Earlier this week, Nvidia released version 2.0.40 of its GeForce Now game streaming app, and among its new features is native support for the new Apple Silicon Macs.
Like most Intel-only Mac apps, GeForce Now can run on Apple Silicon Macs using Rosetta compatibility level 2. Nvidia says that adding native support for Apple Silicon will reduce the app’s power consumption and startup time, and result in “an overall improved experience ”, although it specifically does not mention gaming factors such as streaming quality or input lag.
Apple Silicon Macs from M1 to M1 Ultra have reasonably powerful GPUs compared to similarly priced PCs and features, but so far this hasn’t resulted in an influx of AAA PC games on the platform. This is partly due to the fact that Windows enjoys a larger share of usage than macOS and is therefore a bigger target for game developers. In terms of software, Apple is focusing its efforts on its own proprietary Metal graphics API rather than supporting the open Vulkan API or modern versions of OpenGL.
We tested the performance levels of the GeForce Now RTX 3080 back in October and were generally impressed with its latency and graphical fidelity. It’s not a replacement for a powerful gaming PC on your desk, but if you couldn’t find a GPU, or you’re running a Mac that can no longer boot into Windows because it uses an ARM chip, it’s a respectable alternative.
As long as you have the games you want to play, a free GeForce Now membership gives you access to GTX 1060-class performance for up to one hour of gaming sessions. Higher performance, longer gaming sessions, and RTX-class ray tracing features require paid subscriptions starting at $9.99 per month or $49.99 for six months.