CrowView is a 14-inch USB-C monitor with a crafty folding stand-cum-clamp system which permits it to connect to most sizes of laptop computer for some extra pixels on the transfer.
The CrowView is a transportable show, from the identical firm because the CrowPi 2 and CrowPi-L Raspberry Pi-powered laptops. As a light-weight 14 inch, 1920×1080 LCD, at first look it’s not very completely different from one other laptop computer auxiliary display screen, the Lenovo Thinkvision M14, which The Reg reviewed in 2019: identical dimension, identical decision, to begin with. The Crowview scores over the older system in a number of respects, although. First, it’s barely cheaper (though it would not have the phrases DON’T PANIC on the duvet, or certainly, a canopy in any respect). It’s set to promote for $179 (£142), though pre-launch backers can get it discounted right down to about $115.
Secondly, it additionally has a mini-HDMI port, for units that may’t drive a show over USB-C. And it has a headphone socket: though the system itself is silent, it could possibly relay sound to wired headphones. At 400 nits, it’s brighter than the Lenovo, too, and it comes with a supplementary energy provide, for HDMI use or in case your USB ports do not provide sufficient juice.
The actually nifty function, although, is its folding stand. This reminds us of a wiser model of a common mount for attaching a smartphone to a automotive’s dashboard, but it surely’s extra versatile. The Crowview can rise up by itself, both in panorama or portrait orientation, however the stand may clamp additionally the lid of laptops from 13 to 16.5 inches, and maintain the Crowview in three completely different panorama positions. Probably the most clearly helpful are both on the left or the suitable, the place the hinge can flex 230° — and there is a fold-out kickstand to assist this. Saying that, we examined it, and also you can use the system this fashion in your lap. Apparently, it could possibly additionally connect magnetically however we do not have something appropriate to check that.
The third mode is dealing with instantly backwards, as what the corporate calls a face-to-face show, permitting you to indicate or current from the again of your laptop computer’s lid. Lastly, the stand folds flat throughout the face of the system, to supply some safety in transit. We carried it to Prague and again, throughout 4 flights, when travelling hand-luggage solely, with no drawback.
It attracts 4.8 Watts of energy in use, and is 13¾×8½ inches (35×21.7cm) in dimension. The display screen is 1cm thick, and so is the stand, so folded it is 2.1cm (about ¾ inch) thick. It weighs some 1¾lb (800g), so it’s heavier than the Lenovo display screen, however that is the price of the crafty clamp. We examined it with the most recent variations of Home windows, Ubuntu, macOS and the systemd-free MX Linux, and all labored completely, with no extra drivers or configuration wanted.
Though it is nonetheless within the crowd-funding stage on Kickstarter, it has already exceeded its aim by almost 5 instances. The Reg FOSS Desk is slightly impressed by the system and might see it proving very helpful when on the transfer: we want two smaller shows to at least one greater one, anyway.
The one orientation we might like that it could possibly’t do is be positioned above your built-in show, however we will not see how Elecrow might implement that with out appreciable additional thickness.
