NVIDIA GeForce Now Is Bringing 4K Streaming to PC Gamers: What You Need to Know

Good news for GeForce Now gamers longing to stream games at 4K: you can now do so on your Windows PC or Mac! Here's what you need to know.

If you’re one of the many NVIDIA GeForce Now gamers who’ve been patiently waiting for 4K support, that time has come.

NVIDIA GeForce Now is bringing 4K streaming to members of its highest and most expensive subscription tier that use a Windows PC or Mac.

Keep reading to find out what this means, what you’ll need, and whether you’re eligible.

NVIDIA GeForce Now Introduces 4K Streaming to Its RTX 3080 Tier

Starting May 5th, 2022, NVIDIA GeForce Now is giving subscribers of its pricey RTX 3080 tier one of its most-requested features, the ability to stream games at 4K resolution on PC and Mac.

The official announcement came in the form of an NVIDIA GeForce Now blog post, which read:

RTX 3080 members can now take their games to the next level, streaming at 4K resolution on the GeForce NOW PC and Mac native apps.

The feature was previously exclusive to a Shield TV, and even includes a newer 4K60 version for Macs with Apple’s M1 chips. Those 4K60 streams are only for native PC apps though, not the web version of GeForce Now.

Also important to note is that if you’re using either an LG or Samsung smart TV, NVIDIA’s GeForce Now will, unfortunately, continue to be limited to 1080p until further notice.

The 4K support comes less than a year after NVIDIA introduced the RTX 3080 plan, which allowed subscribers to play games with an RTX 3080 PC gaming rig without having to physically buy the GPU. (But do you even need a powerful GPU?)

GeForce Now has also added 27 games to its library, including Star Wars titles like Battlefront II, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, and Star Wars: Squadrons.

What You'll Need to Stream NVIDIA GeForce Now on 4K

As previously mentioned, you’ll need to be subscribed to the RTX 3080 plan to get 4K streaming on your PC or Mac, which costs $20 a month, or $100 for six months. Naturally, you’ll also need to have a 4K screen.

It would also help to have DLSS in games that support it, to help boost graphics performance. However, you’d be limited to 60 frames per second (FPS), which can be frustrating for a lot of gamers.

Is It Worth Streaming NVIDIA GeForce Now on 4K?

As progressive as the introduction of 4K streaming is, it comes with some caveats, which makes it a give or take situation.

For instance, RTX 3080 subscribers typically stream at 120FPS for a smoother gaming experience, which also refreshes at a higher rate. But if you want to stream with 4K you’ll have to compromise that for 60FPS, as that is the cut-off.

And considering that PC gamers often use a 1440p or 1080p display, you can force 4K in the GeForce Now client, but that will downscale the image and use up tons of data.

Of course, that won’t be a problem if you’re using uncapped data. Otherwise, you could just change your quality settings to get the highest streaming quality with GeForce Now.

On the flip side, some perks include the ability for RTX 3080 members to experience ultra-low latency that “rivals native console gaming”, according to the GeForce Now blog.

The plan also gives members access to customized in-game graphics settings, like the ability to enable RTX ON. Members can also play an eight-hour session, the maximum time allowed.

4K Is a Significant Addition to GeForce Now

While the feature isn’t yet perfect, NVIDIA GeForce Now has done well to add 4K support to its RTX 3080 plan.

And it is one of only a few cloud gaming services that support it on multiple devices. Whether it would be beneficial to stream on 4K is up to you to decide, but take into account both the pros and cons.