Today, Nvidia is making waves in the gaming community by soft-launching its latest gaming GPUs in the cloud. The company has enhanced its $20-a-month GeForce Now Ultimate cloud gaming service with the powerful RTX 5080 graphics card, offering this upgrade for select games, with the promise of more titles to come soon. Additionally, Nvidia is expanding its library by allowing users to install thousands of games on the platform. This update also includes a new 360Hz mode for ultra-fast desktop monitors and a 90Hz version of its Steam Deck app, among other improvements.
With these significant changes, one might wonder: does this make GeForce Now fundamentally better? The answer is a resounding yes! The service was already impressive, but these updates elevate the experience even further. However, while testing the new features, I couldn't help but feel that Nvidia's enhancements, while beneficial, may not fully meet some gamers' expectations. Fortunately, the good news is that Nvidia isn't charging extra for most of these updates.
For those unfamiliar, Nvidia's GeForce Now is a game streaming service that leverages cloud technology to provide users with graphical processing power. Instead of running games locally on your device—be it a Steam Deck, MacBook, or smartphone—you effectively control a high-end RTX 5080 or 4080 gaming rig located in a distant server farm. This remote connection allows you to sync your existing accounts from platforms like Steam, Epic, Ubisoft, Xbox, and Battle.net to access your games and save files from the cloud.
While GeForce Now technically offers a free tier and a "Performance" tier, I would recommend bypassing these options. The difference in experience between the tiers is stark; it’s akin to playing through a clean window versus a dirty one. Playing games like Alan Wake II and Indiana Jones with full ray tracing is a game-changer, especially when considering the leap to 4K resolution. The performance boost from the RTX 5080 is noticeable; in titles like Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Cyberpunk 2077, the RTX 5080 delivers 25 to 50 percent better performance compared to its predecessor, the RTX 4080, at 4K resolution.
To illustrate, here are some performance comparisons:
Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Native 4K max spec: 50 fps (RTX 5080) vs. 36 fps (RTX 4080) - 38% increase Cyberpunk 2077, Native 4K Ultra: 85 fps (RTX 5080) vs. 56 fps (RTX 4080) - 46% increaseWhile the increased power is welcome, it’s important to note that the number of games currently supporting the RTX 5080 is still limited. This scarcity makes it challenging to fully capitalize on the GPU's capabilities. Until more titles are optimized for this new technology, it may feel like a missed opportunity for early adopters.
To truly harness the promised performance gains of the RTX 5080, Nvidia employs a frame generation technique that produces three fake frames for every real frame. However, this approach can introduce latency, making games feel less responsive. For instance, while testing frame generation in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, I found the experience frustratingly sluggish. On the other hand, the 2x frame generation was acceptable when connected directly to my desktop via ethernet.
On the competitive front, my colleague Tom Warren tested Nvidia's new 360Hz mode in Overwatch 2 and found it to be quite effective, though it's limited to 1080p resolution. The goal of a 360Hz monitor is typically to achieve better reaction times in esports, but the cloud gaming setup still falls short of delivering true 360Hz performance.
The recent upgrade to the Steam Deck app, allowing for 90Hz gameplay, is a welcome improvement. However, it’s worth noting that even the RTX 5080 may not significantly enhance performance in all cases. For example, in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the framerate remained similar regardless of whether I used the RTX 5080 or the RTX 4080.
One of the standout features of this update is the “Install-to-Play” capability. This feature significantly expands the number of games available on GeForce Now, allowing users to install any game that opts into Valve’s Steam Cloud Play. While this addition feels promising, it only increased my library by 21 games, which is a modest improvement considering I had access to only 162 out of my 472 Steam games previously.
While the GeForce Now upgrade introduces exciting new features and capabilities, some bugs and limitations still linger, likely a result of the pre-launch test servers. Users may encounter various issues, including forgotten streaming settings and login problems. Despite these challenges, the potential for a more extensive library and improved performance keeps the platform competitive.
As Nvidia continues to refine its service and expand its game offerings, GeForce Now holds promise for gamers looking for a cloud gaming solution that bridges the gap between high-performance gaming and accessibility. If you have experienced similar issues or discovered hidden gems with Install-to-Play, I would love to hear your thoughts!
