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You have a Steam Deck. It’s great for indie games and older titles. But what about the latest AAA games? They can be demanding on the Deck’s hardware. There’s a solution: GeForce NOW.
This combination is powerful. You can play almost any game, anywhere. This article explains how it works.
What is GeForce NOW?
GeForce NOW is a cloud gaming provider from NVIDIA. You don’t stream from a library of games. Instead, you stream from your own existing game libraries.
It connects to your Steam, Epic Games, and GOG accounts. You can play the games you already own. The games run on powerful NVIDIA servers in the cloud. The video is streamed for your device.
Think of it as renting a first-rate-effective gaming PC inside the cloud.
Why Pair It With a Steam Deck?
The Steam Deck is an amazing handheld. But it has limits. New, graphically intense games can struggle. You might have to lower the settings a lot or deal with lower frame rates.
GeForce NOW solves this. It lets the Steam Deck play these demanding games by offloading the work. The Deck just becomes a screen and controller for the game running far away.
This manner you could play video games like Cyberpunk 2077 or Baldur’s Gate three on high settings for your Deck.
How to Set It Up on Steam Deck
Setting up GeForce NOW on the Steam Deck is simple. You do it through the web browser.
- Put your Steam Deck in Desktop Mode.
- Open the web browser and go to the GeForce NOW website.
- Log in to your account.
- You can play directly in the browser. For a better experience, you can add the website as a “Non-Steam Game” to your library. This lets you launch it from Gaming Mode.
You need a good internet connection for this to work well.
The Benefits of This Combo
This pair offers the best of both worlds.
- Power: Play the most demanding games at high settings. The Deck’s hardware isn’t the limit anymore.
- Battery Life: Cloud gaming uses less battery than running a game locally on the Deck. The Deck just has to stream a video.
- Library Access: You play the games you already own on Steam. You aren’t buying them again.
- Portability: You can do that anywhere with Wi-Fi. You are not tied in your gaming PC at home.
For a good bigger and smoother photo, you could join your Steam Deck to a outstanding portable gaming monitor. This offers you a massive, excessive-refresh-rate display in your cloud gaming sessions anywhere you are.
What You Need to Make It Work
1. A GeForce NOW Membership
There is a free tier, but it has waiting lines and session limits. The Priority membership (about $10/month) is much better. It gives you longer sessions and access to better servers.
2. A Strong Internet Connection
This is the most important part. You need fast and stable Wi-Fi.
- Minimum: 15 Mbps for 720p at 60fps.
- Recommended: 25 Mbps for 1080p at 60fps. For the nice revel in, 35 Mbps or extra is good for 120fps streaming if you have a portable gaming monitor that supports it.
3. Your Game Libraries
Owning video games on a supported platform, including Steam, the Epic Games Store, or GOG, is what you desire.
Potential Drawbacks
It’s not perfect. There are two main things to consider.
- Internet Dependency: You genuinely want a good net connection. You cannot play on a aircraft or in a automobile without a sturdy Wi-Fi or 5G connection.
- Input Lag: There will be a very moderate put off between your button press and the action on display screen. For most single-player games, it is not major. For competitive on-line shooters, it might be a trouble.
Is This Combo Right For You?
This is a fantastic solution for many people.
- It’s perfect for playing story-driven AAA games on the go.
- It’s great for Deck owners who want to max out their game settings.
- It lets you access your full PC library without needing an expensive gaming laptop.
It may not be appropriate for competitive esports players that searching for every viable gain.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do I want to repurchase my games for GeForce NOW?
No. That’s the satisfactory part. You play the games you already own on Steam, Epic, etc.
Q: Does this work with all my Steam games?
It works with most games, but not all. NVIDIA has a list of supported games on their website. The list is very large and includes most major titles.
Q: Can I use this on my home network too?
Yes. You can use GeForce NOW on your Steam Deck, your phone, your laptop, or a PC. Your progress is saved in the cloud.
Q: How much data does it use?
It uses a variety of data. Streaming can use about four to 7 GB of records consistent with hour at 1080p. This is not ideal for mobile statistics plans with low caps.
Q: Is the video excellent desirable?
The maximum circulate first-rate is 1080p at 120fps or 1440p at 120fps for certain memberships. The best is top notch in case your net is powerful.
The Bottom Line
Combining the Steam Deck with GeForce NOW is a game-changer. It gets rid of the hardware limits of the Deck. You get a portable tool which could play any recreation, anywhere you have got an amazing net connection.
It’s an low cost way to get entry to excessive-end gaming without buying a new tool. If you’ve got a Steam Deck and a very good net connection, you must definitely strive it.
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