Last October, Nvidia kicked Google’s buttocks with a massive upgrade to its GeForce Now cloud gaming service — but only those with the company’s Shield TV streaming devices could enjoy it in gorgeous 4K. Nvidia is addressing this today by providing 4K support to its native apps for Mac and Windows PC, including an updated version for Macs equipped with Apple’s M1 CPUs.
Furthermore, Nvidia is bringing its high-refresh-rate 1080p 120Hz mode to Samsung’s flagship phones, including the Galaxy S22, S22 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold 3, Z Flip 3, and OnePlus 9 Pro. It was formerly available solely on Samsung’s S21 variants, the Note 20 and S20 FE, the ASUS ROG 5 Series, and the Google Pixel 6 Pro.
Back to 4K: the new 4K60 streams are only available for native PC programs, not the web version of GeForce Now, and your LG and Samsung Smart TVs will remain at 1080p till further notice, according to spokeswoman Jordan Dodge. Also, while this may seem simple, you may need a 4K monitor to make it work.
Most PC gamers still use 1440p or 1080p displays, and while Dodge believes you should be able to force 4K through the GeForce Now client, there will be drawbacks. Not only will your system downscale the image, but you’ll also consume a lot of data while losing access to Nvidia’s 120Hz high-refresh-rate option.
