Member Avatar for iamyourmazerati

well i had this idea! :idea: and it was to see if i could hook my laptop to a tower and run that computer of my laptop's screen.. keyboard.. and such if i chose to. i have a idm t22 laptop... its good but the graphic card blows... :rolleyes: but i was thinking... why pay 1000 for a good one and have trouble selling mine for much when i could just buy a nice tower... and thats all. ? is it possible?

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by MasashiMikamida

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Short answer: it can be done, but not by simply plugging the tower into the laptop like a monitor. Laptops almost always expose video output only, not video input, so there are three practical routes — networked remote control, hardware conversion of the LCD, or an external capture device — each with different costs, complexity, and performance.

Networked remote control (the least invasive): run the desktop on the tower and use a remote-display/streaming client on the laptop over wired GigE or a strong 5 GHz Wi‑Fi link. This gives full access to the tower’s CPU/GPU for everyday work and most apps. For low-latency gaming, use streaming-focused tools (game-streaming clients) rather than generic screen-sharing. Keyboard/mouse can be shared independently using software KVMs (Synergy/Barrier-style) so the laptop’s input controls the tower without swapping windows. This is the simplest, reversible option and was the idea behind ’s suggestion.

Hardware conversion (permanent): the laptop panel can be reused as a standalone monitor, but it requires identifying the panel part number on the back of the LCD, buying a matching controller board (HDMI/DVI/DP to LVDS or eDP), wiring the backlight driver/power and mounting the panel. Controller kits are inexpensive, but the work involves disassembly, connector matching, and safety precautions (backlight inverters/high voltages on older panels). ’s warning about the fiddliness is accurate — it is doable, but technical.

Capture devices: USB3 HDMI capture boxes will show the tower’s video inside an application window on the laptop. Useful for monitoring or recording, but they add latency and may limit frame rate, so not ideal for interactive use.

Practical rule: choose the network route for convenience and reversibility; choose a controller kit only if a permanent hardware reuse is acceptable and there is comfort with electronics. For most people buying an inexpensive external monitor is the fastest, lowest-risk way to get good graphics performance.

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Member Avatar for pcschrottie

You can use something like ThightVNC to control your Tower PC from your laptop, but if you want to use the ressources of your tower with your laptop, then you would need a server OS. At least as far as I know.

Or maybe you could explain a bit more detailled what you want to do.

Michael

Member Avatar for MasashiMikamida

Theoretically it could work, but you'd have to know a S**t-ton about how your laptop's lcd screen, keyboard, etc. work so you could do that. Otherwise, they have software and such that can help you. But if you're looking for an easy solution to making your computer better, the best thing to do is to get money, back-up all your data, sell your current systems, and buy a new one.

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