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Looking for tips from couch PC gamers

I am planning on building a PC soon and it will be my first. I've decided I want to continue gaming on my 78" OLED in my livingroom.

Just wondering if anyone who does this has tips on accessories or things to prepare for. For example, I've been told that direct connect mouses and keyboards are superior to wireless. Should I find a way to bring my pc closer to me so that this would be possible? Or is wireless fine? This is all new to me so just want some feedback.

ihhT7Of.jpg

While I'm at it, I was going to get people's opinion in these specs. I want to game at 4k. Only thing I've really heard against this is the cooling system isn't strong enough and that I could save on getting a 13700. Thoughts?
 
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Gaiff

SBI’s Resident Gaslighter
I am planning on building a PC soon and it will be my first. I've decided I want to continue gaming on my 78" OLED in my livingroom.

Just wondering if anyone who does this has tips on accessories or things to prepare for. For example, I've been told that direct connect mouses and keyboards are superior to wireless. Should I find a way to bring my pc closer to me so that this would be possible? Or is wireless fine? This is all new to me so just want some feedback.
Just get a controller for couch gaming. Why would you play with a mouse and keyboard?

I never used my mouse and keyboard on my TV.
 
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Faust

Perpetually Tired
Staff Member
I am planning on building a PC soon and it will be my first. I've decided I want to continue gaming on my 78" OLED in my livingroom.

Just wondering if anyone who does this has tips on accessories or things to prepare for. For example, I've been told that direct connect mouses and keyboards are superior to wireless. Should I find a way to bring my pc closer to me so that this would be possible? Or is wireless fine? This is all new to me so just want some feedback.
You can just get a USB Extension cable.
Also look into a "lap desk" if you want to use your mouse/keyboard from the couch. https://www.amazon.com/Couchmaster-.../B00CCHRJ2Q?ascsubtag=007oFPOOhsEtCs227ARdY5r
 
I am planning on building a PC soon and it will be my first. I've decided I want to continue gaming on my 78" OLED in my livingroom.

Just wondering if anyone who does this has tips on accessories or things to prepare for. For example, I've been told that direct connect mouses and keyboards are superior to wireless. Should I find a way to bring my pc closer to me so that this would be possible? Or is wireless fine? This is all new to me so just want some feedback.
Go wireless. Modern wireless is great, and the people who still shout about wire supremacy are living in a different decade.

If you want a console like experience. Set windows with no login password (local account and not Microsoft account login), and set steam to open in BPM at login. Dualsense is great on PC now, and there's a program on steam called DSX that will help with games outside of Steam when it comes to input.
 
Go wireless. Modern wireless is great, and the people who still shout about wire supremacy are living in a different decade.

If you want a console like experience. Set windows with no login password (local account and not Microsoft account login), and set steam to open in BPM at login. Dualsense is great on PC now, and there's a program on steam called DSX that will help with games outside of Steam when it comes to input.
Got any tips on good wireless?
 

Buggy Loop

Member
I am planning on building a PC soon and it will be my first. I've decided I want to continue gaming on my 78" OLED in my livingroom.

Just wondering if anyone who does this has tips on accessories or things to prepare for. For example, I've been told that direct connect mouses and keyboards are superior to wireless. Should I find a way to bring my pc closer to me so that this would be possible? Or is wireless fine? This is all new to me so just want some feedback.

Wireless mouse & keyboards have super low latencies nowadays.

This is 2 years ago and still valid. The mouse will matter of course and even the more recent wireless mouses typically improved upon that.



If you're not an e-sport pro gamer in a world league or something, doesn't matter at all.

If you're quite far from that 78" OLED, if you can route an USB cable with multiple inputs somewhere, like if you have access to ceiling or walls, bringing wireless receivers closer to couch should in theory help. Honestly, it's been years since I went couch gaming on PC, in theory that should help, how much, I don't know. But a no brainer if you can. Gamepad + keyboard + mouse + headphone(?) to wireless receiver near couch and directly into PC.
 
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Shwing

Member
I use my pc on my Sony 65" TV, and have no issues. Keyboard/mouse etc are all wireless... My keyboard is ASUS ROG Falchion MX 65% Wireless RGB Gaming Mechanical Keyboard with a Logitech wireless mouse both of which I use on a laptop lap desk tray. Controller also wireless...
 

EverydayBeast

thinks Halo Infinite is a new graphical benchmark
Went to pc gaming in 2010 on a 32on tv with a desk, all wired devices, tv was at a distance on another desk in front of the desk, had a good run with battlefield 3 was the game to play than. You can create any gaming environment you want really. I believe used one of these for the mouse

818ivSi-umL.jpg


You can use pc gaming in so many different ways it really is the Swiss Army knife.’
 

cash_longfellow

Gold Member
If your are planning on staying on the couch, just grab a solid laptop and hdmi it…rock out a controller. Unless you are planning on playing competitive shooters or something, mouse and KB on the couch setup is unnecessary imo.
 
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SoloCamo

Member
A cheap Logitech G305 mouse is ridiculously low latency. I was always a proponent of wired or don't bother but wireless these days is ridiculously good. I've actually use a decent folding dinner table and had a good experience with mouse + kb. Buying something of remotely better quality would be a game changer.
 
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poodaddy

Member
Search for lift top coffee table - there are lots of different styles out there. I still have the one I bought maybe 15 years ago.
Thanks man. Had no idea this was a thing lol. Wish I did before I picked out a nice coffee table for the game room upstairs, but I could always just move that to the Guest room and do this for the game room. You're a Mensch.
 
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SoloCamo

Member
I use this:
k400-plus-black-gallery-1-uk.png

And just use an Xbox Series controller to play games. I pretty much have it set up like a console experience where it launches into Steam Big Picture Mode when I boot up my PC.

I have two of these, the latency is pretty trash. Do NOT use these for FPS. For general use and browsing they are absolutely amazing.
 
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Go wireless. Modern wireless is great, and the people who still shout about wire supremacy are living in a different decade.

If you want a console like experience. Set windows with no login password (local account and not Microsoft account login), and set steam to open in BPM at login. Dualsense is great on PC now, and there's a program on steam called DSX that will help with games outside of Steam when it comes to input.
Are there any good solutions for using Dualsense wirelessly on PC?
 

dolabla

Member
I have two of these, the latency is pretty trash. Do NOT use these for FPS. For general use and browsing they are absolutely amazing.
Yeah, I wouldn't use it for any gaming. It is most definitely great for other things tho and it's compact/small.
 

yansolo

Member
i use a usb hub with a long cable just because it's cheaper than buying all wireless peripherals, i also use a controller 95% of the time and there are apps like controller companion that you can use to control your desktop via the controller
 

Slimboy Fat

Member
Go wireless. Modern wireless is great, and the people who still shout about wire supremacy are living in a different decade.

If you want a console like experience. Set windows with no login password (local account and not Microsoft account login), and set steam to open in BPM at login. Dualsense is great on PC now, and there's a program on steam called DSX that will help with games outside of Steam when it comes to input.
Doesn't it increase input lag? Also isn't it frustrating to set up?
 

poodaddy

Member
Doesn't it increase input lag? Also isn't it frustrating to set up?
I can't speak on the lag but it's not frustrating at all to set up, at least in my opinion. I haven't used it lately, but I did a few years ago mainly out of idle curiosity, and it was a pretty easy to use software with some interesting functionality given you could use the touch pad as a mouse. Pretty cool stuff.
 
I recently build a living room PC just to test the claims some GAFers make on here from time to time. I got to admit its gotten a LOT better in the last 20 years or so. That being said, let me share a few key points that might be of interest to you

  • I use a RTX 4060 (yes) on my 73 inch OLED - which means I can't game in native 4K, BUT I was totally shocked how good DLSS looks on a TV in the living room compared to a monitor that's like 60cm away from your eyes. I play basically almost everything at 60fps with DLSS quality or balanced/peformance upscaled to 4K and it still looks good
  • I use the K400 too and i think its a cheap, shitty product. Unfortunately I don't know any alternative I could recommend to you
  • I prefer the DualSense and it works fantastic over Bluetooth
 

Havoc2049

Member
Get a Razer Turret. It's a wireless KB&M combo, sits on your lap and is nice and comfy for extended game sessions.
razer-turret-lap-keyboard-mouse-combo-8455.jpg



I have one of those lift top coffee tables and it's OK for casual use and short bursts, but not great for extended gaming or productivity sessions. The only way it would be good is if you had a chair. Most couches are too low and you sit too far back on a couch. So you have to sit at the edge of the couch, hunched over the coffee table and depending on the couch, the KB&M might be at chest level. They are great for storage though.
 

poppabk

Cheeks Spread for Digital Only Future
I recently build a living room PC just to test the claims some GAFers make on here from time to time. I got to admit its gotten a LOT better in the last 20 years or so. That being said, let me share a few key points that might be of interest to you

  • I use a RTX 4060 (yes) on my 73 inch OLED - which means I can't game in native 4K, BUT I was totally shocked how good DLSS looks on a TV in the living room compared to a monitor that's like 60cm away from your eyes. I play basically almost everything at 60fps with DLSS quality or balanced/peformance upscaled to 4K and it still looks good
  • I use the K400 too and i think its a cheap, shitty product. Unfortunately I don't know any alternative I could recommend to you
  • I prefer the DualSense and it works fantastic over Bluetooth
K400 or similar (I use a bluetooth one for range) is just for navigation, I wouldn't reccomend playing games on it.
 

Kataploom

Gold Member
Xbox One/Series controller
Logitech k400 keyboard with trackpad

Done
This. Also don't forget Steam Big Picture. You'll want to stay there as much as possible and not move to any other store because it's just ask comfortable to: Turn PC and controller, pick a game to play, finish playing the game and Turn PC off.

It's literally like having a steam deck plugged to the TV with an Xbox controller.

I only use the keyboard with trackpad when I'm doing something else than playing but most most of the time I just use the phone or TV YouTube app, I rarely touch my keyboard honestly.

The other situation is when I play overwatch or something that requires proper mouse and keyboard. For that I have a separate set of wireless ones that I have stored somewhere else and just take out to play those games sometimes so they are not laying around, it works perfectly for me, I don't think there's any disadvantage since input response feels ok.

But my experience is mostly using the Xbox controller, picking the game and turning the PC off all from Steam Big Picture, rarely feel the need of getting out of it and since I started using it, I don't even want to buy games outside of steam.
 

Kataploom

Gold Member
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I use the Microsoft All In One. I favor it over the Logitech K400. The TouchPad is larger and more responsive in my personal experience.
Damn this is the exact keyboard I use just in case I want to do some browsing and even light programming from the couch (I don't want to sit on my work desk in weekends). It's been great so far imo. Wife also made a yarn cover to protect it with some pockets for the TV remote which is a blessing!
 

Arsic

Loves his juicy stink trail scent
I personally have my PC set up (gaming chair, desk, monitors) near my living room TV.

I have a HDMI 2.1 cable running from PC to the TV with a dongle I hit a button on to make the TV another monitor at anytime.

This allows me to just set up the game on the TV, turn off the other monitors, and play with a controller on the TV.

Other times for games like counter strike I do not want to play them on my couch so I just use my usual set up.

It also allows me to let my son play on the TV or monitor when he wants to play so I can make use of the TV for PS5 if he is on pc monitor, or I feel like doing co op with him on the big TV.
 

_Justinian_

Gold Member
I have a projector setup, but same rules apply as for a TV. I have a wired Corsair keyboard and a wired Logitech mouse. They are connected via extended USB cables to my PC. I then have a lap cushion designed for a laptop with a mini mousepad that slides out. There is nothing wireless at all. Even my Xbox One controller is connected via an extended cable. Zero issues.
 

TransTrender

Gold Member
There was a thread on this not too long ago and I wanted to add this same info there:
My PC is hardwired from my office to an ethernet switch in the basement, and my entertainment center has it's own switch and is also connected to the basement.
I use a Shield TV Pro to primarily use Moonlight to mirror Steam or whatever from my desktop.
My keyboard is a Roccat Sova but I don't know what the equivalent solution would be these days. This is hard wired to the Shield.
twRrwBH.jpg

I use my wired mouse of choice connected to the Sova.
I use a USB dongle system to switch between my PS5, Switch, and Shield for my Turtle Beach Stealth Pro headset.
 
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Ribi

Member
Starts with the build. Are you doing mini itx/micor atx? For PC portability.

Next you can get a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard. The Logitech wireless mice and the zowie have impressive response times nearly on par with wires so it might not be that big of an issue depending on how far you are from the receiver.

Invest is a lap keyboard+mouse pad

And for a controller get a King Kong pro 3 max
 
I have one of those Lenovo pro keyboards with built in USB hub so just have a single cable to run everything I need wired to the PC. I pretty much always use a controller tho when gaming on the PC
 
Wireless mouses and keyboards that use 2.4Ghz tech can sometimes experience interference by Wi-Fi or even Xbox controllers - I had to resort to Bluetooth because this was driving me insane in my apartment.

But wireless is king, yeah. You'll be fine 🙂
 

Midn1ght

Member
I have a logitech K400 as well but in case you are lazy to use it for simple task on the desktop, you can use your DualSense to navigate on your computer.

PS Button + Right Stick will move the arrow then R1 for left click and L1 for right click.

Also if you want to turn HDR on or off on the go without going in the display setting use: Windows Key + Alt + B
 
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