1 week ago
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Steam Deck owners with a subscription to Nvidia's GeForce Now no longer need a workaround to use the cloud gaming service. A new app just for Steam Deck gives users of the handheld gaming device the option to play games at the highest graphics settings without quickly draining its battery.
Nvidia released its GeForce Now app for Steam Deck on Thursday, according to a blog post from the company. This app lets Steam Deck players enjoy their games at the max graphics settings with all the visual bells and whistles. If docked while connected to a TV, it can also output 4K at 60 frames per second.
To download the app, Steam Deck owners must be in Desktop mode. From there, open a browser and head to the download page to get the installer. After double-clicking on the GeForceNowSetup program and selecting "Execute, " this will add GeForce Now to your Steam Library. After installation, users need to select "Return to Gaming Mode" from the desktop. The app will be available in the Non-Steam Games section of the Steam Library.
The GeForce Now app allows users to play games at a higher graphics setting than the Steam Deck and allows for longer battery life while streaming. According to a report from The Verge, playing a game via GeForce Now resulted in seven to eight hours of gaming. This is a big upgrade from the typical two to three hours most would get with a game at the highest graphical settings.
As with any streaming service, the big concern will be the internet connection speed available. Players will need to have a fast connection to play games with little lag. Nvidia does have servers across the US, but if someone is a bit too far away from the server and doesn't have fast internet, it's likely they will see some lag while playing.
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Nvidia's new app for Steam Deck is another step in the company's push to have GeForce Now on every smart device. It's currently available on phones, tablets, Windows and Apple computers, Xbox Series consoles, Switch OLED, the PS5, Asus ROG Ally, Lenovo Legion Go, MSI Claw, Apple Vision Pro, Meta Quest Chromecast, Android TV and certain smart TVs from Sony, Samsung and LG.
GeForce Now is available for free, but that tier is limited to one-hour sessions. The Performance tier offers six-hour sessions and short queue times for $10 monthly, while the Ultimate tier comes with eight-hour sessions, the shortest queue times and access to the highest graphics settings available. While GeForce Now does offer thousands of games to play, subscribers need to own the games from different platforms, such as Steam or the Epic Games Store, or they need to be subscribers to services such as Xbox Game Pass.
