How to use your TV as a computer monitor

You’re not the first person who’s wondered what it would be like to have a giant desktop monitor. Think of all the multitasking and immersive gaming you could manage if you had a 50- or 60in monitor instead of a standard 24in monitor. But you’ve probably noticed that as monitors get bigger, they also tend to get prohibitively expensive.

You’ve probably already got a big screen in your house, though – a TV. At the end of the day, isn’t an HDTV just a giant, living-room-oriented computer monitor? Not exactly. While you can use a TV as a computer monitor in most cases, that doesn’t mean it’s the best option. In fact, it’s likely less attractive, convenient, and usable than you think (not to mention, probably not that cheap). There’s a reason dirt-cheap 32in HDTVs aren’t flying off the shelves to be used as budget-friendly jumbo screens.

You definitely can use an HDTV as your PC’s display, though. Here’s everything you need to know about how to set up a TV as a computer monitor – and why you might not