Nvidia’s GeForce Now cloud-based streaming platform just received its biggest update ever. Ultimate members in select cities can now experience RTX 5080 performance on various devices, with streaming up to 5K resolution at 120 frames per second, and a new Cinematic Quality Streaming (CQS) mode to boost graphical fidelity. The service will also be available on more devices with double its library of supported games.
GeForce Now has always been an affordable way to experience the best PC games with performance comparable to the best gaming PCs. As a PC gamer, I’ve been a fan of this service for many years. As a result, I was eager to try out the updated GeForce Now to see how much it has improved. Though not perfect, I have to say I’m pretty happy with the current state of the cloud-based platform.
Though your mileage will vary depending on your connectivity and internet speeds, I found that GeForce Now generally delivers a stable experience across the board. Below, I’ll detail my GeForce Now experience on several devices and internet connections.
Ethernet
I have Verizon Fios internet at home, which gives me speeds of up to 940 Mbps. For this first test, I used GeForce Now on my gaming PC that’s connected to my router via an Ethernet cable. This is arguably the best setup, so it’s no surprise that I saw fantastic results.
At default video and graphical settings, Cyberpunk 2077 ran at around 115 to 120 frames per second, and with a ping of 4ms. The frame rates are already great, but what really stood out is the super-low 4ms response time. Due to that, I didn’t feel any perceptible input lag.
I also tried the game on the Ray Tracing Overdrive setting, and saw the frames per second hover in the 60s, which is also pretty good. Keep in mind that the gaming rig I’m connected to on Nvidia’s side is doing all the heavy lifting when it comes to performance, so the frame rate drop isn’t directly related to my internet connection.
One last thing to note is that the GeForce Now app gives you values for in-game fps (what Nvidia’s PC is running at) and the stream fps, or the frames per second you actually experience. The latter is subject to your internet connection’s speed and stability. This is important to keep in mind for the next part.
Wi-Fi
Next, I tried GeForce Now on the 13-inch MacBook Air M3 I have at home, which connects to the internet over Wi-Fi. Like on my PC, I installed the dedicated Nvidia GeForce Now app on this Mac, but I also streamed the service right in Google's Chrome browser. I got the same basic results on both.
Though the experience over Wi-Fi was still fine, it wasn’t as consistent as a wired connection. In-game fps got as high as 90 fps at default graphical settings, but the streaming fps never got above 30. Sure, that’s still playable, but it's not as smooth as 60 or above. Changing the in-game graphical settings didn’t affect the streaming fps, as expected.
The most worrisome thing here was the input lag. While it wasn’t egregious, even when it got as high as 10ms, I definitely felt the difference coming from 3 to 4ms. None of this surprises me, given how Wi-Fi isn’t generally going to perform as well as an Ethernet connection.
5G connection
Lastly, I tried GeForce Now on my iPhone 16 Pro Max’s 5G connection. I don’t typically play games on my phone, but I wanted to see what Nvidia’s cloud-based streaming service was like for those who do.
Both the in-game and streaming frames per second were a relatively solid 60 fps, which is quite impressive. However, I could really feel the input lag since the response time was 26ms. This is still within the ideal zone of 0 to 50ms, but I wouldn’t try playing a competitive game that requires quick reflexes over 5G.
While I experienced more input lag over 5G, playing on a phone or one of the best tablets is still fine since the frame rates are overall smooth. Just don’t expect exact precision for something like first-person shooters.
Bottom line
It has been a long time since I’ve used GeForce Now, so I’m happy to see that it’s better than ever. Though you’ll need a strong internet connection to get the most from this cloud-based service, even a not-so-great connection can still deliver a relatively smooth experience. The fact that Nvidia isn’t charging extra for these updates is just icing on the cake.
Speaking of price, GeForce Now Ultimate (which includes RTX 5080 performance) costs $19.99 per month or $99.99 for six months. Performance memberships start at $9.99 per month or $49.99 for six months. Lastly, annual subscriptions come at $199.99 and $99.99, respectively.
Ultimate members in and around San Jose, Los Angeles, Chicago and Newark in the US, Frankfurt, Germany, and Paris in Europe will be the first who can try out the new GeForce Now with RTX 5080. Have fun if you live in or close to those locations!
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