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Trexonic portable TVs are cheap, battery-powered 10- to 14-inch TVs with built-in digital tuners, and in 2026 they still work well as a backup screen for power outages, camping, and tailgates, as long as you accept short battery life and a basic picture. The 12-inch TR-D12 and 14-inch TRX-14D pick up free local channels with an included antenna and accept High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), Universal Serial Bus (USB), and memory card sources. This Trexonic portable TV review covers the lineup, what owners report about reception and battery life, how the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) 3.0 transition affects these sets, and which rivals to consider.
Quick verdict: A Trexonic portable TV gives you live local TV anywhere for about $100 to $160, plus enough inputs to double as a small screen for a game console or streaming stick. Owners report only 1 to 2 hours of battery life, the picture tops out around 720p, and quality control varies. For an emergency kit or car trips, it does the job. Check Trexonic portable TV prices on Amazon.
Key takeaways
- What it is: A line of 10- to 14-inch rechargeable light-emitting diode (LED) and liquid crystal display (LCD) TVs with built-in ATSC digital tuners, plus 12.5- to 15.4-inch TV and digital video disc (DVD) player combos.
- Price: The 14-inch TRX-14D sold for about $119 to $284 on eBay listings in fall 2026, and Walmart listed the 10-inch model at $97. Prices change often.
- Main strength: It runs on battery, wall power, or a 12-volt car outlet and pulls in free local channels without Wi-Fi or a subscription.
- Main weaknesses: Owners report about 1 to 2 hours of battery life, and the included antenna struggles in weak signal areas.
- Bottom line: A good, cheap backup TV for outages and travel, not a replacement for a main TV.
Trexonic portable TVs at a glance
| Spec | Trexonic 14-inch (TRX-14D) | Trexonic 12-inch (TR-D12) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen | 14-inch LED, 16:9 | 12-inch LED, 16:9 |
| Resolution | Listed as 720p high definition (HD) | 1280 x 800 (listed as 720p) |
| Tuner | Built-in ATSC digital tuner | Built-in ATSC digital tuner |
| Inputs | HDMI, USB, Video Graphics Array (VGA), audio/video (AV) in and out, Secure Digital (SD) and MultiMediaCard (MMC) card slots, headphone jack | HDMI, USB, VGA, AV, SD card slot, headphone jack, coaxial antenna input |
| Power | Built-in rechargeable battery, wall charger, car charger | Built-in rechargeable battery, alternating current (AC) adapter, 12-volt vehicle input |
| Battery life | Not published; owners report about 1 to 2 hours | Not published; owners report about 1.5 hours |
| Weight | Not published | About 2 to 2.5 pounds |
| In the box | Remote, wall charger, car charger, detachable telescopic antenna | Remote, AC adapter, detachable antenna, stand |
Specs come from eBay listings for the TRX-14D, the TR-D12’s retail listing, Walmart’s listing for the 10-inch model, and CordCutters. Listings for the same model sometimes disagree on resolution, weight, and included accessories, so check the seller’s details before you buy.
The Trexonic portable TV lineup
Trexonic sells several sizes through Walmart, Best Buy’s marketplace, Newegg, Kohl’s, and eBay, and model numbers vary by seller:
- 10-inch: A 1024 x 600 LCD with a digital tuner, USB, SD and MMC slots, and two composite inputs, but no HDMI, according to Walmart’s listing for the 10-inch model.
- 12-inch (TR-D12): The most popular model, with HDMI and VGA inputs and a weight of about 2 to 2.5 pounds.
- 14-inch (TRX-14D): The largest TV-only model, sold in several colors, with the same input mix as the 12-inch.
- TV and DVD combos: 12.5-, 13.3-, 14.1-, and 15.4-inch models add a DVD player. Newegg lists the 12.5-inch combo with a 1366 x 768 screen, an ATSC and frequency modulation (FM) radio tuner, and a car adapter.
Design and portability
Trexonic TVs look like small tablets with a fold-out stand. The 12-inch model measures about 12 x 8 x 1 inches, and CordCutters praised it as very light with a rubberized kickstand. Physical buttons sit on the frame, and each set ships with a small remote.
The included telescopic antenna screws into the side, and a coaxial input lets you connect a bigger antenna. For a bedroom or kitchen, check our guide to the best TV size for a bedroom to see whether a full-size budget TV makes more sense.
Reception and the digital tuner
The built-in ATSC tuner lets you watch free over-the-air broadcasts from local stations such as ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, and PBS without the internet. Owner reports on the TR-D12’s retail listing are mixed: some found plenty of local channels, while others said the included antenna picked up only a few and upgraded to an outdoor antenna. One reviewer noted that bilingual broadcasts defaulted to Spanish audio until they changed the setting.
Reception depends mostly on where you are. Near a city, the included antenna usually works. In rural areas or inside a metal-roofed building, plan on an amplified portable TV antenna. Run a channel scan each time you move to a new area.
Picture and sound
Don’t expect a sharp picture. The 12-inch model’s 1280 x 800 panel and the 14-inch model’s roughly 720p panel look fine for news, sports, and cartoons at arm’s length, but text and fine detail look soft. Colors shift when you view from an angle, and owners describe the picture as good for a portable set rather than great.
The built-in stereo speakers sound thin but get loud enough for a quiet room. Use the headphone jack or a pair of wired headphones in a car or tent.
Battery life and power
Battery life is the biggest weakness. Trexonic doesn’t publish runtimes, and CordCutters said owners report only one to two hours from the 12-inch model, while a reviewer on the TR-D12’s retail listing reported about 1.5 hours. That covers a newscast or a single game, not a full evening.
Every model also runs on wall power, and the 12- and 14-inch models accept a 12-volt car outlet. For longer outages, pair one with a portable power station. That setup can keep the TV running for many hours, which makes it useful during storms when cable and internet go down.
Inputs and extra uses
The 12- and 14-inch models have HDMI, VGA, AV, USB, and memory card inputs, which makes them more flexible than many rivals. You can connect a game console, a laptop, a DVD player, or a streaming stick, or play videos and photos from a USB drive or SD card. Our G96 TV stick review and Fire TV Stick 4K Max review cover two streaming options, though any stick needs Wi-Fi and its own power.
Reliability and the ATSC 3.0 question
Quality control varies. Reviews on Walmart’s listing for the 10-inch model rate it 2.1 out of 5 from just eight ratings, with complaints about opened packaging, missing parts, and a battery that wouldn’t charge. The 12-inch model fares better, at 4.2 out of 5 from 249 reviews on the TR-D12’s retail listing, though a few owners reported screen failures. The 12-inch carries a 90-day limited warranty, so test everything right away.
Trexonic sets use ATSC 1.0 tuners, the standard most US stations still broadcast. The industry is gradually moving to ATSC 3.0 (NextGen TV). In 2023, as Cord Cutters News reported, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) required stations to keep offering ATSC 1.0 signals and set a July 2027 sunset date for the simulcasting rules, with a review planned for 2026. If stations in your area eventually drop ATSC 1.0, these TVs would lose those channels.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Built-in ATSC digital tuner for free local channels
- Runs on battery, wall power, or a 12-volt car outlet
- HDMI, USB, VGA, AV, and memory card inputs on the 12- and 14-inch models
- Light, at about 2 to 2.5 pounds for the 12-inch model
- Low price, usually around $100 to $160
Cons
- Short battery life of about 1 to 2 hours, according to owners
- Low resolution, around 720p at best
- Included antenna struggles in weak signal areas
- Inconsistent quality control and short warranties
- Older ATSC 1.0 tuner won’t receive ATSC 3.0 broadcasts
Trexonic vs. other portable TVs
Amazon is our main affiliate partner, and it carries Trexonic portable TVs along with several rivals with digital tuners. Prices change often, so check current listings before you buy.
Compare similar portable TVs on Amazon
| Portable TV | Screen | Reported battery life | Best for | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trexonic 14-inch (TRX-14D) | 14 inches | About 1 to 2 hours | Largest screen with HDMI | Check price |
| Trexonic 12-inch (TR-D12) | 12 inches | About 1.5 hours | Light, all-around portable | Check price |
| Leadstar 12.1-inch portable TV | 12.1 inches | About 2 to 3 hours | Longer battery life | Check price |
| Pyle PLTV1053 | 10 inches | Over 2 hours | Car trips with a dash mount | Check price |
| Tyler TTV701 | 7 inches | Up to 80 minutes | Smallest and most compact | Check price |
- Leadstar 12.1-inch: CordCutters named it the best overall portable TV for its sharper screen and 2 to 3 hours of battery life, though it weighs more.
- Pyle PLTV1053: It includes a car dash mount and a cigarette lighter adapter, but its 1024 x 600 screen falls short of HD.
- Tyler TTV701: This 7-inch set fits in a glove box, but its battery lasts only about 80 minutes.
Who should buy a Trexonic portable TV?
Buy a Trexonic portable TV if you want live local news during power outages and storms, a small TV for camping, tailgating, a recreational vehicle (RV), or a kitchen counter, or a cheap screen for a retro console or DVD player. Choose the 12- or 14-inch model for the HDMI input. Skip it if you need long battery life, a sharp picture, or a TV for daily viewing, where a budget 32-inch smart TV makes more sense.
Frequently asked questions
Does a Trexonic portable TV get local channels?
Yes, a Trexonic portable TV gets free local channels through its built-in ATSC digital tuner and included telescopic antenna. How many channels you get depends on your distance from broadcast towers. Some owners found the included antenna weak and switched to a larger antenna through the coaxial input.
How long does a Trexonic portable TV battery last?
A Trexonic portable TV battery lasts about 1 to 2 hours, according to owner reports. Trexonic doesn’t publish a runtime, so plan on wall power or a 12-volt car adapter for longer viewing.
Can you plug a streaming stick into a Trexonic portable TV?
Yes, you can plug a streaming stick into the 12-inch and 14-inch Trexonic portable TVs, since both have an HDMI input. The stick still needs Wi-Fi, such as a phone hotspot, and its own power source. The 10-inch model has no HDMI input.
Will Trexonic portable TVs work after the switch to ATSC 3.0?
Trexonic portable TVs will keep working as long as local stations broadcast in ATSC 1.0, the standard their tuners use. Most US stations still do, but the industry is moving toward ATSC 3.0 (NextGen TV), and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is still weighing how and when stations can drop the older signal.
Final verdict
Trexonic portable TVs deliver exactly what their price suggests: free local TV and a handful of useful inputs in a light, rechargeable package. Short battery life, a soft picture, and uneven quality control keep them from being great, but for an emergency kit or road trips they offer real value. Pick the 12-inch TR-D12 or 14-inch TRX-14D, and add a power bank or car adapter. Check current Trexonic portable TV prices on Amazon.