Building a dual-monitor or even a triple-monitor setup at home is a relatively simple task. However, when you’re on the road traveling or even just working from a coffee shop, it’s not that easy and trust me, I’ve tried.
You see, as someone who works from home and has the space for a larger desk setup, I love having all the extra screen space I get with an ultrawide monitor at my desk. However, when that wasn’t enough, I added a portable monitor underneath it for keeping track of my work chats and launching apps. Of all the desk setups I’ve tried over the years, this one is my all-time favorite.
Now I can’t always work from the comfort of my home office which is why I picked up one of the best laptops a few years back. Even then though, its smaller, 16:9 display feels restrictive compared to my multi-monitor setup at home. As such, I’ve taken to bringing a portable monitor with me when I travel and more recently, a pair of AR glasses.
With either of those options though, I’m still missing out when it comes to screen real state. That’s why when Aura reached out about trying the company’s new foldable, triple-display portable monitor, I jumped at the opportunity.
Here’s what it's been like using this one-of-a-kind portable monitor — both on the go and at home — and why you might want to consider something like this over your standard laptop screen extender.
A truly portable multi-screen experience
The Triple Aero 15.6 Pro Max from Aura comes with everything you need for a portable multi-monitor workstation. In the box, you get the device itself, two USB-C cables (one for connecting and one for power), and a Mini-HDMI to HDMI cable if you want to use it with a desktop or game console. You also get a 65W GaN charger with three international plug attachments, which shows Aura designed this with travelers in mind. Aura even included a felt sleeve that’s large enough to hold both the Triple Aero and a smaller laptop, as I was able to slip my 13-inch ThinkPad into it without any issues.
All three of the displays are housed in an aluminum case that, just like the displays themselves, unfolds. When fully extended, the case doubles as a stand with pre-set positions so you can adjust the angle and height of the screens. Although the ports appear to be on top when folded, they switch to the underside of the center display when unfolded, making them easily accessible. In total, you get two USB-C ports (one for power and one for your laptop) and three Mini-HDMI ports if you want to use it with a desktop or even three computers at once.
Of course, packing three displays and an aluminum frame comes with some heft. At approximately seven pounds, the Triple Aero is heavier than a standard single-display or even a dual-screen portable monitor like Uperfect’s UStation Delta I tested last year. The good news is that the back end of its stand doubles as a convenient carrying handle when everything is folded up.
At 14.1 x 16.5 x 1.1 inches overall, you'll probably have a tough time slipping this into a standard laptop bag. Fortunately, I had a larger flap top backpack with some extra room. With the Triple Aero in its felt case, and my laptop next to it in the larger bag, I headed out to a coffee shop to see what it would be like to get some work done with this triple-display portable monitor.
Unfolded and locked in
Technically, Aura recommends using the included GaN charger to power the Triple Aero, as your laptop’s USB-C port isn’t powerful enough to drive all three displays. I tested this at home anyway, and after a little over an hour, my laptop was begging me to plug it in. I’d recommend sticking with Aura’s guidance if a power outlet is nearby.
Just like with other dual-screen portable monitors I’ve used in the past, you first need to download a special driver on your PC or Mac to use all three of the Triple Aero’s displays. You can download the Windows or Mac driver here, and surprisingly, there’s also a driver for Ubuntu Linux and an app that functions as a driver for Android.
Unlike the single or dual-screen portable monitors I usually bring with me, setting up the Aura Triple Aero 15.6 Pro Max takes more time and some getting used to. You have to open tabs on either side of its aluminum frame before you can begin unfolding its triple displays. From there, you slide the folded displays along a track with three cutouts that hold them in place at different angles once fully extended. Then you flip the displays up and can begin unfolding them.
I have to admit getting this process down took a bit of practice. After doing it three or four times, however, the way the stand and the monitors work together finally clicked. If you do decide to pick up a Triple Aero from Aura, I highly recommend practicing a few times before you try using it in public. It’s not nearly as fast to set up as a traditional portable monitor, but once everything is locked in place, the stand is very stable.
The center display can be tilted forward or backward, and the two side displays can be folded towards you for a cockpit-style layout. They can also be folded backward individually or together to form a triangle, which is useful when showing a presentation to others.
I like that the stand protects the displays when folded and leaves enough room to slide your laptop into the space between its rails. This gives you a quad-display setup that perfectly mimicked my ultrawide desk setup at home. As you can see in the photo above, I kept Slack open on my laptop’s smaller 13-inch screen and used the Triple Aero's displays for work and research.
During my work session at a coffee shop, I had a shared Google Doc open on the left display, my favorite news aggregator on the right, and the Tom’s Guide home page on the center one. This allowed me to work on a shared document, keep tabs on what stories were going live on Tom’s Guide, and look for new security stories, all while chatting with my co-workers on my laptop.
The Triple Aero 15.6 Pro Max’s displays have an anti-glare coating that worked quite well outdoors. However, since I was powering all three displays from my laptop, I couldn’t quite turn up the brightness all the way. If there had been an outlet nearby, I could have plugged the Triple Aero in and used it to keep my laptop charged, as its full-featured USB-C port can reverse-charge whatever device you have connected.
Still, after having to use multiple USB-C cables with that laptop screen extender I’ve tested, it was nice to have a portable triple monitor setup with a single cable connection. The Triple Aero’s built-in stand also lifts all three displays to eye level, making it a more ergonomic solution where you don’t have to crane your neck down.
Portable but not practical (for me)
Although I like the idea of having a triple-monitor setup I can bring with me, I don’t think Aura’s Triple Aero 15.6 Pro Max will replace my current portable monitor anytime soon. While it's a very well-made device that you can connect with a single USB-C cable, its three displays extend to a full 41 inches wide when angled towards you.
Also, at a hefty seven pounds with a much larger footprint than a typical portable monitor, it’s also on the bulky side — I even had to switch to a different backpack just to bring it with me. I don’t think I could pull off a setup like this at a coffee shop unless I was a well-tipping regular, but there is one situation where I could absolutely see myself bringing it: for an extended hotel stay. For a trip where I’m working for a week, coming back to a full triple-monitor setup in my hotel room would be great.
Compared to the laptop screen extender I tested though, the Triple Aero is a massive improvement. I don't have to worry about plugging in multiple cables and attaching separate monitors to either side of my laptop each time I want to use it.
So should you get a Triple Aero 15.6 Pro Max for yourself? It really depends on your workflow. This could be incredibly useful for someone who wants a triple-monitor setup but lives in a small space, or for someone who does the majority of their work from a laptop at the kitchen table.
Overall, I’m still impressed with what Aura has managed to achieve with the Triple Aero, and I look forward to seeing what improvements the company will make with the follow-up to this one-of-a-kind portable monitor.
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