GoKawiilTaylor Clemons/ZDNET
Computer monitors can come with some pretty steep price tags, especially if you're in the market for a specialized screen for PC gaming or creative work like animation or video editing. This is doubly true if you want a high-end OLED display, a 4K monitor, or a super-sized screen.
Also: How I turned my old Android phone into a streaming stick for free
There's a way around this, however. If you're looking for a cheap solution, you can easily connect your TV to a laptop or PC to use as your main screen, a part of your current multi-monitor setup, or as an emergency backup monitor. Depending on how you want to connect your TV to your computer, you might not have to spend any money at all.
I've put together a short walkthrough for setting up your TV as a monitor on Windows, Mac, ChromeOS, or Linux as either a temporary solution or a more permanent addition to your setup.
How to use your TV as a monitor
The quickest and simplest way to connect your PC to your TV is by connecting them with a regular HDMI cable and selecting the correct input in your menu settings. Once everything is set up and powered on, you'll have an almost perfect mirror of your desktop on your TV.
If your PC or laptop uses Thunderbolt or DisplayPort for connecting external displays, you'll have to pick up a USB-C-to-HDMI or a DisplayPort-to-HDMI adapter. They're around $10-15, but keep in mind that since the TV still relies on HDMI, you won't get the same high-speed data transfers as you would with a monitor that has a DisplayPort or Thunderbolt connection.
Also: How to disable ACR on your TV (and why it makes such a big difference when you do)
You can also go wireless. Almost all new smart TVs also support either Apple's AirPlay or Googlecast screen mirroring for wireless casting from your devices to your screen. If you use this option, however, you might experience significant input lag or resolution issues as both your TV and computer compress, transmit, and then display information. If you have a newer Samsung or LG TV, you can set up remote PC access by toggling on the setting on your laptop or desktop, and setting up the dedicated remote access app with your device's IP address.
... continue reading