Hosyond 10.1″ Touch Screen Monitor for Raspberry Pi Review
February 18, 2025
Discover why the 15.6'' 1080P IPS Portable Monitor became my unexpected tech fave. Light, vibrant, and effortlessly versatile—it's a gadget dream come true.
Hosyond’s 10.1-inch touch screen is a small HDMI display made first for Raspberry Pi projects and second for everything else. It has a 1024×600 IPS panel behind tempered glass with five-point capacitive touch, two small speakers, a 3.5 mm headphone jack and a single dial that handles both volume and brightness. It runs on 5 V USB power at a rated 4.8 W, and Hosyond packs in HDMI and USB power cables, an HDMI adapter for the Raspberry Pi and a stand. It supports the Pi 5, 4, 3B+, 3, 2 and Zero, plus the Banana Pi and BeagleBone Black, and works with Windows 7, 8 and 10, the Xbox and the PS4 without drivers.
Key Specifications at a Glance
| Specification |
Detail |
| Screen Size |
10.1 inches |
| Resolution |
1024 x 600 |
| Pixel Density |
About 118 ppi |
| Aspect Ratio |
16:9 |
| Panel Type |
IPS LCD |
| Touch |
Five-point capacitive, tempered glass |
| Refresh Rate |
60Hz |
| Response Time |
8 ms |
| Contrast Ratio |
1000:1 |
| Viewing Angle |
178 degrees |
| Brightness |
Not stated (adjustable with the dial) |
| Colour Gamut |
Not stated |
| Screen Finish |
Glossy |
| Video Input |
HDMI |
| Audio |
Two built-in speakers, 3.5 mm headphone jack |
| Controls |
One dial for volume and brightness |
| Power |
5 V DC over USB, 4.8 W rated |
| Supported Boards |
Raspberry Pi 5, 4, 3B+, 3, 2 and Zero; Banana Pi; BeagleBone Black |
| Supported Systems |
Raspberry Pi OS, Kali Linux, Ubuntu, Kodi; Windows 7, 8 and 10 |
| In the Box |
HDMI and USB power cables, Raspberry Pi HDMI adapter, stand |
| Weight |
1.88 lb |
| Warranty |
Term not stated |
Our Quick Take
The Hosyond is a sensible, affordable way to give a Raspberry Pi a touch screen you can read from arm’s length, with speakers and the main cables in the box. Tempered glass and five-point touch are the right choices for a panel people will tap all day, and HDMI means it works with any Pi, a PC or a console. Its limits are the resolution, which is tight for a full desktop, and missing details such as brightness and the warranty term. If you own a Pi 5, compare it with Raspberry Pi’s own 10-inch Touch Display 2 before you buy. Either way, buy it for a project, not to extend a laptop.
The Screen: What 1024×600 Gets You
At 10.1 inches, 1024×600 works out to about 118 pixels per inch. That’s coarser than a 15.6-inch 1080P portable monitor at about 141 ppi, but fine at the distance you’d normally look at a panel like this, and large icons and touch buttons look clean. The limit is space rather than sharpness. Six hundred pixels of height is shallow: a Raspberry Pi desktop fits, but some settings windows and dialogs can open taller than the screen, and a web page shows only a few paragraphs at a time. Software built for small screens, such as kiosk dashboards, Kodi, retro game front ends and 3D printer touch interfaces, suits it far better than a regular desktop does.
The panel is IPS, with a 178-degree viewing angle and a 1000:1 contrast ratio, both normal for the type, so colours hold up when you look from the side. That matters for a screen on a wall or lying flat on a workbench. There’s no brightness figure or colour range, only a note that the dial adjusts brightness, so treat it as an indoor screen. The finish is glossy tempered glass, which makes colours look rich and wipes clean after a day of fingers, but it reflects lamps and windows, so think about where the light comes from before you fix it anywhere. 60Hz and an 8 ms response time are plenty for menus, video and retro games.
Touch
Touch is five-point capacitive under tempered glass, the same kind of touch a phone uses, so light taps register without pressing hard, and two-finger gestures such as pinch-to-zoom work wherever the software supports them. Five points is plenty for a control panel or a game on a 10.1-inch screen. It’s plug and play, with no drivers needed on Raspberry Pi OS or on Windows 7, 8 and 10.
Touch travels separately from the picture. HDMI carries video and sound, while touch goes back to the computer over USB. The included USB lead is described only as a power cable, and the ports aren’t described, so check the photos or ask the seller before you plan a build. On many small displays one USB port carries both power and touch, which means powering the screen from a wall charger instead of the computer would leave touch disconnected.
On a Raspberry Pi, expect one setting to change. Raspberry Pi OS can run a touch screen in mouse-emulation mode, where a tap is a click and a long press is a right-click, and recent releases have used it by default. It suits the file manager but blocks scrolling and pinch gestures. If those don’t work, switch the screen to multitouch mode on the Screen Configuration page of Control Centre. The same page lets you assign the touch screen to the right display, which is what keeps touch lined up if you mount the screen upright for a portrait dashboard. Test both early in a build, not after the screen is fixed into a frame.
On a Windows 10 PC with more than one screen, touch can land on the wrong display the first time. Tablet PC Settings in the Control Panel has a Setup button that fixes this: tap the Hosyond when Windows asks, and it maps touch to that screen. Windows 11 isn’t on Hosyond’s list. Standard USB touch screens usually work on it, but that’s not a promise from the seller.
Setting It Up With a Raspberry Pi
Check the HDMI connection first, because Raspberry Pi models use different sockets. The Pi 5 and Pi 4 have micro HDMI, the Pi Zero has mini HDMI, and the Pi 3 and Pi 2 have full-size HDMI. Hosyond includes HDMI cables and a Raspberry Pi HDMI adapter that links the Pi’s HDMI port straight to the screen, which on displays like this usually means the Pi sits on the back of the panel. Which connectors the adapter and cables have isn’t stated, and neither is whether there are mounting holes for the board. If you have a Pi 4 or 5, be ready to buy a micro HDMI cable or adapter until you’ve seen what’s in the box.
Power comes second. The screen is rated at 4.8 W at 5 V, which is roughly 1 A. A Pi 4 shares 1.2 A across all of its USB ports, so the screen takes most of that before you plug in a keyboard or a drive. A Pi 5 limits its USB ports to 600 mA, about 3 W, on anything other than a 5 A supply, which falls short of the screen’s 4.8 W rating, and raises the limit to 1.6 A with the official 27 W supply. The simple fix for either is to give the screen its own 5 V USB charger, as long as touch still has a USB path to the Pi.
To a Pi it’s a plain HDMI display, and Raspberry Pi OS normally picks the best resolution the screen reports on its own. If the picture ever looks stretched or cropped, setting the output to 1024×600 in Control Centre is the first thing to try. Sound comes over HDMI too, so if the speakers stay silent, check that the Pi’s audio output is set to HDMI.
It’s a natural fit for a Home Assistant or smart-home wall panel running a browser in kiosk mode, a touch controller for a 3D printer, a retro games box where the built-in speakers save you buying any, a Kodi player for a kitchen or workshop, or a desk clock, weather board or photo frame.
Using It With a PC, Laptop or Console
Away from a Pi, it’s a small HDMI monitor with touch. On a laptop you need an HDMI port or a USB-C to HDMI adapter, because it takes video over HDMI only, plus a USB connection for power and touch. At 1024×600 it won’t hold a document next to a browser, but it’s good at jobs that need a small panel that’s always visible: a system monitor showing temperatures, a music player, a chat window during a stream, or stream controls you tap instead of click. Sim-racing fans use screens this size as dashboards, and PC builders fit them inside or beside a case as sensor panels.
Macs aren’t on Hosyond’s list. Over HDMI the picture should work like any monitor, but macOS has no built-in support for touch screens, so on a Mac treat it as a display, with taps acting as simple clicks at best.
The PS4 and Xbox are supported. Both can output 720p or 1080p, and the Hosyond scales that picture down to its 600 lines, so the image is softer than on a 1080P screen and small in-game text can be hard to read. It works for a casual game on a desk or a child’s console in a bedroom, and the speakers and headphone jack mean you need nothing else, but a 1080P portable monitor shows these consoles much more clearly. Touch does nothing with a console.
Audio and Controls
The two built-in speakers are small, and their output isn’t given. They’ll do for system sounds, a show on Kodi in the kitchen or the bleeps of a retro game, and the 3.5 mm jack takes headphones or powered speakers when you want more. The single dial adjusts both volume and brightness. How you switch between the two isn’t explained, so look for instructions in the box or ask the seller before you mount the screen somewhere out of reach.
Build and Stand
A stand is included, but its type and angles aren’t described, so check the photos. No VESA mount is mentioned. Amazon’s listed dimensions of 6.5 x 4.02 inches are too small for a 10.1-inch screen, which measures roughly 8.7 by 5 inches before any frame, so measure the screen yourself before you build an enclosure or cut a wall opening for it. The warranty term isn’t stated either, so confirm it with the seller before you buy.
Which Size?
Hosyond also sells this screen in a 5-inch size and two 7-inch versions, IPS-black and IPS-blue, all for less. The smaller screens suit compact builds, handheld projects and printer controllers where space is tight. The 10.1-inch is the one to choose if people will read text or tap small buttons on it, or if it has to double as a monitor.
How It Compares
Raspberry Pi’s own Touch Display 2 is the rival Pi owners should know about, and since July 2026 it comes in a 10-inch size. That model has a 1200×1920 panel, nearly four times the Hosyond’s pixels, with ten-finger touch, a ribbon-cable connection and power drawn from the Pi, so there are no HDMI or USB leads to route. Raspberry Pi launched it at $80, close to the Hosyond’s price. The catch is compatibility: it works only with a Pi 5 and Compute Modules on suitable boards, not a Pi 4, earlier models or the Zero series. The 5 and 7-inch Touch Display 2 models, the 7-inch at 720×1280, use five-finger touch.
So the choice is fairly clear. With a Pi 5 and a project that only ever needs a Pi, the official 10-inch display is the stronger buy on sharpness and tidiness. The Hosyond makes more sense with a Pi 4, a Zero or an older board, when you want built-in speakers and a headphone jack, or when the same screen has to work with a PC or a console over HDMI.
If what you really want is a second screen for a laptop, look at a portable monitor instead. Our PONKLOIE 13.3-inch review covers a budget screen with USB-C, mini HDMI and the cables in the box, and our InnoView 15.6-inch touchscreen review covers a 1080P touch monitor with more than three times the pixels. The buying guide covers the rest.
Potential Drawbacks to Consider
| Consideration |
Detail |
| Low resolution for a desktop |
1024×600 suits dashboards and small-screen apps, not documents side by side. |
| HDMI only |
Laptops need an HDMI port or an adapter. |
| Brightness and colour not stated |
Plan on indoor use. |
| Glossy glass |
Reflects windows and lamps. |
| Pi 4 and Pi 5 connection unclear |
Newer Pis use micro HDMI, and the connectors on the included adapter and cables aren’t stated. |
| Power from the Pi can fall short |
About 1 A at 5 V. A Pi 5 without a 5 A supply limits its USB ports to 600 mA. |
| Listed dimensions look wrong |
Measure the screen before building an enclosure. |
| No warranty term |
Confirm the warranty with the seller before buying. |
| Consoles look soft |
720p and 1080p signals are scaled down to 600 lines. |
Who This Monitor Is Best For
Raspberry Pi 4, Zero and older-board builders who want a readable touch screen with sound: 10.1 inches is big enough to read and tap from arm’s length, and the speakers and jack save a separate audio setup.
Makers building control panels: smart-home wall panels, 3D printer controllers and workshop dashboards are exactly what five-point touch on glass is good at.
PC users who want a small touch status screen: temperatures, music, chat or stream controls on a panel beside the main monitor, over an HDMI lead plus USB for power and touch.
Retro gaming builds: a Pi, a controller and this screen make a compact games box that needs no external speakers.
Who Should Look Elsewhere
Pi 5 owners who only need a screen for the Pi: Raspberry Pi’s 10-inch Touch Display 2 has nearly four times the pixels and ten-finger touch, connects by ribbon and runs from the Pi’s power, at a similar price.
Laptop users who want a work screen: 1024×600 over HDMI is too little room for documents. A 13.3 or 15.6-inch portable monitor with USB-C does far more.
Bright rooms and outdoor installs: with no brightness figure and a glossy finish, this isn’t a safe choice near windows or in sunlight.
Mac users who want touch: macOS has no built-in touch screen support, so you’d be paying for a feature you can’t really use.
Pros and Cons
| Pros |
Cons |
| 10.1-inch size, readable from arm’s length |
1024×600 is cramped for a full desktop |
| Five-point capacitive touch on tempered glass |
HDMI only, no USB-C video |
| No drivers needed on Raspberry Pi OS or Windows 7, 8 and 10 |
Brightness and colour range not stated |
| Built-in speakers and a 3.5 mm headphone jack |
Glossy glass reflects light |
| One dial for volume and brightness |
Pi 4 and Pi 5 micro HDMI fit not confirmed |
| Low power draw: 4.8 W at 5 V |
A Pi’s USB ports may not power it on their own |
| HDMI and USB cables, Pi adapter and stand included |
Listed dimensions don’t match the screen size |
| Works with any Pi, PCs and consoles over HDMI |
No warranty term given |
Final Verdict
The Hosyond 10.1-inch touch screen does the job it was designed for. It gives a Raspberry Pi a screen big enough to read and tap comfortably, puts proper capacitive touch behind glass, and adds speakers, a headphone jack and the main cables, though a Pi 4 or 5 owner may still need a micro HDMI lead and a separate 5 V charger before the project runs. HDMI means it isn’t tied to one board either: it works as a small touch panel for a PC or a simple screen for a console.
Its weak spots are the missing details: no brightness figure, no colour range, no port description and no warranty term. None of that stops it working, but confirm the connections and plan the power before you build anything permanent around it. It also faces a strong rival: for a Pi 5 project, Raspberry Pi’s own 10-inch display offers a much sharper screen at a similar price.
Our take: for Pi 4, Zero and older-board projects, printer controllers, retro boxes and PC status panels, the Hosyond is a good, practical pick at a fair size, and its HDMI input and speakers are real advantages. For a Pi 5-only build, check the official display first. As a second screen for laptop work, it’s the wrong tool, and a portable monitor will serve you much better.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does it work with a Raspberry Pi 5?
Yes, the Pi 5 is supported. It has micro HDMI ports, so check that the included adapter or cables fit, and note that a Pi 5 without a 5 A supply may not be able to power the screen from its USB ports alone. If your project only needs the Pi, also look at Raspberry Pi’s 10-inch Touch Display 2, which is made for the Pi 5.
Do I need drivers for the touch screen?
No, not on Raspberry Pi OS, Kali Linux, Ubuntu or Kodi on a Pi, or Windows 7, 8 and 10 on a PC. Touch works over USB, not HDMI. On Raspberry Pi OS, switch the screen to multitouch mode in Control Centre if you want scrolling and pinch gestures.
Can the Raspberry Pi power the screen?
Sometimes. The screen is rated at 4.8 W, about 1 A at 5 V. A Pi 4 shares 1.2 A across its USB ports, and a Pi 5 allows 600 mA unless it has a 5 A supply such as the official 27 W unit, which raises that to 1.6 A. A separate 5 V USB charger is the safer choice, provided touch still connects to the Pi over USB.
Can I use it as a second screen for my laptop?
Yes, over HDMI, with USB for power and touch, but 1024×600 only suits small jobs such as a chat window, a music player or system stats. For real work, a 13.3 or 15.6-inch portable monitor is a better buy.
Is the screen really 16:9?
Near enough. The 1024×600 pixel grid is 1.71:1 rather than 16:9’s 1.78:1, but panels this size often use slightly wide pixels to fill a 16:9 screen. You won’t notice the difference in normal use.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
