Tag: Game Streaming

GeForce Now Gets a Linux Client

In my latest video, we revisit GeForce Now and take a look at the new official Linux client for Nvidia’s game streaming service.

This release is not as feature-heavy as some previous updates, but it represents a meaningful change for Linux users who until now have primarily relied on browser-based access to the service. This follows a Steam Deck client that I took a look at recently.

GeForce Now is a subscription-based service that streams games users have already purchased from platforms such as Steam, GOG, Epic Games Store, Ubisoft, EA, and certain Xbox titles with PC versions. Xbox PC Game Pass titles can also be accessed if the user has an active subscription. Not every game in a user’s library is supported, as developers must opt in to cloud streaming, but the catalog covers many well-known titles. In my previous update we also looked at Nvidia’s new feature that allows users to install unsupported games too.

Because GeForce Now runs games remotely, client-side hardware requirements are relatively modest, making systems like this a practical test case. To test the client, I ran it on a very low-end system: an inexpensive mini PC powered by an Intel N100 processor. This is the type of super low cost hardware simply can’t run modern games, which makes it useful for evaluating how much of a value-add a game streaming service can provide. Back before the RAM crisis this PC was selling for well under $200.

The service is offered in multiple tiers. The free tier supports up to 1080p at 60 frames per second, includes advertisements, limits sessions to one hour, and places users in a queue for access. The Performance tier increases resolution to 1440p at 60 frames per second, while the Ultimate tier offers access to higher-end GPUs in the cloud, enabling resolutions up to 5K and frame rates as high as 240 frames per second on supported games. Both paid tiers include a monthly cap of 100 hours, with additional time available for purchase once that limit is reached.

The install process for the new linux client is functional but still feels a bit rough around the edges, particularly compared to more polished platform-native installers. The new client is designed for x64-based PCs and is currently targeted at Ubuntu 24.04 LTS. Installation is handled through a Flatpak package downloaded directly from Nvidia rather than through a distribution’s package manager. After downloading, the installer needs to be marked as executable before it can be run.

After installing the Linux client, I launched No Man’s Sky from my Steam library. As with other GeForce Now clients, the service spins up a remote PC instance running Steam, which allows cloud-synced save files to load automatically. In this case, my existing save was available without any additional steps.

Running at 4K and 60 frames per second, the game performed smoothly on the low-cost mini PC. Network statistics showed a latency of around 11 milliseconds from my home in Connecticut to Nvidia’s New Jersey data center. The system was connected via Ethernet, which remains the recommended way to use the service given the bandwidth demands of high-resolution game streaming. But a decent Wifi 6 or 7 access point should deliver adequate performance on a

I also tested the client earlier on a 1080p, 144 Hz display and was able to exceed 60 frames per second without issue, despite the limited client hardware. While the Linux client currently lacks support for features such as HDR and cloud-based G-Sync, it does support server-side options available to higher-tier subscribers, including DLSS and hardware ray tracing for compatible games.

There are some usability issues to note. Display scaling was not respected on a 4K desktop set to 200 percent scaling, resulting in very small interface elements. And the interface felt a bit slow and clunky on my low end hardware but thankfully the clunkiness went away once a game was loaded up.

Overall, the Linux client delivers a more consistent experience than running GeForce Now in a browser and makes the service more accessible to users who have adopted Linux as their primary operating system. For those with lower-end hardware, it provides a way to run demanding games using remote resources, with performance that is largely dictated by network quality rather than local specifications.

GeForce NOW Game Streaming Service with Nvidia RTX 5080 – 2025 Review

It’s been a while since I did a deep dive into Nvidia’s GeForce Now streaming service, so in my latest video I take a look at where things stand in 2025.

The idea behind GeForce Now remains the same: for a monthly fee, you’re effectively renting time on high-end Nvidia hardware in the cloud, which lets you play games at higher settings and frame rates than you could manage on a low-end or aging PC. It also works on mobile devices, gaming handhelds and TV boxes.

The service does not include any games, however. GeForce Now syncs with accounts from popular PC game stores such as Steam, GOG, and Microsoft’s PC Xbox store. Games you’ve purchased on those platforms are playable on GeForce Now, provided the game’s publisher allows streaming—though not all do.

Games directly supported on the service are already downloaded and ready to go with optimized settings. Your saved games will also sync up automatically. Nvidia has also added a new “install to play” feature. Alongside its usual “ready to play” optimized titles, you can now allocate up to 500 GB of cloud storage to install games that allow streaming but haven’t yet been optimized for the GeForce Now service. Those titles require manual graphics tuning, but it does expand the potential catalog quite a bit.

Another recent update to the service allows users on the “Ultimate” subscription tier to play a select number of games with new RTX 5080 hardware. Most games will spin up on the RTX 4080 servers, since not every title is yet supported on the 5080. In my video I demoed streaming Cyberpunk 2077 at 4K on a cloud 5080 with variable refresh rate and G-Sync enabled. The game stayed well above 100 frames per second with excellent image quality and minimal latency.

The GeForce Now statistics overlay provides helpful realtime data such as real-time bandwidth consumption and latency. My connection to Nvidia’s New Jersey datacenter held steady at 11–12 milliseconds of latency on Comcast’s Gigabit Pro service, which helped the experience feel close to native PC gaming. Ethernet proved essential here; Wi-Fi isn’t reliable enough can’t keep up with the bandwidth demands of 4K 120fps streaming.

I also ran the service on very low-end hardware. My budget GMKtec mini PC, which costs under $200, had no trouble streaming Doom Dark Ages at 4K 60fps. As long as I used Ethernet, the experience was smooth with minimal lag. GeForce Now also supports mobile platforms including a native Steam Deck client. On handhelds, where resolution demands are lower, Wi-Fi worked well and only needed about 20 megabits per second.

Pricing spans three tiers. The free tier provides one-hour sessions on 1080p/60 servers—useful for testing whether your connection can handle it. The Performance tier steps up to 1440p/60, while the Ultimate tier unlocks RTX 4080 and 5080 access, 4K streaming, and frame rates up to 360 fps. At $200 annually, the ultimate plan gives you eight-hour gaming sessions, which for most people is more than enough time per play.

Geforce Now works equally well on a tricked-out desktop with a G-Sync display or a bargain mini PC that could never manage these games locally. The key variable remains your proximity to Nvidia’s datacenters and the quality of your ISP’s routing. For me in Connecticut, it is a seamless way to play, and it’s clear Nvidia has continued to refine the experience since the last time I tested it thoroughly.

Amazon Luna’s Free Prime Tier

When I reviewed the Fire 7 tablet the other day I said I did not test Amazon’s Luna game streaming service because I did not have a subscription to it. As it turns out Amazon recently added a “free” tier for their existing Prime subscribers. We take a look at that free offering in my latest video, testing it on the Fire 7 tablet, a FireTV stick, and a PC.

Luna works on just about everything except TV devices that compete with Amazon’s Fire TV line. So while you’ll find clients for iPhones, iPads, and Android mobile devices you won’t find Apple TV or Android TV apps. It also runs inside of a web browser.

At the moment there are four games that can be streamed from Luna at a maximum resolution of 1080p at 60 frames per second. Games are rotated in and out on a regular basis so unless you move to one of the Luna subscription tiers you won’t be able to continue your progress.

Overall it runs pretty nice. The games load quickly and latency feels pretty minimal using an Xbox bluetooth controller. Amazon also sells a controller for the Luna service that connects directly to their servers to minimize input lag.