Cloud gaming is becoming more and more popular because almost everyone has access to high-speed internet with the rise of 5G, and not everyone can afford the best gaming PCs or 4K gaming consoles. In this quick guide, we will take you through everything you need to know to choose the best cloud gaming platform that suits you. There are a lot of popular cloud gaming platforms; high-speed top ones are all great, you just have to pick the one that suits you.
Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta)
Has the largest library of games, with almost every Xbox title included. The best part about Xbox Cloud games is that you get games to play with your cloud PC! For other platforms, like Xbox, you have to own the game in other stores, like Steam, to play it.
Feature | Details
- Price: Included with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate – $16.99/month
- Platforms: PC, macOS, iOS (browser), Android, Xbox consoles, Samsung Smart TVs (2022+)
- Resolution: 1080p @ 60 fps
- Latency: ~60–80 ms
- Backend: Xbox Series X server blades
- Library: 400+ titles, including day-one releases
- Requirements: 10 Mbps min, 20 Mbps recommended
- Best For: Instant access to a large rotating library
Related: Next-Gen Consoles in 2025 | What’s New and What’s Coming
NVIDIA GeForce NOW
The most popular gaming platform. Since Nvidia is a GPU maker, its services are well optimized; you can play games with almost the same latency as a normal gaming PC. The only problem is that you have to own games and connect to other stores like Steam to play them.
Feature | Details
- Price: Free (1-hour sessions), Priority $9.99/month, Ultimate $19.99/month
- Platforms: PC, macOS, ChromeOS, Android, iOS (browser), Shield TV, Smart TVs
- Resolution: Free = 1080p/60, Ultimate = 4K/120 + RTX ray tracing + DLSS 3
- Latency: ~35–50 ms (Ultimate tier with Reflex)
- Backend: RTX 4080-class GPUs (Ultimate)
- Library: Bring-your-own-games (Steam, Epic, Ubisoft, GOG)
- Requirements: 15 Mbps min, 35 Mbps for 4K
- Best For: Competitive gamers wanting max visuals and lowest input lag
Moonlight (Open-Source)
You can set up your cloud gaming setup with Moonlight! Got a powerful gaming PC? Make that into a cloud gaming server and connect it to the internet. Now you can play your PC games remotely and from other devices like your phone.
Check out this YouTube video to quickly set up Moonlight. It’s free!
Feature | Details
- Price: Free (requires your PC with an NVIDIA GPU)
- Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Raspberry Pi
- Resolution: Up to 4K/120 + HDR
- Latency: 5–20 ms (LAN), 20–50 ms (Internet)
- Backend: Your own NVIDIA GPU (GTX 600+)
- Library: Any game installed locally
- Requirements: NVIDIA GPU + strong connection
- Best For: DIY gamers wanting ultra-low latency streaming
AirGPU
AirGPU is the future! You just need a monitor and the peripherals, like a mouse and keyboard, and you can connect to a remote cloud PC! You can install any games and use them like any other PC, and you can play on the fastest hardware without owning it.
Feature | Details
- Price: ~$0.65–$1.20/hour, depending on GPU
- Platforms: Browser, Moonlight, Android, iOS
- Resolution: Up to 4K/60
- Latency: ~40–70 ms
- Backend: RTX 4000 Ada or A6000, 4–8 vCPUs, 16–32 GB RAM
- Library: Install any launcher or game
- Requirements: Strong internet connection
- Best For: On-demand high-power gaming for short sessions
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