We’ve talked about cloud gaming before, how you could buy a top end RTX 3080 for $1000 or just rent one for $5 a month on GeForce Now, but how about using cloud gaming as a way to play games while waiting for a new graphics card?
The graphics card industry - and to a larger extent, the entire PC hardware and electronic device industry - is going through a really tough period of global chip shortages. The situation is so dire that major semiconductor manufacturers have increased prices for chips, and subsequently that has raised the prices of graphics cards already, for the second time in less than a year.
So it’s safe to say that 2021 is not a good year to upgrade your PC. In fact, you’re probably better off waiting for Nvidia or AMD’s next generation of GPUs at this rate.
But here’s the question: would you play games on Game Streaming services while waiting for a new GPU?
We recently had a conversation about this, where one of our staff members brought up the fact they are waiting to get an RTX 3080 graphics card. Obviously they don’t want to pay the ludicrous inflated prices of an RTX 3080 right now, so the option comes down to: do they wait to play some of these games when they eventually can get the GPU? Or do they suck it up and play using cloud streaming services like GeForce Now.
For competitive games, cloud gaming obviously is not the proper choice here due to lag and latency. But we’re talking about long, narrative-driven single player games where that doesn;t really matter as much like Cyberpunk 2077, Assassins Creed: Valhalla, Watch Dogs Legion etc.
So, if you were in our staff’s shoes, would you play games on Game Streaming services while waiting for a new GPU? Or would you wait until you eventually can get the graphics card you want? Let us know!
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PC Specs
Tried Stadia a few weeks ago, wanted to see if my mate who's waiting for reasonable GPU prices can make due with Cloud Gaming. Not only can I not use my game libraries that I already own but I tried out PUBG but it showed the start screen asking for controller input. I don't own a controller and couldn't get past that.
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Stadia is probably the worst of all the game streaming options.
Did you try Geforce Now?
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Even in the face of rising GPU prices and stock shortages most people still are against the idea of cloud gaming. Not surprised.
But then again I hardly blame them. Local hardware is king.
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Absolutely. If cloud gaming becomes to only way to play games, I'm quitting gaming for sure.
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I think there will be enough enthusiasts keeping this hobby alive. Buses and trains didn't kill the car, though it did become more expensive to have one with all the green laws :D
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The problem in this case is that they can decide to stop making home consoles and decide to stop making games that aren't covered by a cloud/streaming service, so in the future it could be that even if you own your PC when it comes to games it might as well be a streaming box if they have it their way.
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A lot of gamers exists in developing countries which has it's problems.
Slow Internet - Many people use mobile data possibly. Even where fast internet is available at cheaper rates, the server placement far away from device makes it worse.
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No I wouldn't. On the other hand the PS4 is currently the best gaming platform if someone wants to get into gaming. The console is cheap, the games are cheap. And it's available.
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Yea! Why we forgot Consoles. PS4 Pro might be cheaper now, I gotta look upto prices.
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The slim is also a great choice. I have a 4k tv in the living room and a ps4 slim and it doesn't look bad at all from where I'm sitting when gaming.
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Got geforce now with my gpu and i gotta say im pretty dissapointed by it. 60% of the stuff id play through it arent on it.
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If my current GPU broke down I'd just use the internal graphics on the Intel CPU to play older games at a lower resolution. I'm sure I've enough old games in my library to replay for at least a year that would work on it.
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between my pc's current setup(pc, pcsx2, dolphin), series x, switch and dreamcast (with akura and mclassic) i am good for now.
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Borrowed a ps4 and having a blast.
Geez, I love PC gaming but how can GoW look so good running on a potato??
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I had my cousin's PS4 for a month last year and played some of Uncharted 4 and completed Spider-Man
Both games were stunning and fun
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Ideally would like to finish spiderman, ff7, and horizon before I give it back. With my schedule, might be impossible.
But yeah the graphics on a machine that is so completely outdated hardware-wise is just mind boggling. I am all for advanced tech like raytracing but this just shows how the leap on graphics is done and its a ton of diminished returns going forward.
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Personally, I would say no, like card I currently have can still do decently. And depending on game, as long as you can do medium settings, most games will still look good enough. Once you start dropping to low, I would consider waiting with some games. But as far as gaming goes, I would stay on PC or go to consoles, I am not fond of cloud gaming.
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I'd be the first one to jump on the streaming bandwagon, but my internet is crap so that's a no go ATM.
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I used Geforce Now since when they started the beta for about a year and a half before I got my present PC, because my old gaming laptop just couldn't run much of anything new. I always had good enough Internet for 1080p 60fps streaming.
I still think it's pretty good and sufficient backup (and PC life extension) IF AND ONLY IF you have a pretty good internet connection: at least 70+ Mbps and unlimited data (not joking I busted the 1 tb one month with GFN) and your Internet connection is stable.
If you have such an Internet connection I would say that it's worth a try
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Have for a few years now....
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No. I will play them when GPUs become available. Also this is a joke but after reading the article headline I got major conspiracy vibes as in the shortage is artificially manufactured to push the audience into streaming.
But either way I am not going to be a part of the wet dream corporations have about us living in a game streaming future.
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I had exactly the same thought.
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Don't recommend playing on cloud unless you have a really good internet, it's an SP game and only on geforce now, if it's fps or mulitplayer it's gonna have an insane latency, not worth it
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I recommend who is stuck with ancient gpu to try old games, i know who would have though :D but there are amazing games that has amazing story and gameplay, games like gta vice city/SA, fallout 3/new vegas, portal 1 and 2, bioshock 1 and 2, assassins creed first trilogy, mass effect 1 and 2 all these games will run on toasters pretty much and its hard to find such great games these days, also there are bunch of reddit threads for questions like this
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and most importantly they are cheap as chips!
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+1 to that! (I'm a fan of GTA VC lol)
Plus there are plenty of really good indie games, like Hades, that don't need a new GPU to be played.
People tend to forget that the PC game library spans multiple decades and that there are plenty of games around for all sorts of hardware.
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Indeed, while i dont play indie games but i love good older games, when i approach new franchise i usually try to start from first game regardless how old it is and more often than not i really enjoy them