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KYY is a Chinese hardware maker specialising in portable displays, and the X90E is one of its latest releases.
Described by the makers as a ‘triple laptop screen extender’, more accurately, this is two monitors in a single package, designed to provide three times the normal screen space when used in conjunction with the monitor that the laptop already has.
Its hinged structure places a 15.6-inch 1080p display to the left and the right of the laptop, and connects via a single USB cable.
It can be configured to mirror the contents, so others can see your laptop display from different viewpoints, or provide an extended desktop.
Power can be sourced directly from the laptop, or for extended use, a small USB-C power supply is included.
The obvious limitation of this platform is that it assumes the laptop has USB-C with an ALT-DP capability or Thunderbolt 3 or 4. And, according to KYY, its designed exclusively for Windows PCs, and doesn’t work with Apple MacBook hardware.
At a little over $300 from the makers, and weighing 2.2kg, any purchaser needs to be convinced that the price and the additional carry are worth it for their productivity.
Despite a few limitations at this price point, it’s an obvious candidate for one of the best portable monitors on a budget that we’ve reviewed.
KYY X90E Portable Monitor: Price and availability(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)As with previous KYY products, buying directly from the maker isn’t the cheapest way to get the K3 portable monitor. It's selling for $309.99 direct from KYY.
On Amazon.com, it can be found for a standard price of $239.99 - a 20% discount on its official $299.99 list price.
However, on Amazon.co.uk, the same hardware is £229.99, making it slightly more costly to those in the UK. KYY doesn’t sell on the French or German versions of Amazon, but it should be possible to find it in Europe from another online reseller.
Those looking for this hardware should be aware that KYY also makes the X90A and X90D models with different specifications, so make sure you have the X90E variant before clicking the 'buy' button.
Moving away from the KYY brand, there is a collection of remarkably similar products from other Chinese display makers, and some are more expensive, and others slightly cheaper.
Those willing to use 14-inch displays instead of the 15.6-inch displays the X90E offers can be under $200, and ones with three extra displays (making four in total) can be nearer $450.
At the Amazon.com price, this is not a major investment, even if it’s only used sparingly, placing the KYY X90E in the affordable category.
Model:
Z90E
Screen Size:
2x 15.6-inch corner to corner
Resolution:
1920 x 1080
Compatibility:
TB4, TB3, USB 4.0, USB-C
Number of Ports:
2
Ports:
2x USB-C (data and power)
Quoted colour spec:
85% NTSC
Quoted contrast:
1200:1
Panel depth:
6 (Hi FRC)
Display Technology:
IPS
Brightness:
300 nits
Size:
388 x 227 x 30mm
Weight:
2200g
Accessories included
1x USB-C to USB-A Cable, 1x USB-C to USB-C Cable, 5V 3A 15W Power Adapter
Touch capable
No
Maximum refresh
60Hz
KYY X90E Portable Monitor: Design(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)
Out of the box, my first impressions of the X90E were positive. It’s constructed like Soviet-era infrastructure, with a metal skin on all non-display surfaces and two remarkably robust hinges linking the two monitors to a central support plate and foot.
The only downside of the rugged construction is that at 2.2kg, this isn’t a minor item to include in a laptop bag, and you will need one made for a 17-inch laptop to fit it.
When it’s unfolded, the width of the whole unit is a whopping 115cm, although you can make it slightly narrower by adjusting the hinges.
The standard orientation is to place the laptop in the middle and have an extra display on either side, but there are various other options, including rotating them back to provide left and right presentation screens, and also folding one screen away.
You can also use that one screen mode in portrait mode, if you like to mix your orientations.
One curiosity about this solution is that instead of there being one OSD and menu controls, each monitor has its own. I can’t seriously think of a scenario where you would configure one screen to have different brightness, contrast or colour temperature than the other, but this system has that capability.
On the subject of OSD menus, these ones don’t have a large amount of features, and the way they are navigated with buttons is painful. What I fail to understand is that these menus look unchanged from the first ones that appeared on tube monitors twenty-five years ago, same horrible fonts, same insipid colours. The maker's logic appears to be that people will only use it once, so there is little point in making it any better.
In this instance, a menu option to ‘copy to other screen’ might have been a smart choice, but clearly, the menu is something that comes with the display panels, and they’re gloriously unaware of each other.
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)A feature that I liked much more was that both these displays can be connected using a single USB-C cable to the laptop. That one cable supports ALT-DP to send data to both screens, and also power. The downside of having the one-cable solution is that the screen on a laptop is one of the biggest power consumers, and having three could whittle the battery capacity down rather rapidly.
If you have multiple USB-C ports, you could power the laptop, which might have enough power to drive the external monitors and recharge the battery, or you can use the included 15W PSU to power the monitors directly.
There are only two USB-C inputs on the X90E, one is for connecting and the other is for power, so it’s not possible to give one screen each to two laptops, sadly.
It’s also not on the menu for any laptop that hasn’t got USB-C (or Thunderbolt) or USB-C that supports video output, because there is no HDMI input. While this solution using USB-C is plug and play, requiring no drivers to function, to achieve those standards its exclusively for Windows PCs (7,8.1,10 and 11), and won’t work with Apple MacBook systems.
Overall, the design of the X90E is focused on a specific customer profile who uses a modern Windows laptop with a display between 14-inch and 17-inch. And, while that might seem a little niche, from a percentage viewpoint, it’s a reasonable price for those who might want more screens added to their mobile systems.
Colour Gamut
Percentage
sRGB
82%
AdobeRGB
64%
P3
63%
NTSC
61%
Rec2020
46%
Gamma
2.2
Brightness/Contrast
Maximum Brightness
312.7
Maximum Contrast
900:1
When comparing these displays, we need to be mindful that these are inexpensive IPS technology panels, and therefore, they can’t hold a candle to OLED or MicroLED technology in terms of contrast and colour representation.
That said, the panels on the X90E were significantly better than those on the KYY K3 I previously tested, suggesting that this maker has developed improved designs.
I’m going to assume that the makers quoted 85% NTSC colour gamut is a misunderstanding, because in my tests, that number was closer to 61%. I suspect it got mixed up with the sRGB, as that’s much closer to 85%.
I say that because while the contrast isn’t the 1200:1 that KYY predicts, the brightness of these panels is almost exactly what they claim.
What information isn’t presented here is the uniformity of luminosity, which isn’t wonderful. The rear illumination of this panel is in the middle, with each of the corners being around 15% less illuminated at 100% brightness.
One curiosity I noticed was that the default White Point on these displays is 7600, not the typical 6500. The OSD doesn’t offer specific temperatures, only ‘cool’, ‘warm’ and ‘user’ definable via R, G and B settings.
Looking at this panel overall, it has decent contrast, gamut and tone response, excellent colour accuracy and uniformity, but suffers from the aforementioned luminance uniformity.
Had the backlighting been more diffuse, this might have been a great result.
I’d summarise the X90E as better than anticipated, but hardly something that those working professionally with colour might gravitate to. But for office work and presentation, in an office with blinds, it's definitely a workable option.
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)I recall being shocked by how usable the KYY K3 was, but the X90E is an even better solution and an implausibly low price. Yes, it’s on the heavy side, and it won’t work with anything other than a Windows laptop with USB-C or Thunderbolt, but it's hard to argue with its value proposition.
An HDMI input to allow another system to share the screens would have been a nice option, or to allow both the USB-C ports to act as inputs. But that these aren’t included, along with speakers at this price point, isn’t a huge surprise.
If you need to triple your screen space and don’t mind another 2.2kg of luggage, then the KYY X90E might be the right choice for you.
(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)KYY X90E Portable Monitor: Report cardValue
Cheap from online retailers
4 / 5
Design
Hinges allow for numerous screen layouts
3.5 / 5
Performance
Other than brightness uniformity, these are decent monitors
4 / 5
Total
Excellent value for money if you don’t mind some connection limitations
4 / 5
Should you buy a KYY X90E Portable Monitor?(Image credit: KYY)Buy it if...You need extra screens
Attach one cable and you have three screens not one, it's that simple, mostly. These 15.6-inch panels can be used in many ways and can be powered separately.
You need color accuracy
This monitor has a limited colour gamut for a portable display, although the colours it does include are mostly represented well. If you are promoting a product where colour is essential, then this probably isn't the best choice.
You have a laptop without USB-C
This hardware doesn't need a driver to work, but it does require a Windows PC with a USB-C port or Thunderbolt that supports ALT-DP mode. Apple MacBook owners aren't included.
For more options, we've reviewed the best monitors for a dual-screen set-up.
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Looking to protect your precious new Nintendo system? Then the Hori Puff Pouch for Nintendo Switch 2 could be worth checking out. This soft case is licensed by Nintendo itself, and has a range of compartments to help you organize your gaming gear – so is it worth picking up?
Well, if you’re not a massive fan of hard cases, it may tempt you. Yes, this is a pretty soft model, although it does still have a solid amount of padding to keep your console safe. You’ll find said padding on either side of the console compartment, which will soak up any impact in the event that you drop the case.
However, there are two other compartments – one in the center of the case, and a net in the front. These aren’t protected by much padding at all. So if you’re housing accessories in there, they may not be as well protected as they’d be in tougher models like the official Nintendo Switch 2 All-In-One Carrying Case, which is in our guide to the best Nintendo Switch 2 accessories.
Still, there’s plenty of room to house the power cable and adapter and a couple of other gadgets, like the official Nintendo Switch 2 Camera and a Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller, for example. As a mid-sized case, this one’s not really big enough for your dock – I was able to cram it in, but it was a bit of a tight fit. Other than the three main compartments, there are also six slots for Nintendo Switch 2 or original Switch games, which isn't the most I’ve ever seen, but plenty if you’re going on a short trip.
(Image credit: Future)When it comes to this case’s design, I have fairly mixed feelings. One thing I do like is the handle, which adapts in length when you lift it up – as seen on the Hori Adventure Pack for Nintendo Switch 2. The handle also flows around the edge of the case, meaning you can pick the case up by its side if you'd prefer. On top of that, the zip is secure, and a hook and loop fastener inside the case keeps your console in place effectively.
However, I’m not a huge fan of how this thing looks. It reminds me of a purse – and not a particularly stylish one. The square-patterned design, the soft feel, the puffed-out appearance… it just doesn’t do it for me. Another thing worth noting is that the fabric exterior is very prone to picking up dust and fibers, which isn’t an issue I face with the official Nintendo Switch 2 Carrying Case & Screen Protector.
In spite of that, this is still a pretty well-priced case overall. The Puff Pouch comes in with a list price of $29.99 / £24.99 / AU$49.95, but I’ve seen it going for less in some territories – it’s going for as little as £17.50 with some retailers in the UK. Is it the most durable or stylish case I’ve tested? No. But the Hori Puff Pouch should still keep your console nice and safe, and provides a very decent amount of storage – soft case lovers should at least consider it at this price.
(Image credit: Future)Hori Puff Pouch for Nintendo Switch 2 review: price & specsPrice
$29.99 / £24.99 / AU$49.95
Dimensions
12.3 x 7 x 3.9in / 313 x 178 x 100mm
Weight
0.4lbs / 186g
Number of game card slots
6
Compartments
3
Handle
Yes
Color
Black
(Image credit: Future)Should I buy the Hori Puff Pouch for Nintendo Switch 2?Attributes
Notes
Rating
Design
Not the sleekest or sturdiest, prone to picking up dust, but decent padding and handle.
3/5
Storage
Well-sized compartments with six game slots, not really large enough for dock.
4/5
Value
Not the most secure or stylish, but moderately priced.
3.5/5
Buy it if…You want a cost-efficient option
The Puff Pouch has a list price of $29.99 / £24.99 / AU$49.95, but I’ve already seen it going on sale for less. It offers a good deal of quality for the price you pay, so it’s worth checking out if you’re on a budget.
You’re not a lover of the hard cases
If you’re not a huge fan of hard cases, then the Puff Pouch is a nice option. It’s soft, but well-padded, meaning that it’ll still protect your console effectively.
You need a case that will house your dock
Although you could potentially cram your dock into the Hori Puff Pouch, it would be a real tight fit, and not particularly secure. If you need a true all-in-one option, I’d suggest checking out the Nacon Protection Case XL for Nintendo Switch 2, or Nintendo’s official alternative – I’ve listed the latter in the ‘Also consider’ section if you want more details.
You’re looking for something super stylish
I’m not a huge lover of the Puff Pouch’s design. It looks a little like a purse to me, and not a particularly beautiful one. If you want something a little sleeker, my top recommendation would be the official Nintendo Switch 2 Carrying Case & Screen Protector.
Nintendo Switch 2 All-In-One Carrying Case
This is the case I use for my Nintendo Switch 2 day in, day out, and it should definitely be on your radar if you need some protection for your console. Nintendo’s official all-in-one case has individual compartments for your system, your dock, Joy-Con 2, a Pro Controller, cables… you name it. It’s spacious, highly protective, and offers top build quality. It’s expensive, and I wish the handle were wider, but for an all-in-one storage solution, it’s about as good as it gets. Read our full Nintendo Switch 2 All-In-One Carrying Case review.
Hori Adventure Pack for Nintendo Switch 2
If you’re after a similarly sized option to the Puff Pouch, then I’d recommend checking out the Hori Adventure Pack for Nintendo Switch 2. You can carry this case traditionally with a handle, or switch things up a bit and use it as a cross-body bag. It’s pretty sturdy, has enough room for a handful of accessories, and doesn’t cost all too much either. Read our full Hori Adventure Pack for Nintendo Switch 2 review.
I tested the Hori Puff Pouch for Nintendo Switch 2 over the course of a couple of days, using it as the primary mode of transport for my system. I also tried slotting a couple of accessories into the case, including the Hori Piranha Plant Camera for Nintendo Switch 2 and a couple of third-party controllers.
To test the case’s durability, I made sure to drop it from a variety of distances and give the exterior a good scratching. Following this, I had a look for any wear and tear, to check if the model was as sturdy as advertised on Nintendo’s online store. I also compared this case to rivals on aspects like storage space and looks.
More generally, I’m a day-one Nintendo Switch 2 owner, a lifelong gamer, and an experienced tech reviewer. I’ve reviewed a whole lot of Switch 2 accessories too – I’m talking everything from cases through to screen protectors like the DBrand Prism 2.0 and cameras like the Hori USB Camera.
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