If you’re the proud new owner of a PlayStation 5 console, games are best enjoyed on a large-screen TV. With Sony’s latest spatial audio integrations, gaming on a smaller screen simply doesn’t do your experience justice. However, connecting your PS5 to other screens can be challenging.
If you want to connect your PS5 to your laptop, desktop monitor, or television, a few options are available, and this quick guide will take you through each method.
Can Your Laptop Handle It?
Plugging your PS5 into a computer monitor is one thing – you can easily do that with an HDMI cord. However, laptops are a different story.
Not all laptops are compatible with a PS5 connection. To even attempt a connection, you must ensure your laptop satisfies the following requirements:
- Windows 10 OS or later
- I7 processor with a minimum clocking speed of 2.6GHz
- At least 2 GB of RAM
- 100 MB of storage space
- 1024 x 768 display resolution
In addition, you’ll need an internet speed of at least 5 Mbps or an ethernet cable for potential hardwiring. Unless you’re using a DUALSHOCK 4, you’ll also need a USB cable to connect to your laptop.
Connecting Via PS Remote Play
The easiest way to play PlayStation 5 games on your laptop or desktop is by streaming them via the PS Remote Play app.
The app is available for Windows and Mac. Log into your PSN account after installing it, and it’ll automatically scan for PS5 consoles that are ready to stream on your laptop or desktop computer.
To allow the app to see your PlayStation 5, you will need to enable remote play on your console.Just visit the System – Remote Play menu in your console’s settings, and activate the option “Enable Remote Play“. And this is it!
For streaming, you’ll need a solid internet connection. Even then, your stream may experience moderate lag. While not a dealbreaker in most cases, playing games with ultra-high FPS settings can quickly become frustrating.
You can reduce lag and other potential problems by using an Ethernet cable to plug the PS5 directly into the router, laptop, or desktop. This way, you’ll get the fastest possible speeds – although you get a reduction in mobility, and you might have to purchase the Ethernet cables (affiliate link) if you don’t have any available.
Still, the PS Remote Play app remains the easiest method.
However, if you need a solid internet connection or want to try a different approach, you can use a capture card to send your PlayStation 5 signal to your laptop’s screen.
How to Play PS5 Games on Laptop Screen Using a Capture Card
If you want to avoid potential lag and connection issues that arise from the PS Remote Play app usage, you can invest in a capture card.
These cards are popular with streamers on Twitch or Youtube. Their primary role is broadcasting the video signal from the console to the laptop’s screen (or your desktop computer) without lag and interruptions.
The downside is that these are relatively expensive. Still, it’s an easy workaround – just purchase something reliable and lag-free.
Our recommended capture card (link below)
A good capture card that is the Elgato HD60 S (affiliate link). While expensive, it’s high-performing and easy to use. It offers a 1080p60 capture rate, extremely low latency, and flashback recording.
There are cheaper cards on the market, but beware of lagging and overheating. Ultimately, what capture card you choose will depend on the games you play and their minimum processing requirements.
How to Connect the Capture Card to Your PS5 and Laptop
While these instructions are based on the Elgato HD60 S, they are also applicable to most capture cards:
1. Connect the USB-C cable to the capture card, then the other end to your laptop or desktop’s USB 3.0 port. Connect it to your USB 3.0 port, not older ones, for maximum performance!
2. Plug the HDMI cable into your PS5 and the other end into the HDMI IN port on your capture card.
3. Plug in another HDMI cable into the card’s HDMI OUT port and the other end into your laptop or PC monitor
And this is it! You can now play PlayStation 5 games on your laptop or desktop without any lag. It’s more difficult (and costly) than simply using the remote play option, but it does have the advantage of being more reliable.
Can’t You Simply Connect Your PS5 to Your Laptop Via HDMI Cable?
While connecting your PS5 to your laptop via HMDI would be a simple fix, it, unfortunately, isn’t possible. Why? The PlayStation 5 and most laptops only have HDMI OUT ports. Nowadays, very few laptops come equipped with HDMI IN ports.
And no, the HDMI male-to-female adapter hack connecting the laptop to receiving video signal doesn’t work either.
(If you achieve this using an HDMI male-to-female adapter, let us know in the comments section below!)
Conclusion
The easiest way to play PS5 games on your laptop or desktop screen is to use the PS Remote Play app, available on Windows and Mac.
All you need is a solid internet connection and a high-performing laptop. While there may be some hiccups along the way, it remains the most accessible and cheapest method to achieve this.
Buying a capture card provides more stability, but it can be expensive.
Ultimately, your preferred method is up to your hardware and gaming habits. Your best bet is to try Remote Play, as it is immediately available, then attempt the other method if Remote Play doesn’t suffice.
Remember that PS Remote Play is inadequate if you play online multiplayer games. Regarding survival and FPS titles, even a fraction of a second matters.
The good thing is that you have options; in the end, it’s not a complicated process.