You’ve settled into your favorite spot, but the TV is occupied. Your PlayStation 4 is ready for an adventure, but the main screen is tied up. In moments like these, a question often pops up: can you use your laptop as a portable screen for your PS4? The answer is a hopeful yes, but it’s not as simple as plugging in a cable.
Connecting your PS4 to a laptop opens up a world of convenience, letting you game or stream content in a more personal, flexible space. Let’s look at the ways you can make this connection happen.
Why Your Laptop’s HDMI Port Is for Output Only
Most people first try to connect an HDMI cable from the PS4 to their laptop. This almost never works. The HDMI port on nearly every laptop is an output, designed to send a signal to a larger monitor or TV. It is not built to receive a video signal from an external device like your console. Trying to use it this way will simply give you a blank screen.
The Best Method: Using Remote Play
The most reliable and official way to connect your PS4 to your laptop is through Sony’s Remote Play feature. This free software streams the video and audio from your PS4 directly to your laptop over your home Wi-Fi network, effectively turning your laptop into a wireless monitor.
To get started, you’ll need to download and install the PS Remote Play app on your Windows PC or Mac. On your PS4, go to Settings > Remote Play Connection Settings and enable the feature. You’ll also need to link your device from the settings menu. Once connected, you can control your PS4 from your laptop, playing games and accessing all your apps.
Considering a Capture Card for a Wired Solution
If you need a super stable, low-latency connection or your network isn’t ideal for streaming, a capture card is a powerful alternative. This is a small hardware device that acts as a bridge. You connect your PS4’s HDMI output to the capture card, and then connect the card to your laptop via USB.
The capture card takes the video signal and makes your computer recognize it as a webcam or video source, which you can then view in software like OBS. This method provides a direct, wired connection, which is excellent for competitive gaming or creating content.
Getting the Best Remote Play Experience
For a smooth Remote Play session, a strong and stable internet connection is crucial. For the best results, connect both your PS4 and your laptop to your router with Ethernet cables instead of using Wi-Fi. This minimizes lag and prevents video quality from dropping. Also, close any unnecessary applications on your laptop to free up processing power.
Whether you choose the wireless freedom of Remote Play or the solid performance of a capture card, your laptop can indeed become a great secondary screen for your PS4. It just takes the right approach to bridge the gap.
Leave a Reply