Is GeForce Now a Good Option Instead of Dual Booting on My Steam Deck?

Question

GamerDude42$ - March 23, 2025

I’m a huge fan of my Steam Deck, but I’ve run into some issues because not all games support Linux. There are a few Windows-exclusive titles like EA FC and F1 25 that I’m eager to play, plus there are some games that, while they technically work, don’t run well enough for me to enjoy, like InZoi. I don’t want to go through the hassle of dual booting Windows on my Deck, so I’m curious if GeForce Now could be a practical alternative. I know there’s no native app yet, and I can only play online, but could it still be worth it? My home internet is pretty average, but I could use 4G/5G when I’m out. Since I’m not a FPS player, a little latency isn’t a dealbreaker. Also, how does GeForce Now actually work? I’ve heard of Shadow and its individual PC setup, but it seems like GFN is different. Does it just stream games from my library? Where are the games stored, and do mods work? Sorry for the long question, but I’m just really curious about this!

Is GeForce Now a Good Option Instead of Dual Booting on My Steam Deck

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4 Answers

Answer 1 · 2025-03-24 08:16:04

GeForce Now is solid! One great plus is that it doesn’t drain your Deck’s battery, so if you lower the settings, you can game for a while. Just remember that to get the best experience, especially if you’re in a crowded area or have an iffy internet connection, try to wire your Deck to your network instead of relying on Wi-Fi; it makes a huge difference!

Answer 2 · 2025-03-24 06:03:21

GeForce Now can definitely be a viable option, but a few things to consider: you have limits on play hours and you might have to wait in a queue depending on your plan. Not every game is available, so check if your favorites can be played. GFN is like renting a gaming PC in the cloud; it streams games you own from your library, but you can’t access the OS directly so mods aren’t an option unless a game supports them. You still need to buy your games separately, and you might need to check for availability.

Answer 3 · 2025-03-23 18:21:45

I’d say go for it! It’s free and super easy to try out. Just keep in mind that the quality largely depends on your Wi-Fi setup. If your router is outdated (like a wrt54), you might not get the best performance. But trying it is the only way to know for sure!

Answer 4 · 2025-03-23 14:07:12

I’ve been using GeForce Now with my Steam Deck and MacBook, and honestly, it works great for me! I have decent internet, which helps, but gameplay is pretty smooth. Basically, it runs an instance of Steam (or other platforms) just for the game you’re playing. It stores your saves on their servers, which is convenient. As for mods, that depends on the game—some support them, like Baldur’s Gate 3 and WoW, but others might not. If you’re curious, definitely give the free tier a shot!