Can’t buy a graphics card? GeForce Now gets RTX 3080s in for game streaming - here’s what that means

Closeup of RTX 3080 GPU behind partial honeycomb shaped glass barrier
(Image credit: Nvidia)

Nvidia GeForce Now, the monthly subscription-based service that offers cloud streaming for PC and Android gaming as well as over 1,000 free titles, will be adding a new rung to its membership ladder — a GeForce RTX 3080 tier.

The GeForce RTX 3080 tier grants brand new servers to those who subscribe to it, which will stream games at a much lower latency with faster frame rates and higher resolutions. 

Founders and Priority members in North America and Western Europe will have early access to this tier starting today, with a six-month membership priced at $99.99. Founders can make the upgrade while keeping their status and receive a discount. All other members will have access to the new tier starting next week.

Analysis: Why the new tier?

It’s clear that Nvidia is upgrading its streaming capabilities big time. The enhancements are possible due to the GeForce Now SuperPods, which is a massively powerful gaming supercomputer. The SuperPods use GPUs built on the Nvidia Ampere architecture with 39,200 TFLOPS, 11,477,760 CUDA cores, and 8,960 CPU cores.

Thanks to SuperPods, the streaming specs for the GeForce RTX 3080 tier are 1440p on PC and Mac, 4K HDR on Nvidia Shield, and up to 120 FPS with the PC, Mac, and Android apps. It’s also paired with new Adaptive Sync technology, as well as in-game settings with RTX ON and DLSS for supported games.

It seems that this technological leap isn’t only for the current massive catalog of PC titles, as either later today or tomorrow the official blog will reveal a new list of titles. One of them being the Amazon Games’ exclusive MMO New World.

Considering all the headaches that New World has been giving physical Nvidia GPUs, it would make sense for the company to offer a cloud streaming tier that can easily handle the game without the drawbacks of damaging a graphics card due to massive overheating.

Allisa James
Computing Staff Writer

Named by the CTA as a CES 2023 Media Trailblazer, Allisa is a Computing Staff Writer who covers breaking news and rumors in the computing industry, as well as reviews, hands-on previews, featured articles, and the latest deals and trends. In her spare time you can find her chatting it up on her two podcasts, Megaten Marathon and Combo Chain, as well as playing any JRPGs she can get her hands on.

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