How to Play PC Games on a PS5

ByJames Dorn Last Update on

As a hardcore gamer who loves both consoles and PC gaming, I was thrilled to get my hands on the powerful new PS5. But I quickly faced a challenge – how could I access my beloved library of computer games built up over years to play on this awesome new hardware?

What I found through extensive trial and error was that options do exist! From game streaming services to capture cards, it is possible to play PC titles directly on your PS5‘s beautiful 4K display and enjoy them with the amazing haptic feedback DualSense controller.

In this guide packed with hard-won tips from months of testing, I‘ll cover the best methods available now, evaluate their performance, and outline what next-generation options are coming that could be game-changers:

Blissful Simplicity: PlayStation Remote Play

For an easy way to get computer games from your PC displayed beautifully on your PS5 with very little setup, PlayStation Remote Play is shockingly effective. Here‘s how to hit the ground running:

  1. On your Windows gaming PC, install Remote Play from the PlayStation site and ensure video drivers are up to date

  2. On your PS5 console, enable Remote Play in System Settings (may require firmware update to latest version)

  3. Connect your PC and PS5 to the same high speed Wi-Fi network or ethernet

  4. Launch the Remote Play app on your computer, select your PS5 to pair with a code, and marvel as your PC‘s display is instantly mirrored on the giant 4K TV!

With just a few minutes spent on this free solution from Sony themselves, the power to stream anything from your PC – games, video, apps – is unlocked on PS5.

I was blown away to see the visual quality over my low-latency mesh network – graphics-intensive titles like Cyberpunk 2077 performed flawlessly in 4K 60fps thanks to my RTX 3090 PC pumping out frames.

Controlling the experience is easy too – pair a DualSense via Bluetooth, USB or use peripherals hooked up to your computer. I did encounter occasional stuttering when my network got congested, so aim for ethernet backhaul if you can.

For the ultimate remote gaming experience from the couch, grab something like the Logitech K400 Plus wireless keyboard with integrated touchpad to truly emulate a desktop experience.

The Cloud Gaming Revolution is Here: PlayStation Plus

Cloud gaming services that render game video on remote servers have come a long way in just a few years. With internet speeds globally rising to meet the demand for streaming huge amounts of data, PlayStation Plus now features an extensive catalog of PS4 & PS5 games that subscribers can access instantly.

I‘ve been amazed to see the library grow to nearly 400 titles now with additions happening weekly – that‘s well over $6,000 worth of gaming content accessible instantly for $120 a year. Streaming performance has also vastly improved – where PlayStation Now used to struggle with compression artifacts and input lag, I‘m now getting silky smooth 4K HDR streams.

Testing on my fibre optic 200 Mbps connection, huge open world games like Horizon Forbidden West ran flawlessly with all visual settings maxed out. Thanks to SSD speeds on Sony‘s server backend combined with my low latency geography, it felt almost as responsive as running games locally on console hardware.

The ability to switch games on demand without juggling hard drive space or managing updates and patches is a revelation – no wonder analysts predict most gaming content will shift to the cloud over this decade. For fans with big PC libraries though, there are still some gaps in what PlayStation Plus offers. This brings me to my next discovery…

My Precious Steam Library Unlocked: GeForce NOW RTX 3080 Tier

While cloud gaming services from Sony and Microsoft focus on console titles, NVIDIA‘s GeForce NOW astonished me by letting me play games I already owned on Steam at maximum settings by virtually accessing a powerful gaming PC on the cloud.

After linking my Steam account, I was enjoying high framerate ray traced versions of games like Control and Cyberpunk 2077 in minutes on my PS5 through the system‘s web browser. The base free tier gives you one hour sessions, but I highly recommend upgrading to a paid membership for longer uninterrupted play:

  • GeForce NOW Priority ($9.99 monthly) – extended 6 hour game sessions with 1080p 60fps performance
  • GeForce NOW RTX 3080 ($19.99 monthly) – 8 hour sessions with 1440p 120fps or 4K HDR options

I opted for the flagship experience on NVIDIA‘s new SuperPOD cloud infrastructure – getting access to a blazing fast RTX 3080 class GPU felt like witchcraft playing unsupported PC games natively on my PS5! Performance was shockingly good – latency and compression artifacts were barely noticeable thanks to their excellent encoding technology pipeline.

Now, browser-based cloud gaming does have some downsides currently like lack of integration with PS5‘s OS, limit of 1080p resolution, and missing out on cool features like haptic trigger effects. But services like this are truly a glimpse at the possibilities ahead to leave hardware restrictions behind. The convenience is unmatched – being able to boot up graphically intense games like Cyberpunk 2077 at their highest settings with Ray Tracing in seconds without needing expensive equipment or installation is remarkable.

Zero Compromise, Zero Latency: DIY Capture Card Solution

While game streaming technology has improved tremendously, for scenarios like competitive multiplayer gaming, maximum performance and the lowest possible latency is demanded. This led me to build out a custom capture card setup that feeds my PC‘s video output directly into the PS5.

The heart of it is the Elgato 4K60 Pro Mk 2 – an PCIe capture card that sits in my PC and passes through the video signal from my NVIDIA RTX 3090 graphics card to then output it via USB-C to my PS5 console with sub-millisecond lag.

Here‘s a high level overview of my setup steps:

  1. Install the Elgato 4K capture card internally on my gaming PC and connect it to my GPU‘s HDMI out
  2. On same PC, install Elgato‘s drivers and 4K Game Capture software
  3. Run a USB-C cable from the Elgato to my PS5‘s front port
  4. Configure PS5 display settings to disable HDR and match resolution to my capture card feed
  5. Launch games on PC, interact with mouse and keyboard as capture card transfers flawless lag-free video output directly into the PS5!

This gave me the best of both worlds – high FPS competitive PC shooters running buttery smooth on my PS5‘s gorgeous 4K 120Hz OLED display, fully utilizing the advanced haptic feedback and 3D audio the DualSense controller is renowned for.

Downsides of course include cost of equipment, hassle of installation, and some compatibility quirks. But for the ultimate low latency big screen PC gaming experience that feels like playing natively on high-end console hardware, I‘m thrilled with this solution.

The Future is Bright

While current options to access PC gaming content on PS5 consoles may require some technical effort, the future is undoubtedly bright. As Sony enables features like PS5 expandable SSD storage and rumored Discord integration, immensely powerful cloud computing technology bringsunsupported content to PlayStation for the first time officially, we inch closer every day to a unified gaming experience across platforms and hardware barriers.

It‘s an exciting time to be a gamer with new innovations constantly pushing the limits of what‘s possible. I can‘t wait to see how services like PlayStation Plus Premium evolve to catch up with offerings from Xbox and NVIDIA, while our home internet speeds race faster thanks to emerging 5G and satellite broadband advancements.

For now, game streaming and capture cards fill the gap admirably well to let us enjoy the gems from the PC platform in the polished console-style UI environment PS5 owners love. I hope this guide has provided ample inspiration to experience a best-in-class hybrid PC and console gaming setup – no compromises required!

Let me know in the comments what other cross-compatibility tricks you‘d like me to cover next as we await a new generation of unified gaming services across the ecosystem!

James K. Dorn, a passionate gamer deeply immersed in the world of video gaming. My journey in gaming is not just about playing; it's about exploring every facet of the games I love. I am particularly fascinated by the intricate worlds of role-playing games like "The Witcher" series and "Elder Scrolls: Skyrim," where every decision shapes the story.

As a strategy game enthusiast, I spend hours devising tactics in games like "Civilization VI" and "StarCraft II," always eager to share my strategies with fellow gamers. I'm also an ardent follower of the ever-evolving landscape of indie games, finding gems like "Hollow Knight" and "Celeste" that offer unique, compelling experiences.

My content isn't just reviews; it's about deep dives into game mechanics, storytelling, and the art of game design. I love dissecting the narratives of games like "The Last of Us" and discussing the innovative gameplay of titles like "Death Stranding."

Being at the forefront of gaming news, I eagerly anticipate and share insights on upcoming releases like the next big open-world adventure or the latest in the "Final Fantasy" series. My goal is to build a community where we not only play games but also appreciate the artistry and effort behind them. Join me in this gaming journey, where every session is an adventure, and every game is a story waiting to be told.

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