

Still, if Stadia sounds like your bag, check out our best Google Stadia games guide.Ī few years ago, cloud gaming was simply a pipe dream, forcing hopeful gamers without a console to play on their phone. Those services support PC games through platforms like Steam, and given how frequently Steam games are discounted, that means you can buy a full library for the cost of a few games with Stadia.

For that, you could easily pick up a Switch Lite.Īs Digital Trends Senior Editor Matthew Smith points out, though, “Stadia is way, way behind.” Services like GeForce Now and Shadow are not only cheaper - all things considered - but offer a better experience overall. With Google Stadia, that means $130 for the controller and a Chromecast Ultra, as well as the price of games. Unlike playing on your phone, though, you’ll need to dump some sizable money into a cloud gaming platform to get up and running. Still, you can play games online, on your TV, without a console. Although very close to consoles in terms of performance, cloud gaming still suffers from input lag and streaming issues (read our Google Stadia review for an in-depth look at that). If you’re looking for the full, fat console experience, cloud gaming is the way to go.
