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In a nutshell: Chinese company Dasung launched what it called the world's first color e-ink monitor last August for $1,650. Almost exactly one year later, the company has introduced a portable variant for around half the price. The new product closely resembles Onyx's Mira, just in color.
Dasung has debuted what is likely the world's first portable color e-ink monitor, the Paperlike Color, which is now available for $850. Although e-ink monitors lag behind traditional display technologies in several crucial ways, their unique quirks make them better suited to certain tasks.
The 12-inch monitor has a 2,560 x 1,600 resolution with a 16:10 aspect ratio. Although its X-Color filter algorithm and high refresh rate panel won't display videos or web pages nearly as well as LCD or IPS screens – it wasn't primarily designed for such content – it performs those tasks adequately for users with no other option. However, don't expect to play fast-paced games on it.
The monitor supports various computers and mobile devices through a single USB-C connection, including Android phones from Huawei, Samsung, Oppo, LG, and other manufacturers. Unfortunately, the iPhone 15 is the only compatible iPhone model. Onboard interface options include touch controls and physical buttons for power, contrast, and refresh rate.
E-ink panels are relatively niche due to their relatively low refresh rates and poor color quality. However, they are excellent at displaying text and are extremely energy efficient because they only consume power when changing screen content.
Because of these qualities, the technology is mostly known for its use in e-readers, and businesses often employ them for signage. However, e-ink monitors can be useful for tasks that involve looking at text on screens for long periods, such as word processing, coding, or building spreadsheets.
Portable monitors like Dasung's new offering or the similar (but grayscale) Onyx Mira are potentially helpful for users with jobs where e-ink might handle some tasks better, while others require more traditional displays. Philips tried to address this problem with a dual-screen monitor combining an IPS screen with a smaller e-ink panel attached to the right side.
Dasung and Onyx also offer e-ink Android tablets that combine Kindle-like displays with far more flexible software support. Meanwhile, Bluegen recently introduced a dual-screen laptop combining e-ink and IPS displays for the best of both worlds. The Paperlike Color begins shipping in August.