The Steam Deck isn't dead yet. Valve's portable console, released in early 2022, may no longer be the mobile powerhouse it was, but it still holds great appeal today—not only because the device continues to run the biggest Steam games quite well, but also because of its versatility and openness.
More power, more battery life
This allows Nvidia to offer a native app for its GeForce Now cloud gaming service. Until now, Nvidia's solution consisted of a script that downloaded Chrome, in other words, little more than a browser wrapper. It's sufficient for streaming games, but technically limited, and this hack is quite draining on the battery.
The new native app lets you take advantage of all the features of GeForce Now. Starting with display up to 4K at 120 FPS on a TV or external monitor, the console screen being limited to 800p and 90 FPS on the OLED model. The app also allows you to activate HDR10 on the console screen on compatible games, and to benefit from DLSS 4 upscaling and Reflex technology.
A very advantageous bonus: users of the native app will benefit from up to 50% longer battery life when streaming. Given that the Steam Deck provides around 2 hours of gameplay (on demanding titles) before dying, any improvement on this point is welcome.
However, installing the application must go through the Steam Deck's desktop mode to go to the GeForce Now site. From there, simply download and install the app, then return to the console's Gaming mode. Please note that the service's website currently still distributes the "wrapper" version. Nvidia offers a user guide and some tips at this address.
Obviously, you need to have a solid Wi-Fi connection (minimum 15Mbps for 720p at 60 FPS) with, above all, good latency (less than 40 ms recommended). A network test is available in the app's settings. And don't forget to own the games. GeForce Now is compatible with hundreds of games from Steam, Game Pass, Ubisoft, the Epic Games Store, and Battle.net.
Update 5:10 PM: Normally, the GeForce Now website delivers the correct version of the native app for the Steam Deck.
Source: Nvidia
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