Unleashing Steam Deck's Potential with NVIDIA's GeForce NOW
NVIDIA's Custom GeForce NOW App for Steam Deck: What Users Can Expect
Gamers rejoice! Steam Deck owners can now squeeze every drop of power out of NVIDIA's high-performance cloud servers to stream over 2,200 games, thanks to the launch of a native GeForce NOW app. Let's dive into this groundbreaking development in the world of handheld gaming.
Upgraded Visuals and Performance
The new app enables Steam Deck users to stream games at an astounding resolution of up to 4K with a smooth 60 frames per second, all while enjoying advanced features such as HDR10, DLSS 4, and Reflex, ensuring top-notch visuals and minimized latency for an electrifying competitive gaming experience. Whether you're settled at home or on-the-go, the integrated screen on the Steam Deck offers an optimized, power-efficient streaming experience for immersive gameplay.
Boosted Battery Life for Longer Gaming Sessions
Typically, handheld gaming devices face the hurdle of short battery life. But, fear not! By streaming games from the cloud, the GeForce NOW app lightens the load on the Steam Deck hardware, boosting battery life by up to 50%, allowing you to game for longer without constant charging.
Wide-Ranging Game Library at Your Fingertips
With the integration of GeForce NOW, the Steam Deck's game library sprawls across numerous platforms, granting access to games from the Steam, Epic Games, Ubisoft, and Xbox libraries. This means you can enjoy popular titles like Destiny 2 that were previously out of reach or difficult to play due to hardware or software constraints, all contingent upon game availability.
Simplified Installation and Integration
Installing the GeForce NOW app on your Steam Deck is as pie! By switching the device to Desktop Mode, you can effortlessly download the application directly from the NVIDIA website. The app functions seamlessly with SteamOS, offering a smooth and user-friendly interface that grants instant access to your existing games without the fuss of local downloads or updates.
Pros and Cons
While the advantages of GeForce NOW on Steam Deck are evident, potential users should be aware of certain drawbacks. For example, a stable, high-speed internet connection is crucial for smooth gameplay, meaning public Wi-Fi and mobile networks may leave you hanging. Furthermore, some games are subject to licensing restrictions, restricting access to certain popular titles from publishers like Sony. Lastly, while a free option is available, the RTX 4080-enabled streaming and long play sessions require a GeForce NOW Ultimate subscription, adding an extra subscription cost for users.
A New Era of Mobile Gaming
The native GeForce NOW app for the Steam Deck represents the merging of cloud and mobile gaming, allowing users to transcend the hardware limitations of portable devices and experience high-performance gaming wherever an internet connection is available. As cloud gaming continues to grow, this technology ushers in a completely new class of mobile gaming, bridging the gap between the portability of handheld consoles and the power of cloud gaming.
[1] NVIDIA, n.d., GeForce NOW supported games, retrieved August 13, 2022, from https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce-now/supported-games/
[2] GameSpot, n.d., GeForce Now FAQ, retrieved August 13, 2022, from https://www.gamespot.com/articles/geforce-now-faq/1100-6488368/
[3] PCMag, n.d., NVIDIA GeForce Now Pricing, Plans & Free Tier 2022, retrieved August 13, 2022, from https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/nvidia-geforce-now-pricing-plans-and-free-tier-2022
Technology and gadgets have come together in the form of the native GeForce NOW app on Steam Deck, bringing a wide-ranging game library straight to your fingertips. This integration allows Steam Deck users to stream games at impressive resolutions, boost battery life for longer gaming sessions, and enjoy advanced features for an immersive, competitive gaming experience.
