We did this because the iOS version of Moonlight doesn't feature a full performance overlay. Our primary device for streaming was an iPad Pro 10.5" and an LG ThinQ G7 to test out Moonlight's input latency. This is extremely important to keep in mind: a hardwired connection between your PC and the router can bring latency down considerably. We used a Netgear R6260 AC1600 router, with the PC connected via Ethernet. Our desktop test rig is running a GeForce RTX 3080 and a Ryzen 9 3900X. Why would you pick one over the other? In our testing we tried to measure specific aspects of the experiences such as latency, high refresh rate support, image quality, compression and touch controls.
Steam Remote Play is (obviously) tied to your Steam account and to the Steam app on Windows. They're both implemented differently, however. If you're an iOS or Android user with an Nvidia graphics card, these are your go-to options for in-home streaming. What's Steam Remote Play? What's Moonlight? Which one's better? How much does latency impact the experience? And really, can you play Skyrim in bed? In this piece, I'm going to share my experiences with these two local streaming options.
As a matter of fact, while I'm typing out this article, I happen to be using an iPad Pro 10.5" streaming Windows 10 desktop over Steam Remote Play. Whether you just want to play Skyrim in bed, or take your your work apps with you to the living room, solutions like Steam in-home streaming and Moonlight offer a near-flawless experience. But unlike remote streaming, a top-quality in-home streaming experience is within reach, with modest hardware requirements. In-home streaming solutions have come a long way, too. Remote game streaming still has a ways to go though: not everyone has gigabit internet, and some amount of latency is unavoidable unless you're physically close to the servers.īut what about in-home streaming? In these homebound times, "remote," more often than not means your bedroom, as opposed to your workplace or a different town. Steam Remote Play lets you run The Medium in any plane of reality Just as importantly, the idea of streaming media is now embedded in the public conscious: We've got Netflix, we've got Spotify, so why not games, too? Core internet infrastructure and encoders have picked up significantly since OnLive's epic failure a decade ago. Between Stadia, GeForce Now, Microsoft xCloud, and other contenders like Shadow, game streaming is seeing a true resurgence.