A lightweight monitor for gamers on the go
It might look like a spelling mistake, but trust us -- the Gaems M155 Scout definitely has all its features in the right order.
The Gaems M155 Scout is another gaming peripheral from the makers of the Vanguard. While that device was a combination of ruggedized carrying case and screen, the M155 is a little more simple -- it's essentially just a 15.5-inch portable screen for your console.
Looking and feeling a little like an oversized tablet, the M155 is surprisingly light -- just 1.7lbs or 770g. The screen resolution is 720p but you're also getting a 60Hz refresh rate, which makes for a fairly smooth experience.
It has a standard HDMI port and headphone jack, along with controls for adjusting the brightness and volume. The killer feature, however, is the power system -- the M155 can run entirely from USB. Just use the included cable to plug the screen into two of the USB ports on your chosen console and you won't need to be hunting for another power point (although you can use a USB power plug adaptor if you want).
Another nice touch is the protective case, which actually screws on to the rear of the screen and then works as stand, further enhancing the tablet similarities.
While pitched at a gaming market, the M155 is obviously just an HDMI screen -- you can plug it into whatever you want and could easily make a good second screen for a laptop if you needed. But Gaems see the device as perfect for people who want a more portable gaming experience or for people with limited space who can't really justify gaming on a big TV.
I played around with the M155 on PS4 -- it's literally plug and play -- and was pleasantly surprised by how good it looked. Destiny was sharp and clear, although I did up the brightness a little from the default. Sound through the headphones was fine, but I'd imagine most PlayStation gamers will still prefer to use the controller's headphone port, while anyone using it for PC will presumably just keep their cans hooked up to the PC.
The reflective screen was a bit of a cause for concern, but once we were playing it wasn't anything we noticed. The case-stand was particularly good -- it's easy to adjust the angle to whatever your requirements are and the screen is light enough that its own weight won't drag it down.
If I had one complaint, it's that the build quality could have a nicer feel -- the plastic casing combines with the aforementioned lightness to feel a little cheap. But it's a minor issue and hasn't influenced the experience with the M155 so far.
I'll put the screen through some harder testing for the full review, but so far I've been pretty happy with the Gaems M155 Scout. The pricing does seem a little high in Australia, though -- you'll find it at EB Games for AU$269 while people in the US can grab it direct from the manufacturer for $169.