A Portable TV in a Motorhome?

Every motorhome trip started with the same questions.

"Mum, will there be a bedtime story tonight?"

"Are we watching the football?"

"Can we put on a film tonight?"

Why not a classic 12V caravan TV?

Of course, there are 12V televisions designed specifically for caravans and motorhomes. But they all share the same problem — the screen is usually quite small, the sound isn't great, and most importantly: the moment you're sitting outside under the awning in the evening, a TV fixed inside the vehicle is completely useless to you.

That's when a friend gave me some advice: "Don't buy a caravan TV. Buy a portable TV."

Thomson 27FE7M45 — exactly what we were looking for

We ended up with the Thomson 27FE7M45, and I have to say it's been one of the best investments in our Phoenix. It isn't really a traditional television at all — it's a portable smart display that you can set up practically anywhere. And that's precisely its biggest advantage.

In the evening we sit outside under the awning, open a bottle of wine, the kids watch a cartoon or we catch a sports broadcast — and it feels exactly like sitting on the terrace at home.

Why this model?

Built-in battery

No need to worry about power. The integrated battery lasts approximately 4 hours — more than enough for an evening film or a football match. If you have an inverter or 230V socket in your motorhome, you can use it indefinitely.

Sound that actually surprises you

This was the real revelation. Most thin TVs sound like a large phone. Here the speaker is integrated directly into the stand — the result is 43 W including a subwoofer, so the sound is surprisingly full and clear. For the first time, we didn't need to connect an external Bluetooth speaker.

Just the right size

The display is 27 inches (69 cm) — large enough to watch comfortably from a few metres away, but still easy to carry and doesn't take up excessive space.

Google TV

Just connect it to Wi-Fi and it works just like at home — Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, Spotify and dozens of other apps. Built-in Chromecast means you can easily cast content from your phone.

Full HD instead of 4K? Yes, deliberately.

Many people automatically reach for the 4K version. I chose Full HD on purpose — it was about 30% cheaper, Full HD looks excellent on a 27" screen, it uses significantly less mobile data when streaming, and puts less strain on the campsite internet or Starlink connection.

Honestly? Watching a film outside under the awning, you won't notice the difference from 4K.

Other pleasant surprises

The TV also offers features we didn't buy it for but appreciate: a touchscreen Full HD display, a 5MP webcam, a microphone for video calls, Dolby Audio + DTS Studio Sound, adjustable stand height, and the option to rotate the display to portrait orientation (pivot).

One thing worth knowing: it doesn't support VESA mounting, so it can't be attached to a standard TV bracket.

How we actually use it

For us, the TV is almost never inside the vehicle. I carry it outside under the awning, connect it to Wi-Fi (usually via the Starlink Mini or our 5G router) and within a few seconds everything runs just like at home. In the evenings we watch the news, the kids watch cartoons, and at weekends it's football or Formula 1.

If it starts raining? It takes a few seconds to bring it back inside.

My verdict

After several months of use, I can say this was one of those purchases where you find yourself thinking: "Why didn't we buy this years ago?"

If you camp regularly, spend evenings outdoors under the awning, and don't want to compromise on screen size, sound quality, or mobility — the Thomson 27FE7M45 is an excellent choice. As a family, we couldn't be happier with it, and it's now hard to imagine our travels without it.