espressoDisplay 15 Touch V2 Review: ‘Highly Versatile Monitor With Fantastic Touch Functionality’

ESPRESSODISPLAY 15 TOUCH V2 REVIEW FOR PC, MAC, PS5, PS4, XBOX SERIES X|S, XBOX ONE, AND NINTENDO SWITCH.

The espressoDisplay 15 Touch V2 is an incredibly thin, portable, touchscreen monitor aimed at satisfying the need for a second screen without being cumbersome to travel with. It’s primarily made for creative types who can make use of the additional screen real estate when designing, especially for Mac users where touchscreens are usually inaccessible. However, during my review process, I’ve found that even regular usage is enhanced by this product, particularly when gaming on the go or streaming to Twitch and YouTube.

Looks and feels like Apple

If someone handed me an unbranded version of this display without me knowing anything about it, I’d confidently believe that it could be an Apple product. It’s well-built and sturdy, yet thin and stylish. It has a unibody design and is made from aircraft-grade aluminum. It’s the perfect aesthetic pairing to a Macbook, though also looks the part when paired with a Dell XPS.

The new espresso 15 Touch is light, too, coming in at just 865 grams. For those opting for the Display 13 Touch or Display 13 (non-Touch), the weight drops down further to 650 grams and 625 grams, respectively. Needless to say, this is very light for a monitor, and it fits perfectly inside a laptop backpack with an accompanying laptop.

Set up and go!

There’s no need to worry about a power brick, either, as the provided USB-C cable allows for both the video signal and required power to be sent through a single cable. This makes it incredibly easy to set up, with most of the devices I used being plug-and-play with that single cable. There’s no outrageously massive power brick to worry about, which is lovely.

For use with consoles like the PS5, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch, I utilized the espresso HDMI cable, which is available as an additional extra. It’s still clean-looking, but it takes up both the HDMI Out and a USB port on the device you’re connecting to.

Go ahead and touch it

The main reason for picking up the Touch variant of espresso’s Display offering is, well, the ability to touch the display. As someone who daily drives an iPad for drafting reviews and features, I greatly appreciate the ability to touch the screen to quickly scroll or accurately place my cursor.

This is something that Apple doesn’t believe in with its Macbook line, so thankfully espresso has come to the rescue for Mac users who want to expand their setup with a touchscreen option.

I found the touch functionality incredibly useful when streaming games. As any streamer knows, your main display is often fully taken up by the game itself, while a second display is necessary for tweaking sources and scenes, as well as transitioning and muting/unmuting. Putting those latter functions on a touchscreen makes for a superb streaming experience. Popping OBS onto the espressoDisplay meant I could quickly make changes with my finger, rather than needing to find and use the cursor or resort to additional peripherals like a Stream Deck.

It might not be what it was made for, but the espressoDisplay is surprisingly effective as a streaming companion, especially when on the go. Setting a gaming laptop up with this portable touchscreen display makes for a formidable hotel streaming station!

Accessorize in style

While other companies often drop the ball when it comes to official accessories to complement their high-quality devices, espresso has it nailed when it comes to the espressoStand, espressoCase, and espressoMount.

I was sent the stand and case for the review process and I couldn’t be happier with the quality. I was initially concerned about wobble from the stand, but only over-the-top aggressive taps and stabs with the pen make it move in any significant way. It’s lightweight and highly portable thanks to the way it folds down.

As for the espressoCase, this thing is great. It attaches with magnets and fully protects the screen when not in use. Then, when it’s time to use the Display, the case can fold around and become a surprisingly sturdy makeshift case.

One of the above three options is pretty much mandatory for using the Display effectively, as users will otherwise need to find another way to prop it up or use it totally flat on the desk. Therefore, potential buyers will want to at least consider the case when pricing up their ideal configuration.

I’ve also had the chance to use the espressoPen, which is espresso’s own smart stylus. It offers competitive features like 4,000 levels of pressure sensitivity and tilt sensitivity with virtually no lag. To me, it feels great in the hand and, though the screen refresh rate of 60 Hz does naturally hold back responsiveness, I had no issues sketching out basic drawings or making quick notes.

Room to grow

The 60 Hz refresh rate that I just mentioned above is paired with a 1080p resolution. At 15″ and 13″, I think this is the base acceptable resolution for screens of this size.

The limited brightness of 300 nits is also understandable when you consider how the display is powered. Even so, I do wish it was brighter for outdoor sessions.

While I’m pointing out the niggles, I should also mention how the speakers aren’t fantastic. Yes, this is to be expected in a display this thin and I imagine most users will grab headphones or a portable speaker, but it’s worth noting.

espressoDisplay 15 Touch V2 Review: The final verdict

Coming in at $499 for the Display 15 Touch V2, $439 for the Display 13 Touch V2, and $339 for the Display 13, there’s a clear premium for the touch functionality, though I don’t find it unreasonable considering how well it works.

The sheer quality of materials, easy-to-use setup, and solid display output will more than earn the espressoDisplay’s cost for professionals and enthusiasts that are looking for a highly versatile second display with fantastic touch capabilities.

Display 15 Touch V2 review unit was provided by espresso.