The simple answer is yes, but let’s dig in. A monitor cannot work in any meaningful manner unless it is connected to an input device. Therefore, you will not be able to play games on a monitor without an input device connected. In most cases, this input device would be a personal computer or pc for short. But what if you don’t own a pc? Not to worry, we got you covered. There are plenty other ways you can play games on a monitor without a pc. This article will discuss several main ways of doing so.
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Using Gaming Consoles
A gaming console is an electronic device manufactured for the soul purpose of playing video games. Typically, a gaming console is connected to a television, but the vast majority of modern gaming consoles can be connected to a monitor via the HDMI port. In fact, there are certain benefits to connecting the console to a monitor rather than a television. The main one being the reduced latency in monitors which leads to an enhanced gaming experience. Gaming monitor can further reduce this latency thereby giving the gamer a competitive edge.
PlayStation by Sony and Xbox by Microsoft are the current leading competitors in the console space. The PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X are the latest console models by these respective brands. Both these widely used consoles have the capability to be connected to a monitor via the HDMI port. Additionally, other lesser known modern consoles such as the Nintendo Wii also have the capability to be connected to a monitor.
Using a Smart Device – Phone or Tablet
What if you could play your favorite mobile games on a monitor? Most people might not know this but there is a way and it’s easier than you might expect. If you have a compatible smart phone or tablet you can connect those to your monitor via a HDMI cable. But first you need an HDMI adapter for your smart device. With the help of this adapter you can connect your smart phone or tablet to the monitor and enjoy your favorite mobile games on the monitor itself. Note that your smart device has to support HDMI video and audio output for this method to work.
Some modern monitors come with a feature called ‘screen mirroring’ in which case this method can be accomplished wirelessly. If your smart phone or tablet supports screen mirroring, by just the tap of a button you will be able to mirror the screen of your smart device onto the monitor. Thereafter you can do almost anything on the monitor including playing mobile games. However this wireless method has its disadvantages. Increased latency being the main one as opposed to virtually no latency in the wired method. Also, the monitor and your smart device should be of close proximity for the wireless method to work properly.
Using an Android Box
This is another method to enjoy your mobile games on a monitor. The android box typically plugs into the HDMI port of the monitor which basically turns your monitor into an android device. Thereafter you can pretty much do anything you do on an android smartphone on your monitor. The android box comes equipped with the google playstore from which you can download your favorite mobile games and enjoy them right on your monitor.
Using Chromecast and Stadia
Chromecast is a dongle by Google that can plug into your monitor via the HDMI port which adds smart functionality to the monitor. Chromecast is equipped with stadia: Google’s very own cloud gaming service which enables the user to stream games much like streaming a video. This intriguing new technology allows the user to play performance intensive games without having the expensive hardware to do so. However you need a considerably fast and stable internet connection for this method to work properly.
Using Inbuilt Features in Modern Monitors
Monitors have evolved rapidly in the past few years to the point where the line between a modern monitor and a smart tv has become very thin. Most modern monitors come factory equipped with many interesting features. Among these features are inbuilt cloud gaming services like GeForce Now, Stadia,xCloud, and PlayStation Now. These inbuilt cloud gaming services allow the streaming of virtually any game right from your monitor. A reliable and fast internet connection is needed since the games are streamed through the internet.
Using Raspberry Pi
Raspberry Pi is a small economical computer at its core. Raspberry Pi can be connected to a monitor via a HDMI port and a cable. Newer versions of Raspberry Pi allows gaming. However it is not capable of running heavy, performance intensive games. A Raspberry Pi is ideal to run retro games. This is accomplished through running retro emulators like Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and Nintendo 64 (N64).
Conclusion
In conclusion, can you play games on a monitor without a pc? Yes Absolutely! There are many ways to do so. You can use gaming consoles like PlayStation and Xbox. You can mirror your smartphone or tablet either wirelessly or using a HDMI cable. You can use an android box to enjoy your favorite android games. You can use Chromecast or inbuilt cloud gaming services to stream virtually any type of game. Finally you can use Raspberry Pi to play retro games with the help of emulators. All these ways can be used to play games on a monitor without a pc.
