Chromebooks just became serious gaming laptops — here's how
GeForce Now brings PC game streaming to Chromebooks
Aside from their ability to run Android games from the Google Play Store, Chromebooks aren't exactly ideal for folks looking to play games on their laptop. However, that's all set to change, now that Nvidia's GeForce Now streaming service is rolling out to ChromeOS.
GeForce Now is a cloud-based platform that lets you stream high-end PC games to just about any screen, including low-powered laptops, MacBooks, Nvidia Shield set-top boxes and Android phones. And now Chromebook users can get in on the fun, with the ability to play titles like Fortnite and Destiny 2 right from a web browser.
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GeForce Now doesn't come with games like Xbox Game Pass or PlayStation Now — instead, it grants you access to PC gaming marketplaces such as Steam, UPlay and the Epic Games Store, where you can buy the titles you like (or play games you already own) and enjoy high-end PC performance via the cloud without any fancy hardware.
GeForce Now has a free tier that lets you play in 1-hour increments, while stepping up to a $5 per month Founders tier gets you longer sessions, ray tracing performance and priority access when logging on. Nvidia is also offering a limited-time $24.95 package that gets you 6 months of Founders service plus exclusive content for Ubisoft's new online shooter HyperScape.
The GeForce Now lineup currently consists of major titles such as Cuphead, Warframe, and The Division 2, with hotly anticipated titles such as Cyberpunk 2077 set to be available at launch this fall.
The timing of this announcement seems ideal, as many students will likely be getting their hands on the best Chromebooks for kids in order to get ready for a semester of remote learning. And what better way to take a break from studying than to dominate a few fools in Fortnite?
- Use a gaming VPN to eliminate throttling and lag
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Mike Andronico is Senior Writer at CNNUnderscored. He was formerly Managing Editor at Tom's Guide, where he wrote extensively on gaming, as well as running the show on the news front. When not at work, you can usually catch him playing Street Fighter, devouring Twitch streams and trying to convince people that Hawkeye is the best Avenger.