Sometimes you need a simple tool to accomplish a simple task and that’s what MSI aims to provide with the MSI Pro MP156 E6. While other portable monitors try to dazzle with 4K displays, OLED panels, touch sensitivity, fast refresh rates or complex multimonitor assemblies, the MSI Pro MP156 E6 sticks with the basics. It’s a modest, 15.6-inch, 1080p display with simple connection options, solid visibility and no frills. It comes at the commendable price of $95, and I’ve seen it discounted for even less. 

The MSI Pro MP156 E6 is basically everything that the Plugable USBC-PDMON should have been, and it’s a worthy alternative to the Arzopa Z1RC for anyone who wants to save a little money and doesn’t need the extra resolution, size or color.

A basic screen for basic tasks

Let’s get this out of the way: The MSI Pro MP156 E6 doesn’t have a great screen. It has a narrow color gamut, covering only 64% of the sRGB color space. It will look drab with just about anything you use it for, including spreadsheets. But if you just need to see data, it’s fine. It gets plenty bright, offers the mediocre contrast of an average IPS LCD, and it has a strong anti-glare finish to boost visibility. 

This monitor’s mediocre color gamut reproduction and 60Hz refresh rate aren’t the best for watching movies, creative workloads or gaming. Instead, it’s an affordable second screen you can easily pair with a laptop. It’s best used for basics like email, chats or instructions, while freeing up your main display for the more important business. 

Light, solid and portable

The hardware of the MSI Pro MP156 E6 is nothing to get excited about either, but it’s decent. It has a basic design that feels reasonably sturdy, despite its plastic construction. It’s not terribly thick, just a half-inch on its lower half, where most of the electronics and a kickstand are. At the top it’s just a quarter-inch thick. It weighs only 1.75 pounds, so it doesn’t add a ton to your haul on the go. 

The kickstand is firm and can swing out 90 degrees to hold the screen at various angles. If you need more flexibility, the rear has two holes for attaching it to a 75x75mm VESA mount or a quarter-inch hole to work with a tripod mount. Because the ports and controls are on each side of the monitor, you’ll need a separate stand if you want to position it vertically. 

The monitor includes basic but simple controls, with a clickable dial and power-back button and a headphone jack. 

On the left edge, you get a pair of USB-C ports that can handle power and video over just one cable, as well as allowing 60-watt power delivery pass-through charging. MSI’s spec list claims just 15W for this, so the remaining 45W will be delivered to the laptop. That’s enough to charge many thin-and-light laptops. 

The monitor’s port says 5-20V/3A. So I tested it with a USB power meter, and it showed 19.5V at 2.93A. 

There’s also a full-size HDMI port for broader compatibility. MSI includes cables with right-angle connectors for tidier cable runs. I was pleasantly surprised that you also get a felt-like sleeve, which is more than I’d expect for the price.

Just like the screen, the MSI Pro MP156 E6’s speakers are unexceptional. They don’t play very loud nor do they offer high-fidelity sound, but they’re serviceable if you just need to hear what someone is saying. In most cases, a decent laptop’s speakers will sound better.

Final thoughts

You won’t want to use this monitor for watching movies or playing games, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be useful. It’s affordable and solid, best used for basic tasks. If you’re working on the go, and you need a simple second screen, the MSI Pro MP156 E6 does the job for a good price.

How we test monitors

Measurements for the MSI Pro MP165 E6 were taken using a Spyder X2 Ultra colorimeter using DataColor’s Spyder X2 software for SDR. Color accuracy measurements results are reported in Delta E 1976 using Datacolor’s 48-color patch test.

On the most basic models we may only test brightness, contrast and color gamut. With more capable displays we may also run tests of user-selectable modes for gaming or color-critical use and uniformity. We may also run tests to verify how white point accuracy varies with brightness. We also use Blur Busters’ motion tests to judge motion artifacts (such as ghosting) or refresh rate-related problems that can affect gaming. 

Keep in mind that individual results can and often do vary from a manufacturer’s reported results for a variety of reasons.