Nvidia and Amazon are teaming up to make cloud video gaming more accessible with the launch of GeForce Now on a number of low-cost Fire TV sticks.
Nvidia GeForce is a cloud-based video game streaming service that allows people to play some of the world’s top-rated AAA games without having to buy a console. The games run on cloud-based servers instead of dedicated hardware in the user’s living room, with the content being streamed to their TV in the same way that Netflix and Disney+ transmit movies over broadband.
Amazon first introduced Nvidia GeForce on select Fire TVs, and the service is now coming to some of its ultra-low cost streaming sticks, which can plug into any TV with a HDMI port and give it smart streaming capabilities. It means users will be able to play AAA games at a much lower cost, on a truly ancient TV, through a device that costs less than £50. To get started, all you need is the stick, a TV and a compatible game controller.
According to Nvidia, GeForce Now is available on the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus (2nd Gen), the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) and the Fire TV Stick 4K Max (1st Gen). All three devices can be described as affordable, with the lowest cost option being the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus (2nd Gen), priced at £49.99 in the U.K.
Nvidia GeForce Now provides access to dozens of legendary AAA games, including Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Fortnite, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Cyberpunk 2077. Some of the games can be played for free, although the library for non-paying users is quite limited, and they’ll be restricted to one hour sessions, and also have to put up with ads. For longer sessions, more games and no ads, you’ll have to sign up for the "Performance" or "Ultimate" subscriptions, which cost £9.99 per month and £19.99 per month, respectively.
However, users should note that Amazon’s Fire TV Sticks have some limitations of their own. They’re limited to just 1080p resolution at 60 frames per second when streaming GeForce Now, mainly because the devices use the older MPEG (H.264) codec, as opposed to the newer HEVC and AV1 codecs, which are more efficient. They’re also restricted to regular stereo sound. Because of the lower frame rate, users may experience latency, which could be problematic in fast-paced action games.
For a better experience, it would be better to invest in the Nvidia Shield set-top box, which supports GeForce Now at 4K resolution at 60Hz, or 1080p at 120Hz. Alternatively, you could hold on a few more months and snap up one of LG Electronics’ new TVs, such as the G6 OLED model, which will be the first in the world to offer 4K 120Hz GeForce Now gaming, plus HDR support.
