RTX 5080 Blackwell Servers and Performance Gains
At the heart of this massive GeForce NOW update is the arrival of RTX 5080 Blackwell-powered servers. The most powerful hardware yet for GeForce NOW. These next-generation GPUs bring DLSS 4 to the cloud for the first time, along with full ray tracing, ray reconstruction, and support for advanced AI-driven game features.
NVIDIA says the RTX 5080 offers up to 2.8 times the frame rates of current RTX 4080 servers. Allwoing streaming at up to 5K resolution at 120 frames per second. New high-performance streaming modes are also coming. Including 1080p at 360 frames per second and 1440p at 240 frames per second.
The upgrades go beyond the GPU. Each new “superpod” server also includes an AMD Ryzen Threadripper Pro CPU with eight cores and 16 threads running at up to 4.4 GHz, paired with up to 60 GB of RAM. Network technology inside the servers is also receiving a boost with NVIDIA ConnectX-7 SmartNICs, designed to support faster, more consistent streaming.
NVIDIA says these improvements are aimed at closing the gap between cloud and local gaming performance. Making demanding games run smoother and look better than ever on GeForce NOW.
Cinematic Quality Streaming
GeForce NOW is introducing a new cinematic quality streaming mode designed to bring image quality closer to high-end local PC gaming. This mode combines several upgrades to NVIDIA’s streaming technology, including YUV 444 chroma support for sharper text and cleaner colour separation, enhanced AV1 encoding with reference picture resampling for smoother resolution changes, and an AI-powered video filter that reduces noise and motion artifacts.
The new mode can stream at up to 100 Mbps, taking advantage of faster home internet speeds to deliver more detail in complex scenes. NVIDIA highlighted how foliage and high-frequency textures, often difficult for cloud streaming to display clearly, now appear sharper and more defined. Early examples showed visible improvements in games like Black Myth: Wukong, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, and Mafia: The Old Country.
Cinematic quality streaming will be available as a selectable option in the GeForce NOW app, joining existing balanced, competitive, and data saver modes. It is intended for gamers who prioritize visual fidelity, particularly in single-player or slower-paced experiences where every detail matters.
Latency and Streaming Rate Enhancements
NVIDIA is pairing its visual upgrades with improvements to streaming responsiveness. The new RTX 5080 servers add NVIDIA RiverMax hardware packet pacing, enabling direct data transfers to and from the GPU for smoother, lower latency streaming. Network performance is also getting a boost through support for Low Latency, Low Loss Scalable throughput (L4S), developed in partnership with major ISPs. Testing is underway with Comcast in the United States, as well as Deutsche Telekom, British Telecom, and T-Mobile on mobile 5G networks.
L4S technology has already seen real-world rollouts, including T-Mobile’s L4S deployment on 5G and Comcast’s low-latency DOCSIS service. Both of which have been shown to improve responsiveness for GeForce NOW and other cloud gaming platforms.
On the device side, GeForce NOW already supports cloud G-Sync, and the RTX 5080 rollout adds faster Reflex streaming modes, offering up to 360 frames per second at 1080p and 240 frames per second at 1440p. In testing with Overwatch 2, NVIDIA reported total system latency as low as 30 milliseconds under optimal network conditions, outperforming the PlayStation 5’s 49 milliseconds at 120 frames per second.
These updates are aimed at making competitive games feel as responsive as playing on a local gaming PC, while also providing smoother performance for a wide range of titles.
New Device and Peripheral Support
The upcoming GeForce NOW update also expands GeForce NOW’s reach across more devices and accessories. On the handheld side, the native Steam Deck app will now support up to 90 frames per second on OLED models, matching the screen’s refresh rate. Lenovo’s upcoming Legion Go S handheld will also benefit, streaming at 120 frames per second on its built-in display and up to 4K at 120 frames per second when docked to a compatible TV.
For big-screen gaming, LG TVs from 2025 and 2026 will gain support for 4K at 120 frames per second with HDR directly through the GeForce NOW app. Some 2024 models also expected to be compatible. LG’s 5K UltraGear monitors, including the 45-inch ultrawide OLED, will also be supported at up to 120 frames per second.
Peripheral support is growing too, with Logitech racing wheels and haptics joining the list of compatible accessories. NVIDIA says the new wheel support will launch alongside the RTX 5080 update, offering a more tactile experience for racing fans.
Play Instantly on Discord With GeForce NOW
NVIDIA is also introducing a new way to discover and try games through a partnership with Discord and Epic Games. Starting with Fortnite, gamers will be able to launch the game directly from Discord. You won’t need to download Fortnite or install the GeForce NOW app. Even if you already have the app, you can launch directly from Discord without opening it first.
By linking an Epic Games Store account, a “Try the Game” button will appear in Discord when a friend is playing, allowing instant access through cloud streaming. This new integration follows recent sightings of Fortnite activity in Discord voice channels powered by GeForce NOW, which we covered in our Fortnite Discord streaming article.
The trial streams at 1440p and 60 frames per second. This makes it possible to jump in quickly for a match or test out a title before installing it locally. NVIDIA says the goal is to remove barriers for both gamers and developers. This opens the door for more titles to be added in the future. While Fortnite is the first to support the feature, the technology could expand to other games over time.
Game Lineup and Optimized Titles
Several major games coming later this year are already set to be available on GeForce NOW, with optimizations for the new RTX 5080 hardware. Confirmed games include Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Borderlands 4, Dying Light: The Beast, Arc Raiders, and The Outer Worlds 2, with more to be announced in upcoming GFN Thursday updates.
When the RTX 5080 upgrade launches, around 20 games will be fully optimized for the new hardware. These will be featured in a dedicated “Optimized for 5080” row within the GeForce NOW app. More titles will be added each week as NVIDIA completes testing to ensure compatibility and performance standards are met.
NVIDIA says the goal is to make new releases available as close to launch as possible. Sometimes even within hours of going live on storefronts. This approach is intended to give Ultimate members immediate access to new content at the highest available quality.
Install-to-Play Feature
The new Install to Play feature will double the number of Steam games available to Ultimate members. It gives cloud access to any Steam title whose publisher has opted into cloud gaming. Even if it’s not part of the ready-to-play library. For those wondering which games are included. You can find the full list of GeForce NOW install to play games here.
You can download and install these games to a temporary 100 GB cloud storage space during a session. High-speed connections from NVIDIA’s servers to Steam can reach up to 1 Gbps, with many averaging over 500 Mbps. Once the session ends, the game is removed from temporary storage. Subscribers to the optional persistent cloud storage add-on can keep games installed between sessions. This paid add-on is available in 200 GB, 500 GB, and 1 TB tiers.
Some other cloud gaming services offer similar options, such as Boosteroid’s “Install” section, but the process differs. On Boosteroid, users install games they own onto a remote cloud desktop. GeForce NOW’s Install to Play integrates directly with its cloud infrastructure. You can only install and play games already opted into GeForce NOW.
NVIDIA says Ultimate members will gain immediate access to thousands of additional games.
The ready-to-play library will also remain updated and fully patched for instant streaming.
More Performance at no Additional Cost
All announced upgrades, including RTX 5080 hardware and cinematic quality streaming, are included with the Ultimate membership. Lower latency modes, expanded device support, and Install to Play are also part of the membership at no extra cost. Optional persistent cloud storage for Install to Play will be a paid add-on. It’s available in 200 GB, 500 GB, and 1 TB tiers.
The last price increase for GeForce NOW took place back in November 2023,. NVIDIA has said that these new features will roll out without any changes to the current Ultimate membership cost.
For context, NVIDIA’s 2024 “Big Changes” update introduced new session limits. Ultimate members are capped at 6 hours per session, while Priority members are capped at 3 hours. Then, starting in January 2025, NVIDIA also added a monthly cap of 100 total hours for new Performance and Ultimate subscribers. Current subscribers are exempt from this monthly limit until January 2026. These limits remain in place alongside the current benefits.
The rollout for the new features begin in September. NVIDIA plans to share exact deployment dates closer to launch. The company says the initial RTX 5080 servers will go live alongside the first batch of optimized games. With more games being added weekly.
GeForce NOW’s September Update Raises the Bar for Cloud Gaming
With the largest upgrade in its history, GeForce NOW is set to deliver faster performance and better image quality. You’ll also have more ways to play than ever before. The jump to RTX 5080 hardware brings major boosts in frame rates and resolution. Cinematic quality streaming tackles one of cloud gaming’s most common visual complaints.
Lower latency modes, expanded device compatibility, and Logitech racing wheel support add flexibility for how and where you can play. Features like Install to Play and Discord Instant Play highlight NVIDIA’s focus on game accessibility and discovery.
With no price increase for Ultimate members, these updates strengthen GeForce NOW’s standing in cloud gaming. As the September rollout begins, Ultimate members will have more reasons than ever to game in the cloud on GeForce NOW.
What do you think of NVIDIA’s massive GeForce NOW upgrade? Will RTX 5080 servers and Install to Play change how you game in the cloud? Share your thoughts in the comments and let us know if you’ll be trying the new features this September.
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