If you own a Steam Deck, there’s exciting news for you. NVIDIA has officially released its native GeForce NOW app for the popular handheld console. First mentioned at CES earlier this year, the app is now ready to download and use. With this launch, you can stream from a huge collection of games—over 2,200 titles—and enjoy up to 4K resolution at 60 frames per second (FPS).
Stream top-quality games on your Steam Deck
With the new GeForce NOW app, your Steam Deck becomes more powerful. While many games already run natively on the Steam Deck, using NVIDIA’s cloud gaming platform offers added benefits. On supported games, you can enjoy enhanced features like HDR, DLSS 4, and NVIDIA Reflex. Even better, you can turn up your graphics settings higher than usual since the game is streamed and not limited by the Steam Deck’s hardware.
Instead of relying on the console’s internal power, GeForce NOW streams the game from NVIDIA’s servers. This means the Steam Deck mainly acts as a screen and controller, with the hard work done in the cloud. As a result, you’ll notice much smoother gameplay, even on graphically demanding titles.
Better battery life and wider game access
One of the major advantages of using GeForce NOW is its effect on your Steam Deck’s battery life. According to NVIDIA, using the streaming service could give you up to 50% more time between charges than playing a game directly on the device. That’s great news for anyone wanting to play on the go without worrying about finding a charger.
Another key benefit is access to games that aren’t usually playable on the Steam Deck. With GeForce NOW, you can play titles from various platforms, including Steam, Epic Games Store, Ubisoft Connect, Microsoft’s Game Pass for PC, Blizzard’s Battle.net, and more. Some standout games mentioned include Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, Monster Hunter Wilds, and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024—all playable at their highest settings.
And if you want a bigger screen, you can dock your Steam Deck to a TV and enjoy your favourite titles in comfort. Geforce NOW’s cloud-based nature makes this switch seamless.
Free and paid membership options
You can try GeForce NOW for free, but there are some limitations. The free tier includes one-hour gaming sessions and typically has longer wait times due to server queues. If you want a smoother experience, NVIDIA offers a six-month Performance membership for US$30. This plan gives you priority access and longer session times. However, once the six months are over, the price returns to US$50.
This new app opens up exciting possibilities for Steam Deck owners. With more games, better performance, and longer battery life, you now have more reasons to enjoy gaming on the go—or from your couch.
