Can you use a TV as a computer monitor?

Most computers aren’t all-in-one devices. Unless you buy a laptop or a tablet, you need additional peripherals to make your computer work. These extras include a keyboard, mouse, and monitors. However, modern televisions generally are able to fulfill computer monitor functions, so what’s stopping you from using them interchangeably?

Can you use a TV as a computer monitor?

Hopefully it comes as no surprise that you can use a TV as a computer monitor. Both devices accept the same inputs (e.g., HDMI) and deliver the same visual outputs. You could use a TV screen instead of a monitor to save money on your PC build, and you can also connect to a TV as a quick and dirty second monitor. The reverse is also true: computer monitors such as the Samsung M8 can also serve double duty as a smart TV. However, asking whether you can use a TV as a computer monitor is ultimately the wrong question. To paraphrase Ian Malcolm (played by Jeff Goldblum) in Jurassic Park: Some people are so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.

Why you should use a TV as a computer monitor

The best argument in favor of using TVs is, well, they do tend to be bigger than computer monitors. More importantly, TV screens are generally less expensive than computer monitors of comparable size. While not universal among all brands, PC monitors generally sit between 22 and 32 inches, whereas TV screens usually start at 32 inches and can stretch as much as 85 inches or more. Depending on the TV’s resolution, this increase in screen size could provide a lot more space to work with. With a large enough screen, you could potentially fill a TV with more application windows than would ever fit on a computer monitor, assuming the CPU and RAM are up to the task of running them simultaneously. Prices fluctuate wildly between models and stores, but television sets are usually a better deal than a monitor. Unless you buy a computer monitor on sale, you are probably going to pay anywhere between $300 to $400 for a 32 inch screen. Television sets of the same size, meanwhile, tend to be in the $100 to $200 range.

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TV sets have a few more sizable advantages over computer monitors, the first of which is OLED displays. Any screen that utilizes this technology boasts superior image and color quality when compared to normal LED tech. The difference is night and day, especially when gaming. While OLED computer monitors are becoming more common, more stores carry OLED TVs. Moreover, TV screens are built standard with speakers, whereas computer monitors only occasionally include speakers. If you want to save money, a TV with built-in speakers will do the job, but you might still want to purchase additional speakers for richer audio. On the other hand, you will most likely need to purchase speakers to go with your computer monitor.

If you’re looking to save a few (hundred) bucks on a screen and want your money to be spent on as much visual real estate as possible, you should consider using a TV screen instead of a computer monitor.

Why you shouldn’t use a TV as a computer monitor

While a TV screen’s larger size sounds like (and is) a selling point, it is also a double-edged sword due to how pixels work. Most television and computer screens have 1080p and 4K resolutions. This knowledge raises the question of how computer and TV screens share these resolutions despite size differences. The answer is pixel density and size. Computer screens pack in more pixels per inch (PPI), and the higher the PPI, the crisper and sharper the image, especially when viewed up close. Television screens, meanwhile, are always fuzzier no matter the displayed subject due to lower PPIs and larger pixels.

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Not only do computer monitors squeeze more pixels into smaller spaces, they can also come in ultrawide formats. Colloquially known as ultrawide monitors, these peripherals look like an equivalent of placing two or more screens side by side. As a result, ultrawide monitors provide much more space to work with – a blessing when you need multiple windows open at once. While ultrawide monitors are generally more expensive than a single TV or computer screen, they are cheaper than purchasing two monitors and placing them side by side. Plus, ultrawides free up HDMI cables and ports. Some ultrawide monitors are even curved to provide better display angles.

ultrawide monitor setup with doom eternal wallpaper

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4 reasons I went for an ultrawide monitor and I’ll never go back

It’s all about immersion and productivity

Computer monitors have several other advantages over TVs, including higher refresh rates and near-universal compatibility with all computers. However, the biggest argument in favor of a monitor is that many tout features that go beyond display quality, and television sets lack most if not all of these extras. For example, many modern monitors have built-in cameras and microphones that come in handy during Zoom chats. Third-party cameras and microphones generally provide sharper images and better recording quality, but unless you’re using them to livestream games in front of an audience you probably don’t need to spring for those…unless you use a TV with your computer, then that’s your only option.

Furthermore, many computer monitors have video inputs other than HDMI ports. These include USB-C, Thunderbolt, and DisplayPort connections. Since these input types are designed for computers, television sets usually can’t accept them without adapters. And even if you do own an adapter, a television won’t be able to take advantage of the other features these cable formats offer. For instance, USB-C wires can transfer video signals and power along the same line – so if you plug a laptop into a USB-C monitor, you can simultaneously charge your computer while using the larger display.

While computer monitors are generally more expensive than television screens, you are paying for clearer images, better refresh rates, and feats that TVs can’t replicate.

How to set up a TV as a computer screen

Preparing your television to serve as a computer is really no different from preparing it to serve as, well, a television. The only difference is where you are connecting the TV: linking with a cable box or a PC/Mac.

The steps you need to follow are quite easy:

1. Set up your TV screen as you would any other television.

2. Plug an HDMI cable into an HDMI port on your TV. Insert the other end into an HDMI port on your computer. Make a note of which TV HDMI port you used.

3. Alternatively, you could plug a VGA cable into the appropriate ports on your TV and PC (if applicable) or use an adapter (e.g., USB-C to HDMI).

4. Plug the TV into a wall outlet and do the same with the computer. If it is a laptop, you don’t need to plug your computer in if it’s charged.

5. Turn on the TV and change its signal source to the relevant HDMI port which you’ve used.

Assuming you don’t run into any odd compatibility issues, your TV screen should display your computer desktop or whatever program you currently have running. However, if you are connecting a television to either a laptop or a computer that already has a monitor, you could use the TV as a second screen instead. In this scenario, television sets (or any secondary monitors for that matter) initially clone the display. If the TV screen is larger than the computer monitor, you can see what you are doing in potentially greater detail or show it to an audience. Should you want to use the attached TV as a second screen, you will have to alter some computer display settings as suggested below.

If you are using a PC:

1. Right-click on an empty space on the desktop.

2. Select Display Settings (for Windows 10) or Display (for Windows 11) from the drop-down menu.

3. Change the Multiple Displays selection from Duplicate these displays to Extend these displays.

4. If you want your main monitor to serve as the primary display, click and drag on the box labeled 1 under Rearrange your displays (for Windows 10) or Customize your display (for Windows 11) so that 1 is to the left of the box labeled 2.

5. Click Apply.

If you are using a Mac:

1. Open the Settings menu.

2. Click Displays.

3. Click the Arrange button.

4. Drag and drop the screens in the Arrange Displays box so that they match your live setup.

5. Click Done.

You might need to finagle your television and computer screen settings a bit to keep the scaling and text size consistent and legible, but once you’re done, you should have a bigger workspace on a reasonable budget.