The official GeForce Now application for Steam Deck has now launched, and I tested it for a week just for you.
Ray tracing, 4K, ultra settings, and Steam Deck simply cannot coexist in the same statement without the term “not” – or can they?
The secret lies in “cloud gaming.” At CES 2025, Nvidia revealed that a native GeForce Now app would be introduced for Steam Deck. I’ve been playing with this app on my Steam Deck for roughly a week now, enjoying games that are typically too demanding for the device. Quite remarkable!
But what else would you expect: there are drawbacks. Predictable drawbacks.
Transparency note: Nvidia supplied me with a pre-release edition of the GeForce Now application at no cost for testing. The company also temporarily upgraded my user account to the “Ultimate” subscription type. Nvidia had no impact on this article, and there was no requirement to publish it.
Hardware utilized:
- Steam Deck LCD version
- Razer Handheld Dock Chroma
- Horipad Steam Controller
- Fritz!Box 6660 with 1 Gbit/s connection
What exactly is GeForce Now?
GeForce Now is Nvidia’s cloud gaming service. In contrast to conventional gaming methods where games operate directly on your PC or console, GeForce Now utilizes robust external servers from Nvidia to run games. Your inputs from keyboard, mouse, or controller are transmitted to these servers, which execute the game and relay the video feed back to your screen in real-time.
A significant distinction compared to other gaming subscriptions is that GeForce Now does not grant access to an entire game library for a monthly subscription, as seen with Game Pass, for instance.
Instead, you can enjoy games that you’ve previously acquired on platforms like Steam or the Epic Games Store via the cloud. However, over 140 titles are available for free-to-play.
Keep in mind that not all purchased games work with GeForce Now. The service currently supports more than 2,000 titles, but it’s wise to verify if your preferred games are available before signing up.
You have the option of three membership tiers.
| Price | Streaming hardware | Features or limitations | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | 0 Euro / month | “Basic Rig” | – Includes ads – Not all games accessible – Longest waiting periods – Only one hour per gaming session |
| Performance | 11 Euro / month | “GeForce RTX 8 vCPUs” | – No advertisements – 1440p resolution – Ray tracing – Short waiting times – 6 hours per gaming session |
| Ultimate | 22 euros/month | “GeForce RTX 4080 16 vCPUs” | – No ads – 4K resolution – Ray tracing – Up to 240 FPS – Shortest waiting times – 8 hours per gaming session – Nvidia DLSS3, Reflex, Cloud Gsync |
All memberships come with a cap of 100 hours of playtime per month. While that may seem ample, it can disappear swiftly if you engage in lengthy RPGs such as Monster Hunter: Wilds or Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Should you wish to keep playing, an additional fee of €7 will apply for every extra 15 hours.
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