I recently bought an OLED TV and have been moving my desktop PC between my room and the living room two or three times a week so I can game on it. The PC weighs about 16 kg, but the weight itself isn't really the problem. It's awkward to grip, has fragile and expensive components, and I have to carry it down stairs while worrying about damaging a roughly $2,000 machine. The whole process makes me anxious, especially because the case has a curved front and a large mirrored panel. What are some safer, less stressful ways to play on the TV without repeatedly hauling the PC around?
4 Answers
Long-term, keeping the desktop permanently connected to the TV is the least stressful setup. You could use a separate monitor for the desk, build a smaller living-room PC, or add a compact client device that streams from the main machine. A case with a proper handle may make occasional transport safer, but downsizing alone won’t eliminate the risk if the components are dense.
If the rooms are on the same floor, put the PC on a sturdy computer stand, small platform cart, or furniture dolly with locking casters. A hand truck with padding can also work, but secure the case and take the stairs slowly. Make sure the wheels won’t catch on thresholds and that the PC can’t tip over.
The easiest solution is game streaming. Run Sunshine or Apollo on the PC and use Moonlight on the TV, a streaming box, or a small client device. A wired Ethernet connection between the PC and the TV gives the best latency and reliability, but good Wi‑Fi can work as a starting point. Your controller can connect to the client device instead of the desktop.
Run a long HDMI 2.1 cable from the computer to the TV instead of moving the computer. For a long distance, a fiber-optic HDMI cable is usually more dependable than a cheap passive cable, especially if you want 4K, HDR, and high refresh rates. You may also need a USB extension cable or USB-over-Ethernet solution so the controller receiver has a good connection near the TV.
This is the most direct option if you can hide the cables along the baseboards or run them through the walls. It avoids the compression and possible latency of streaming entirely.
This is probably what I’m going to do. I tried a similar setup before and wasn’t happy with the latency, but I’ll give Moonlight and Sunshine another shot, preferably over Ethernet.