espresso 17.3" Pro Review

The espresso 17.3" Pro is a niche portable monitor with a great 4K picture but sluggish performance. Its color accuracy scores in the 94th percentile, but its overall speed lands in the 2nd. Only consider it if you need a big, accurate portable screen for photo work and can snag it on a deep discount.

The espresso 17.3" Pro 4K Multi-Touch Display is a portable monitor that tries to do a lot. It packs a 4K touchscreen, a wide color gamut, and a sleek design into a 2.4-pound package. It's clearly aimed at creative pros on the go who need a big, accurate second screen. But there's a catch. Our data shows its performance scores are in the 2nd percentile for this category. That's a huge red flag. It means, on paper, it's lagging way behind the pack in key areas like refresh rate and overall speed.

Let's talk about what '2nd percentile performance' actually means. The 9ms response time and 60Hz refresh rate are fine for basic tasks and color work, but they're not competitive. For context, even budget portable monitors often hit 5ms or lower. The 450-nit brightness and 100% DCI-P3 color gamut are the real stars here, landing in the 94th percentile. So for photo and video editing, the image quality should be excellent. Just don't expect it to keep up with anything requiring fast motion.

Here's the wild part: we've seen this monitor priced anywhere from $299 to $899. At three hundred bucks, it's a maybe. You're getting great color and portability on a budget. At nine hundred? Absolutely not. That puts it in the realm of premium desktop monitors that will run circles around it. If you can find it at the low end of that range, the value proposition shifts dramatically.

Compared to other portable 4K options, the espresso Pro's main draw is its size and color accuracy. A 15.6" competitor might be sharper or brighter, but you lose screen real estate. Where it falls flat is against any monitor meant for motion. The Samsung Odyssey or ASUS ROG Swift, while not portable, offer 240Hz or OLED panels for similar money. Even other portable monitors, like some from Asus or Lenovo, often offer better response times. This one is a specialist: great for static images, bad for everything else.

Gamers should skip this immediately. A 9ms response time and 60Hz refresh rate will feel like sludge. Also, if you need simple plug-and-play without downloading extra software, look elsewhere. The forced app for brightness control is a deal-breaker for many.

Buy this only if you are a photographer or designer who needs a large, color-accurate portable screen for editing still images, and you find it for under $400. The portability and image quality for that specific use case are legit. For literally anyone else—gamers, video editors, general users, or people who want a responsive experience—there are far better options at every price point.