Portable DVD players offer varied screen size options from 2.5 inches to 15 inch LCD screens. Obviously, as the size of the screen increases, so does the weight of the unit. Big screens generally have higher resolutions of 1,000 by 600 pixels or more that impart real picture clarity. However, a 7 inch screen is usually held to be sufficient for a balance between a good-sized picture and portability. Portable devices can be connected to your home AV system. If your home system has a decent resolution, then you will experience the best effects of DVD.

DVD players are capable of playing many formats. Even a basic model supports MP3, WMA, DVD-R/RW, and DVD+R/RW. Many players display JPEG images and camcorder video using a memory card slot. Most players feature A/V outputs to transfer audio and video signals to your TV and audio system. Some players include S-Video and digital audio for improved audio and video output. DVD players come with headphone jacks for private viewing or two headphone jacks for shared viewing. However, some advanced players have the ability to transmit signals wirelessly to headphones. These players can be connected in-car with mounting for comfortable viewing.

Lithium-ion is the preferred rechargeable battery technology in almost all current portable DVD players. A decent battery pack lasts between 2 and 3 hours. The size and weight of the battery pack also has a great impact on the entire weight of the player.

Watching movies on a laptop offers bigger screen viewing. However, a laptop is heavier than a portable DVD player although you may have to carry it along for business in any case.

The screen size of a laptop computer usually varies from 12 inches to 17 inches offering larger viewing convenience. Most of the latest model laptops include DVD-ROM and DVD playback software. If you don't like the pre-installed software, you can always replace it. Laptops offer impressive speakers and later models include integrated branded speakers and sub-woofers. A laptop thus functions not only as a DVD player, but also as an office machine for accessing documents, files, and applications. Beside playing DVDs and games, a laptop is capable of loading additional multimedia format codecs, enabling playback of a variety of file types. Laptops usually sport a single headphone socket and an external VGA connector. In addition, the longevity of batteries in laptops has improved over the years.

Portable DVD players are in almost all cases the better option, since they are manufactured for the sole purpose of playing video. The principal drawback with laptops is the battery life, even with the much improved battery life of current offerings. There are very few laptops that will reliably allow you to play back an entire movie, even when the batteries are fully charged.

Portable DVD players also offer a broader range of connectivity options for connecting a TV and stereo system and multiple headphone jacks for more people to enjoy a movie. The headphone jacks matter in the middle of a busy flight. The connectivity options matter when you get to your hotel and want to connect the player to the TV in the room. Even later model laptops generally have limited connectivity options. Laptops are also more expensive and vastly more fragile than portable DVD players. There is little point in taking the risk of bringing your work laptop with you simply to watch a movie.

If you already own a laptop computer, watching a movie once in a while in your hotel room with the power lead connected to the mains is fine. But, if you are a frequent traveller, looking for an easy-to-use, multimedia device for carrying in your luggage and using in-flight or in the car whilst on the move, the a portable DVD player is without doubt superior in terms of connectivity options, durability, portability and battery life.