachable design with a 360° rotatable stand, supporting various screen configurations such as horizontal and vertical modes to suit different usage scenarios. The upgraded 1080P Full HD borderless screen not only embodies minimalist aesthetics but also provides a wider and more immersive visual experience. A single screen weighs only 1.45 pounds, and its lightweight and portable design makes it an ideal choice for professionals who travel frequently.
- Boost Your Productivity by 200%: The dual laptop monitor extender offers multiple display modes, including extended, mirrored, and portrait modes, effectively addressing the challenges of limited screen space and constant window switching. With seamless multitasking capabilities, it can enhance your productivity by up to 200%. Equipped with a 1080P FHD IPS display/300 nits brightness/1:1000 contrast/85% NTSC color gamut coverage, delivering vivid colors and crisp visuals. The portable monitor’s adjustable brightness feature protects your eyesight even during extended use, making it ideal for creating a space-saving and efficient workstation.
- Plug and Play, No Drivers Required: This portable monitor for laptops comes with all the necessary cables for a seamless and hassle-free setup. For laptops with a fully functional Type-C port (labeled as Thunderbolt 3.0/4.0, supporting DP or video output), a single USB-C to USB-C cable is all you need for quick connectivity. If your laptop lacks a fully functional Type-C port, you can easily connect using one USB-A cable and one HDMI cable. Should you encounter any connection issues, our support team is always ready to assist, ensuring a worry-free experience.
- Broad Compatibility & Sleek Design: This portable laptop screen extender is designed for laptops ranging from 13 to 17.3 inches, offering broad compatibility with Windows, Chrome, Mac (supporting M1/M2/M3 Max and M1/M2/M3 Pro chips), Android, Linux, Dex, and Switch. The dual monitors boast a fully transparent back panel paired with vibrant RGB breathing lights, delivering a sleek, futuristic aesthetic. When used in single-screen mode, the monitor extender eliminates the need for clamping onto the laptop, significantly reducing the risk of potential damage. This innovative design not only enhances durability but also offers a more versatile and user-friendly experience.
- Reliable after-sales service: The upgraded ultra-thin screen of the laptop monitor extender is now just 5mm thick, and we’ve introduced a lightweight version based on user feedback. The total weight of the device is only 2.75 lbs (1.45 lbs when detached), making it easy to slip into your backpack for hassle-free portability during travel. Cevaton offers a 24-month quality guarantee—if any accessories are missing from your package or you encounter any issues during use, simply reach out to our support team, and we’ll provide a satisfactory solution within 24 hours!
What’s In The Box
- Cevaton P5
- USB-A to USB-C Cable
- HDMI Cable1 USB-C Cable
- Documentation User Manual
Design/Setup
The Cevaton P5 is very similar in build, quality, and materials to the S6 is. I mean, it is basically an S6 with one less display but with thinner bezels. You get the Cevaton P5 along with the cables needed to make it work and the user manual. There is no carrying bag or pouch like with the S6, and that would have been nice to have. Frankly, they should have included one.
The whole assembly folds down into itself, and the solid plastic half is what protects the display. This is fine, but I do think a carrying pouch would have offered better protection.
The back of the display has a carbon fiber design, I don’t think it’s carbon fiber, it’s just made to look like it. The stand also has this design cue. Otherwise, most of the Cevaton P5 is made up of some bits of aluminum and high-quality plastics.
Cevaton does have a warning label on the display that cautions you to not put pressure on the display when installing the arm or placing on the laptop. If you push on the display panel, you could crack it, so remember they are fragile. They are also incredibly thin, which adds to the fragility.
The Cevaton P5 stand can be spread out to accommodate up to a 17″ laptop, depending on model. The stand is clipped on the laptop for extra support, which is very different from the S6. You can also rotate the displays from landscape to portrait if that’s what you need. But you will need to remove the stand portion and install the foot on the display back to use it in portrait orientation.
The back of the Cevaton P5 display houses the circuit board with a see-through cover as well as the following ports and buttons. Headphone jack, Power switch, two type-C ports and one type-C port with DisplayPort.
The build quality and sturdiness of the Cevaton P5 is pretty good. I feel like this will hold up over time, but if you’re a heavy user, I mean a daily user moving it constantly, it may develop some wear. I don’t know for sure, this is just my gut feeling. I do think the lack of a carrying bag or pouch will lessen the lifespan.
Setting up the Cevaton P5 is straightforward. Simply unpack it, unfold it, slide in the foot into place, slide it over your laptop, and clamp in place. My Zephyrus G16 recognized the displays right away, and it was just a matter of jumping into Windows Display Settings to arrange them and make minor adjustments.
Overall, the design of the Cevaton P5 is good for an unknown brand, and the setup experience was simple. One note, some Apple laptops may not be compatible, please check the listing on Amazon and make sure yours will work with this setup.
Display
The Cevaton P5 is essentially a 16:9 15.6″ FHD display which flanks your laptop on the right. If your laptop display is an IPS display and FHD, you probably won’t notice a huge difference between these panels and your laptops. But since my Zephyrus G16 houses a 16″ OLED panel with excellent brightness, it is noticeable how different the Cevaton P5 panel is in comparison. The brightness is most likely going to be very noticeable regardless of your laptop resolution. At 300 nits, it’s not very bright.
That doesn’t make this Cevaton P5 panel bad, but it’s worth noting that if your laptop display is outstanding, these might look a little drab next to it. The Zephyrus G16 OLED is so much brighter that I ended up lowering the brightness to compensate for the dimmer Cevaton P5, and that really helped to give me a more even viewing experience.
The brightness is an issue for me, I really prefer bright 500 nits or better panels. But the other bits of the Cevaton P5, like the S6, display are really great. While the brightness could be better, this option does give me a whole other screen to be productive on.
I really don’t see a huge difference between the display of the Cevaton P5 and the ones on the Cevaton S6, other than the thinner bezels. The blacks are pretty good, not deep and inky, but good for this price point. The whites are actually clean, and the text is crisp to read. The only real issue I had with this display was the brightness, if only it had 500 nits of brightness, they would have a much higher score.
Overall, the Cevaton P5 isn’t perfect. But for me, for my use case, they were good. I would only use this about four weeks out of the year, so it doesn’t have to be perfect. I would say, if your intention is to use this daily, and you value brightness, then this may not be for you. But for some users, I think you’ll love the convenience it adds.
Performance
The Cevaton P5 performance was right in line with the S6. It performed, as an extra monitor, admirable. I had no issues with colors, blacks, or whites. The only real issue here is still the low brightness. If only we could get a higher nit rating out of this, that would elevate it to a new experience. Still, overall, the performance is generally fine and fits the price point.
Price/Value
Much like the S6, the manufacturer’s suggested retail price of the Cevaton P5 is still pretty high, but you can find it currently on sale at Amazon. The sale price makes sense, and I’d say you get the value from these at that price (see pricing below). If you’re looking for a setup like the Cevaton P5, it’s really a decent choice if you’re using these every so often. I probably wouldn’t pick the P5 to use daily.
Wrap Up
I liked the Cevaton P5, and I think it’s a good addition for users who need a second display. I think it beats the S6 in portability, but I wish it would have increased the brightness. I’d also like to see the aspect ratio be changed to 16:10. But overall, I think most people will be pleased with this device, and adding a second display is what most people want.
Cevaton P5
$259
Nailed it
- Still simple to use and setup
- Nice design, slimmer bezels and easy to set up
- Full-size 15.6″ display
- Full-HD with good colors and sharp resolution
- All the cables you need to make it work are included
- Price is better than the S6
Needs work
- The brightness still needs to be improved
- I’d like to see this in a 16:10 aspect ratio instead of 16:9
- No carrying bag or pouch
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