DUEX Float 2 Pro Review: A Helpful Portable Second Screen for Photographers
If you’ve ever tried editing photos while watching something, or you’ve attempted to record a course while juggling Canva, presenter notes, and a million tabs… then you already know why I decided I needed a second screen. I wanted something simple and pretty much the size of my laptop screen. After testing the DUEX Float 2 Pro by Mobile Pixels, I’m really glad I got it.
This little portable monitor is pretty dang cool, and I’m sharing how I use it in case it saves you time or brings more joy to your editing 🙂
How to set up the second screen
I’m using it with my MacBook Pro, and setup could not be easier. I plugged in the USB-C cable, and it turned on immediately. No drivers or downloads, nothing. If you’re like me and your brain is already full of things like client wardrobe suggestions and remembering whether you charged your camera batteries, then you’ll appreciate this super simple setup.
The DUEX screen can attach to your laptop with magnets, but I skipped that part. The magnets are thick, and I keep a case on my laptop at all times because I’m paranoid 😉. With magnets, the case wouldn’t snap on properly, so I decided to use it free-standing.
Turns out…I like it better this way.
The cover folds back into a little triangular stand, and it feels very sturdy, compact, and easy to move around, depending on what I’m working on. And it fits perfectly on my desk.
How I use the DUEX monitor in my photography workflow
I’ve found a few different ways this tiny monitor has made my work way easier, and each one solves a problem.
1. Editing photos while watching a show (without losing screen space)
When I’m editing in Lightroom, I want to use my full laptop screen because that’s my color-accurate display. The DUEX has great clarity for general use, but it isn’t calibrated, so I keep all of my actual editing on my main monitor.
This makes the DUEX perfect for everything else, like dragging a movie or show over to that screen while I edit. I get to keep Lightroom fully open on my laptop instead of shrinking it to make room for The Office, Friends, or whatever comfort show I’ve rewatched a thousand times.
2. Recording courses with full presenter notes (finally!)
If you create education for photographers, you know this struggle:
You try to record your screen in Canva, but you can’t record your entire presentation with presenter notes visible. So you either skip the notes or record a cropped portion of the screen, which lowers your video quality.
Now I just click “Present with Presenter Notes” in Canva, and it instantly pops my notes onto the DUEX screen. When I excitedly told my husband about this, he looked at me like I’d been living under a rock. Apparently he’s been doing that for years. He said it jokingly, of course, but still… rude 😆.
But whatever, I’m happy to finally have a setup that lets me record my main screen cleanly while still seeing all my notes.
3. Using it during mentoring sessions
Another unexpected perk: when I mentor another photographer, I can mirror my main screen over to the DUEX screen and set it facing them. They don’t have to lean over my shoulder or sit right next to me to see what I’m doing.
It keeps things comfortable and also feels more intentional for teaching.
4. Bringing it along for small workshops
If I’m speaking at a small workshop where there isn’t a big presentation setup, the DUEX monitor becomes a mini presentation screen. I can show attendees my slides on the DUEX while reading presenter notes on my laptop.
For travel, it’s small enough to slide it into in my backpack easily.
Why this portable monitor makes sense for my photography workspace
I’m always adjusting my workspace to make things run smoother (yes, I’m the person who bought a standing desk and treadmill), and this ended up being another small change that actually helped. I use a 16-inch laptop since I travel a lot, so having extra screen room when I’m home feels great. If you’ve been wanting a little more space while you work, the Duex Float 2 Pro is a great option (or whichever version fits for your computer size).
