In the market for a dumb laptop? Not the low-spec, no-brand kind on Amazon with heir fanciful discounts on pretend RRPs – I mean a laptop that is all shell, no brain.
If so, you’re in luck.
Elecrow has launched a new version of the CrowView Note, its portable monitor in the shape of a laptop. In addition to a screen it has a keyboard, trackpad, speakers, microphone, USB ports, and an internal battery to power both monitor and what you connect to it.
What the CrowView Note doesn’t have is a computer: no CPU, RAM, or hard drive. It is, after all, a monitor. You connect your smartphone, tablet, another laptop or PC, games console, single board computer, etc to power it.
The brand Elecrow isn’t well-known to most, but they make a huge range of cheap (and some not so cheap) electronics that cater to the hardware “maker” scene, Raspberry Pi users and STEM education.
Indeed, there are adapter boards for the CrowView which allow a Raspberry Pi 4 to plug in the side: no spaghetti heap of cables, no additional power cord as the Pi is powered by the CrowView’s internal battery.
But its sheer usefulness goes beyond SBCs. USB Type-C (with video) and mini-HDMI ports allow you tp connect (pretty much) anything, including two devices at the same time and switch between them by pressing a function key.
I reviewed the CrowView Note 14 in 2024. The comparatively low price point and versatility impressed me then (not hollow words; I use this more than my actual USB-C portable monitor).
But like most first-gen tech products, there were areas for improvement. The CrowView Note 14 used a DC barrel charger, had a spongy keyboard, and checking the internal battery level was finicky. Some found the 14-inch screen too small.
An improved CrowView Note 15.6 has gone on sale with fixes for some, but not all, of those flaws.
CrowView Note 15.6 is Bigger, Better
Elecrow says “compared to our previous model, we’ve made some significant enhancements”, and the most noticeable change in the in the CrowView Note 15.6 can be gleaned from the name: a larger 15.6-inch display.
The screen still offers the same 100% sRGB, max 60Hz refresh rate and 300nit peak brightness of the 14-inch model. And it stills fold 180° (i.e., flat).
CrowView Note 15.6
| Display: | 15.6″ (1920×1080) IPS @ 60Hz, 100% sRGB, 300nits |
|---|---|
| Battery: | 6000mAh |
| Ports: |
1× Type-C (PD) 1x Type-C (Full) 1x Type-C (Power) 1x Mini HDMI 2x USB-A |
| Audio: |
Dual speakers Microphone 3.5mm jack |
| Other: | Bridge boards for Raspberry Pi & Jetson nano |
| Weight: | 1545g |
| Price: | $169.99 |
It would’ve been nice to have seen some of those specs change, but since this device isn’t angling to be anyone’s full-time laptop, and has to meet a low price point, fair.
With a larger display comes a larger footprint, allowing for a 101 key keyboard. The position of the space key seems like it may be bit… of an acquired taste!
But swapping the DC barrel jack in favour of a USB Type-C charging port is, to my mind, the most ‘significant’ upgrade.
Elecrow equips the new model with a USB Type-C charging point (45W PD). This means you end up with one less device demanding its own special adapter.
Beyond that, much is as it was.
There is fully functional USB Type-C port with video, data and power, so you can connect your smartphone to extend or mirror its screen to the CrowView with one cable, and charge its battery from the Note’s internal one.
If not using USB Type-C to connect, but wanting to use the CrowView Note’s keyboard and touchpad, connect the USB A to USB A cable from the Note to your PC, laptop, etc.
You can also connect other USB A devices the other side of the device when that cable is connected, allow the note to act as a sort of slow-poke hub.
The new model apparently broadens the range of SBCs it can work with. In addition to the Raspberry Pi and Nvidia Jetson Nano, it now supports Rock Pi, Orange Pi 4B, LattePanda, and Beaglebone. But there are no ‘bridge boards’ for those, so cable city it is.
How much does it cost?
The CrowView Note 15.6 is priced at a modest $169. Standalone portable monitors at this size and resolution can be found for half that, but won’t meet the same brief (no battery, keyboard, ports, etc).
The build materials and overall quality will reflect the price: plastic fantastic, not premium dream-ium.
I haven’t had hands-on time with the new model to confirm whether the keyboard feels less spongy, but the improvements to screen size, charging, and SBC compatibility address the main complaints.
Cheaper than a cheap laptop, more versatile than a regular portable monitor, and those who make heavy use of single-board computing in their hobbies or day jobs, the simplicity of those bridge boards do make this device extra appealing.
To learn more, or purchase one, head over to the Elecrow store.