A computer system to continuously maintain a user session when a display device is mechanically connected and disconnected with a base processing device is described. The computer system allows the user to run applications during the user session on the base processing device and use the display device as a monitor. The display device can be detached from the base processing device, and the base processing device can continue running the applications for the user session. In this mode, the separated display device can be used as a tablet form factor computing device which can accept user input and send the user input to the base processing device. Among other functions, the base processing device can operate with the display device disconnected by generating session content for the display device, including, for example, sending application content, video streams, and other content to the display device.