Cloud Gaming Providers Compared
What does cloud gaming even mean? The term cloud gaming is made up of the English words cloud (cloud) and gaming (playing). So basically playing in the cloud - via the internet.
You don't need a high-performance computer for this or have to buy games, but pay a monthly fee via a subscription and are allowed to use a very powerful computer server via the Internet. The whole principle works similarly to Netflix. We have compared the best providers for you and present them here. This way you can play games like Playerunknown Battlegrounds at any time and anywhere without special system requirements.
The following providers can be found in our test:
1. Shadow
Shadow is a French provider that has specialized in cloud gaming since 2015. Already more than 65,000 customers use Shadow. Shadow itself operates in 7 countries, has 7 data centers and more than 220 employees.
Prices and performance
- 29.95 € per month
- Support for 144 Hz and 4K streaming
- Fast Intel XEON technology
- GTX 1080 server-equivalent P5000
- 12 GB RAM for each player
- 1 Gbit download / 100 Mbit upload connection from the server
- European solution: provider based in France
Features and benefits
- Unlimited gaming
- Hardware upgrades included
- Suitable for different devices & screen sizes
- Mode for weak connections
- Recommended Internet: 15 Mbit/s
Disadvantages
- No games included
- Slightly higher monthly price
Conclusion
With the monthly cancellation, you can test the provider relatively easily. With the basic price of 29.95 €, Shadow is a bit more expensive for cloud gaming, but basically still much cheaper than buying a new high-end PC every 3 years.
2. Vortex
Vortex is a Polish provider of cloud gaming that has been on the market since July 2017. Vortex is represented in 13 different countries around the world and offers a worldwide, good connection for gaming on the go.
Prices and performance
- 9.99 $ (approx. 9 €) per month
- Automatic hardware upgrades and updates
- High-end hardware with XEON CPUs
- Modern NVIDIA GPUs
Features and highlights
- Many games are pre-installed for Steam
- Large selection of games
- Suitable for various devices
- Licensed indie games included
- Recommended internet: 10 Mbit/s
Disadvantages
- Only 50 game hours per month
- Website only available in English
Conclusion
Vortex is the cheapest provider in the test. The offer is currently only available in English. For a first look at cloud gaming, Vortex is certainly the best choice. The restriction of playing time to 50 hours is then unfortunately a bit too low for avid gamers.
3. Google Stadia
Google Stadia was officially announced for November 2019 at the Stadia Connect Event in June 2019. Google's offering makes use of the company's excellent server infrastructure and is said to guarantee low latencies.
Prices and performance
- Stadia Pro: €9.99 per month
- Stadia Base: free
- Various devices and resolutions
- Runs on modern, dedicated Google servers
Features and highlights
- With Stadia Pro, you get various free inkklusiv titles such as Destiny 2: The Collection
- Stadia Pro: 4k resolution / Stadia Base: up to 1080p
- Games can be bought and played directly through Google Stadia
Disadvantages
- Apparently not all games are playable for free
- The offer is from Google and thus there are data protection concerns
- Offer not available until November 2019
Conclusion
Google's offering could change the cloud gaming market sustainably. Through its position and power, Google can make many exclusive deals and agreements. Currently, Google Stadia is announced for November 2019 for the German market.
Conclusion and test winner of the cloud gaming providers
The currently best offer for cloud gaming for gamers who want to play on the latest hardware without restrictions is Shadow. The French provider is more expensive than the competitor Vortex, but offers an unlimited gaming experience in return. For occasional gamers, Vortex is recommended. However, there are compromises here due to the maximum usage time of 50 hours per month. In addition, the interface is only available in English.
Google Stadia could shake up the market again, but it remains to be seen how the offer will develop in the end. The offer could become particularly interesting through the special deals and exclusive offers.
Note: In some cases we have placed so-called affiliate links in this article. This means that we can receive a certain commission for each completed subscription. This serves exclusively to finance the free Keyfuchs offer. The test report was carried out independently of any possible affiliate commission.
