Your living room is probably the coziest place in your home. It has a big, comfortable couch and a huge TV that’s perfect for binge-watching your favorite shows.
But what if you could use that TV as your computer monitor? You’ll be able to work from the comfort of your couch and have a huge screen to work from.
If you’re considering using your TV as a PC monitor, there are a few things to keep in mind. We’ll list seven things to consider before using your TV as a PC monitor. By the end, you’ll know whether using your TV as a PC monitor is right for you.
1.Size
The size difference between a regular computer monitor and a TV is probably the reason why you are considering replacing your monitor with your TV. But, as tempting as it may be to see everything on the big screen, the huge size difference can be quite the headache.
For example, if you want to change the viewing position of your normal PC monitor, you can tilt or turn it on your desk. The same process can be quite difficult (and mostly not possible) if you want to use your TV as a monitor on your desk. If you have your TV mounted on the wall and are going to use it from a distance, then changing the viewing angle may not be necessary.
But, if you’re going to keep it on your desk, things may get impractical. A huge TV will probably have such a large footprint that you won’t have enough room on your desk to work with it. But if you’re still planning on going ahead with it, consider getting a VESA mount to spare some space on your desk. Check out our VESA mounting guide to make sure you get the right arm for your TV.
On top of that, if you do manage to use your TV at a desk, you’ll probably be sitting too close to it, which will also strain your eyes. This is because, with a large TV, you have to move your eyes back and forth a lot to see different parts of the screen.
2. Resolution
Resolution is the total number of pixels on your display. A 1080p (1920×1080) display has a little over 2 million pixels. You may wonder why resolution is an issue when both your TV and monitor have 1080p displays. Well, that’s because your TV displays those 2 million pixels through a 55-inch panel, while your monitor can display the same amount of pixels through a 27-inch panel.
Since smaller monitors have about the same number of pixels as your TV, your regular PC monitor packs significantly more pixels per inch. This term is called pixels per inch (PPI), and the higher the PPI, the sharper the image.
If your TV is wall mounted and you are viewing it from a distance then a low PPI display may not be a problem. However, if you place your TV on a desk, you’ll see lower image quality than a monitor. In short, the TV will not perform well for your PC.
3. Input lag
As the name suggests, input lag is the time it takes for the screen to display any movements that you have registered using the mouse or keyboard. When you physically move your mouse, input lag is the time it takes for the cursor on your screen to move to follow your mouse’s movement.
Most TVs have an input lag of 20 to 30 milliseconds, while most regular PC monitors typically have less than 5 milliseconds. If your TV is equipped with a gaming mode, you can expect input lag as low as 8 milliseconds, but most gaming monitors have an even lower input lag of 1 to 2 milliseconds. So this is one of the things that you should pay attention to if you are buying a gaming monitor.
While 30 milliseconds may seem like minutes, if you plan on using your TV monitor for gaming, you need to get the input lag as low as possible. So, if you are into gaming then using your TV as a monitor might not be a good option.
4. Response Time
Response time refers to the time it takes for each pixel on the panel to change its color. Since TV screens are made for movies and videos, they prioritize better image quality with high contrast and rich colors. However, all this image processing leads to high response times.
Dedicated PC monitors are usually more inclined towards providing a sharper image and don’t require as much processing, resulting in significantly shorter response times.
On average, if a TV screen’s response time is about 15 milliseconds, its monitor counterpart will have a 5-millisecond response time. A high response time can make playing competitive games difficult, causing motion blur and a visual phenomenon called “ghosting”.
5. Refresh Rate
The number of times the display panel updates in one second is called the refresh rate. A regular TV has a 60Hz refresh rate, which means your display can be refreshed 60 times a second.