We've sent a lot of the Asus USB 3 MB168/9B series DisplayLink monitors plus I use one with my Tecra Z50-A series laptop. Together they weigh very little and it's neat to see the suits look over at the dual monitor setup while I'm waiting for a flight. ;0)
Both laptop and monitor have the same resolution which I find to be best as mousing about between two different resolution monitors can be a bit of a pain.
I'm looking to replace the Z50 at some point preferably with a 15" Surface Book series. But, they are quite pricey here in Canada so I'll stretch my Z50 out a bit longer.
I replaced the spinner with an Intel SSD DC S3520 800GB SSD. That was like being handed an entirely new machine!
I keep a 600GB Intel DC S3500 series SSD in a StarTech USB3 2.5" enclosure to provide added storage and for all of my demo VMs. The laptop, the Asus MB168B+, and the external SSD are about the best package I could and still can get for the money.