Gaming has always been a popular pastime, and with the advent of new technology, it’s only become more popular. One of the newest technologies to hit the market is cloud gaming. Cloud gaming is a service that allows gamers to play their games online, without having to install them on their own computer. One of the best cloud gaming services available is GeForce NOW. GeForce NOW offers a wide variety of games, including some of the most popular titles from both current and past console generations. The service also offers a great selection of games for PC users as well as Mac users. One great feature of GeForce NOW is that it allows you to play your games offline as well. This means that you can take your game with you wherever you go, without having to worry about losing any progress or data. Overall, GeForce NOW is one of the best cloud gaming services available and it’s definitely worth checking out if you’re interested in playing some great games online without having to install them yourself. ..
Industry-Leading GPU Power
Finally, GeForce NOW’s RTX 3080 and Priority tiers come with ray-tracing capabilities, a feature that’s only currently supported on Xbox Cloud Gaming.
It’s Got the Games
Performance alone is enough to put GeForce NOW ahead of the pack, but it also boasts the largest game library available in the cloud. As of May 2022, GeForce NOW officially supports more than 1,300 titles with 118 of them available to play for free.
A Massive Global Footprint
Having the ability to play great games on powerful hardware in the cloud is only useful if you can actually access them. When it comes to cloud gaming infrastructure, GeForce NOW has the largest global footprint with 60 officially supported regions and 10 GeForce NOW Alliance partners.
The second best contender in terms of global reach is Xbox Cloud Gaming with 26 officially supported regions. That’s followed up closely by Stadia with 22 regions, and then Luna, which currently only offers service to the mainland United States.
In short, GeForce NOW is the most widely available cloud gaming service on the planet; however, it’s worth mentioning that the premium RTX 3080 tier isn’t offered in all supported locations.
Play PC Games on All of Your Devices
While multi-device support is nothing new in the cloud gaming space, it’s worth noting that GeForce NOW is the only service that delivers the most power, the most games, and the largest regional coverage to a broad range of device form factors.
As of today, GeForce NOW runs in the browser and via a native app on Windows PCs and macOS computers. For gaming on the go, there’s the GeForce NOW app for Android and a web app for iPhone and iPad. Some Android TVs, including Chromecast with Google TV and NVIDIA Shield TV, can make use of the official GFN app from the Google Play Store. Players can even access GeForce NOW with a Chromebook through the Chrome browser or on an Xbox via the Microsoft Edge browser.
So whether you like to play on your PC, chill out on the couch, or game in bed (we’re not judging), GeForce NOW can be enjoyed in all of these places.
The Least Latency (At Least for Me)
Not only is latency the bane of any competitive gamer, but it’s also one of the biggest problems with cloud gaming. That’s because, unlike native games that run directly on your PC, cloud games require a continuous loop of data to be piped between a target device and the game server. A single disruption in this connection will result in gameplay latency, graphical pixelation, and in extreme cases, the connection will be severed entirely.
Each cloud gaming platform tackles latency in unique ways. Stadia and Luna both employ Wi-Fi-enabled controllers that link directly to the server that’s streaming the game, thus reducing lag and creating a tighter player experience. Xbox Cloud Gaming relies solely on a standard Bluetooth (or wired) Xbox controller, and although some players report a lag-free experience, my internal tests have been pretty dismal.
Then there’s GeForce NOW, which supports both wired and Bluetooth mice, keyboards, and controllers. In my experience, GeForce NOW offers the lowest latency of the bunch, with my numbers usually hovering between 18-28ms during any given session.
That said, your experience with each platform may vary based on your internet connection, region, and distance from your nearest cloud gaming server facility.
How to Try Out GeForce NOW
While GeForce NOW is currently a leading force in the cloud gaming space, it’s still subject to the same limitations as its competitors, namely in that performance can vary from player to player. The best way to see if your internet connection is stable enough for cloud gaming is to try out some free games on GeForce NOW’s free tier.
Then if you like the service, you can subscribe to a Priority access plan for $9.99 a month or $49.99 ($9.95 off) for six months. This option gets you a ray-tracing-enabled rig with up to 1080p/60 FPS, zero or reduced wait times (depending on the demand in your region), and six-hour gaming sessions.
For the absolute top-tier experience, GeForce NOW’s RTX 3080 plan at $19.99 per month — or $99.99 ($19.95 off) for six months — nets you an RTX 3080 rig with 1080p/4K resolution and 120/60 FPS, ray-tracing capabilities on supported games, no wait times, and eight-hour play sessions.
