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The best method depends on where your gaming PC sits. Use a direct HDMI connection when the computer is near the TV or a practical cable route exists. If the PC is elsewhere, stream from it with Steam Link for the simplest Steam-focused setup, or Sunshine with Moonlight for more configurable PC streaming. None of these methods requires opening, modifying, or replacing anything in a PS5.
PS Remote Play is different: it streams PS5 or PS4 games from the console and cannot run PC games on the TV. Choose it only when you also want to play games installed on the PlayStation.
Choose the method that matches your room
There are four distinct ways to put games from a PC or PlayStation on a television. They are not interchangeable, because the game actually runs on a different device in each case.
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| Method | Where the game runs | What reaches the TV | Best fit | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct HDMI | Gaming PC | Video and audio over the cable | A nearby PC or a manageable cable run | Cable length, routing and display compatibility |
| Steam Link | Gaming PC running Steam | Encoded video and audio; controller input returns to the PC | Steam games and a straightforward client app | Network and client-device behavior affect the stream |
| Sunshine with Moonlight | Gaming PC | Streamed desktop or games; input returns to the host | Users who want broader control over PC streaming | Separate host and client setup, with device-specific compatibility |
| PS Remote Play | PS5 or PS4 | PlayStation game stream | Playing console games on another compatible screen | It does not stream PC games |
Streaming adds capture, encoding, network transfer and decoding before the picture appears. A direct HDMI connection avoids that streaming path, although the PC and TV still have to support the resolution, refresh rate, HDR and audio mode you select. No controlled, same-hardware test establishes a universal latency ranking between these methods, so treat claims that one is always faster as unproven.
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Method 1: Connect the gaming PC directly by HDMI
Direct HDMI is the simplest wired solution. The PC renders the game and sends its display signal straight to an unused HDMI input on the TV. There is no home-network video stream to configure and no separate host/client software.
What you need
- A free HDMI output on the graphics card or motherboard video output that actually supports your PC’s display configuration.
- A free HDMI input on the television.
- An HDMI cable long enough to reach without sharp bends, unsafe floor placement or strain on either connector.
- A controller paired with the PC, or a suitable wireless receiver and keyboard/mouse arrangement.
Choose the cable length and specification for the resolution and refresh rate you intend to use. The available evidence does not establish a particular cable brand or model as superior, and no cable was independently tested here. If the PC or TV cannot negotiate the desired mode, lower the refresh rate or resolution and check the manufacturer’s display specifications.
Setup steps
- Turn off or sleep the PC if access to its ports is difficult, then connect the HDMI cable from the graphics card’s output to an available HDMI input on the TV.
- On the TV remote, select that HDMI input. If the TV offers a Game, Game Mode or similarly named low-processing mode, enable it for the input.
- In Windows display settings, choose the TV, select the required resolution and refresh rate, and arrange it as the main display or an extended display according to how you want to play.
- Open the game’s graphics settings and select the same target resolution and an appropriate frame-rate limit. Enable HDR only after the desktop and game both show correct color.
- Pair the controller with the PC rather than the TV unless the controller’s game support specifically requires TV-side pairing. Confirm that buttons and analog sticks work in the game before settling on a couch-friendly layout.
- Set the TV’s audio output and the PC’s playback device so sound is sent where you expect. Test a game menu and a short play session before routing the cable permanently.
Why direct HDMI is often preferable
The PC does not have to compress the game into a network stream, and the TV does not have to decode that stream. That removes several variables. It also makes the PC’s full desktop available, so non-Steam launchers, emulators and locally installed games work without adding them to a streaming library.
Limitations to plan for
A long run may be impractical in a large home, and the cable must support the mode negotiated by the PC and TV. A television can accept a signal yet still apply motion smoothing or other processing unless its game-oriented mode is enabled. Wireless controller range can also become the limiting factor when the PC remains in another room; in that situation, streaming is usually more convenient than extending every peripheral connection.
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Valve’s discontinued Steam Link hardware used HDMI to connect to a display and listed 720p or 1080p display guidance. Those figures describe that legacy box, not a ceiling for a modern gaming PC connected directly to a TV.
Method 2: Stream Steam games with Steam Link
Steam Link lets a computer running Steam render the game while a TV-side app or device receives the video and audio and sends controller input back. Valve describes the process as real-time video encoding over a custom low-latency network protocol. “Low latency” does not mean zero delay, and the final result depends on the host PC, client hardware, controller path and network.
Supported client categories
Valve lists Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Raspberry Pi and other client platforms. App availability is model- and region-dependent, so check the exact television or streaming device in its current app store before buying hardware. A platform appearing on Valve’s general list does not guarantee that every television in that family can install or run the app.
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- Install the current Steam client on the gaming PC, sign in to the account containing the games, and leave Steam running.
- Install Steam Link on the compatible TV or streaming device. If the app is absent from that device’s store, use a different supported client rather than assuming sideloading will work.
- Connect the client to the same home network as the PC during initial pairing. A wired connection from the PC is a sensible starting point; Valve’s Steam Link hardware guidance explicitly recommends wired networking.
- Open Steam Link and select the discovered computer. Follow the on-screen pairing code or PIN process.
- Pair the controller with the client device if its platform supports that arrangement, or pair it with the PC and verify that input reaches Steam. Keep the controller path consistent; switching between TV-side and PC-side Bluetooth can create duplicate or missing inputs.
- Run Steam Link’s connection test if offered, then launch a game from the Steam library. Start with conservative resolution and frame-rate settings and raise them only when the stream remains stable.
Network choices that matter
The host PC and the TV client do not need the internet to be in different places; Steam Link is primarily a home-network path. A wired host connection reduces one wireless segment. The TV-side connection must still deliver a steady stream, and a strong signal is more important than a high headline broadband speed. Congestion, mesh-node handoffs and other traffic can cause stutter even when an internet speed test looks fast.
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What Steam Link can and cannot do
It is the natural first attempt for games already in Steam. The computer still performs the rendering, so the TV-side device is not replacing the gaming PC’s graphics hardware. Steam Link can avoid a long HDMI cable, but it cannot remove the network’s contribution to latency or packet loss. Valve’s official pages do not provide a controlled latency comparison against direct HDMI or Sunshine/Moonlight.
Method 3: Stream the PC with Sunshine and Moonlight
Sunshine is a streaming host installed on the gaming PC; Moonlight is the client named in Sunshine’s setup documentation. Together they can stream a PC desktop or games and may suit someone who wants more control than a Steam-only library presents. The flexibility comes with additional configuration and a need to verify that the chosen Moonlight client supports the exact TV or streaming hardware.
Basic installation pattern
- Install Sunshine on the gaming PC and complete its host configuration. Keep the host PC awake and connected to the network when you intend to play.
- Install Moonlight on the TV, streaming box or other supported client. Confirm support for that precise model before committing to the setup.
- Open Moonlight and select the Sunshine host discovered on the local network. Complete the pairing code exchange shown by the two applications.
- Add or select the desktop or game entry exposed by Sunshine, then test controller input and audio before starting a long session.
- Adjust stream resolution, frame rate and bitrate in the client to match what the PC, TV and network can sustain. Change one variable at a time so you can identify which setting fixes or causes a problem.
HDR requires special care
Sunshine version 0.23.0 documentation says HDR streaming is officially supported on Windows hosts and experimentally supported on Linux hosts. It also requires HDR to be enabled on the host and in Moonlight, and calls out capture, display-calibration and GPU-encoder requirements. Those statements are version-specific: do not treat them as a permanent guarantee for every later release, operating system or client.
For an HDR setup, first confirm that the TV input itself accepts HDR, then enable HDR on the host display configuration and in Moonlight. Check that the GPU encoder and capture path meet Sunshine’s requirements. If the picture is washed out, too dark or incorrectly mapped, disable HDR temporarily and establish a correct SDR stream before troubleshooting calibration and color settings.
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When Sunshine/Moonlight is the better fit
- You need to stream a desktop or games outside Steam’s normal library.
- You want client controls and host options that are not exposed by a simpler single-app workflow.
- You are willing to verify software versions, pair two applications and troubleshoot more variables.
It is not automatically faster or higher quality than Steam Link. The reviewed official documentation does not provide a controlled head-to-head measurement, so choose it for scope and configurability rather than an unsupported latency promise.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Method 4: Understand what PS Remote Play actually does
PS Remote Play streams games from a PS4 or PS5 console to a compatible device. Sony states that a PS4 or PS5 console is required. The feature does not make the PS5 a receiver for PC games, and installing it will not let a PC’s Steam or desktop output run on the PlayStation.
Supported TV-side examples and requirements
Sony lists Android TV OS 12 or later and says current availability includes Chromecast with Google TV in both 4K and HD versions and the BRAVIA XR A95L. Availability can change by device, region and software version, so check Sony’s current compatibility information for the exact product.
Sony specifies 5 Mbps internet as a requirement and recommends at least 15 Mbps for a better PS Remote Play experience. Those figures are Sony’s guidance for PS Remote Play only; they are not universal minimums for Steam Link, Sunshine or any other PC-streaming arrangement.
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Remote Play limitations
Distance between the console and the remote TV can increase latency, and Sony notes that individual game performance varies with the game and network environment. Some controller features are unavailable on Android TV. These constraints matter when you are streaming PlayStation games, not when you are choosing how to send a PC game’s output to the television.
Decision guide: pick in this order
- Measure the physical distance. If the PC is beside the TV or a safe HDMI route is easy, start with direct HDMI. If the PC is in another room, continue to a streaming option.
- Identify the game source. A Steam library points toward Steam Link. A mixed library, desktop workflow or need for broader host control points toward Sunshine with Moonlight.
- Check the exact client. Confirm the app exists for the specific TV or streaming box and that its controller support suits your setup. Do this before purchasing hardware.
- Set image expectations. Resolution, refresh rate, HDR and color depend on every device and software setting in the chain. Streaming adds network and encode/decode variables; direct HDMI does not.
- Account for input sensitivity. Rhythm, competitive and fast camera games expose delay more readily than turn-based games. Use a wired path where practical, but do not claim a universal latency number without a controlled test on your hardware.
Troubleshooting by symptom
The TV says “No signal” over HDMI
- Confirm the TV is on the input connected to the PC.
- Try another HDMI output on the graphics card and another TV input.
- Check that the selected PC display mode is supported by the TV; temporarily choose a lower resolution or refresh rate.
- Make sure the cable is fully seated and not under tension. If the PC has both motherboard and graphics-card outputs, use the output connected to the GPU that runs the game.
The stream stutters or drops frames
- Connect the host PC by Ethernet where practical and move the client closer to the wireless access point.
- Stop large downloads, cloud synchronization and video streams that compete for local bandwidth.
- Lower stream resolution, frame rate or bitrate, then raise settings gradually after stability returns.
- Check whether a mesh system is moving the client between nodes. A stable connection to one access point can be better than a stronger but constantly changing signal.
Controls work in menus but not in the game
- Decide whether the controller is paired to the TV client or the PC and keep that path active.
- Re-pair it after launching the host or client so the streaming application can claim the input.
- Check the game’s own controller and input mode settings; some games expect a particular API or may switch focus to a keyboard.
HDR looks wrong
- Verify HDR support and activation on the TV input.
- For Sunshine/Moonlight, confirm HDR is enabled on both host and client and that the installed Sunshine version supports the operating system path you are using.
- Establish a correct SDR stream first, then change capture, calibration and encoder settings one at a time.
The desired app is missing from the TV
Do not assume a brand-level listing covers every model. Check the exact model’s current app store and operating-system version. If the TV cannot run the client, use a supported external streaming device or return to the direct HDMI option if cable routing is practical.
A practical first-session checklist
- Update the PC’s operating system, GPU driver and chosen streaming software.
- Set the TV input to its game-oriented display mode.
- Confirm the controller is charged, paired to the intended device and recognized by the game.
- Begin with a moderate resolution and frame rate instead of immediately selecting the maximum mode.
- Test a familiar game for ten minutes, watching for audio dropouts, repeated frames, input misses and color errors.
- Change one setting at a time and note which change affects the symptom.
Bottom line
Use HDMI when the gaming PC is close enough for a sensible cable run; it is the least complicated path and avoids network streaming overhead. Use Steam Link when you mainly play Steam games and want an easy TV-side client. Choose Sunshine with Moonlight when you need a more configurable desktop-and-games stream and accept the extra setup. Keep PS Remote Play separate: it is for streaming PS4 or PS5 games from the console, not for playing PC games on the TV.
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