Nvidia's Free GeForce NOW Beta Lets You Play System Intensive PC Games on Your Mac

[ersan191]

If they keep the pricing they announced back in January this is destined for failure - there are several cheaper options.

I've been using Parsec lately and it is much lower latency (at the expense of image quality) - you can really feel the difference. Paperspace has very powerful machines for $0.40-$0.60 an hour versus the $1.25 or $2.50 an hour for NVIDIA's solution.

 

[RestlessCaviar]

If they keep the pricing they announced back in January this is destined for failure - there are several cheaper options.

I've been using Parsec lately and it is much lower latency (at the expense of image quality) - you can really feel the difference. Paperspace has very powerful machines for $0.40-$0.60 an hour versus the $1.25 or $2.50 an hour for NVIDIA's solution.

I've just been looking at Parsec (see previous reply here). They seem to charge for storage, min of $11 a month per 100GB (on the AWS option, which is the only reasonable option this side of the Atlantic.) Does Nvidia's price include that?

 

[deuxani]

GeForce NOW is heavily reliant on a fast internet connection, requiring a 25Mb/s download speed at a minimum and a 5GHz wireless router. Nvidia recommends a 50Mb/s connection or higher to account for other potential internet traffic.

You made a small but important typo in the article. 25MB/s equals 200Mbps while on Nvidia's site they state it's 25Mbps which equals to about 3MB/s When I read this article I was feeling sad that my 200Mbps line wouldn't be able to support it, but clearly it does

 

[Applebot1]

If it needs low-latency and at least 25mbps, then hard-wired is a necessity.

Yea totally agree...wireless is good apart for gaming.

 

[Cougarcat]

I've just been looking at Parsec (see previous reply here). They seem to charge for storage, min of $11 a month per 100GB (on the AWS option, which is the only reasonable option this side of the Atlantic.) Does Nvidia's price include that?

Yes, though with nVidia you don’t have direct access to the virtual machine, just your game clients, and technically can only run supported games.

 

[Curtpertino]

I guess question is why would anyone pay month to month when for under $600 you can get a eGPU and an upgradable GPU to run those games? (Assuming you also have a TB3 capable Mac). I know the service runs PC only games too, but (anecdotal) roughly 75% of my Steam games are both Mac and PC.

I have a Touch Bar MBPro with an Akitio Node TB3 with a 1050GTX inside. Because it is not officially supported by Apple until next year, figuring out how to get it to work on Windows was such a pain in the ass. For one, TB drivers aren't installed on the Windows partition and you have to figure out the right drivers to download BASED on the computer you are using. The second thing was to figure out which TB port to use and how Windows could recognize it. Basically, I have to turn on the Node while it's attached to my MB WHILE the Windows logo is loading. Do it while the computer is booting, it will freeze the machine. Do it too late and the laptop won't recognize the device. You then have to flash the firmware on the Node to the latest update and then install nVidia drivers. Oh, and God forbid you might get Windows updates and you have to do the install process again or reload from a recovery point. Also, don't just put your computer to sleep while the Node is still connected and running and then disconnect the Node. Your computer will not recognize the Node after reboot. AT ALL. The only solution I figured out from so much trial and error was to boot the computer with the Node on and let it freeze the computer. Then shut the computer and Node off, reboot Windows and let it do a disk check, then reboot again and turn the Node on while the Windows logo is booting.

The point is, an eGPU is a solution, but it is a pain in the ass without official support. The nVidia service is just play and go and without a huge-ass external GPU enclosure connected to the computer so I see the appeal.

 

[pj-uk]

It's pretty awesome for sure but be careful with this if you have data caps. IIRC when I played one game at high quality, one hour of gaming was like 11GB. So, if you pay 20 hours a week, you'd hit ~900GB a month.

I find it hard to believe that you were using 11GB in an hour (that’s 3MB a second - similar to streaming 4K HDR content). 1GB an hour would also be pushing it even if you were using VOIP along side gaming. Most gaming will set you back around the 100MB/hour.

[edit] apologies if you were referring to a streaming gaming service - it would then make sense at 10GB/hour. My comment above was data usage for “regular” online gaming

 

[RestlessCaviar]

The point is, an eGPU is a solution, but it is a pain in the ass without official support. The nVidia service is just play and go and without a huge-ass external GPU enclosure connected to the computer so I see the appeal.

eGPUs are a great concept, but the price is just not that much less than a complete decent small form factor PC, and far more fiddly.

 

[saudor]

Clever pricing. So on an average of 1.5 hours a day on the 1080...

Per month = $2.5 [per hour] x 1.5 [hours a day] x 30 [days] = $112.50
Per year = $1,350

To buy a comparable gaming PC with KabyLake and a GTX 1080 sets you back around $1,350.

I didn't put much effort in to making these numbers match - it's pretty much going rate for mid-tier hardware. It's a clever pricing structure from nVidia.

Still not worth it as I wouldnt toss out a GTX 1080 build after one year. Plus you also need money for the computer to run it on.
This only makes sense for the super casual gamer that wants to play the odd game every now and then.

 

[mattopotamus]

If it needs low-latency and at least 25mbps, then hard-wired is a necessity.

Really? I like many others get well over 100mbps reliably over WiFi.

 

[mudflap]

I have a late 2015 5K 4gHz i7 iMac with a 4gb Radeon R9 M395X— The fastest Mac with the best video card you could get at the time. It can barely run Left 4 Dead 2 for Mac at its highest graphics settings. But if I use Boot Camp running Windows 10, it sails along without a single stutter—buttery smooth. Half Life 2 and Episodes 2 and 3 are similar but not quite as bad.

It's not just the hardware. Developers need to up their game when converting titles to Mac. Left 4 Dead 2 is simply a poor port. There are dozens more out there.

I hope Metal 2 levels the playing field a bit with new titles going forward.

 

[Macaholic868]

The fact that this service exists speaks to Apple’s incompetence. You spend thousands on a PC or laptop and Apple can’t be bothered to give you the option for a good GPU even if you’re totally willing to pay the Apple Tax for it. The modular Mac Pro better deliver or my next desktop will run Windows.

 

[Piggie]

Remember what Tim Cook and other say.
And it's amazing they say this.

They say, they make the BEST computer they possibly can.

Yes, I know it's scary.

How can you actually say that to the wide world that this is THE BEST you can do, but you can't play games.
When almost everyone plays games.

Honestly it's the one reason I won't buy a MAC

Apple COULD do this, but they just have their heels dug in, and won't budge and refuse to make what tens of millions want.

If Apple sold a "Gaming Computer" is would hit the world like a storm.

Such a Shame

 

[840quadra]

I don't think that it's the PC gaming the one that needs saving, though. High-end GPU sales are not on a decline, never were. This is indeed for low-end PCs, but PC gaming was never based on these machines anyway, it's just an addition.

It's the Mac gaming that is on the deathbed for some years now that will benefit more from this (since GPU upgrade is not an option).

Do you have statistics to share supporting the lack of decline in high end GPU sales?

I think even with the growth of distributed computing, Crypto currency, and the likes, the overall trend is still down.

NVIDIA Gains 2% Discrete GPU Market Share in Q1 2017, AMD Loses 2% – Overall Graphics Board Shipments Down 29.8%
Link is old, but discusses the overall decline of the PC market, and despite some wins for the GPU market segment, the trend is still down.

Overall GPU shipments increased 7.2% from last quarter, AMD increased 8% Nvidia increased 10% and Intel, increased 6%.
That Link looks good overall, but shows a graph with a steady decline of discrete graphics as compared to integrated graphics on units shipped. I don’t think it takes into account the sales of GPUs for advanced computing though, but they do mention an overall decline in GPU sales since 2010.



All of that said, that is essentially one single source (research firm), and personally I do hope my understanding of the PC hardware sales decline is incorrect. I love building and tinkering with gaming machines, and am well overdue to build a new system for myself.

As an aside, I think it is good of Nvidia to look into other market segments as a way to keep their business profitable. At the end of the day, having fast graphics and industry pushing each other is a great thing for all of us interested in tech.

 

[MrX8503]

I don’t care what kind of router or router mesh system you have, nothing beats gigabit Ethernet.

 

[New Version]

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[EdT]

While this is a nice thing to be able to do, it does not fix the problem of developers ignoring the Mac market. In fact, it allows them to ignore Macs even more so.

In order for things to change, the following have to occur:
- Mac owners have to be vocal to developers about building for our platform
- Developers have to pick tools that support Macs
- Tool developers have to keep their tools up to date and use Metal/Metal 2
- Apple has to work with developers to provide the appropriate support in the hardware and software

I think the short list is that Apple needs to:

• Allow high end video cards to be installed in their computers.
• Work-ok, bribe- video game developers to make Mac compatible games using Mac optimizers like Metal2.
• Don’t drop development of software and hardware after a couple of years.

I honestly can’t see Apple doing these things however. The computer market as a whole is shrinking and the PC gamer market isn’t big enough to really support 2 fundamentally different hardware and OS systems anymore. If Windows did something stupid to cripple game playing then I would say there’s a chance, but I don’t see that happening.

 

[Stella]

Yes, high end PC gaming machines is in growth. Personal I think a good gaming PC is far better than a console, and more flexible too.

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2017...-gaming-pc-market-grows-faster-than-expected/

http://www.pcgamer.com/pc-gaming-hardware-market-breaches-30-billion-for-the-first-time/

There's plenty of other articles from early 2017 too. This trend has been going on since around 2015:

https://www.extremetech.com/gaming/...-strong-demand-high-end-desktop-laptop-gaming

All of that said, that is essentially one single source (research firm), and personally I do hope my understanding of the PC hardware sales decline is incorrect. I love building and tinkering with gaming machines, and am well overdue to build a new system for myself.

As an aside, I think it is good of Nvidia to look into other market segments as a way to keep their business profitable. At the end of the day, having fast graphics and industry pushing each other is a great thing for all of us interested in tech.

 

[Mr. Mad Vibes]

Ive been gaming on my 2013 MacBook Pro for a while now. Using PS4 remote play. Same as this just need a good internet connection

 

[Swampthing]

You made a small but import typo in the article. 25MB/s equals 200Mbps while on Nvidia's site they state it's 25Mbps which equals to about 3MB/s When I read this article I was feeling sad that my 150Mbps line wouldn't be able to support it, but clearly it does

Just glad my FiOS Gigabit line supports it... 150? Do they still sell speeds THAT slow?

 

[redheeler]

The fact that this services exists speaks to Apple’s incompetence. You spend thousands on a PC or laptop and Apple can’t be bothered to give you the option for a good GPU even if you’re totally willing to pay the Apple Tax for it. The modular Mac Pro better deliver or my next desktop will run Windows.

Apple has made workstations with decent GPUs and minimally advertised their potential to be used for gaming, but never has Apple made gaming computers. If gaming is your main demanding use, you're better off building a PC.

 

[Rshill]

Need it for the appleTV!

 

[Agent OrangeZ]

This is a non-issue with e-GPU support over TB3 and Bootcamp.

 

[WilliamG]

I don’t care what kind of router or router mesh system you have, nothing beats gigabit Ethernet.

So I just tested this on my late 2014, 5K iMac. For reference, this is a gigabit ethernet-connected computer, with... gigabit Internet through CenturyLink. Gigabit up and gigabit down. So, from start to finish this is likely as good as it gets in the consumer market as of right now.

I tested a couple of games: Bioshock Infinite and Grim Dawn (just to pick a couple). Bioshock Infinite runs perfectly at 1440p (the highest res Steam would let me pick using Geforce NOW). Maxed out, ultra settings, no issues. No stutters, no jerks, nothing

Same goes for Grim Dawn. Everything cranked to MAX settings, settings that even in Boot Camp I couldn't hope to achieve with my M295X Radeon 4GB card.

Everything great, right?

Nope.

First, visual quality is nothing like 1440p on a 1440p/5K monitor. It's all a bit... soft. Not unbearable, of course. Still pretty. But text is soft, fine details are soft. All of it soft!

But the biggest problem is (STILL) latency. Even on a full gigabit connection, the latency is... well... bad. The games RUN perfectly, but the delay from moving the mouse around is highly noticeable if you've ever been a gamer in the past/currently. It has to be around 150ms input latency - I'd guess. Some gamers may not be bothered by this, but I know I am.

For a game like Grim Dawn (Diablo clone) you're probably thinking that doesn't probably matter, but it absolutely DOES. Picking up items is a bit of a chore because the mouse has that delay in movement that makes it hard to pick up small objects on the ground. Any game that requires precision mouse movement is just a pain. And FPSs just don't have that connected feel I have when playing on my 21ms LG OLED TV. I just feel disconnected from the experience, and that's a shame.

So, will this be a viable solution for some people? Absolutely. Is it a viable solution for me, or anyone "into" games. Not even slightly.

 

[Internet Enzyme]

I Would like to point out a MAJOR discrepancy in this article. The writer says you should have a minimum downlink speed of 50 mb/s. The nvidia screenshot says 50mbps. That is completely different. 50mb/s is equivalent to 400mbps.