Photo Credits to Nintendo
The Nintendo Switch is among the best gaming consoles of our time. It’s portable, lightweight, and has a variety of games from the Nintendo eShop that you can play on the go. With a game library that’s so big, there’s no doubt you’ll be able to find multiple Switch games you’ll love. But aside from that, one of the best features the Nintendo Switch offers is its ability to be connected to a big screen or monitor, like your TV screen or even your laptop screen. That said, we’re going to teach you today how to connect Nintendo Switch to laptop in 6 easy steps, using an HDMI cable and a capture card.
Can You Connect a Nintendo Switch to a Laptop Screen?
Technically, yes and no. This is because if you look at the bottom of your Switch console, you’ll see that there is a USB-C port. When I saw the USB port, I immediately thought that I’d be able to connect my Nintendo Switch to my laptop. Unfortunately, this USB port is mainly used or is only limited to charging and connecting to the Nintendo Switch docking station, which makes it hard to use your laptop as a monitor. But don’t worry! We have a workaround that will allow most users to connect their Switch to their laptop. So, let’s get into the juicy parts of our article!
Photo Credits to Nintendo
How to Connect Nintendo Switch to Laptop – What You’ll Need
There are three main things you’ll need, which include:
HDMI cable
Normally, the Nintendo Switch box already comes with a high-quality HDMI cable. But in any case, if you’ve lost the HDMI cable your Switch came with, you can use any other high-quality HDMI cable available.
Game Capture Card
Nintendo Switch Dock
Although there are numerous adapters available, it is still not possible to connect the Capture Card straight to the Nintendo Switch. The Nintendo Switch cannot be connected to the capture card since it does not have a video output port. The Nintendo Dock can be used in this instance because it features a built-in port that can be connected to the Nintendo Switch directly.
Using an HDMI cable, you can send signals from your Switch console to your laptop using the Nintendo Dock. You can also attach other related peripherals to it like your Nintendo Switch controllers.
Connecting a Switch with an HDMI Input Port
You will need an HDMI input port on the laptop if you want to display your Nintendo Switch on the monitor. However, only a small number of laptops come equipped with an HDMI input connector. Only a limited number of laptops accept HDMI input. They don’t get any HDMI signal despite transmitting them. The HDMI port on your laptop is likely the output port; do not mix it with the HDMI input. Inspect the user manual you receive once you unbox your laptop to confirm whether your laptop has an HDMI-in or HDMI-out.
The Alienware laptop line is the only one known to have an HDMI input connection. Although you might believe that the HDMI output port functions in a similar way, using an HDMI output to display your switch on a laptop won’t exactly work. Don’t worry, though; this is where capture cards will come in.
Connecting a Switch with a Capture Card
Compared to using an HDMI input port, using a capture card is a much more viable way to connect your Nintendo Switch console to your laptop. But first, what is a capture card?
What is a Capture Card?
The Game Capture Card was first designed to stream your games from consoles to PCs. It generally functions as a connector with both an HDMI input port, an HDMI output port, and a USB port to let you transfer connections to your laptop’s operating systems.
Corsair’s most recent Elgato capture card is among the best in the current market. It offers a fluid and nearly lag-free experience with USB 3.0 Type-C connectivity. You might need to choose an older model laptop if it doesn’t have a Type-C connection.
Now that you know what a capture card is, we’re going to show you how you can connect your Nintendo Switch to your laptop’s monitor using a capture card and an HDMI cable.
6-Steps to Connect the Nintendo Switch to a Laptop
Step 1: Disconnect Nintendo Switch Dock from TV
The very first step you have to do is to disconnect your Nintendo Switch from your TV or any other display.
Step 2: Connect the Nintendo Switch to the Switch Dock
After disconnecting the dock from your TV, simply connect your Switch console to the dock.
Step 3: Plug the HDMI Cable into the Nintendo Switch HDMI Output Port
The next step is to plug the HDMI cable into your Nintendo Switch dock’s HDMI output port.
Step 4: Connect the other end of the HDMI cable to the Capture Card
After you’ve plugged in your HDMI cable to the dock’s HDMI output port, connect the other end of the HDMI cable to your capture card (always ensure that you’ve plugged in the cable into the HDMI input port of the capture device).
Step 5: Open Capture Card Software on Your Laptop
Now that you’ve connected the dock to the capture card, you can now open the capture card software on your laptop (depending on what capture card you buy, it will have a designated software for you to download. Simply check the instructions if there are any specifications).
Step 6: Connect Capture Card to Laptop
Once you’ve done all of the previous steps, using a USB cable, connect the game capture card to your laptop, and within a few seconds or minutes, you’ll be able to see that your Nintendo Switch’s home screen will already be displayed on your laptop’s screen.
Now, you can control the Switch on the laptop via the Joy-Con. You can also start streaming live or enter the full screen to get the ultimate big-screen experience.
If you want to know how to stream your Nintendo Switch in Discord, you can check our article, “How to Stream Nintendo Switch to Discord?” for more details.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are There Any Other Alternatives to Connect My Switch to a Laptop?
Currently, there are no other ways of connecting your Switch to your laptop aside from what we’ve mentioned above. We do understand that the cost of a video capture device can be quite expensive, especially if you buy one from a reputable brand, but it’s the only other way you can connect it to your laptop with ease.
Although you can also play Switch games on a laptop using emulators. Emulators, though, are still not completely secure. As a result, you may encounter a lot of bugs and severe lag while playing games.
Are There Any Alternatives to Play Nintendo Switch Games on a Laptop?
Playing the PC versions of Nintendo Switch games on your laptop is an excellent substitute if you don’t have an HDMI capture device or if you can’t afford to buy one at the moment. Moreover, you won’t have to learn any new controls because many Nintendo Switch controllers are also compatible with laptops.
How to Connect Nintendo Switch to TV?
Connecting your Nintendo Switch to your TV is a lot easier than connecting it to your laptop. All you need is your Switch console, the dock, and an HDMI cable. Simply open the back of your dock and connect the AC adapter and HDMI cable. Then, plug the AC adapter into a wall outlet and connect the HDMI cable to your TV. Remove the Switch’s Joy-Cons, place the Switch inside the dock, turn the console on, and viola! You’ve already connected your Switch to your TV!
Wrap Up
Playing games on a bigger screen really amps up the experience. So, if you’ve been looking for a way to play your Switch games on a larger screen, even without a TV, then start connecting your Switch console to your laptop now! It’s definitely going to take Switch gaming to a new level!
Happy gaming, guys!
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