The AOC 16T3EA is a valuable solution for road warriors who need a portable, reliable, and affordable monitor. It’s a lightweight, compact USB-C display that is straightforward and functional, allowing you to maximize your workflow and user experience wherever you are. We’ve seen excellent value options like the MSI Pro MP161 E2, so let’s check this newcomer out to see how it stacks against it.
AOC 16T3EA Specifications
- Screen Size: 15.6 Inches
- Resolution:1920 x 1080 FHD
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Panel Technology: In-Plane Switching (IPS)
- Refresh Rate: 60Hz
- Response Time: 4ms
- Contrast Ratio: 700:1
- Brightness: 250 cd/m²
- Built-in Speakers: None
- Stand: Height – No
- Stand: Tilt – Yes
- Stand: Swivel – No
- Stand: Pivot – No
- VESA Compatibility: No
- Connectivity: USB-C x 1
- Dimensions With Stand (WxHxD): 14.32″ x 9.03″ x .49″
- Weight: 1.82 lbs
Design and Features
The AOC 16T3EA has a simpler aesthetic that makes it look more business-oriented than its predecessors. The monitor has a matte black finish with a gray dotted pattern which strangely looks good and sophisticated. The screen has thinner bezels this time, giving you a better view of its laptop-sized display.
This monitor is very light and thin, so it should be easy to add it to your portable workstation pack. The device is only half an inch thick, and it weighs in at 1.82 pounds, so its very compact like its best competitors. It also don’t take up much space while deployed, so its great for working in small nooks in libraries or cafes.
The AOC 16T3EA’s build quality is plasticky, but it is pretty decent when it comes to durability. The plastic doesn’t scratch easily, and it’s durable enough to prevent cracking and flexing. Extra care is still necessary since this is quite thin, but that’s always part of the design when it comes to anything portable.
Its control layout has four buttons which are small and difficult to press at times. However, portable monitors are typically held as tablets when they are being tweaked, so its not so bad to use what it has instead of a joystick or jog button. Portable monitors don’t have a lot of calibrating potential, but we know that its brightness output will be adjusted regularly.
The AOC 16T3EA has a kick stand, unlike many budget models that only have a folio cover that converts to a stand. Its very easy to manipulate, and its more stable than other designs even when its subject to a strong wind. The monitor includes a VESA bracket, so mounting it is possible without having to buy silly claw-type mounts for non-VESA models.
Its connectivity layout only includes a single USB-C 3.2 slot unlike its competitors. That’s all it needs for power delivery and video signals, but it also limits the monitor’s usability for devices that do not have USB-C functionality. Other models have a version of HDMI connectivity which will let you use them for portable consoles like the Nintendo Switch.
It also doesn’t have speakers, but that’s okay since portable monitors are typically too thin to include something significant. Laptop speakers almost always sound better in our experience, so 1-watt pairs won’t get much use.
Display and Performance
The AOC 16T3EA sports a 16-inch IPS panel with a 1920 x 1080 resolution, a 60Hz refresh rate, and a 4ms response time. The backlight has a 250 cd/m2 output while the contrast is listed at 700:1. AOC didn’t inflate the specs like the gamut coverage for this monitor, so we know what to expect and are happy that they are transparent instead of going with marketing gimmicks.
1080p monitors aren’t the sharpest, but you have to remember that this model is laptop-sized. That means its pixel density is tighter, so it will look clearer and crisper in person. Its not the sharpest and the most spacious, but that’s why its meant to be a secondary display beside a laptop’s which typically have 2K panels now.
The AOC 16T3EA covers 65% of the sRGB gamut and 45% of DCI-P3, so its not the most vibrant out there. Its default accuracy had a deltaE average of 3.12, so its not the most accurate out of the lot. That’s expected since it’s a budget model, but that also means that its not a good display for editing or content creation.
Calibrating it improved the dE average to 1.65, which is a bit more palatable for editing or creating RGB content for web use. However, you will need a colorimeter to achieve the same results, and those are twice as expensive as this monitor. We recommend going with the Lenovo M14T Gen 2 if you need something with better imaging performance.
The backlight’s brightness reached 209 cd/m2 at 100%, falling a bit short of the original specs. Its contrast, however, exceeded the company’s rating by reaching as much as 981:1 at 100% brightness. It’s not capable of deep blacks, but it’s not too washed out when displaying dark scenes.
Panel uniformity for the test sample did not have any major issues, but there were minor backlight leaks around the panel. They are not as noticeable for outdoor use, but dark scenes and rooms will reveal them. Note that this can vary between every monitor made due to tolerances, so there are better units out there.
The AOC 16T3EA is not capable of VRR, but that’s expected since it is not designed for gaming. 1080p 60Hz isn’t much anyway for modern systems, so it is not a deal breaker this time. Its input lag sits at 10ms at 60Hz, so it’s not sluggish like other products in the same class.
Thoughts on the AOC 16T3EA
The AOC 16T3EA is a fantastic choice if you are in the market for a value-oriented portable monitor to complement your mobile workstation. It costs less than a hundred bucks, but it will do the job of extending your digital canvass adequately. Its built well and is very easy to use, so you won’t struggle with deploying it every time.
The low price point comes with caveats that may be considered deal breakers. It’s not the most accurate, and its other imaging characteristics are limited compared to other models. However, you’d have to spend considerably more to get something better.
Pros:
- Excellent Design with Kickstand and VESA
- Sub 100$ Price Point
- Great Contrast for Portable
- Single Cable Connectivity
Cons:
- Only One USB-C Slot
- Poor Color Accuracy
- Low Brightness
About the Author: 
Paolo has been a gaming veteran since the golden days of Doom and Warcraft and has been building gaming systems for family, friends, and colleagues since junior high. High-performance monitors are one of his fixations; he believes that every citizen’s right to enjoy one. He has gone through several pieces of hardware in pursuit of every bit of performance gain, much to the dismay of his wallet. He now works with Monitornerds to scrutinize the latest gear to create reviews that accentuate the seldom explained aspects of a PC monitor.
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