Android tablet as laptop

How To Use Tablet As Second Monitor (Android, Windows & IPad)

As handheld mobile tech becomes more prevalent, you may have looked at your devices sitting around and wondered “how can I use my tablet as a second monitor?”

While working from home, most will not have the luxury of a productivity setup. Fear no more, in this article, we will show you on how to use your Android, Windows and iOS tablets as a second display.

To use a tablet as a second monitor, simply download the app on both your tablet and laptop. Each app will give you the capability to connect via a cable (which reduce portability) or wireless connection (which is less stable, but more portable).

How To Use android tablet as second monitor With Cable & Wirelessly

Picking an App and Method

There’s a bit more to it than that though, as you need to be careful in what apps you pick! Some free options are available that we’ll discuss below, but most likely you are going to have to spend a little money to get the best wireless experience.

Why exactly is that? Because free apps usually have these limitations to keep in mind:

• The app will bombard you with ads (which obviously isn’t ideal for uninterrupted usage)
• The app will only work for a limited time on a free basis
• The app will require elevated tablet access permissions that you may not feel comfortable giving to a third party

Wireless Monitor Extension Apps

This is what most users actually want, so let’s jump into going wireless first, although as we note below, there are some big limitations here you may want to keep in mind.

Each app has in-depth instructions on going through this process, so there’s no need for us to rehash that here, but there are some things to keep in mind when picking a monitor extension app.

First up, be on the lookout for apps that allow you to both extend and mirror your display. These two options come in handy in different situations.

For instance, programmers may want to see their code on the main panel while having other resources on the secondary screen.

In other cases, you may need multiple people to see what’s on the screen, so mirroring makes more sense — especially if you want to pass the tablet around a staff meeting.

Now that you know what to look for, what apps should you try out? After extensive research, these are the tools we specifically recommend trying out for using your Android tablet as a monitor:

Note that iDisplay Lets you use your Android tablet as a monitor for your Mac as well as a Windows PC.

Using Remote Desktop Apps

There’s another option here that a lot of users don’t realize is freely available and essentially gives you the same functionality as an extension app — using a remote desktop program!

In particular, we recommend these two options:

It’s important to note this isn’t exactly the same thing as using your tablet as a second monitor, but it essentially gives you the same features.

Rather than extending your laptop display to your tablet, these apps let you control your laptop directly from your tablet, no matter where you are located.

This is particularly useful if you need to access your desktop from your tablet while you are away from your home or office.

..In some ways, remote desktop apps are actually better than using a paid monitor display app…

In some ways, remote desktop apps are actually better than using a paid monitor display app, because they give you screen sharing while also letting you freely transfer files between the two devices.

Broadcasting From Tablet To PC Monitor Or TV

We’ve seen how to use your tablet as a secondary monitor for your laptop, but what if you want to go the opposite direction?

Of course, there are apps for that as well, and as a bonus many of them let you display your tablet’s audio and video on your TV as well as your computer!

That can be a huge boon if you want to stream something like Netflix from your phone or tablet on your larger screen television. To go this route, check out these apps:

Via A USB Cable

Going wireless with the apps listed above is usually ideal for maximum portability, but it may not be the best option for your setup.

…It’s very important to note that wireless connections through an app will often result in a slight lag or delay…

It’s very important to note that wireless connections through an app will often result in a slight lag or delay between what you do on your computer and what you see on your tablet screen.

That’s where you are going to end up seeing the bulk of the negative reviews for any programs that let you use your tablet as a secondary monitor.

If you have particularly fast and stable wifi in your area (and devices with enough RAM to run the connection app smoothly), that’s less of a concern. In some cases, you may want to go with a cable-based connection using a USB instead.

Just like the wireless apps listed above, these programs let you extend or mirror your laptop display over to your tablet. They work through a faster-wired connection, however, and typically don’t suffer any major lag in display time:

Note that SplashTop’s wired version lets you try out the connection for free for 10 minutes to decide if you want to buy, so we recommend giving that a shot first to make sure it will work with your computer/tablet combo.

Via HDMI

If USB can be used to connect your tablet to your PC, you are probably wondering if it would be simpler to just use a standard video connection cable.

Some tablets like the Amazon Fire HD feature an HDMI port, which might make you assume using your tablet as a monitor will be as simple as plugging in a cable.

Unfortunately, in most cases, these tablet ports are actually for output, rather than input.

That means you can display your tablet’s screen on another device via an HDMI cable, but not vice versa.

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Should You Buy a Tablet or a Laptop?

A comparison of smart tablets and laptop computers

The best tablets are more powerful than some budget laptops, but is a tablet really a suitable substitute for a traditional portable computer? Learn about the differences between tablets and laptops to help you decide which best fits your needs.

Information in this article applies broadly to a wide range of devices. Check the specifications of individual products for a more direct comparison.

Overall Findings

Longer battery life.

Smaller and lighter.

Designed for media consumption.

Programs typically have more features.

Designed for productivity.

If you can only afford one device, then you’ll probably want a laptop. Budget laptops cost the same as mid-tier tablets, and they can do so much more. Tablets are primarily used for browsing the web, reading ebooks, playing games, listening to music, and other passive activities. Laptops, on the other hand, are made for productivity, which means creating documents, sending emails, and using powerful software. There are also hybrids, or convertible laptops, which can be used in tablet mode so that you can have the best of both worlds.

Input Method: You Can Do More With Laptops

Tablets rely solely on a touchscreen interface for input, which can present challenges when you need to input text. Since tablets have no keyboard, you must type on virtual keyboards that have varying layouts and designs. 2-in-1 tablets come with a detachable keyboard, but these models still fall short of the laptop experience because of their smaller size and more restrictive designs. If you add an external Bluetooth keyboard, you’ll add costs and peripherals that must be carried with the tablet, making it less portable. Laptops are better for people who type a lot.

Size: Tablets Are More Portable

Most tablets weigh under two pounds. Even the smallest laptops, like the Apple MacBook Air 11, weighs more and has a profile larger than most tablets. The main reason for the larger profile is that the keyboard and trackpad take up additional space. Laptops that include more powerful components require additional cooling, which adds to the size. Because of their smaller size and weight, a tablet is much easier to carry around than a laptop, especially for travel.

Battery Life: Tablets Last Longer

Because of the low power requirements of their hardware components, tablets are designed for efficiency. In fact, most of a tablet’s interior is taken up by the battery. Laptops, on the other hand, use more powerful hardware. The battery within a laptop takes up a far smaller percentage of the space needed for its internal components. Thus, even with the higher capacity battery offered by laptops, they don’t run as long as tablets. Many tablets can support up to ten hours of web usage before requiring a charge. In comparison, the average laptop only runs for about four to eight hours.

Some premium laptops running ARM-based processors achieve battery lives competitive with tablets, but some key software won’t run on ARM-based platforms.

Storage Capacity: Laptops Have More Space

In order to keep the size and costs of tablets down, manufacturers rely on solid-state storage memory to store programs and data. This technology has one major disadvantage: the amount of data it can store. Most tablets allow between 16 and 128 gigabytes of storage. By comparison, most laptops still use conventional hard drives that hold much more. The average budget laptop comes with a 500 GB hard drive, although some laptops have moved to solid-state drives as well. Both laptops and tablets include features like USB ports or microSD cards that make it possible to add external storage.

Performance: Laptops Are More Powerful

For tasks like email, web browsing, or playing video or audio, both platforms will work equally well since these activities don’t require much processing power. Things get more complicated once you start performing more demanding tasks that involve multitasking or HD graphics. In these cases, laptops typically perform better. There are exceptions, though, such as for video editing. Some high-end tablets can actually outperform laptops thanks to specialized hardware.

Software: Tablet Apps Are Restrictive

The same software running on a laptop versus a tablet can be vastly different in terms of capabilities. If a tablet is running Windows, it can theoretically run the same software as a laptop, but it will likely be slower. There are some exceptions to this rule, such as the Microsoft Surface Pro, a tablet that you can deploy as a primary laptop with the same software used in a work environment.

The two other major tablet platforms right now are Android and iOS, both of which require applications specific to their operating systems. There are many apps available for each of these platforms, and many will perform most of the basic tasks as a laptop. However, they still lack input devices, and hardware limitations mean that some more advanced features supplied by laptop programs may have to be dropped to fit into the tablet environment.

The iPad ran iOS until iOS 13, after which the tablet version of Apple’s mobile operating system shifted to iPadOS 13. The iOS environment now applies only to the iPhone.

Cost: It’s a Toss-Up

There are three tiers of tablets on the market. The majority of them are budget models that cost less than $100 and are ideal for simple tasks. Models in the middle tier cost between $200 to $400 and do most tasks just fine (as a comparison, budget laptops start at around $400.) Primary-tier tablets cost from around $500 to more than $1000. They may provide the best performance, but at these prices, they tend to provide worse performance than a laptop for the same cost.

Final Verdict

Laptops still offer greater flexibility for mobile computing. They may not have the same level of portability, running times, or ease of use as a tablet, but there are still a number of technical limitations that tablets must resolve before they replace laptops. If you already have a laptop, a tablet may be a great add-on for those times when you just want to read, play games, or browse the web. ​

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Using an Android Tablet as a PC Display?

GrumpyGamer123

System Name	My HTPC Games Build
Processor	Ryzen 5 2600 Hex Core 12 Thread CPU
Motherboard	ASUS AB350 Gaming Socket AM4
Cooling	Cooler Master Hyper 212 LED Turbo
Memory	32GB Crucial Ballistix Sport DDR4 2400MHZ (4x8GB)
Video Card(s)	Gigabyte G1 Gaming 980TI 6GB
Storage	Mushkin Scorpion Deluxe 1.92TB PCIE SSD, ADATA SU800 256GB SSD M.2 (SATA MODE)
Display(s)	Digihome 55″ UHD TV via Yamaha RV-V377 Receiver
Case	Cooler Master Full Tower
Audio Device(s)	Motherboard/GPU (No Sound Card)
Power Supply	Corsair CX850M 850 Watt
Mouse	Logitech K400
Keyboard	Logitech K400
Software	Windows 10 Professional

I have an android tablet with a large 14-inch display (Virgin Media Telly Tablet) that I would like to re-purpose as a computer display. The thing is I need it to work as seamlessly as possible, ideally just like a TV, as I am intending to use it for a relative who has little computer knowledge. I am fine to do the initial set up for them, but after that I really need it to work with just a couple of easy steps to be any good.

I know programs for this exist, but have no knowledge of them or their set up. However, I notice most assume the Android device is a secondary display. However, I am looking to make the Android device the primary (and ideally only) display once set up, is this possible? The reason is I want to stream a game from Steam to the tablet and games generally will only output to the main display by default. The game is slow paced, so minor lag or delay is acceptable. The computer is in the same room, so will be using the game pad and keyboard from that, so I only need the tablet to be a ‘dumb’ display (with sound), I don’t need any touch functionality at all.

Ideally wireless would be best, but it may be possible to run a long USB lead as I have read that wired can be a lot smoother and higher resolution (the tablet is full HD so would be nice to use its full resolution).

Has anyone had any experience with using an Android phone or tablet as a computer display and how did you find it? Is there one program that works particularly well for this task?

So to sum up is it a practical and simple solution to use an Android device as a primary display like this for (casual) gaming, or would I be better off selling the desktop PC and saving for a low-end laptop instead and playing the games directly on the there?

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