Infinix Zero 30
Categories: Mobile accessories

Mountie+ review: Your laptop monitor needs a buddy

I knew I would appreciate the Mountie+ because it’s something I had first imagined in my head, and then found on the web. I often think of little things that could make my life a little easier, but it’s such a rarity to actually find that things. That was me and the Mountie — a unique and very specific thingamajig that’s perfect for MacBook owners.

What is Mountie

Mountie — or Mountie+, the heftier model we are discussing today — is a small mount for your tablet that attaches to a laptop screen and creates a multi-monitor setup. It’s a great way of extending one’s workspace without buying a separate monitor.

In fact, you can attach anything: your phone, your iPad Mini — or your Pro. It’s powerful enough that you don’t feel anxious that your prized tablet will suddenly fall down. Even though it did happen to me — but that was my fault.

Mountie+ in action

Everything that I am going to say about Mountie+ can be said about the regular model, which is different only in its size: it’s smaller and has only one clamp, whereas Mountie+ has two for increased support.

You know, it’s insane that Ten One Design, a design firm based in Montclair, NJ, had come up with the idea before Apple announced Sidecar — a feature in macOS that allows you to use an iPad as a secondary display for your Mac. At least, I think they did it first… one way or another, it’s a perfect little device for people with a MacBook and an iPad. Another macOS feature, called Universal Control, is also great for this: you can control your laptop and tablet with one mouse and keyboard without even extending your monitor. It makes so much sense, Apple should be selling Mountie in its store!

Read also: DJI Osmo Mobile 6 review: The perfect video stabiliser for social media

The way it works is simple: it’s basically a set of two clamps that attach to your computer’s screen and to your tablet/iPhone. A bundle with Mountie+ and a regular Mountie costs $49.95, and one regular-sized Mountie is $29.95.

I have the bundle, which comes in a small unremarkable package. Inside we find the Mounties themselves and a set of rubber inserts. Since my MacBook Pro 14’s screen is much thinner than my iPad Air 4, I needed inserts of different sizes. But once I found the right ones, I didn’t have to do anything else.

Attaching Mountie+ is a bit daunting at first: as a person who is always afraid to break expensive tech, I was quite a bit anxious to press on my display with the mount. But I soldiered on, and soon I had my iPad firmly attached.

Among the way, I made a few mistakes. Since modern tablets and laptops have much thinner bezels than before, when Mountie was first conceptualized, there’s less of an area to attach it to. So, I had to go over the bezel and onto the screen, which, once again, was scary. Thankfully, nothing happened. As I mentioned before, one time, my iPad fell down on my table because it was attached loosely, Don’t do that: go over the bezel for a better grip. Even if your display shows signs of strain, the effect doesn’t last after you detach it.

Read also: Backbone One PlayStation Edition: Very good, not very PlayStation

I needed to use Mountie+ because iPad Air has quite a bit of heft to it, and I didn’t want any accidents. Also, the newest version has a special hole for charging, which means I can use my iPad all day without fearing for its battery (also, USB connection is much more stable).

After testing it for a few weeks, I came to the conclusion that it was a worthy investment. I don’t have a fancy monitor, and usually just use my laptop. Mountie made it possible to make use of both my devices, thus increasing my productivity.

Verdict

Mountie+ is a great way to increase your productivity and get more out of your iPad. It’s a simple little device that works as intended without any hassle.

Share
Denis Koshelev

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked*