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2025-04-13 16:13:36 -04:00
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+title: 'Redoing My Gaming Setup'
+pubDate: '4/13/2025'
+tags: ['Gaming', 'Tech', 'Life']
+---
+
+Recently, the backlight on my TV crapped out. If I'm honest, it's a miracle a budget TV from the early 2010's lasted this long. Though I'd thought about replacing it over the last few years, my stubborn refusal to purchase a smart TV kept me from taking the leap.
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+That stubbornness, along with the fact that spending a few hundred dollars on consumer electronics seems a tad irresponsible at the moment, led me to rethink my setup, and question if I even need a TV. After all, 95% of the time that TV is on I'm playing a video game, and I almost always watch movies and shows on my MacBook (probably because the screen is a lot nicer).
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+I already have a pretty nice 4K panel with HDR at my desk, the perfect companion for a PlayStation 5 – and maybe the upcoming Switch 2 if it's not pushed cleanly outside of my price range by tariffs. It's even been a huge boon to the visual quality of Switch games, despite the 1080p resolution.
+
+I quickly ran into a problem though; my display – the LG UltraFine – only has 2 HDMI ports. That seems more than reasonable for a product designed for a desk, but but it was going to make my setup a tad inconvenient.
+
+I ended up purchasing an Anker HDMI switch to connect my game consoles, which I then affixed to the back of my desk for easy access since it doesn't always correctly pick up which console is powered on (maybe I just need to tinker with each console's CEC config?).
+
+It's been a little over a week using this setup, and after several rounds of Fortnite (which were some of my best rounds I've ever played – amazing how visual clarity helps aim) and a handful of hours of Xenoblade Chronicles X, I can see myself getting used to this setup. It brings me back to my PC gaming days, without all the hardware shenanigans, and having to use Windows. 🤢
+
+Another benefit is that it's freed up my old TV area, and opened many possibilities to be more flexible with how I have it arranged. I can make it a more comfortable space without having to arrange it around a screen, where I can relax, listen to music, or even do some work if I want to get away from my desk.