Modern graphics are missing in stores. But you can still play

One of those services is Nvidia’s GeForce Now, which we had a chance to try. This platform can be played on practically any device, even a multi-year laptop, which was not originally intended for gaming.

That was exactly the case, we’ve played all the titles on a three-year-old ultrabook, which was originally intended more for office use. So it stands to reason that it doesn’t offer nearly the same performance as the aforementioned consoles from Sony and Microsoft, or an authentic gaming PC. However, Nvidia prides itself that GeForce Now works reliably even on mobile.

But the ultrabook – in our case from Dell – doesn’t even need it in practice. It is also possible to play the latest titles on it, in resolutions up to 4K. In this case, the laptop is mainly used only to mediate the transfer of images from powerful Nvidia servers directly to your screen.

The only limit is internet speed, GeForce Now requires a minimum of 15Mbps at 720p @ 60fps and 25Mbps at 1080p @ 60fps. However, it is evident that the higher the speed, the better. We worked on a 50Mbps connection without any issues at Full HD resolution.

It should be emphasized that there are many similar gaming services on the market. The choice fell on GeForce Now mainly because it offers ray-tracing and DLSS technologies, something that is missing from the competition.

Ray-tracing is a sincere representation of lights and shadows, thanks to which the game creates a more sincere impression. DLSS is a technology that uses artificial intelligence to render an image. The same system is also used by Nvidia graphics cards, thanks to which the picture has a much higher and clearer picture.

If we use GeForce Now with the Nvidia Shield Pro controller, we can easily enjoy the 4K image.

We spent a few hours on an ultrabook playing Cyberpunk 2077, which was running much smoother than it has been on the last generation of consoles. Given that really powerful combos priced at tens of thousands of crowns are required for this game, it’s a very good result.

We’ve also been lured by the Shadow of the Tomb Raider, where ray tracing’s benefits fully stand out. Shadows in the game look more natural thanks to this technique. The atmosphere is greatly accentuated by the shadows cast by smaller light sources, such as beams, candles, and artificial lighting for urban scenes. The game has an almost cinematic impression.

You also don’t have to worry about the lack of games, thanks to the support of Steam, Epic and GOG game stores, the supply of interesting titles is practically unlimited.

Until a few years ago, it was of course just a matter of course that you need a really powerful machine to have the best gaming experience. At the moment, the reality is very different, GeForce Now shows that streaming services definitely have something to offer. And their progress has been accelerated by the unavailability of next-generation consoles and modern graphics cards.

As a result, similar gaming platforms will be much cheaper. While you will pay over ten thousand crowns for the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X, and even a few tens of thousands of crowns for a powerful gaming PC, GeForce Now costs CZK 269 per month. The annual plan is cheaper, it costs 2,690 CZK.