For remote workers, digital nomads, gamers, and creative professionals, the quest for more screen real estate is never-ending. Yet, the dream of a truly large, portable monitor has always hit a hard limit: bulk and weight. Enter the Splay Max, a groundbreaking portable monitor promising a game-changing combination: a massive 35-inch display that astonishingly weighs just 1.6 kilograms (approx. 3.5 lbs) and is designed to slip into standard laptop bags and backpacks.
This isn't just another incremental upgrade. The Splay Max represents a significant leap in portable display technology, shattering expectations about what's possible for on-the-go productivity and entertainment. Its core promise is liberating: experience the immersive power and productivity boost of a large desktop monitor, anywhere you can open your bag.
Engineering the Impossible: Thin, Light, Large
The magic behind the Splay Max lies in its innovative engineering. Utilizing a cutting-edge 35-inch OLED panel (1920 x 1080 resolution), it delivers the deep blacks, vibrant colors, and wide viewing angles OLED is renowned for, crucial for both creative work and immersive media consumption. But OLED alone doesn't solve the size and weight problem.
Splay's engineers focused intensely on minimizing every component. The result is an incredibly thin profile and a rigid yet lightweight chassis constructed from advanced materials like magnesium alloy. The integrated kickstand is also meticulously designed for stability without adding unnecessary heft. This obsessive weight reduction means the Splay Max weighs less than many premium 16-inch laptops, making its 35-inch screen seem almost unreal by comparison.
Designed for the Mobile Life: Truly Portable
The "fits in a bag" claim isn't marketing fluff; it's central to the Splay Max's design. Measuring just a few centimeters thick when packed, its dimensions are specifically tailored to slide into the laptop compartment of most standard 15-inch backpacks or messenger bags alongside your primary laptop. No more dedicated, bulky carrying cases typically required for monitors over 24 inches. This ease of transport fundamentally changes how and where you can deploy a large screen.
Who Stands to Benefit?
- Remote Workers & Nomads: Transform any coffee shop, co-working space, or temporary desk into a dual-monitor powerhouse. Easily extend your laptop workspace for coding, complex spreadsheets, research, or managing multiple applications.
- Content Creators: Video editors, graphic designers, and photographers gain a large, color-accurate canvas for editing timelines, detailed image work, or previewing content on a sizable screen, even when away from the studio.
- Gamers: Experience console or cloud gaming on a much larger scale than any traditional portable monitor. The OLED panel ensures stunning visuals for immersive gameplay sessions anywhere.
- Presenters & Collaborators: Perfect for sharing slides, designs, or videos with small groups in meetings or client pitches.
- Multi-Taskers: Anyone craving more space for windows, browsers, and applications without being chained to a desk.
Features Beyond the Size:
While the headline specs are revolutionary, the Splay Max packs in features expected by demanding users:
- USB-C Connectivity: Powers the display and transmits video/data with a single cable (compatible with laptops, phones, tablets, and gaming consoles supporting DisplayPort Alt Mode).
- Touchscreen (Optional): Some models offer touch functionality, enhancing interactivity for artists or presenters.
- Built-in Speakers: For convenience when external audio isn't available.
- HDR Support: Leverages the OLED panel for high dynamic range content.
- Adjustable Stand: Provides a stable base and multiple viewing angles.
Bringing the Vision to Market: The Kickstarter Campaign
The Splay Max is currently making the leap from prototype to production through a highly successful Kickstarter campaign. Backers have enthusiastically embraced the concept, propelling the project well past its initial funding goal. This crowdfunding phase offers early adopters the chance to secure a Splay Max at a significant discount compared to its anticipated future retail price.
"This changes everything for me," commented an early backer and UX designer. "Carrying a monitor this large without the usual bulk means I can truly replicate my productive home setup wherever I am, without compromise."
Availability and Pricing
While the Kickstarter campaign offers the earliest access and best pricing, Splay Display has indicated plans for broader retail availability later in 2024. Expected retail pricing will position the Splay Max as a premium portable display, reflecting its groundbreaking size-to-weight ratio and OLED technology, likely landing in the $700-$900 range depending on configuration (touch vs. non-touch).
The Verdict: A New Category?
The Splay Max isn't just another portable monitor; it pioneers a new category. By successfully decoupling large screen size from heavy, bulky form factors, it fulfills a long-standing demand. For professionals and enthusiasts who prioritize both screen real estate and genuine portability, the Splay Max appears poised to become an indispensable tool. It promises to finally deliver the "big screen" experience without anchoring you to a desk or forcing you to lug around a heavy case. The era of the truly large, bag-portable monitor has arrived.
Ready to experience the Splay Max revolution? Learn more and support the project directly on their Kickstarter page
Pre-orders for future retail shipments are also starting to become available through major online retailers like Amazon. (Note: This Amazon link is provided for convenience and may be an affiliate link.)
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