So you just brought your PS4 – the console you’ve been dreaming of.
Unfortunately, you may have spent your entire budget on the gaming console alone, without a monitor to connect your PS4 with.
Luckily, you can still play PS4 games on your laptop. How so, you may ask? Simple: Use your laptop screen as a monitor for PS4.
The truth is, as long as you have a laptop, you do not need a separate monitor; your laptop screen is all you need.
This guide will show you how to use the laptop as a monitor to play PS4 games.
Can You Use a Laptop As a Console Monitor?
Now you may be wondering, is it even possible to use your laptop as a monitor for a gaming console?
The short answer is yes – as long as you have a modern device. By this, we mean that your device should meet the following general requirements:
- HDMI port
- USB port
- Wireless internet connection
The longer answer is that it’s not as straightforward – it depends on your console and hardware. Let us see why.
Can I Use My Laptop As a Screen For My PS4?
Yes, it is entirely possible.
Despite this, you cannot just connect PS4 to the laptop directly using a video cable and start playing games.
You might have seen recent posts claiming that you can get away with using just a cable and no additional hardware. Don’t be fooled – things are not so simple with the PS4.
On standard laptops, the HDMI port does not provide a duplet link; it can only process output and not display input.
This means that to display PS4 on your laptop, you need an additional piece of hardware called a ‘capture card.’
Additionally, if you wish to use the wireless option, you also need a high-speed internet connection.
You need to understand both options before you use laptop devices of any kind.
How Do You Connect a PS4 To Laptop?
There are two ways to connect your laptop as a monitor for PS4.
The first way is to connect your PS4 to the laptop screen using a feature called Remote Play.
The second way is to link your PS4 directly to your laptop using video capture cards and a dual-function HDMI cable.
We will show you the requirement and steps required for both. Then, from the two methods, choose the easiest one for you to set up and use.
Using Video Capture Card
A video capture card – or VCC – is a unique piece of hardware that allows a computer to capture on-screen content and play it back live.
They can be used with video game consoles, computers, and even cameras. For our purposes, the VCC will allow your PS4 console to display output on most laptops.
Try and purchase a sound-quality video card – preferably with USB 3.0 and 1080p video streaming at least.
Video Capture Card Method Requirements
- Laptop with USB support
- Video Capture Card
- Dual-link HDMI cable
- PS4 console with file sharing enabled
- Wireless internet connection
You can enable file sharing on your PS4 through the Network Settings option. If you don’t have wireless, use LAN cables to link your devices on the same network through ethernet.
Note that you’ll need a dual-link (type B) HDMI cable – a single-link HDMI cable (type A/C/D) will not work with this method.
How To Use Laptop As Monitor For PS4 With HDMI
Once your requirements are all met, you need to take the following steps:
Step 1
Connect your video capture card to your laptop through a USB port.
Check to see if your laptop is connected to the internet to install the drivers and software needed for the VCC automatically.
Step 2
Connect the video capture card to your PS4 using an S-Video connection cable.
Step 3
Attach the HDMI. There will be two ports: a video input port and a video output port. It would help if you connected the HDMI-in to the VCC and the HDMI-out to your PS4.
Step 4
Now, turn on your PS4 from the start button and run the software for your video capture card. If you followed all the steps, you should see the PS4 video output on your laptop screen.
You’re all set! Now you can play PS4 games without a separate monitor through the video capture card.
Using Remote Play
If you do not have an S-Video connection cable and a video capture card, you can use Remote Play instead.
Sony Remote Play is a feature that allows your PS4 gaming console to transmit both audio and video on other devices. In other words, it will enable most laptops to play PS4 games.
Remote Play Method Requirements
- Laptop with USB support
- PS4 Console and DualShock controller
- USB cable
- Sony Remote Play app
- High-speed internet connection
Sony recommends that you use at least 5 Mbps internet for broadband as a minimum requirement. For the best experience, use an ethernet connection offering at least 15Mbps of speed.
With a slower connection, you may experience latency issues – a significant time delay between issuing a command on your PS4 controller and seeing the response on your screen.
How To Use Laptop As Monitor For PS4 With Remote Play
Once you have met the above requirements, you can follow the steps below to use your laptop as a monitor for PS4:
Step 1
Download and install the Remote Play app on your laptop from the Sony website here, if you haven’t already (don’t worry – it’s available to download for free!).
Step 2
Power on your PS4 system. Once it starts up, go to:
Settings > PlayStation Network > Account Management
If the ‘Active as Primary PS4′ option is not enabled, check to enable it.
Step 3
Check to see if your console has the latest operating system installed. If not, you can update to the latest version by running System Software Update from your PS4 settings.
Step 4
Now, go to:
Settings > Remote Play Connection Settings
From here, Enable the Remote Play connection.
Once it is enabled, make sure your PS4 console remains powered on. Then, you can switch your console to Rest Mode for better economy and efficiency.
Step 5
The next step is to allow your console to turn on from any network.
Go to:
Settings > Power Save Settings > Set Features Available in Rest Mode > Enable Turning on PS4 from Network.
Step 6
Plugin your DualShock controller into your laptop. You can connect the controller either directly via USB cable or wirelessly.
For the wireless option, press down the PlayStation and Share buttons on your controller simultaneously. As soon as the LEDs of the controller starts flashing, it should pair with your device in a few seconds.
If this step fails, try again until your controller is connected correctly.
Step 7
On your laptop, open the Remote Play app. If you haven’t installed the app yet, go back to Step 1.
From the app, go to the Settings option. Here, adjust the frames-per-second (fps) and screen resolution settings according to your device specifications – this will ensure a smooth gaming experience.
Step 8
Finally, log in to the app using your PS4 account details. If you have followed all the steps correctly so far, you should see the PS4 video on your screen.
Now, it wasn’t that easy!
Final Thoughts
Even with the PlayStation 5, the PlayStation 4 remains popular and will continue to support new game releases for many years to come.
If you do not have a separate gaming monitor, there is no need to worry – you can still play plug in your PS4 to your laptop screen and play games.
We have shown you two ways in which you can use your laptop to play PS4 games. The first method required a video capture card and HDMI cable, and the second method is the wireless connection option using Sony Remote Play.
See what works best for you based on your requirements: if you have slow internet, you’re better off using the VCC. On the other hand, if you do not have additional hardware, the wireless option is much simpler.
Here’s to great PS4 gaming sessions ahead of you!
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