Nvidia GeForce Now free upgrade should settle the argument about cloud gaming forever
Nvidia is having a great CES 2024 so far. It hosted an exciting keynote on the first press day where it announced new graphics cards, technologies, and compatibility with a stack of new games. However, one announcement stood out the most for me – Nvidia GeForce Now is getting a tasty new upgrade.
Nvidia is adding G-Sync technology to GeForce Now that should improve performance and, most importantly, reduce latency further. It should also make gameplay run without stutter on compatible TVs and monitors.
G-Sync ensures your display device runs at the same refresh rate as a game, which usually means it synchronises your system with the frames output from a PC's GPU.
However, it will be applied to GeForce Now to match your G-Sync-enabled monitor (with variable refresh rates) to the streaming rate, for more accurate frame representation.
In addition, subscribers to the Ultimate tier will soon get new frame rate options when using Reflex in GeForce Now. This will enable 4K streaming in either 60 or 120fps for higher resolutions while still remaining smooth and responsive. GFN Reflex currently only offers 240fps at 1080p.
When combined, Nvidia claims that the new technologies will make for a cloud experience that's indistinguishable from running a game locally: "With both Cloud G-SYNC and Reflex, members will feel as if they’re connected directly to GeForce Now's RTX 4080 SuperPODs, making their visual experiences smoother, clearer and more immersive than ever," it said.
Other new features coming to the cloud gaming service include 1440p streaming for Android device owners. And that means you can play the latest PC games in better than HD on a monitor or TV via a USB-C dock.
Finally, Nvidia has announced new GeForce Now Day Passes. You can pay for a day's access on either the Priority or Ultimate tiers, at $3.99 or $7.99 respectively. That allows you 24-hours play within the respective tier's capabilities.
How much is Nvidia GeForce Now?
The Nvidia GeForce Now Day Passes are yet to be made available. However, you can subscribe to either of the two paid tiers be monthly or bi-annually. And there's a free tier to check out the service too.
The Free tier is exactly that. It offers access on a basic PC rig and limits play to just 1-hour at a time. It is also currently at capacity, so you can't sign up at present.
The Priority tier gives you premium rig access, with ray-tracing, and better servers. You can play up to 6-hours in a single session, at a maximum of 1080p and 60fps. It usually costs £9.99 / $9.99 per month, but is currently sold out. You can purchase a 6-month pass, however, which costs £49.99 / $49.99.
Monthly plans to the Ultimate tier is also sold out at present (usually £19.99 / $19.99 per month). but you can pay for 6-months in advance at £99.99 / $99.99. This gives you access to the very best RTX 4080 rig with ray-tracing, exclusive access to faster servers, 8-hours of play time per session, and up to 4K 120fps streaming (doubled to 240fps with Reflex on).
You can find out the prices and plans on the official website.
