Sarmed Malik
Google venture into the gaming market has been a slow start. Stadia was announced more than 2 years ago with a public release slated for November 2019. It favored mixed reviews when it was launched and it competes with Sony’s Playstation Now service, Nvidia`s Geforce Now and Microsoft Project xCloud.
Stadia on the front is a cloud gaming service and does not require additional hardware, only requiring the device which lists at $129.99, an internet connection and support for Google Chrome. Stadia integrate Youtube Functionality by working cohesively with its framework allowing the user to experience streaming without any issues.
Stadia currently supports the streaming of games in High Definition Range(HDR) locked at 60 fps with a maximum resolution of 4K. It also anticipates reaching 120 frames per second at 8K. Users can start games without having to download new content. Stadia utilizes the HID-compliant USB controller which connects directly yo Wi-Fi to reduce input latency or lag.
Stadia carries a two-tier subscription with a baseline fee and a $10 dollar monthly subscription. As of now, Stadia has waived the pro subscription fee and users can enjoy the streaming experience free of charge.
Stadia uses a custom-built Intel x86 chipset clocked at 2.7 GHz with 9.5 MB of L2 and L3 cache, It also employs a custom AMD GPU based on Vega Architecture which can compute up to 57 units with 10.7 teraflops. The hardware comes with a standard SSD and 16 GB RAM which is shared between GPU and CPU to maximize virtual graphic RAM.
Stadia supports up to 50 latest games where some are exclusive to its hardware. However, games will suffer a drop in fps due to the locked FPS range at full resolution and availability of games.
