If you spend hours staring at your phone screen, you know the eye fatigue that comes with it. The Dasung Link 2 offers a different approach. This specialized 6.7-inch portable E-Ink monitor is designed to reduce eye strain by mirroring your phone’s display onto a paper-like, glare-free surface. In this E ink monitor review, we’ll explore how this device works as a smartphone companion display, giving you a more comfortable viewing experience without the harsh backlight of a typical screen.
What makes the Dasung Link 2 unique is that it lacks its own processor, cellular radio, and operating system. It relies entirely on your connected smartphone for all its functions. This means it’s not a standalone tablet but a dedicated external display that prioritizes eye strain reduction. By using E Ink technology, it provides a static, low-power screen that’s ideal for reading, messaging, or any task where you want to give your eyes a break.
Display and Visual Experience
The Dasung Link 2 takes the eye-friendly foundation of E Ink technology and builds a dedicated external monitor around it, focusing entirely on the visual experience.
Monochrome Display and Color App Limitations
The heart of the Link 2 is its 6.7-inch monochrome E-Ink display. With a pixel density of 300 PPI, text appears crisp and sharp, closely mimicking the clarity of printed paper. This makes it an excellent choice for long reading sessions, note-taking, or reviewing documents without the harsh glare of a standard LCD or OLED screen. The display relies on ambient light reflection, which means the better the lighting in your room, the better the screen looks. Of course, because it’s a monochrome screen, you won’t see colors. Photos, videos, and apps that rely heavily on color coding will appear in grayscale. This is a trade-off inherent to any E ink monitor review, but for text-heavy workflows, the benefits to your eyes far outweigh the lack of color.
High-Speed Refresh Technology
One of the biggest criticisms of standard E-Ink screens has always been the slow refresh rate, which makes scrolling or typing feel sluggish. DASUNG addresses this with its high-speed refresh technology, bringing the panel up to a smooth 60Hz refresh rate. This is a significant upgrade for an E Ink monitor review. Scrolling through web pages, typing out messages, and even watching video content feels surprisingly fluid, with minimal ghosting. While it won’t match the motion clarity of a traditional high-refresh-rate phone screen, it is perfectly functional for everyday productivity tasks. This makes the 60Hz refresh rate E-Ink experience far more versatile than older, slower E-Ink monitors.
Since the display uses reflected light, you need a light source to see it. For daytime use, natural or office light works perfectly. For the evening or darker rooms, the Link 2 includes an adjustable dual-tone front light. You can switch between a cool white light for focused work and a warmer amber tone for a more relaxing front light reading experience before bed. This flexibility ensures your eyes are comfortable regardless of the environment.
Connectivity and Power Options
Once the front light is dialed in to your liking, the next question is usually how this monitor actually connects to your phone — and how it stays powered. The Dasung Link 2 keeps things refreshingly simple on both fronts.
The primary way to use the Link 2 is through wireless screen mirroring, which works with both iOS and Android devices. This means no fiddling with cables every time you want to switch from your phone to the monitor. You simply pair the two devices over a wireless connection, and your phone’s display appears on the e ink screen. It is a genuinely practical setup for anyone who wants a distraction-free, paper-like display for reading, writing, or checking messages.
When it comes to power, the base model has no internal battery. Instead, it draws power from an external source. For outdoor use or on-the-go sessions, the Link 2 is compatible with magnetic power banks, which attach to the device and supply power without needing a cable. That is a thoughtful touch for a portable monitor, since it keeps the whole setup tidy and easy to carry.
If you prefer a wired setup, a USB-C connection is also available. It offers a stable, reliable alternative to wireless mirroring, which can be useful in areas with wireless interference or when you want to conserve phone battery while working.
Battery-Free vs. Battery Variant Differences
The distinction between the battery-free base model and the battery variant is worth considering before you buy. Without an internal battery, the device relies entirely on an external power source — either a magnetic power bank or a USB-C cable. This keeps the monitor lighter and simpler, but you will need to remember to bring power with you. The battery variant, on the other hand, builds in a power source so you can work untethered for longer stretches.
For most people doing an e ink monitor review, the key takeaway is that the Link 2 adapts to your setup rather than forcing one on you. Wireless screen mirroring for quick pairing, a magnetic power bank for portability, and USB-C for a stable, low-hassle connection — whichever you choose, you are covered.
Design, Portability, and Controls
Once you have sorted your connection, the next thing you will notice is the hardware itself. The Link 2 does not look like a typical monitor, and that is very much part of its appeal. Its ultra-thin, lightweight metal body makes it easy to slip into a bag alongside your phone or tablet, so it feels more like a premium accessory than a piece of office equipment. In fact, the portable E-Ink monitor design is clearly built around the idea of moving with you, whether that means working from a café, commuting, or simply setting up a second screen at your desk.
The controls also deserve attention. Rather than burying settings deep in a software menu, Dasung has placed multi-function physical keys along the edge of the device. With these, you can quickly adjust image enhancement and contrast levels without interrupting your flow. If you regularly switch between reading documents, browsing the web, and editing text, having physical keys contrast adjustment at your fingertips makes a real difference. You do not need to hunt through menus or memorize shortcuts — just press and tweak until the display looks right for whatever you are doing at that moment.
The Link 2 is available in Space Grey or Glacier Blue, so you can pick a finish that matches your other gear. It retails for $329 for the battery-free version or $349 for the battery variant, giving you a straightforward choice depending on whether you want the freedom to work away from a power outlet. For an E ink monitor review, the combination of a feather-light frame and thoughtfully placed controls makes the Link 2 genuinely easy to live with on a daily basis.
Smartphone Compatibility and Requirements
Before you decide to add the Dasung Link 2 to your mobile toolkit, it pays to check whether your phone can actually run it. The good news is that the device supports both iOS and Android devices, but there is a catch on the Android side. You will need a phone running Android 12 or newer. Older Android versions may not support the wireless mirroring protocol the Link 2 relies on, so checking your software version is a smart first step.
Related reading: our post The Reason the MacBook Air Needs No Fan offers more practical ideas on this.
Minimum Software Requirements
For Android users, the Android 12 requirement is non-negotiable. If your device is stuck on Android 11 or earlier, the Link 2 simply won’t connect. On the flip side, iPhone users have it easier—any iPhone that supports iOS screen mirroring should work, and that covers a broad range of recent models. The link also works with HarmonyOS, which is the operating system used by many Huawei devices. Beyond the operating system, the exact list of compatible phone models is not spelled out by the manufacturer. Instead, the approach is universal: as long as your phone meets the software requirements, you can use wireless mirroring to project your screen onto the E ink display.
One practical point to keep in mind is that the connection is entirely wireless. There are no cables to fumble with, which keeps your setup clean, but it does mean your phone’s wireless connectivity needs to be reliable. The touch-sensitive nature of the display is implied by the mirroring function, though the official documentation doesn’t clarify whether all touch gestures carry over perfectly. In practice, you will likely be able to tap and swipe your way around mirrored apps, making this E ink monitor review a solid option for smartphone users who want a second screen without a tangled mess of wires.
Use Cases and Limitations
Now that you know how the Link 2 connects and mirrors your phone, it is time to consider where this device shines and where it falls short. The Dasung Link 2 is a text-focused monitor at heart. Its 6.7-inch monochrome E-Ink display with 300 PPI pixel density delivers a sharp, paper-like reading experience. This makes it excellent for reading books, long articles, or documents without eye strain. If you spend hours editing text or browsing through PDFs, this screen feels natural and comfortable.
Reading Books and Documents
For dedicated readers, the Link 2 transforms your smartphone into a focused E-Ink reading experience. You can use apps like Kindle or Google Play Books, and the high pixel density ensures crisp text. The lack of a backlight means you rely on ambient light, which reduces glare outdoors. However, remember that it is monochrome, so book covers and illustrations appear in grayscale. This is a minor trade-off for the benefit of reduced eye fatigue during long reading sessions.
Social Media and Video Playback
When it comes to social media, the experience is mixed. Text-based platforms like Twitter or Reddit work well, but color-dependent apps like Instagram or Snapchat lose their appeal. Photos and videos appear in shades of gray, which can be disorienting. Additionally, the Link 2 has no audio output support, meaning no speaker or headphone jack. You cannot watch videos with sound directly from the monitor. This limits its use for video playback, as you would need to rely on your phone’s audio separately.
Beyond these use cases, the monochrome display creates clear monochrome app limitations. Games that rely on color cues, photo editing tools, or any app requiring color accuracy are essentially unusable. Since the Link 2 lacks its own processor, cellular radio, and operating system, it is entirely dependent on your smartphone. It cannot run apps independently or handle tasks that require color. This makes it a niche accessory rather than a full replacement for a tablet or laptop. In summary, the Link 2 is best suited for reading and text-based work. If you need a secondary screen for writing, note-taking, or browsing text-heavy content, this E ink monitor review confirms it delivers. But for multimedia or color-sensitive tasks, you will want to look elsewhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the Dasung Link 2 connect to your smartphone – wirelessly or via cable?
The Dasung Link 2 connects to your smartphone using a cable. This wired connection ensures a stable and low-latency experience, making it practical for real-time tasks. The setup is straightforward, with the device acting as a secondary monitor once plugged in.
Is the Dasung Link 2 a standalone phone or does it need a smartphone?
The Dasung Link 2 is not a standalone phone; it requires a smartphone to function. As covered in this E ink monitor review, it serves as a dedicated monitor that mirrors your phone’s display, extending your screen without acting as an independent device. This design keeps the device lightweight and focused on enhancing your smartphone experience.
Is the monochrome display a problem for apps that rely on color, like maps or shopping?
The monochrome display of the Dasung Link 2 can limit the experience for color-dependent apps like maps or shopping. However, for reading and text-based tasks, it excels with its E ink technology, providing a paper-like view. You may need to use your phone’s main screen for color-heavy apps, but the Link 2 is ideal for monochrome content.
