Independently, gaming offers a truly spectacular experience. However, gaming consoles like the PlayStation 4 or PS4 can help take this amazing feeling to even greater heights. These unique consoles offer non-stop entertainment and the games that you can play on them are nothing short of incredible.
The best part of the deal is that you’re allowed to hook up your PS4 console to your laptop screen! Doing this will offer you an even more immersive gaming experience, helping you explore new boundaries in the world of gaming and entertainment.
That being said, you must know how to connect PS4 to laptop with HDMI properly as this will greatly influence your ease and comfort when you play. With this in mind, we’ll be going over everything that you need to know to manage this task successfully.
Enjoy!
The Complete Guide to How to Connect PS4 to Laptop with HDMI Like a Pro
There’s no doubt at all that connecting your PS4 console to your PC can change how you experience gaming considerably. However, it bears mentioning that this process isn’t necessarily a simple one. This fact is made even more prominent because there are different ways that you can carry out this particular process.
To help get you set up here, we’ll be extensively covering the various ways that you can easily connect your PlayStation 4 to your laptop screen with minimal stress. But, even more than this, we’ll also be going over the various elements that you should put into consideration extensively when carrying out this activity.
All of this is to ensure that you get maximum display and all the other dividends that come with this exercise.
What to Remember
Earlier, we mentioned that connecting your PS4 to your PC can be a bit tricky. Now, perhaps the biggest reason for this is the fact that, for this process to work, it demands that your laptop possess the video input feature. Now, this is where things often get a little complicated.
This is because the video input feature in most laptops differs from what’s found on a notebook. As such, it’s often challenging for most people to figure out where to go from there. Yet, decoding this problem is crucial as it’s impossible to hook up these two gadgets otherwise.
Of course, the first thing that most PS4 console owners do is try to connect the High Definition Multimedia Interface or HDMI cord directly to their console, expecting everything to work itself out from there.
Sadly, it isn’t so easy.
This is sadly the case because the typical HDMI cable doesn’t support the two-way connection feature. On the contrary, it’s a purely unidirectional connection system. To further complicate things, even if the HDMI had two-way connection capabilities, things would still inevitably come to a standstill because both your laptop and PS4 feature only output ports.
What all of this translates to is that setting up a simple connection isn’t going to get you what you want here!
Having established that, we’ll now be looking at two different approaches that you can employ to achieve the desired result. These solutions are fairly simple to implement and will get you what you want without you having to break a sweat!
Without further ado, here they are!
The Best Ways to Connect Your PS4 Console to Your Laptop Screen Using HDMI in 2023
As we mentioned earlier, there are two common quick-fix solutions that you can employ to get things done here. Either of these approaches will help you effortlessly convert your laptop into a display screen within moments.
Here’s all you need to know to employ these two systems.
Method One – By Using a Video Capture Card
Perhaps the most popular way to hook up a PS4 console to a laptop screen using HDMI is to use the video capture card. This is a remarkably simple approach that’ll ultimately feel no different than connecting your console to a standard LCD TV screen.
Following this method of approach successfully only requires that you remain fully focused on the task at hand for a few moments and perform a few key actions. With this, your laptop’s cardmaking screen will be activated and you can start gaming like never before.
However, before moving forward, you’re going to need a few supplies.
We’ll be going into further details on that below.
Materials Needed to Connect a PS4 Console to a Laptop Using a Video Capture Card
It goes without saying that you’re going to need a PS4 console and a laptop for the task at hand. Beyond this, however, you’re going to need five (5) different resources.
These include:
– WIFI or Ethernet connection capabilities
– An HDMI cable with dual-functioning capabilities
– A high-quality video capture card
– A high-quality S-video connection cable
– File sharing enabled
When you have all of the above resources in place, you simply need to follow the four (4) steps highlighted below to get things done.
Step One – Configure All Settings and Connections
Along these lines, the first thing that you need to do is enable the file-sharing capabilities of your gaming console. To do this, you’ll have to find your way to the PS4 menu interface, click on the “Settings” options and scroll down to the “Network Settings” feature. Access the “Internet Connection Settings” feature, and confirm that your Internet connection is up and fully connected.
In the place of a wireless connection, you could also make use of Ethernet cables to connect your device to the Internet. The aim of going through these procedures is to help ensure that you’ll be able to connect both devices effortlessly.
Step Two – Install and Set Up the Required Software
After you’ve configured your Internet connection settings, the next thing to do here is to connect your video capture card to your PC. This you can easily do via any USB port on your laptop. You should note that performing this action also results in an S-video connection as well.
Moving forward, you’ll note that a certain software came with your video capture card. This software is what will help you successfully initiate the card-to-function. So, you have to be sure to install it promptly and correctly.
Again, for emphasis, make sure that any video capture card you use is of the highest quality that you can afford. Otherwise, you might get subpar results.
Step Three – Attach Your HDMI Cord and PlayStation 4 to the Capture Card
This is the point where things start to get to a head as we’re now nearing the end of all that needs to be done.
Here, you would need to firmly connect your video capture card to your gaming console. To do this successfully you would need a good-quality S-video connection cable. Once you have this resource, simply connect the HDMI-IN phase to your card and the opposing HDMI-Out phase to your gaming console.
And now, we’re in the final stretch!
Step Four – Activate the Program
With all other things in place, run the application program that came with your video capture card (the one you installed in Step Two) while powering on your gaming console. Then, wait for a few moments. This is to allow time for the software to search for your console and then display it on your laptop screen.
For maximum effect, make sure that your laptop is set to the highest resolution levels. And with that, you’re ready to start playing your favorite PS4 games straight from the screen of your laptop!
It’s worth mentioning that, although a little hectic, you only have to complete this process once and you’ll be able to use it freely subsequently for as long as you want.
Method Two – By Using the Built-In Recording Function
For those who don’t want to go through the hassle of procuring the resources needed for Method One to work, there’s another simpler and far less stressful approach that you can take, and this involves simply streaming your laptop screen!
The reason we didn’t lead with this method of action is that some users may not find it as satisfying and gratifying as the first approach.
That being said, this method is quite flawless in our opinion, and gets all five stars from us!
How It Works
You simply need to start the game you want to play, hit the “Share” setting on your console, and activate the recording for all your gameplay. With your HDMI connected, you’ll be able to easily capture all of the action streaming from your PS4 on the screen of your laptop or PC.
The one potential drawback of this method is that you’ll have to initiate this sequence of actions every time you want to play. Beyond that, you’ll be fairly pleased with the results that you get here.
Conclusion
Getting your PS4 to play on the screen of your laptop with HDMI can be a lot of work. But when you’re sitting back and enjoying the stunning visuals on the screen of your PC, you’ll be more than happy that you took the time and effort to set things up.
So, what are you waiting for?
Start setting up your new and improved gaming environment now!
Kenny Trinh is a seasoned expert in the field of laptops and technology, boasting an extensive background enriched by years of hands-on experience and in-depth research. With a keen eye for innovation and a passion for staying ahead of the technological curve, Kenny has established himself as a trusted voice in the tech community. Holding a prestigious degree in Computer Science, he combines his academic insights with practical expertise to deliver valuable insights and recommendations to his readers and followers. Through his work, Kenny aims to demystify complex tech concepts, empowering individuals to make informed decisions and optimize their digital experiences.