Can I build a gaming desktop and use my laptop as the display?
Asked by
MellowPine42
I'm a college student who usually plays games in bed and doesn't have room for a desk. I'd like to build a desktop because I want to play demanding AAA games and have the option to upgrade components later, but I can't use a TV because I share the room with a roommate. Is there a practical way to connect the desktop to my laptop and use the laptop's screen and keyboard? I'm new to PC hardware and would appreciate an explanation of how it would work, including any graphics or performance limitations.
Answers
The most practical option is to run the games on the desktop and stream them to the laptop using software such as Sunshine on the desktop and Moonlight on the laptop. The desktop still needs the proper graphics card and does all the rendering; the laptop mainly displays the streamed video and sends back your controls. You’ll want a strong, low-latency network connection, preferably wired or using a good 5 GHz/6 GHz Wi-Fi setup. College or dorm networks may block or throttle this kind of traffic, so that could be the biggest problem.
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A normal HDMI cable usually won’t let a desktop use a laptop screen, because most laptop HDMI ports are output-only. You can technically connect the desktop through a USB capture card, but it adds complexity and some input delay, so it isn’t ideal for fast-paced games. A portable monitor powered by USB is a simpler alternative if you can find somewhere to place it.
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A gaming desktop can be cheaper and more upgradeable than a high-end gaming laptop, but you still need to account for the monitor or streaming setup, keyboard, mouse, and a place to safely put the computer. If you’ll always be playing in bed, streaming to the laptop can work, but check the network situation first. Otherwise, a gaming laptop may be worth considering purely for convenience and portability.
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MellowPine42: So the desktop’s graphics card is what matters for the game’s graphics? The laptop would mostly just receive the picture, right?