Summary
When I’m away from home, I want to reach my Windows PC and actually use it like a desktop. I need readable text and real-time responsiveness, not a desktop full of pixels. I also want to get back in after a restart and not be left wondering what happened to the PC if I get disconnected. So I tested Chrome Remote Desktop and RustDesk, two of the most straightforward and popular remote access tools. While I was at it, I also tested the built-in Windows solution and was shocked by just how well it performed. I took all three solutions far beyond my home network One Windows 11 VM, a sketchy rural mobile connection, and a purpose-built Tailscale gateway Before trusting any of these tools with my main Windows PC, I spun up a Windows 11 virtual machine on my Proxmox server. I used this disposable VM for all three tools, connecting from my Windows 11 Home laptop. Testing remote access tools from the same network the targets are sitting on would be kind of pointless. To produce a more useful test, I tethered my laptop to the only mobile network available at my home and tested each using only mobile data. My rural signal delivered a blazing 10 Mbps each way, with an upload latency exceeding 600 ms. Those Speedtest readings likely indicated a best-case scenario, not the actual speeds the connection would see. Chrome Remote Desktop and RustDesk used their public infrastructure to create the remote sessions. For RDP, however, I connected through an existing Tailscale gateway that’s already on my home network for the purpose of giving network access to my local subnets. That gave me a private route to the VM behind my home connection’s CGNAT. I checked the main things I needed from these tools while away:
- Desktop responsiveness, text clarity, clipboard access, and the ability to run as admin.
- Uploading a reasonably sized 80 MB file that would be challenging over a slow mobile network.
- If the tool was still usable on a phone screen.
I installed and set up each one, then took my laptop for a walk to catch the best signal for testing.
Chrome Remote Desktop was usable once I accepted the blur
A sharper picture just wasn’t worth the extra lag
I set up Chrome Remote Desktop on the VM and connected to it via Firefox on my laptop. Chrome Remote Desktop requires a Google account at each end, and it’s not something I’m particularly keen on, especially given that the account would be tied to access to my PC.
Remote access requires a 6-digit PIN, and Google states that sessions are encrypted. Two-factor authentication is also technically available on the Google account itself. Those protections are welcomed, even if I’d prefer not to involve another online account.
Performance-wise, the desktop looked soft, with lag while typing and moving around windows. Resizing it to fit the browser worked reasonably well, as did retaining the scaling of the original desktop resolution.
Chrome Remote Desktop does offer a High-DPI mode, which noticeably sharpens the image quality. When enabled, it adds significant lag to the desktop, and that extra delay made it frustrating to use. Disabling smooth scaling helped a little, but ultimately I decided to leave it turned off.
Clipboard copying required enabling synchronization and installing a dedicated Firefox add-on. It worked afterward, though with a lot of lag. I tested running PowerShell as admin, which worked and brought up the User Account Control (UAC) prompt. I also managed to send the 80 MB file using the upload/download controls with significant delay. Unattended access worked, as I could log in and access the desktop again when restarting the VM.
On my phone, browser access felt similarly fast. Direct touch meant jabbing my fingertips at icons and menus and hoping for the best, so I enabled trackpad mode, which was far more accurate.
While I’d be happy to use Chrome Remote Desktop for making quick changes, the lack of desktop resizing plus the lag meant that it wouldn’t be my first choice for regular use.
Chrome Remote Desktop - OS
- Windows, Linux, macOS, ChromeOS
- Price model
- Free
Chrome Remote Desktop is Google’s remote-access service for controlling a computer from another device. It supports remote support, file transfers, and encrypted desktop sessions.
RustDesk took an eternity to connect, but then performed much better
Once the session finally started, the desktop was sharp and responsive
RustDesk took around 30–40 seconds to bring up my desktop. That was long enough for me to assume it wasn’t working and wait for the inevitable time-out. It did eventually appear, and the experience compared to Chrome Remote Desktop had improved considerably.
The image quality was sharp, moving around windows and watching the animations felt responsive, and clipboard redirection was instant. Launching PowerShell as administrator brought up the UAC prompt, and unattended access was available after a restart. Using its built-in file transfer tool, I was able to send the same 80 MB file much faster than with Chrome Remote Desktop.
Since I was using the RustDesk public relay, I’d configured my Windows 11 VM RustDesk application with a permanent password. That enabled unattended access and at least provided some security.
Using the public relay now requires a separate third-party login through Google, GitHub, or Microsoft. I hoped that this might be used as connection authentication, but as it turned out, it was there only to reduce ID enumeration and malicious bot activity on the free public servers.
The mobile app gave me the choice between a virtual mouse, which acted like a trackpad, and touch mode, which displayed a giant mouse that I could move with my finger. The touch mode was especially awkward, as trying to “click” the mouse with a fingertip four times as large as the icons on the desktop sent the cursor flying across the screen.
RustDesk’s documentation limits its public server to testing only. It advises against production or sensitive use. I’ve previously covered setting up my own RustDesk relay, which is the route I’d personally consider for ongoing use.
RustDesk - OS
- Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
- Price model
- Free with Paid Tiers RustDesk is a free, open-source remote desktop tool offering self-hosted or public-server connections, cross-platform support, end-to-end encryption, and a privacy-friendly TeamViewer alternative for remote access and file transfer.
- Developer
- Purslane Limited
- Services
- Remote Desktop Access
RDP felt closest to sitting at the PC
The old Windows standby turned out to be my favorite
The Windows Remote Desktop Protocol, or RDP, gets a bad rap for security. Even Microsoft advises against opening it directly to the internet and instead recommends placing it behind a VPN.
My route went through Tailscale, without a publicly exposed RDP port. I used my Windows credentials and kept Network Level Authentication enabled. That meant that authentication via an account on the Windows VM was required before a remote session could be established.
Once connected, the difference was immediate. RDP established sessions quickly, delivered the clearest image quality, and felt as snappy as sitting in front of the VM on a console. Clipboard copying and admin prompts worked (as you would expect), and restarting didn’t prevent me from reconnecting.
As with Chrome Remote Desktop and RustDesk, I tested uploading by copying and pasting the 80 MB file. For RDP, that simply meant copying and pasting through File Explorer.
|
Tool |
File upload time |
|
Chrome Remote Desktop |
About 8 minutes |
|
RustDesk |
1 minute 48 seconds |
|
Windows RDP over Tailscale |
1 minute 3 seconds |
Windows RDP has drive redirection, and enabling it meant I could make my laptop’s hard drive appear inside the remote PC’s File Explorer.
This feature works particularly well when you’re remoting into a machine across the other side of the room. On a mobile connection, however, it’s a recipe for unbearable lag. Explorer became so slow I had to terminate the session just to regain control.
On my phone, Microsoft’s official Android RDP application “Windows App” was the best experience yet. I could choose between trackpad mode and touch controls, and the desktop adjusted perfectly to fit my screen in both landscape and portrait mode.
It also offered redirection options for the phone’s camera, microphone, storage, clipboard, and even location. It was fast, thoughtfully laid out, and easy to use. Best of all, it was very responsive and lag-free.
Windows App - Platform(s)
- Windows, macOS, Android, Chrome OS, iOS, iPadOS, web browsers
- Developer
- Microsoft Corporation
- Price model
- Free app I’m keeping RDP, but Tailscale is part of the deal My existing setup made the difference After all the testing, I’ve settled on keeping the one Windows already had. RDP over Tailscale connected quickly, gave me the clearest desktop, transferred my files fastest, and worked flawlessly on my Android. Apparently, the built-in Windows remote access tool still had something to offer. To be fair, I did have a head start. My VM already had Windows 11 Pro installed so it could accept RDP sessions. Windows 11 Home can act as an RDP client, but unfortunately, the ability to host incoming RDP sessions has been blocked by Microsoft. I also had a Tailscale gateway running already that exposed my network’s subnets. Starting from scratch would have taken a lot more preparation. Even so, the everyday benefits outweigh that initial setup work. That recommendation obviously depends on private access through Tailscale. I wouldn’t recommend ever exposing RDP publicly on a VPS or through a forwarded router port without some serious security hardening. Even then, I’d much prefer to keep access private. Chrome Remote Desktop still has a place for occasional or emergency browser access. RustDesk offers a self-hosted and open-source route I’ve used and made use of in the past. RDP simply fits the infrastructure I already have and makes reaching my PC while I’m away a routine rather than a fight with third-party tools and controls.