Can I Use My Laptop As A Monitor For My Switch – Using Your Switch With Your Computer

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Using your computer screen with your Switch gaming platform can be very convenient. It gives you the flexibility to leave your Nintendo Switch in its dock and create less mess around your gaming area. Allowing your Nintendo Switch to remain in its dock while watching your laptop screen will also give you more control over the device.

So, Can I Use My Laptop as a Monitor for my Switch?

Yes, you can use your laptop monitor for your Nintendo Switch; you must connect the laptop to an HDMI capture card and then run the game.

Nintendo – A Mini Guide

Nintendo Switch comes with two Joy-con controllers, and to connect the Switch to the internet, you need to access the system settings from the screen. Move the control stick down from the settings until you find “Internet.” Select the “Internet settings,” and then follow the prompt to connect your Nintendo Switch to Wi-Fi or other internet connectivity.

To create a Nintendo account, if you don’t have one, you have to click on the register account page, provide a nickname, email address, and password, and re-enter the password again to confirm.

You will also be asked to provide your date of birth, gender, country, and time zone. Tick the agreement box and the optional special offers to email and click on “Submit” at the end of the page to complete the account registration.

What You Should Know About Nintendo Switch

The following are essential information you should know about Nintendo Switch;

1. Nintendo Switch Online is Paid Subscription

Nintendo Switch is available as subscription-based gaming online, and it allows Switch account holders to connect and play for a fee. Aside from allowing you to play against others online, it will also give you access to an extensive library resource of Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and the Super Nintendo Entertainment Systems (SNES). You can also save your data on cloud storage here and enjoy some other exclusive membership benefits.

2. The Nintendo eShop

The Nintendo eShop is for those who don’t want to leave the comfort of their home to buy a Nintendo game or any other service. On the online eShop, you can discover a wide range of games, and most are exclusive to the store. You can access the eShop via your Nintendo Switch account.

3. My Nintendo

My Nintendo is a section of the Nintendo Switch account where you can have access to lots of rewards and points. This section is fun and easy, and it helps you stay connected and save money on purchases on Nintendo.

You can earn gold points when you purchase games and then use these for future purchases. You can also use your points to get Nintendo Switch software for less.

4. The Nintendo Switch Parental Controls

As a parent, keeping an eye on what your children spend their time on can be difficult. The Nintendo Switch parental controls app is one you can link with your Nintendo Switch to monitor your children’s activities on the game. This app is available for free and can be downloaded to work on your smartphone.

5. The Free Demos and Games on Nintendo Switch Account

There are lots of free demo game versions and live games on the Nintendo Switch platform, and these can be helpful sometimes to prepare you for the real deal. Since constant practice makes perfect, practicing your favorite games regularly for some days and help you beat your professional friends from around the world easily.

There are featured games recommended for different age-range, and some are recommended for the family.

6. MicroSD Cards Increase Storage

Nintendo Switch is quite flexible and allows additional storage to help you make the most of the platform. You may have to get additional software or new games always, but the internal memory is not just enough. While the Nintendo Switch comes with an internal hard drive of 32GB, you can increase this space by as much as 180GB once you reach the internal memory limit.

How To Connect Your Nintendo Switch To Your Laptop

Aside from using an HDMI capture card, you can also run the PC version of your Nintendo Switch games on your laptop without the need for any connection. The following steps apply to connecting your laptop to your Switch;

Step #1: Disconnect your Nintendo Switch HDMI cable from the TV and plug it into the HDMI In-port on the Elgato HD60 HDMI capture card. Keep in mind that this procedure can be power-intensive; hence it will be a good idea to plug both the laptop and Nintendo Switch dock into a reliable power source.

Step #2: Open the Game Capture HD on your laptop, and turn on your Nintendo Switch console by pressing the Home button on the connected controller. After a few seconds of turning on your Switch console, you should see your console turn on.

Step #3: Connect your USB cable that comes with your Elgato HD60 to capture both the card and your laptop.

After a few seconds, your Nintendo Switch home screen will come up within the Game Capture HD.

Make sure the Elgato game capture HD software is capable of detecting your Nintendo Switch. Ensure that the HDMI cable is plugged into the capture card’s Input and not the output port. The in-port should be on the same side as the USB cable.

Step #4: Select the full screen on the top right corner of the game capture HD, and the interface should fill the entire laptop screen. Avoid touching the mouse or keyboard while performing this setup. The Nintendo Switch footage will automatically expand to fill the entire screen. With this setup, you can now enjoy playing your Nintendo Switch, using your laptop as a screen.

What If You Don’t Have An HDMI Capture Card

If you don’t have an HDMI capture card and you can’t afford to buy one, perhaps an alternative way to handle the situation is to play the PC version of the Nintendo Switch on your laptop.

Many Nintendo Switch controllers are designed to be compatible with laptop and PC computers. This means you shouldn’t have to learn new controls to play your Nintendo Switch on your laptop or PC.

You can find Nintendo Switch for Windows 10 on the Microsoft store app, for instance, in addition to the regular places like Steam and Epic Games. If you buy console games for PC or have an Xbox One console, check the Xbox Play Anywhere titles. You should be able to buy the console and the computer versions for the price of a single game.

Alternative captured card options you can use include the following;

1. AVerMedia Live Gamer Portable 2 Plus

Though the Envato capture card remains the best option to connect your Nintendo Switch to your laptop, the AVerMedia portable 2 plus is one option you can turn to if the other is not available.

The little device can be very user-friendly, while the installation procedure can be quite simple. This option is also a better choice for individuals that are not tech-savvy. To use this option, all you need to do is plug the HDMI cables into the Aver Media capture card.

You can even use this capture card with its free PC mode feature, especially if you don’t have a computer or laptop to record the games. You can use this feature to record live games in the highest 4k quality, though the game itself cannot be streamed in 4k resolution.

The Nintendo Switch itself is displayed in a 1080p resolution in the first place, so upgrading the visuals to 4k resolution may not be something of huge importance to the average gamer.

2. The Razer Ripsaw HD Game Streaming Capture Card

This is another good quality substitute for the Envato capture card that can be used to connect your laptop to the Nintendo Switch. This captured card comes with multiple features, including a headphone jack that can help you monitor your games.

It also comes with a microphone that can be used for various recording purposes. This capture card also comes with 4k resolution compatibility to help you enjoy your games in the highest resolution possible. The only drawback here is that there is no separate software built specifically for its operation.

Conclusion

You might be wondering if it is possible to use your laptop screen with Nintendo Switch without a capture card. Perhaps the best possible way to do this is if you have an HDMI, hence for most gamers, the best convenient way to enjoy Nintendo Switch gaming on a laptop is via a capture card. Don’t forget to use the user manual for any of the capture cards you choose before you begin connecting and operating them. It is also important to stay updated with the hardware and software requirements for the capture card to avoid complications.