TV:s are, as you know, traditionally used to watch television or stream things. However, in recent years TV:s have become more and more popular to use when gaming. This has a lot of potential upsides and some downsides. Is the TV really a viable option for gaming?
You definitely can use your TV as a computer monitor for gaming, if your computer and TV share the same port type. All modern devices should have an HDMI port, so if your TV and computer are both fairly modern, using a TV as a computer monitor for gaming is a fine option. Keep in mind, however, that TVs are usually more expensive than regular computer monitors.
Now that you know the barebones information about TV uses in computer gaming, let’s go over it in detail below. Keep reading to find out why you should use a TV as a monitor for gaming, and why you might not want to do so.
Can You Use a TV as a Computer Monitor For Gaming?
As I touched on briefly before, you can definitely use your TV screen as a monitor for gaming on your computer, and in fact, a lot of people do so. Now, there are a few things to keep in mind that differentiate TVs from computer screens. Let’s get into it.
Before you buy a new TV to use for gaming on your computer, check the specifications of your GPU and what it can handle in terms of HDMI. For example, newer TVs with an advertised refresh rate of 60 and a resolution of 4K demand HDMI 2.0, and if your GPU doesn’t have such a slot, your TV won’t show those qualities when connected to your computer.
Of course, if you want to use a TV as a gaming monitor for your computer, you should just go for it. A lot of times, the situation dictates whether it’s possible or not. If you don’t have space to place a computer desk with a computer monitor, then using a TV is a great idea.
When playing FPS games, for example, it’s important that things happen when you want them to, as results are often based on split-second decisions. Most TVs have some input delay, which isn’t optimal when gaming. Keep this in mind when playing on a TV.
Finally, TVs use different technology than monitors designed for gaming, so if a TV monitor and a computer monitor have the same advertised specifications, they might not perform the same on your computer.
A TV usually uses post-processing technology to accomplish higher refresh rates, which means that if your fps rates are high enough in a game, you won’t get the refresh rates you want. For example, if you’re playing Counter-Strike at 120 fps and expecting 120Hz from your TV, that might not happen.
Of course, if you’re playing single-player games that are capped at 60 fps, for example, a TV will provide you with a much bigger size, and the frame rate problem discussed earlier won’t be an issue.
Is It Better To Use a TV or a Computer Monitor For Gaming?
Let’s go over some positives and negatives regarding TVs and monitors and weigh them together to see which one is best for gaming.
First of all, responsiveness. Computer monitors are more responsive than TVs, which means your split-second decisions present themselves on the screen faster. This can be important for some games. Plus, the relatively slow response time of a TV can cause bugs such as ghosting and artifacts on your screen.
One big plus for TVs is the convenience of playing. You can use a TV that’s already there, and with all the wireless devices nowadays, you can play comfortably from your couch. Again, if this is an option or not depends on what games you’re playing.
Gaming monitors for PCs are built for gaming. This means crisp detail with high pixel density and responsiveness and overall qualities meant to suit gaming. TVs are built for watching things on them, and as such their build quality reflects this fact.
In summary: Don’t buy a TV to get a competitive edge. In general, using a TV for gaming on your PC is a fine idea if you’re looking to game casually but think twice if you’re going to play more fast-paced competitive games.
Sure, there are TVs designed for gaming but they’re very expensive and aren’t necessarily “better” than computer monitors. Of course, this all comes down to personal preference in the end. Plenty of people play PC games on their TVs.
What’s the Downside of Using a TV as a Gaming Monitor?
Let’s list the negatives of using a TV as a gaming monitor, so it’s crystal clear. Keep in mind that there are also positives to using a TV.
- Comparatively slow responsiveness
- With a 50ft+ HDMI cable, quality will get worse
- Big and clunky
- Oftentimes lower refresh rate
- Picture quality not designed for gaming
- More issues with visual artifacts and ghosting
- Worse pixel density (PPI)
- A lot of TVs don’t have DP (display port) ports
Of course, there is more to consider but these things are the obvious downsides in my opinion. As I’ve stated before, TVs are usually fine to play games from your PC on, but for those that really want to min-max their experience, these cons are things to keep in mind.
How To Use a TV as a Computer Monitor
Some people wonder how you use your TV as a monitor for your computer. In truth, it’s just as easy as connecting your regular computer monitor. First, find the port type that is mutual for your computer and TV. This is usually HDMI, so let’s use that connector in this example.
After this, plug an HDMI cable into your TV. It might be hard to spot, but every HDMI port on a TV has a name. Memorize this name if possible. Then, connect the other side of your HDMI cable to an HDMI port in your computer that is connected to your GPU.
It’s quite easy to find out whether or not you’ve connected the HDMI to your GPU or your motherboard, as the monitor won’t display anything if you’ve connected it to your motherboard.
After you’ve connected both ends of the HDMI cable, turn on your TV and select the channel corresponding to the port you’ve plugged the HDMI cable into. For example, if you plugged the cable into the HDMI 1 port, select the channel HDMI 1.
You’re done! You can now begin to use your TV as a computer monitor.
How Do You Optimize a TV For Gaming?
There are quite a few things you can do to make your TV perform to the best of its abilities when it comes to gaming, so let’s go over them. I’ve listed my top tips below.
Toggle On Game Mode
Some TVs have an option to toggle on “game mode”, which you should do if it’s available. It’s a setting used to lower input & display lag, and it works quite well. As for all these tips, how you turn this setting on depends on what TV you have.
Configure Your Settings
Configure your settings in general. This goes for color, light, and “dynamic contrast” settings. For color, turn down contrast as low as you find comfortable. If the contrast is too high, it can cause visual bugs which we don’t want.
For brightness, turn to about 50 percent, and keep in mind that you can use this to adjust visibility depending on what game you’re playing. Some games, such as Dark Souls, are inherently very dark, while games such as Apex Legends are very bright.
What Size TV Is Best For Gaming?
This is largely subjective because optimal TV sizes for you depend on how your gaming space looks. If you have a smaller space to work with, then a smaller TV is preferred. If your TV is far from where you’re sitting then it’s better to have a bigger TV.
Price-wise, bigger, cheap TVs aren’t optimal for gaming. The cheap price usually comes from a lack of display quality instead, which will make your gaming experience suffer.
If I were to buy a TV to use as a computer monitor, I’d buy a 32-inch TV with good gaming capabilities. Sure, you sacrifice a bit in size but gain in screen quality compared to the bigger screen discussed before.
What Type of TV Is Best For Gaming?
As I’ve discussed earlier in this article, TVs usually have input delay and issues with displaying proper quality because of how they’re designed. These are some of the most important things when it comes to gaming, and so I would definitely look for TVs with low input lag that have screen quality designed for gaming.
Listed below are some examples of TVs that are designed to game on.
As you can see, TVs designed for gaming are decidedly more expensive than computer monitors with the qualities when it comes to gaming. As such, you should consider buying a PC monitor if possible.