Best Portable CarPlay Screens TestedAmir Saidi - MotorTrend"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."Editor's Note: MotorTrend's gear team tests and reviews every recommended product. Read more about how the gear team tests products.With a steady flow of new and exciting vehicles coming through MotorTrend's garage, we're a bit jaded when it comes to infotainment systems; it's almost expected that every new car arrives with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. However, many older vehicles were simply built before the one-big-tablet infotainment era. That's where these CarPlay screens can pay massive dividends, bringing your car into the modern era with smartphone connectivity.AdvertisementAdvertisementYou may have seen some of the drop-in units that are designed to replace your existing radio. And while those are an excellent option, they're often difficult to install and considerably more expensive than these tablet options. Below are the best (and most affordable) units we could find.Our RecommendationsBest Overall: Ottocast ScreenFlow 11.4-inch CarPlay ScreenBest Budget: RQO 9-inch CarPlay ScreenBarebones Brilliance: LAMTTO 11-inch CarPlay ScreenAI Integration: OTTOCAST OttoScreen (AI)What I looked ForAs CarPlay screens began to show up for testing, we were a bit perplexed, as everything but the packaging appeared to be identical. This isn't the first time we've come across blatant Amazon drop-shipping, but the goal remained the same: Draw up meaningful tests to find out which products are the best and which ones you should buy.CarPlay screens were an interesting product to evaluate, as most of the metrics that differentiate them are subjective. Think about it: You most likely want a screen that's quick and easy to get up and running, is responsive, and features a bright display. However, we went a step further to find more objective differences, such as how long each screen took to unbox and set up, along with how much force it took to yank each unit from the windshield or the dashboard. (Note: All of these products are Android Auto capable as well, but we didn't test them with any Android devices.)AdvertisementAdvertisementHere's a more detailed list of our expectations for the test:Easy setupRelatively responsive (needs to be nearly as good as just mounting your phone to the windshield)Should be quick to swap between multiple devicesDisplay should be nice and brightThe ReviewsAmir Saidi - MotorTrend[Best Overall] Ottocast ScreenFlow 11.4-inch CarPlay ScreenBUY NOW ON AMAZONBright displayAspect ratiomaintains decent visibilityIncludesbackup cameraSticky mountsuffers in the heatVITAL STATSSetup time: 3:05.45Phone compatibility: 9/10Mount stability: 23 lbBeing the best of our test, Ottocast's ScreenFlow ticked all the boxes for us. Sure, it's not quite the fastest to set up, but it's not far off. Phone compatibility is excellent—as was the case for most of the other units we tested. The only question mark centered around its included sticky mount, which is a much neater solution than a suction cup. However, we do have questions about its reliability, especially in hotter and sunnier climates.AdvertisementAdvertisementComing in at $159.99 at present, we'd say it's priced adequately for the capabilities you're getting. We should note that it also comes with a backup camera (the others do, as well), which can also be a huge value add.Amir Saidi - MotorTrend[Best Budget] RQO 9-inch CarPlay ScreenBUY NOW ON AMAZONSupereffective suction cup mountIncludesbackup cameraAspect ratioobstructs forward visionVITAL STATSSetup time: 3:30.50Phone compatibility: 9/10Mount stability: 15 lbCoincidentally, we found quite a few 9-inch CarPlay screens that looked just like this one from RQO. Must just be a popular form factor for these devices, right? Bit of a headscratcher. Despite the number of retailers like RQO selling oddly similar-looking screens, this one isn't all that bad. It gives you perfectly acceptable responsiveness with CarPlay connectivity, though like the others on this list, it also comes with a backup camera.AdvertisementAdvertisementAt $79.99 for now, it's what we'd call a fair price for this type of device, as anything more than that is getting dangerously close to what you'd pay for a top-tier phone case/mount solution from PeakDesign or QuadLock.Amir Saidi - MotorTrend[Barebones Brilliance] LAMTTO 11-inch CarPlay ScreenBUY NOW ON AMAZONBright screenDecentresponsiveness with CarPlayIncludesbackup cameraNot a ton ofnative appsLengthy setuptimeVITAL STATSSetup time: 7:04.60Phone compatibility: 9/10Mount stability: 22 lbLAMTTO's 11-inch CarPlay screen is a textbook example of why no-frills product design is often the best. Sure, it doesn't have the same suite of baked-in onboard apps as the best-in-class OttoCast that we tested (it does come with Netflix and YouTube pre-loaded), but frankly the LAMTTO doesn't need them. Despite the lengthy amount of time it takes to get up and running, the final product offers an equally great CarPlay experience to the OttoCast with an acceptable level of responsiveness.AdvertisementAdvertisementWe're pleased to report the brand offers a suction-cup mount that was incredibly locked on to the windshield, requiring a frankly astronomical 22 pounds of force to remove. This is our preferred solution over sticky windshield and dashboard mounts, as they leave the least amount of residue and are fairly easy to remove once you unclick the lever. Well done, LAMTTO.Amir Saidi - MotorTrend[AI Integration] Ottocast OttoScreen AIBUY NOW ON AMAZONAI integrationIncludesbackup cameraNon-CarPlayfeatures require hotspotVITAL STATSSetup time: 3:15.20Phone compatibility: 9/10Mount stability: 23 lbOttocast's Ottoscreen AI brings all the same features as the Screenflow that won best overall. And that's brilliant. So why are we looking at the AI-enabled version stone-dead last at the bottom of the list?AdvertisementAdvertisementThat's because the AI integration feels a bit like an afterthought, only available via a hot spot connection from your smartphone. Even once it's up and running, the added functionality isn't entirely worth the extra cost—it's currently on sale for $159.99 and normally retails for $200. However, we still included the OttoScreenAI on our list as it remains a genuinely good product. As you've likely spotted above, it's relatively quick to set up, easy to pair your phone to, and comes with a backup camera. It also has a sturdy mounting solution, but like the other Ottocast product, it's a sticky mount that we're not super thrilled about.Amir Saidi - MotorTrendHow We Tested CarPlay ScreensCarPlay Screens were surprisingly straightforward to test within a relatively short time frame. Looking at the challenge objectively, you probably want units that are quick and easy to install and connect to your phone. Subjectively, you might also want units that are responsive, with user interfaces that don't require a degree in computer engineering to navigate. We took all these angles into account during our testing to find you the best screens. After the dust settled, we ended up with three tests to figure out which products you should spend your hard-earned cash on.Test 1: Setup/ConnectivityDespite almost all the screens we tested being effectively identical, we needed to find a way to objectively determine which was best. First impressions are everything (in life and product testing), so we evaluated exactly that. We set a stopwatch to find out how long it took to install the screen on the dashboard or windshield and pair a phone. Don't overthink it; lower times here are better.Despite some of the screens using very similar hardware, we found they utilized different software. This didn't massively affect setup times, but we did note how easy it was to navigate each respective user interface.Test 2: Phone CompatibilityWhile my iPhone 17 presents a perfectly ideal scenario to pair with each screen, we recognize that other phones do exist. That's why we paired a number of phones with each screen to uncover any foibles. To give each screen a proper workout, we enlisted our colleagues with other smartphones to see if they had a similar experience getting their phone to connect (and stay connected) with each screen.AdvertisementAdvertisementOnce we had a number of devices connected, we also tested how quickly each screen recognized paired devices and how quickly it connected to them. Note that permanent infotainment screens in new vehicles sometimes struggle to get this right, often featuring a "preferred device" checkbox.Test 3: Mount StabilityTwo of the four devices here offer a sticky mounting solution for the dashboard, with the fourth using a suction cup. Sure, we wouldn't say the former is a bad solution, per se, but we had question marks about its security—especially in the heat. To compare the two, we parked our test car in the heat, waited exactly an hour, and measured the pulling force required to remove each mounting solution.First, we verified the dashboard/windshield temperatures using an infrared thermometer. Verifying that the temperatures hadn't fluctuated more than a couple of degrees throughout the test, we used a luggage scale to tug on the mount until it parted ways with either the windshield or the dashboard.Amir Saidi - MotorTrendWhy Trust Us?Here at MotorTrend, we know a thing or two because we've seen a thing or two—especially when it comes to testing cars. We've been testing automobiles for over 75 years, with our first published magazine dropping in 1949. For context, the first installment of the magazine would've cost just 25 cents! We digress, but throughout those 75 years, we've tested well over 6,000 cars, refining our process into the methodology we use today.AdvertisementAdvertisementOver seven and a half decades later, we've gained a profound understanding of how to test an automobile—and, eh … inflation. While cars have been our bread and butter for quite some time, that doesn't mean that product testing has taken a back seat. Our product testing regimen follows the same ethos, targeting just the right dosage of authority and insight. Take this CarPlay Screen test, for example: You could very well have just surfed around on Amazon and bought the model rated highest.The difference is that we can categorically tell you which screens performed the best in our testing.Amir Saidi - MotorTrendCarPlay Screen FAQWhat to Consider?When it comes to buying CarPlay screens, there are three things you should look out for: mounting solutions, ease of installation/ connectivity, and screen brightness. As you'll see from our testing, many of these screens look similar, but they offer vastly different experiences.Suction Mount Is the AnswerAs you may have seen, the sticky mounts that come with many of these screens are a very short-term solution for keeping the devices stuck to your dashboard. Prolonged heat exposure is all but guaranteed to unstick these sticky mounts and send your CarPlay screen tumbling. Thankfully, there's a better solution: suction cups.AdvertisementAdvertisementWe use them all the time at the test track to keep our Vbox data loggers stuck to the windshield. In fact, we actually use this exact model from iBolt, which works a real treat. Sure, it won't be completely immune from parting ways with the windshield, but we've yet to see one fail in extreme conditions. We regularly test vehicles out in the Mojave Desert, where we often experience triple-digit temperatures.Bluetooth AudioIt's also worth noting that not all these screens support Bluetooth audio. To get the audio from Spotify to play on your stereo (and not the screen's speakers) you'll sometimes need an auxiliary cable to connect directly to your vehicle. This is, well … annoying, and it spoils the sleek aesthetic of some of these CarPlay screens.Additional CapabilitiesSome of these CarPlay Screens also include dash cam capabilities. Of course, the picture quality isn't what we'd call groundbreaking, but it's pretty nifty to have that capability in a device that only sets you back a couple of hundred dollars. It's also important to note that all these displays also have backup cameras included—another excellent way to modernize your vehicle.