Nvidia on Thursday announced updates to its GeForce Now game streaming service that vastly improves the experience for M1 Mac users. The key update is that members of the GeForce RTX 3080 tier can now play at 1600p resolution, the native resolution of the M1 MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro.
GeForce Now is a service for Mac (and PC) users that offers a way to access major game titles that aren’t released on the Mac. Nvidia provides three levels of the service: a free tier, Priority ($10 per month), and RTX 3080 ($100 for six months).
According to the GeForce Now system requirements website, Nvidia’s boost to 1600p also allows framerates “up to 120 FPS,” but to get the maximum rate, you must have a 120Hz display. You also need an internet connection that’s fast enough to handle all the data—the RTX 3080 tier requires a broadband connection of at least 35Mbps. Nvidia also recommends using wired ethernet on your Mac or a 5GHz wireless router.
The 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro and the 24-inch iMac, which use displays with higher resolutions than 1600p, were not specifically mentioned in the announcement but they should support the higher-resolution streaming.
Other updates include:
- A fix for the M1 Max MacBook Pro to allow for streaming at the correct aspect ratio.
- Linking of Nvidia and Ubisoft Connect accounts for more efficient access to Ubisoft games.
- Improvements to the countdown timer when viewed on the in-game overlay.
- Eight-hour gaming sessions for RTX 3080 members.
The system requirements for GeForce Now vary based on the tier. Mac must be running macOS El Capitan or later, and a variety of gamepads are supported. You can also access GeForce Now through the iPhone or iPad. Get the full details on the system requirements at the GeForce Now system requirements website.
Author: Roman Loyola, Senior Editor
Roman has covered technology since the early 1990s. His career started at MacUser, and he's worked for MacAddict, Mac|Life, and TechTV.