Closer Examination

Despite having an integrated 5,000 mAh battery, the INNOCN PU15-PRE portable monitor is exceptionally thin, measuring a mere 5 millimeters (0.2 in). It looks and feels like a high-end tablet, primarily thanks to its aluminium back and sides, as well as nicely rounded edges. Only a thick chin decorated with the company's logo breaks that illusion. The monitor can easily be manipulated with one hand, more so when we take into consideration that it only weighs 900 grams. Even though the weight and thickness of the PU15-PRE increase after you put it in the supplied 2-in-1 cover, which is absolutely mandatory for any kind of on-the-go usage, it still remains a very desirable travel companion.


The 2-in-1 cover is identical to the one supplied with the INNOCN OLED Portable Monitor 15K1F (reviewed here). In other words, it's made from a combination of plastic and rubber and as such doesn't match the build quality or attractive aesthetics of the monitor. It does however improve the grip when handling the monitor, as well as protecting it from scratches and other types of damage. The front flap of the 2-in-1 cover covers the panel entirely when closed. However, it suffers from the same issue I noticed on the cover supplied with the INNOCN Portable Monitor N2F: if you turn the monitor upside down, the flap detaches from the screen, leaving it exposed. Imagine lifting a book in the air and having its front cover suddenly open; that's the same thing that happens here. Because of that, some care has to be taken when packing the monitor up and throwing it in a bag. You want to make sure that there's no room for the flap to open inside your bag; otherwise, a foreign object could come between the flap and the panel.


The flap itself is foldable and serves as a monitor stand. It is equipped with magnets that affix it to the back of the monitor to make the "stand" sturdier. I didn't have any issues with the monitor tipping over, but it should also be mentioned that the stand doesn't offer multiple tilt options for the panel, which is a bit disappointing from the ergonomics perspective.


On the right side of the monitor, you'll find a pair of USB-C ports and a Mini HDMI video input. Either USB-C port can also be used as a video input, and the secondary one is there to power the monitor, assuming you're not running it on battery power. It should be noted that it's not possible to use a single USB-C port for both video signal and power. Not even if you're connecting the monitor to your laptop via Thunderbolt 4 and your laptop is simultaneously connected to a power brick. The monitor runs on external power only when an appropriate power brick is connected to the secondary USB-C port. When the monitor is connected to a mobile device via USB-C interface, the monitor will actually charge the battery of the device it's connected to, effectively reducing the monitor's battery life in the process. Aside from USB-C, the INNOCN PU15-PRE also offers a Mini HDMI input.


The monitor is supplied with a 45 W USB-C power brick. INNOCN seems adamant that you use a specific supplied USB-C power cable (the longer, 1.8-meter one), but I powered the monitor with no issues using just some random USB-C cable I had lying around. I also didn't have issues keeping it topped off with a generic 18 W power brick, although the battery charging was much slower in that case. In terms of battery life, it's highly dependent on the brightness level you're using the monitor at, but you can expect it to run for up to four hours. The battery level can be monitored on the OSD's home screen.


On both sides of the case, there are hole cutouts for the integrated 1-watt stereo speakers. In terms of sound quality and maximum volume, these speakers can't replace a pair of headphones for anything more demanding than a quick YouTube video. Still, for situations when you simply can't be bothered to connect anything else (and you're in a fairly quiet environment), they do come in handy.


The INNOCN PU15-PRE is equipped with a 4K OLED touchscreen, and it supports any Microsoft Pen Protocol 2.0 (MPP 2.0) compatible stylus, such as the Surface Pen. INNOCN plans to release its own stylus, but until they do, you have to invest in one separately, should you want to use it to sketch, draw and write on the PU15-PRE. The touchscreen itself feels surprisingly responsive, and the palm rejection is solid. In order to get the touchscreen to work, you have to establish a USB connection between your computer and the monitor, either by using the supplied USB-C cable or your own USB-C to USB Type-A cable. Keep that in mind when using HDMI as the video interface of choice.