How to Use Laptop Monitor for Switch in 2021?

Do you want to be able to play your Nintendo Switch on a bigger screen? 

If so, this is the guide for you! 

This blog post will show you how to use laptop monitor for your Nintendo Switch. 

Follow these steps, and you will soon be playing Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in HD glory on any surface with an HDMI port.

This article will give you all of the information that you need to know about using your laptop as a monitor for your Nintendo Switch. 

We’ll explain how to connect them and what accessories are needed.

So without further ado, let’s get started!

How Can I Use My Laptop as a Monitor for Nintendo Switch?

The Nintendo Switch is the ultimate gadget for avid gamers. 

It comes with two versions: a regular version and the Lite edition, which was designed to be more lightweight and affordable than its older counterpart.

The standard model sells at $299, while its slimmer sibling will set you back by only about $199 – making it easier on your pocket, as well!

The Nintendo Switch is a versatile gaming system with options for TV mode and handheld modes.

The regular version of the console has three play modes:

TV Mode—suitable for playing on TVs; Tabletop Mode —great when you want to use your own screen or share it between multiple people in close quarters; Handheld Mode- perfect if you’re looking to be able to carry around games wherever life may take you!

The new Nintendo Switch Lite also only plays in the handheld mode but doesn’t require as much power to run longer without needing an outlet.

I love my Nintendo Switch because Nintendo Switch is a gaming console that can be used as a handheld device or connected to the TV. 

When you connect it to a TV, your TV will display precisely what is on your Switch screen. 

The problem with this is that sometimes we want to play in another room and do not have the Nintendo Switch Dock (the stand for connecting console).

So now, can you use your laptop as a monitor for your Nintendo switch?

The answer is YES. You can use your laptop as a monitor for your Nintendo switch.

However, you will need some accessories to use your laptop as a monitor for your switch.

You will need an HDMI cable and a Video Capture Card.

Your laptop will need a Video Capture Card to be used as the Nintendo Switch Monitor.

The HDMI on your computer can only work as Display Output and not input, so you’ll have to get an external video converter for it to work with both of these devices at once.

A Video Capture device will do just that for you.

The Video Capture Card is a device that allows you to capture the video signals from your Nintendo Switch and bring them over to your laptop via USB.

There are many Video Capture Cards on Amazon, which you can find by clicking here.

Last but not least, you will also need an HDMI cable, which is necessary to connect your Nintendo Switch to the Video Capture device.

So here’s how you can use your laptop as a monitor for Nintendo Switch:

  1. Connect your Nintendo Switch to Video Capture Card via HDMI cable. 
  2. Open the game capture software on your laptop. I recommend you use OBS as your game capture software.
  3. Turn on your switch.
  4. Add Video Capture Device as a source on your game capture software.
  5. Voila! Now you will see your switch gameplay on your laptop screen.

If you are not sure about how to do all these steps correctly, here’s a neat video that will help you.

Please take note that this tutorial doesn’t work on the Nintendo Switch Lite version.

Also read: Can You Play DS Games on Switch?

Can I Use My Laptop as a Monitor for My Other Consoles?

Now, this is a question that is worth asking.

Can you use your laptop as a monitor for PS4 or Xbox One?

The answer is yes, you can!

You can use your laptop as a monitor for other consoles, but you will need different hardware and software.

You will still need a Video Capture Device to do this.

As we said earlier, most HDMI in a laptop is used for display output.

So using it as an input device would be very uncommon and hard to do since many laptops don’t have the proper ports or connections.

That is why you need a video capture device to use your laptop as a monitor for your other consoles.

That being said, you can use your laptop as a monitor for PSX, Xbox One, and PSVR.

The steps will be similar to the steps I have shown above on using your laptop as a monitor for your Nintendo switch.

All you need to do is just follow the steps I’ve mentioned in this post.

Can I Use My Laptop as an HDMI Monitor?

This is a common question. And the answer depends on what type of laptop it is.

If you have a laptop with an HDMI input, then yes! You can use your laptop as an HDMI Monitor.

You can use your laptop as an HD monitor for anything with an HDMI output, such as PSX, Xbox One, and even Nintendo Switch.

However, a laptop with HDMI input isn’t just uncommon. It’s surprisingly rare.

If your laptop does not come with one, it’s possible to purchase a Video Capture Card, as I mentioned above in the Nintendo Switch tutorial.

This way, you can use your laptop as an HDMI Monitor, which is cheaper than buying an expensive HD monitor.

Conclusion: So Can You Use Your Laptop as a Nintendo Switch Monitor?

To conclude this blog post, Yes, you can use your laptop as a Nintendo Switch monitor.

However, if your laptop does not come with an HDMI input, the only way to do so is by purchasing a Video Capture Card.

This will turn your laptop into an HD monitor for any device with an HDMI output like PlayStation or Xbox One and even Nintendo Switch!

So there you have it. I hope this article helped you in some way or another!

I would love to hear from you if it did or not. 

Please don’t forget to share and leave a comment below.

About the Author
Hi, I'm Steve. I'm a proud gamer. I have been active within the gaming sphere for 30+ years. As gaming is something I enjoy very much, I want other people to enjoy it also. That is exactly why I started this blog.

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