Nvidia has teamed up with several wireless router makers to deliver internet connectivity products that prioritize its GeForce Now game streaming service.
Playing games over a streaming connection is incredibly dependent upon your internet connection at home, so Nvidia wants GeForce Now to be accessed without any hurdles put up your home network.
The initiative is known simply as the "Nvidia GeForce Now Recommended Routers" program, and consists of a new certification process that ensures all routers produced in the program are factory-enabled with a quality of service (QoS) profile that's automatically enabled whenever GeForce Now is active. This QoS profile simply prioritizes the service over all other data being transmitted on a home network.
Of course, the latest routers available allow you to do this through their own respective settings, especially wireless mesh systems. However, these routers will have these settings enabled out of the box.
While Nvidia has inked deals with Asus, D-Link, Netgear, Razer, TP-Link and Ubiquiti Networks on this project, the first product available with the certification is the Amplifi HD Gamer's Edition from Ubiquiti. This wireless mesh router set retails for $379 (about £299, AU$524), so that should give an idea for the price range of these routers.
This program is live at the time of writing in the US and Canada, with wider UK and Australia availability currently unknown.
Clearly, this project is aimed at a general audience stumbling into Nvidia's game streaming service, rather than the tuned-in PC gaming audience. Should you buy one of these specially-tuned routers? Only if you don't want the hassle of fiddling with your own to get the same benefit.
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