Conventionally, it is easier to connect your PS4 to a gaming monitor, but sometimes other people may be using it, forcing you to resort to other means. If you have a MacBook and love its fantastic displays, you may find it an ideal alternative for use as a monitor, but is it possible?
So, can you use a MacBook as a monitor for PS4? Unlike regular monitors, there is no direct way to hook a PS4 console to the MacBook using an HDMI cable. The Mac ports do not allow data input; therefore, they cannot translate the information. However, there are workarounds like downloading the Remote Play app that lets you stream PS4 content wirelessly. Otherwise, you can link the cable through a video capture card, although the visuals and audio will not be high quality.
PlayStation has a massive library, and you don’t want to miss out on your favorite games. However, if you don’t have a display monitor around, your first instinct would be to connect it to your MacBook if this is the only monitor available. The only question is whether they are compatible.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to natively connect your MacBook to a PS4 using an HDMI cable. The HDMI ports in your laptop do not support data input; they are exclusively for transferring data to other devices.
One workaround is streaming content from the console through Remote Play, which works wirelessly. With reliable internet and macOS running on your laptop, you can access games and play using the PS4 controller or MacBook keyboard.
Most gamers use massive monitors with the PS4, which use HDMI linking while plugging into the console. If the screen has two ports, you only have to attach your console to the other slot and adjust the inputs.
The only challenge is when the monitor has a single HDMI port since you will have to find a splitter to set the console and PC. MacBooks have only one HDMI port, giving you hope that it will also work using a splitter.
Sadly, the MacBook’s build is not the same as other computers or monitors. Gaming screens are a unique construction for displaying images and interpreting data. In contrast, a MacBook HDMI port is specifically for data transfer to other gadgets and does not support video input.
Therefore, there will be no changes if you plug an HDMI cable into the slot because your PC will wait for your instructions to send data through the cable.
Therefore, it makes it challenging to use HDMI video input with the MacBook. Luckily, there are effective bypasses you can try. Instead of struggling to find a wired connection, you can opt for a wireless alternative.
Thanks to apps like Remote Play, it will be easier to stream PS4 content straight to your laptop screen if you have a strong and dependable internet connection. This platform works with various operating systems, including Windows, iOS, macOS, and Android.
The first step is to download the app on your laptop and ensure that you have a PS4 controller and a USB cord, which you will plug into the slots on the side. If you don’t have a controller, you can use the keyboard keys for navigation, although you will only use the arrows buttons and Enter or Esc.
After a successful download, boot, enter your login credentials, and start scanning for the device. When the system finds it, the PS4 should turn on immediately.
While Remote Play doesn’t have compatibility issues, one downside is the limited peripherals like cameras and motion controllers. Therefore, the setup will not work correctly if your game uses these actions.
If you have a controller, you will have better gameplay, but the MacBook keyboard will also work using the arrow buttons. Your Mac should also run on at least High Sierra, which shuts out most releases before 2016.
Such applications may also have frame skipping and stuttering; therefore, you need a robust network of more than 5 Mbps. It may also help to have your PS4 and MacBook using the same LAN. Thankfully, most routers offer this and have the quality-of-service features.
It may also help to avoid being near wireless network interferences like microwave ovens for uninterrupted streaming. Note that remotely accessing PS4 games will only be possible if your internet is reliable, and your operating system supports it.
Can I Use My Mac as a Monitor for PS4 with HDMI?
If you have one of the latest MacBook models, you must have noticed the HDMI slot on the side. The cable comes in handy when you want to transfer data from the laptop, but what if you have a PS4? Can you directly link the cord to display console titles?
You cannot directly use your MacBook as a PS4 monitor using an HDMI cable. The Mac’s build makes it incompatible with serving as a monitor for any other device since the port is exclusively for output.
Thus, it cannot interpret incoming signals such that if you plug the cord, it will stay on standby for directions to transfer data to another device. The only other way to access the PS4 titles is to use a capture card or wirelessly through Remote Play.
The MacBook is not a typical monitor where you can insert an HDMI cable and get instant visuals from your console. The screen identifies incoming signals and deciphers them as images, but Mac’s port does not since it is an output-only.
Instead of visuals, the system will still await data transfer commands. Your Mac will never react when you plug in the PS4 via an HDMI cable because it does not support the connection.
Since it is only a dead end, you may need another way to bypass the system and change the entire setup.
If you want to use an HDMI connection, you can use a video capture card. You can find one from retailers, but it should be compatible with your devices. For instance, you can buy a 3.0 card, which supports at least Sierra and later versions and links to the Thunderbolt slot.
Otherwise, you can get a bridging adapter if the card you find doesn’t work with your Mac USB ports. You can use a USB-C to A version that supports type A cards. Besides this, it is also necessary to get recording software, although most cards usually have an inbuilt one.
To start it off, download a macOS compatible with your capture card’s software. Afterward, link the PS4’s output port to an HDMI cord and the other side to the HDMI input of the card, which you will insert into the Thunderbolt slot on the laptop.
When confident that you have plugged everything correctly, you can launch the software, configure it from the Display Capture, and select USB Device. The console screen should now show on your MacBook, allowing direct access.
Try adjusting the screen to full size, then configure the sound output. You may find it challenging to set the audio because the complex setup may interfere with the sound’s quality. Besides the sound, you may also find the video subpar compared to a standard monitor display; you can expect lagging and other issues based on the nature of the connections. Many gamers would avoid using HDMI with a capture card due to the above problems.
Luckily, there is a way out. You can use remote playback for better quality visuals and audio, which is wireless and more convenient. You only need to download the app, follow the prompts, configure it, and gain immediate access. However, ensure that your MacBook has at least 40 MB storage and you have reliable internet access with speeds of 5-15 Mbps for the ultimate performance.
It is also advisable for your console and PC to be on one local network. Unlike other methods, this connection allows you to access your PS4 titles remotely; therefore, you can still play even when your console is not around. If the link works when the two are close, it will be safe to test whether it also functions remotely. Another plus is that you can adjust the video quality through the Mac settings.
Can You Use a MacBook as a Console Monitor?
The popularity of video games is rising steadily, and more people are joining to share the fun. However, buying a console means also investing in a monitor that will display the video to facilitate gameplay. If you own a MacBook, you may wonder whether you can use it instead of buying a new monitor.
There is no traditional way to link a MacBook to a console through the HDMI port since the laptop only has an HDMI output. Therefore, you cannot use the Mac as another device’s external display. Also, the PC doesn’t support Apple’s Target Display Mode, a feature that makes the computer work as a monitor.
However, there are workarounds you can employ to facilitate the connection to a console; you can use video capture adapters and some software.
It is challenging to connect your gaming console natively to a MacBook. It only has a custom HDMI port that transfers data to other gadgets exclusively. This one-way flow makes it difficult to use the fantastic Mac as a monitor, not only for consoles but also for different devices.
Another factor that further complicates this is that the system doesn’t support Target Display Mode. This handy feature allows some older Apple computers to accept video input from other gadgets.
There are several reasons why you may want to use a MacBook as a gaming monitor. First, it is convenient if you don’t have a screen in your room or other people are using the available one. The MacBook could be the only other device that can serve as a screen in such cases. Besides, Macs usually have excellent displays thanks to the advanced build, unlike other PCs.
It means access to high resolutions clocking 3456×2234 and crisp images while gaming. The visuals will be clearer even from a distance, and you can enjoy gameplay even with your buddies. Although you can’t directly link your gaming device to a MacBook, you can try a few bypasses, but they may be tasking and quite complicated for first timers.
The first option involves using third-party software like Space Desk. It is an app famous for converting laptops into virtual secondary monitors. For this setup, you will need a Windows computer that will serve as a host; hence the MacBook is incompatible due to its operating system.
Thankfully, there are alternative programs that can run on iDevices. You can install the virtual video monitor on your preferred gadget, run the server, and take the IP address.
From your Mac, search the software from the internet, open it, type the host computer’s IP address, and connect the devices. The window’s desktop will appear on your MacBook to allow usage as a monitor.
Finally, ensure that your internet is stable and link both gadgets. Besides video monitor software, you can use the video capture card adapters that transform your Mac laptop into a gaming console.
You will need a quality card; otherwise, you may experience many lags while you play. The HDMI device can tether to your laptop even if you only have a USB-C, provided that you have a simple adapter that is USB-C to USB-A.
Next, connect your console to the HDMI end of the capture card and the other to your computer. You can now download and install an open-source screen casting app like OBS.
Open it, click the plus sign on the screen, and choose “Video Capture Device” insert any word and press OK. Next, click the drop-down menu to find your capture card, follow the simple on-screen instructions, and make proper adjustments.
For instance, you can adjust the resolution to 1920×1080. If you set everything up correctly, a user interface will appear on the OBS software, and you can go to the app’s player settings and start gaming.
Verdict
You can use your MacBook as a gaming screen for your PS4 but not directly as you would with a typical monitor. The process will be more complicated than inserting an HDMI cable into the laptop and console. The Mac’s port does not support the reception of visuals; it only transfers them to other gadgets.
Therefore, nothing will work when you connect the two. If you want to use an HDMI cable, you will also need a video capture card, but this method doesn’t have quality video and audio. The better option is the remote play platform that guarantees better gaming quality and allows gaming even when away from the console.
