Nvidia is creating a higher membership tier with lower latency for its GeForce Now cloud game streaming service. The new RTX 3080 tier will deliver game streams of 1449p at 120Hz straight from the cloud.
The announcement is a big deal because many gamers see higher refresh rates as the most important element of high quality graphics, even more important than higher resolution. With the launch of the RTX 3080 tie , Nvidia becomes the second games streamer to provide a 120Hz option, following in the footsteps of Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass Cloud.
Users who sign up for the higher tier will be able to access super-powered servers driven by Nvidia’s latest RTX 3080 graphics processors, which enable feature like Deep Learning Super Sampling and RTX ray tracing for superior graphics.
A higher refresh rate can sometimes cause problems for cloud gaming on some devices, especially for those without a reliably fast Internet connection. However Nvidia reckons its Adaptive Sync capability is able to resolve most issues. Adaptive Sync is pretty much analogous to the feature used on PCs to ensure the GPU and monitor stay synchronised so as to ensure smooth delivery on images and no stutter. In this case, it sychronises the frame output of the game server to the frame delivery of the screen that’s being used.
That should guarantee both lower latency and reduced stutter, as it eliminates dropped and repeated frames, Nvidia said.
The company reckons GeForce players on the RTX 3080 tier can achieve as little as 60 milliseconds total latency, which is faster than the PlayStation 5’s and Microsoft Xbox Series X’s controller latency. Blazing fast, in other words.
“We have dedicated the past decade to refining and expanding GeForce Now cloud gaming to bring the best gaming platform to anyone with a computer,” said Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang.
GeForce Now boasts an impressive library of more than 1,100 games, including top titles such as Destiny 2, Apex Legends and Far Cry 6. In addition, Nvidia has just announced 10 new titles, including New World, The Forgotten City and Riders Republic.
Nvidia said it’s taking pre-orders for the higher tier now, reserved for those who already have a paid GeForce Now subscription. The company says it will go online in North America first at the end of November, with Western Europe to follow in December.
A six-month RTX3080 subscription will cost $100, and there is no month-to-month option so users will have to pay the full whack upfront. As well as supporting 120Hz on Apple Macs, PCs and Android, the plans also covers 4K HDR streaming on the Nvidia Shield TV and eight-hour session lengths. MacBook users can stream at up to 1600p.
For those who previously purchased a “Founders” plan, they can keep their “Founders for Life” status and upgrade with a 10% discount on the new plan, Nvidia said.
