We have already tested many Prism+ monitors in the our laboratory, both specifically for gaming, productivity and even mobile ones. So far their offer is quite interesting with different price levels for all groups of users. One category of monitors that we rarely comment on is mobile monitors. The last time was the Nomad 16 and in this article I will review the new version which is the Nomad Ultra 16.
The Prism+ Nomad Ultra 16 is a 16-inch portable monitor with an OLED panel without touch support. During the use of this product, I was quite surprised by its capabilities because it supports HDR display even though it is not mentioned in the specifications, the OLED panel is of good quality, and the FHD display is good enough. The question is, is RM1,399 worth it for a portable monitor?
Specifications and Design
15.6″ OLED screen, FHD 1920×1080 pixels
16:9, 60Hz
150% sRGB Color Support
Contrast Ratio 100000 : 1
Brightness 400 cd/m²
Adaptive Display Support None
Cagak None
I/O USB 3.2 Type-C x2
Mini HDMI x1
Audio Speaker 1.5W x2
Webcam No
Price RM 1,399
The Prism+ Nomad Ultra 16 uses a 15.6-inch screen instead of a full 16-inch. The screen of this portable monitor is from an OLED panel with a FHD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, a 16:9 ratio and a 60Hz refresh rate. The color support is 150% sRGB without HDR support, but when connected to Huawei MateBook 14s – HDR can be displayed without any problem only with USB-C connection HDR cannot be displayed. The brightness level of this monitor is 400 cd/m², which is not bright enough for an OLED display. This means that when using this monitor outside in bright sunlight, the display will appear dim.
As I mentioned earlier, this monitor has no touchscreen support so all controls are on the built-in physical buttons to access menus or with a mouse, keyboard or controller if connected to a computer or game console. Physical buttons are only easy to access if there is no protective frame. The protective frame provided makes the profiled buttons with the Ultra 16 difficult to press.
Nomad Ultra 16 has a very basic, simple and minimalist design. It has a retro screen design because it is the same as the Nomad 16. The forehead, left side and chin are quite thick. But we agree this is because of the technological barriers that are used now. If a thin bezel is used, the durability of this screen as a portable monitor may be compromised. The score will not be cut because this thin bezel design is common to all other mobile monitors.
Even so it still looks beautiful with a solid aluminum body. It weighs only 750 grams which makes it easy to carry anywhere. About half the weight of an ultrabook laptop or three times the weight of the iPhone 14 Pro Max. If compared to Dell or Asus whose selling price is more expensive, the design of this Nomad Ultra 16 is better because it looks like a tablet and is more pleasing to the eye.
With every purchase, Prism+ also provides a USB-C to USB-C cable with a power plug, a Mini HDMI to HDMI cable and also a protective frame that can also be folded into a leg so that the Nomad Ultra 16 can be placed standing on a table.
Usage Experience
The screen quality on the Nomad Ultra 16 is satisfactory for my daily use. So far, I've only used this portable monitor in the office and at home. The resulting colors are beautiful enough for me to use when editing photos in Photoshop for example. The sharp colors and pleasing to the eye are hard to deny with the details that are also displayed clearly.
The brightness level is 400 cd/m² which is the same as the description of a normal LCD screen. But the use in the office it is bright enough for me. For an OLED screen this peak brightness is quite low but competing OLED mobile screens also have the same level of brightness. Color support is 150% sRGB also good enough for basic photo editing tasks and more than satisfactory for producing papers.
I also use this monitor to watch videos on YouTube and Netflix and HDR content can be displayed without it as long as the connection is via HDMI.
I most often use this monitor with my daily laptop for work. I use it as the main screen for writing articles because it is bigger than a 14-inch laptop. So I see more what is clearly typed and large text. I also feel strange when using this monitor because my laptop screen has 2K and it is only FHD, the reduction in quality is clearly visible at the beginning of use.
As a Nintendo Switch OLED owner, this console only uses a 720p OLED screen – but supports 1080p output. Connecting this console to the Nomad Ultra 16 was one of the best choices I ever made because it provided a better user experience.
It's bigger than the Switch, not as big as a television to avoid upscaling issues and it's a 1080p OLED.
The most interesting experience for me was using the Prism+ Nomad Ultra 16 together with the iPad Air M1. This is because iPadOS 16 on this iPad supports Stage Manager for better multi-tasking along with a secondary display. I can run several different applications simultaneously.
For example on the iPad it is to write an article on Safari together with a music application, photo editing application and also an email application, while on the Nomad Ultra 16 I can open a YouTube video or if I want to open two more different applications there is no problem.
As a writer who often attends various outdoor events, sometimes I like to use only the iPad. Now with Nomad Ultra 16 I can ensure my productivity becomes smoother and the tasks I do are more efficient and careful.
I read the comments on Nomad 16 that were commented before. The model that does not have a touch screen is quite expensive and I am sure that with the Nomad Ultra 16, many will feel the same.
Personally, this lack isn't a big issue as the touchpad on my Magic Keyboard is fine and I use a Logitech Master MX 3s mouse which performs very well. Touch support on the screen is a bonus but the Ultra 15 focuses more on the visual quality of the OLED screen and ease of portability.
My main problem with this portable monitor is that it doesn't have a built-in battery. Laptop batteries will quickly drain due to power being sucked if the power plug is not connected. The second problem is that if using an iPad, a dongle to HDMI is required and this monitor needs to be connected with another cable along with the power plug making it not very portable.
With iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 can no longer play DRM content if connected with HDMI, use is limited to work purposes only. This is an issue that users of the Apple ecosystem should be aware of before making a purchase.
OSD menu
After testing Prism+ products extensively, I realized they all have the same software issue. To access the On Screen Display (OSD) System menu, the Ultra 16 needs to be connected to a device if settings are to be changed.
On this monitor, the connection to a Windows 11 computer is also inconsistent when using a USB-C cable. But no problem with macOS devices. Then the OSD menu is difficult to understand because there is no text to explain what each icon on the screen means.
To find out I have to go to each icon and see what changed then memorize it in my head. I have to read the manual to understand whereas on other monitors that have been reviewed in the our lab, the OSD system explains each icon well without having to open the manual even once.
It also still doesn't support a single USB-C to iPad cable, which is a bummer because their other monitors have no problem with this connection.
Audio
The built-in speakers on this monitor are just fine. It consists of two 1.5W stereo type speakers located on the left and right sides. A good position with the audio produced is balanced. While the listening experience won't win any premium audio awards, I'm still satisfied.
What's in the Box?
In every purchase, you will receive the following;
1x Nomad Ultra 16
2x USB-C to USB-C Cables
1x USB-C power plug
1x Mini HDMI Cable
1x Protective frame
Conclusion
My daily use of the Prism+ Nomad Ultra 16 with a laptop is fine because of the HDMI connection that activates the HDR display. The screen is bright enough, the viewing angle is satisfactory and the color quality does not disappoint. The OLED panel used is capable of displaying dark enough blacks. The use with the Nintendo Switch OLED is also in my opinion one of the best use matches.
The selling price of RM1,399 for the Prism+ Nomad Ultra 16 is competitive when compared to other brands such as the Dell 14 Portable Monitor C1422H (RM1639) which uses a TFT LED screen, 300 nits brightness, and limited connection ports. While the ASUS ProArt Display PA148CTV Portable Monitor is sold at a price of RM1799 only using an IPS LCD screen and color support is only 100% sRGB.
If you need a portable monitor, the Ultra 16 is an interesting choice. But if you want touch screen support, the Nomad Ultra 4K 16 is an alternative model with better screen quality at a price of RM2,999.
Pro
Beautiful OLED screen, quite bright and large.
Sturdy aluminum construction.
Built-in speakers that are quite loud.
The purchase offers many cables and protective frames.
Cons
The OSD menu is not user friendly.
Inconsistent connection performance.
Hard-to-press buttons with a protective frame.
Non-touchscreen models are not for everyone.