Over the last year there has been an increase of portable handheld electronic video magnifiers reaching the Assistive Technology market. These devices are of great benefit to those of us with low vision.
This post will provide information about the current products and vendors currently on the market. The links in the chart below will take you to either the manufacturers’ website or that of the distributor of the particular product. The remainder of the chart will show at a glance the key features of these products. This post features “handheld” devices that have screens that are smaller than 7′” in size.
Product comparison Chart
| Product | MSRP | Magnification Powers | Screen Size** (inches) | Distance Viewing | Multiple Color Viewing Modes | Image Capture/ Freeze Frame | Writing* | Battery Life (Hours) | Dimensions W x H X D (inches) | Weight (oz) |
| Aukey | $295 | 1.5 – 17x | 3.5WS | No | 3 | Yes | No | 2.5 | 4.1 x 2.8 x .67 | 4.2 |
| Crystal | N/A | 3x, 4.5x, 6x | 3.4WS AMOLED | No | 3 | Yes | No | 3 | N/A | 5.7 |
| Compact+ | $795 | 5x, 7.5x, 10x | 4.3WS | No | 5 | Yes | Yes | 3 | 5.3 x 2.9 x 1.2 | 9.6 |
| Compact Mini | $395 | 2x – 11x | 3.5 | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 3 | 5.3 x 2.9 x 1.2 | 4.7 |
| Eye-Q | $495 | 4x – 15x | 4.2WS | No | 3 | Yes | Yes | N/A | 5.9 x 3.1 x 1.1 | 8.3 |
| Explora Plus | $465 | 4.5x – 9X | 3.5 | No | 3 | Yes | No | N/A | 3 x 3.4 x 1 | 4 |
| FarView | $1495 | 2x – 42x | 4.3WS | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | 4 | 6.3 X 3.2 X 1.3 | 10.3 |
| feather | $ | 2x – 32x | 3.5WS | No | 2 | Yes | No | 3 | 4.5 x 3 | 3.8 |
| Junior | $695 | 3X – 9x | 4 | No | 4 | No | Yes | 3 | 5 x 5 x 1.5 | 11 |
| Looky | $645 | 3x – 8x | 3.5 | No | 3 | Yes | Yes | 2 | N/A | 7 |
| Maggie | $198 | 4x, 6x, 8x, 11x | 3WS | No | 2 | Yes | No | 3.5 | 2 x 3.5 x .5 | 2.5 |
| Pebble 3.5 | $595 | 2x – 10x | 3.5 | No | 28 | Yes | Yes | 2 | N/A | 7.7 |
| Pebble 4.3 | $645 | 2x – 10x | 4.3 | No | 28 | Yes | Yes | 2 | N/A | 7.7 |
| Pico | $745 | 3x – 11x | 4 | No | 4 | Yes | Yes | 1.25 | 6.5 x 3.5 x 1 | 10 |
| QuickLook Classic | $695 | 5x, 7x, 9x | 4.3WS | No | 56 | Yes | Yes | 4-7 | 6.7 x 3.7 x 1.1 | 8.4 |
| QuickLook 2 | $695 | 3x – 24x | 4.3WS | No | 56 | Yes | Yes | 5 | 5.5 x 3.2 x 0.9 | 7.8 |
| QuickLook 2-GO | N/A | 3X, 4.5X, 6X, 9X | 4.3WS | No | N/A | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| QuickLook Focus | $979 | 3x – 18x | 4.3WS | No | 56 | Yes | Yes | 4-7 | 6.7x 3.7 x 1 | 8.4 |
| QuickLook Touch | N/A | 3x – 18x | 4.3WS | No | 56 | Yes | Yes | 4-7 | 6.7x 3.7 x 1.1 | 8.4 |
| QuickLook Zoom | $789 | 3x – 18x | 4.3WS | No | 5 | Yes | Yes | 4-7 | 6.7x 3.7 x 1.1 | 8.4 |
| Ruby | $745 | 2x – 14x | 4 | No | 5 | Yes | No | 2 | 4.9 x 2.9 x 1.3 | 7.7 |
| SenseView Portable | $795 | 4x – 22.5x | 4.3WS | No | 6 | Yes | Yes | 5 | 5.7 x 3.2 x 0.8 | 7.8 |
| SenseView Duo | $995 | 3x – 13x | 4.3WS | Yes | 6 | Yes | Yes | 4.5 | 7 x 3 x 1.1 | 9.1 |
| SenseView Light | $595 | 1.5x – 10.5x | 3.4WS OLED | No | 5 | Yes | No | 3.5 | 4.5 x 2.6 x 0.7 | 5.28 |
| SmartView Nano | $245 | 5x – 20x | 1.8 | No | 2 | Yes | N/A | 3 | 4.5 x 3 x 0.8 | 3,7 |
| SmartView Versa | $745 | 15x | 4.3WS | No | 5 | Yes | Yes | N/A | 5.5 x 3 x 1 | 7 |
| SmartView Versa+ | $895 | 15x | 4.3WS | No | 5 | Yes | Yes | N/A | 5.5 x 3 x 1 | 7 |
* Writing compatibility is Signatures & other limited writing.
** Screens are LCD, unless otherwise noted.
WS = Widescreen
AMOLED = Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode
OLED = Organic Light Emitting Diode
N/A – Not Available
Vendors / Distributors
Crystal
QuickLook Classic
QuickLook 2
QuickLook 2-GO
QuickLook Focus
QuickLook Touch
QuickLook Zoom
Ruby
SenseView Portable
SenseView Duo
SenseView Light
SmartView Nano
SmartView Versa
SmartView Versa+
Optelec –
Compact Mini
Compact +
FarView
Aukey
Eye-Q
Maggie
feather
Junior
Looky
Pico
Pebble 3.5 & 4.3
Explora Plus
