Genki ShadowCast adapter lets you play Playstation 5, XBox, and Switch games on your laptop via USB-C

Newer laptops these days have great displays with colors approaching full sRGB or even DCI-P3. Though content looks great, trying to connect external sources like consoles and TV receivers isn't always simple since there is no HDMI-in port. The Genki ShadowCast adapter attempts to be the next best thing by turning a laptop's USB-C port into an HDMI-in port for users to connect anything from consoles to old DVD players.

According to its Kickstarter page, the small ShadowCast adapter connects directly to the HDMI port of your video source like a console, video camera, or TV receiver. Then, a USB-C to USB-C cable is connected from the adapter to the output monitor or, in this case, a Windows or Apple laptop. Users would then launch the Genki Arcade app to view the video. The developers are promising minimal input lag as demonstrated by their videos.

The biggest downside to the adapter is that the output video will be limited to just 1080p at 30 FPS or 720p at 60 FPS even if the input source is 4K. Thus, ShadowCast would be better for something like the Nintendo Switch rather than the Playstation 5. It's also unclear if the laptop would need to support DisplayPort over USB-C or USB-C Gen. 2 transfer rates as many USB-C ports lack these features. After all, not all USB-C ports are created equal.

Genki expects to begin shipping the ShadowCast by March 2021 for about $40 USD.