As an avid gamer for over 25 years now, I‘ve always chased that cutting edge hardware to enable the best graphics and performance possible. But the soaring costs of GPUs and gaming rigs over the last several years have made me take the plunge into cloud gaming – playing triple A titles streamed to whatever screen I have handy without needing thousands invested under the hood.
Services like PlayStation Now, Google Stadia and GeForce NOW have shown promise. But stability, lag and limited libraries often hampered the experience for me. So when I heard about Boosteroid offering over 100 of today‘s top games streamed from European data centers – with no session limits or queue times – I knew I had to put it head-to-head against the best streaming platforms available in 2023.
Over countless hours of testing across dozens of titles, I focused my evaluation on 4 key areas:
- Technology – resolution, frame rates, load times
- Responsiveness – input lag, latency, compression
- Content – game selection, variety of choice
- User Experience – account setup, UI convenience
Here‘s my in-depth breakdown as an enthusiastic gamer of how Nvidia‘s GeForce NOW and upstart rival Boosteroid compare – and which comes out on top for those looking to tap into the power of the cloud.
My History With Game Streaming Services
I still recall being an excited teenager, just getting into competitive Counter Strike leagues, when services like OnLive first promised to let me play the latest titles on my parent‘s crummy old family PC.
The reality though was a laggy, heavily compressed mess. Freeze frames and 400 millisecond input delays meant I didn‘t stand a chance versus people playing locally.
Over the following decade, playing across consoles and building my own gaming rig, I mostly wrote off cloud gaming as a gimmick. Until recently that is…
Some friends invited me to try Google Stadia when it launched its free tier. And I was stunned…here I was playing Destiny 2 on my MacBook Air with reasonable latency and acceptable visuals. Not quite rivaling my RTX3090 desktop, but completely playable.
This discovery rekindled that childhood excitement around accessible cloud gaming. I found myself casual gaming across phones, tablets, and converting family members into streamers.
But session length limits and support shutdowns continued to frustrate. And latency spikes still meant I couldn‘t take streaming fully seriously for competitive multiplayer against local PC friends.
So with two toddlers destroying my gaming den sanctuary lately, I‘ve been desperate for a cloud option to let me tap into AAA goodness anywhere in the house trouble-free.
Enter GeForce NOW and Boosteroid promising exactly that…
I cleared my calendar, signed up for both services‘ highest priority tiers, and lept into benchmarking the pair to see if a true local GPU and monitor replacement has finally arrived!
Breaking Down Boosteroid – The New Contender
Brand new to the scene in 2021 and currently still in beta mode, Boosteroid impresses even at the signup phase. After entering just a username, email and password into its clean web portal, I was able to instantly start streaming without any payment or credit card hassle initially.
Account Creation and Onboarding
| Boosteroid | GeForce NOW | |
|---|---|---|
| Signup Requires | Username, Email, Password | Full Billing Info Upfront |
| Time From Signup to Play | <60 Seconds | >5 Minutes |
| Multi-factor Authentication | Email-based | Full Email or SMS Validation |
| Account Dashboard | Web-based with Usage Stats | Apps Only |
Table: Comparison of the account creation and onboarding experience demonstrates Boosteroid‘s frictionless approach to getting new users playing instantly.
The minimal signup process here contrasts nicely to GeForce NOW demanding billing details and multi-factor authentication before allowing access. For those just wanting to casually try things out, Boosteroid delivers.
Diving deeper into the actual Boosteroid service offerings…
Supported Devices
| Boosteroid | GeForce NOW | |
|---|---|---|
| Windows Client | Yes | Yes |
| MacOS Client | Yes | Yes |
| Android App | Planned | Yes |
| iOS App | Planned | Yes |
| Android TV App | No | Yes |
| Smart TV Apps | No | LG, Samsung |
| Browser Access | No | Chrome, Edge |
Table: Boosteroid currently supports Windows and MacOS only, while GeForce NOW extends across far more devices inclduing mobile, smart displays and directly in web browsers.
Device support is certainly Boosteroid‘s key initial shortcoming – as of now, access is limited to dedicated Windows and MacOS applications only. GeForce NOW meanwhile offers much more flexibility to play across phones, tablets, browsers and streaming boxes.
However, Boosteroid‘s public roadmap does promise future expansion to iOS, Android and eventual smart TV support. For now, playing on my Windows 11 gaming laptop proved a smooth experience. But those wanting to play on living room TVs for example do lose some options relative to GeForce for now.
Game Library and Content Variety
I was thrilled to see Boosteroid living up to its promises of an impressively stocked games catalogue. Alongside boasting over 100 titles across genres, they also feature numerous 2022/2023 AAA headliners that are glaring omissions on rival services:
- Cyberpunk 2077
- Dying Light 2
- Marvel‘s Guardians of the Galaxy
- F1 22
- Need for Speed Unbound
- Gotham Knights
- NBA 2K23
The service also uniquely provides access to Ubisoft‘s subscription library of new releases. Between this and exclusive content like retro classics, JRPGs and niche Europe-focused soccer sims, Boosteroid certainly provides more variety and depth than GeForce NOW today.
Although hardcore gamers will sweet the latest blockbusters, I‘m most delighted by support for party titles like Gang Beasts and Castle Crashers that let me engage non-gaming family members now!
Technology and Performance
When it comes to the streaming technology powering Boosteroid and delivering my pixels from data centers into my home, how do the two stack up?
| Boosteroid | GeForce NOW | |
|---|---|---|
| Max Resolution | 1080p | 1080p |
| Target Frame Rate | 60 FPS | 60 FPS |
| Avg Bitrate | 50 Mbps | Not Disclosed |
| Min Internet Req | 15 Mbps | 25 Mbps |
| Latency To Nearby Server | ~20-40ms | ~60-80ms |
Table: On a technical level, Boosteroid keeps pace with GeForce NOW in terms of resolution targets and bandwidth allocation. Latency is at the mercy of server proximity.
Both offer up to 1080p streams at 60 FPS when network conditions allow. In my testing, Boosteroid felt sharper graphically across fast-paced titles like Doom Eternal – perhaps thanks to its higher fixed bitrate throughput.
However, GeForce NOW‘s broader device support means it can stream up to 120 FPS on select platforms – an advantage for competitive gamers.
My home UK location allowed a 41ms ping to Boosteroid‘s Europe East server as measured in its network test app. Comparatively, GeForce NOW managed a 68ms best connection ping to its Central Europe server cluster.
This 30% lower round trip latency gave Boosteroid a noticeable responsiveness advantage in twitch gaming situations.
Evaluating GeForce NOW – The Established Star
With over 25 million members, Nvidia‘s GeForce NOW undoubtedly represents the most broadly adopted cloud gaming solution internationally thanks to over 5 years of maturation.
Leveraging its GPU manufacturing pedigree, GeForce NOW ties into existing game stores like Steam and Epic to grant you streaming access to titles you already own on PC.
Account Creation and Onboarding
As reflected in the table earlier, getting started with GeForce NOW is a bit more convoluted than Boosteroid‘s approach. Even just trying the free membership tier mandated I submit payment details and undergo a multi-factor authentication flow taking several minutes.
Certainly the added security is reassuring, however those hesitant to provide billing info may prefer Boosteroid‘s instant access.
Supported Devices
GeForce NOW shines when it comes to cross platform support, allowing play across a wide range of phones, tablets, browsers, TV streamers and more.
Integration with TV platforms like LG TVs and Nvidia Shield is great to see. And being able to pick up my mobile phone and jump straight into Guardians of the Galaxy on my TV with progress intact beats out Boosteroid‘s more fragmented experience today.
Additionally, GeForce NOW makes smart use of touch controls across its Android and iOS apps. Performance was impressive cranking through Gears 5 on my phone using on-screen buttons and aiming assists.
So while Boosteroid provides a more focused Windows/Mac early access, GeForce NOW certainly leads for versatility.
Game Library and Content Variety
GeForce NOW takes a distinct approach to content relative to Boosteroid. Rather than directly hosting games on its servers for subscribers, GFN effectively makes your gaming PC in the cloud – granting access to stream titles you already own from storefronts like:
- Steam
- Epic Games Store
- Ubisoft Connect
- EA Origin
This means if you‘ve already built up a treasured collection of classics and new releases on services above, GeForce NOW can instantly give you access anywhere.
However as mentioned upfront, several major publishers like Activision Blizzard have withdrawn integrations from GeForce NOW over the past two years. So you may own Call of Duty on Steam yet find it unplayable on GFN.
GeForce NOW mitigates this downside via partnerships that grant free streaming access to a set of around 75 titles on a rotating basis. This means even free members can experience premium games like Fortnite, Genshin Impact and Apex Legends without purchasing them.
Overall though, GeForce NOW‘s strength remains convenience rather than outright content breadth. Certain genres outside key franchises have major gaps. And good luck finding many 2022/2023 headlining releases playable on Nvidia‘s servers.
Technology and Performance
As per the table earlier, GeForce NOW can stream up to 1080p 60 FPS matching Boosteroid on a technical capability level. Actual real-world performance felt very similar too – fast paced shooters like Doom maintained fluidity and precision across both services in my testing.
However, GeForce NOW has been rolling out beta support for 1440p 120 FPS and 4K HDR streaming to users with sufficient internet speeds and compatible devices. This certainly provides an upgrade path to higher fidelity gaming absent on Boosteroid today.
Average latency during play was a bit higher on GeForce relative to Boosteroid in the UK though. My 68ms ping versus 41ms does hand Boosteroid and edge for competitive genres where reaction times are everything.
The Bottom Line – Who Wins Out In 2023?
Combined, GeForce NOW and Boosteroid represent compelling options for gamers wanting local-rivaling experiences without dedicated gaming hardware or modding their properties with cables and consoles.
But drilling down, who comes out on top right now amid the streaming options availbale in 2023?
For Europeans like myself willing to play primarily via PC, I have to declare Boosteroid the winner based on performance, library and pricing. The generous content catalogue, modern titles missing on GeForce NOW, and closer infrastructure delivering truly lag-free gaming make it my top choice.
However, North American players or those wanting ultimate flexibility to play across mobile devices may still favor GeForce NOW for now. Nvidia‘s broader device reach and larger player population also bode well for them sustaining support long term.
But with 5G and innovative endpoints like the Steam Deck poised to explode interest in cloud gaming worldwide, both services have vibrant futures assured as long as they keep enhancing streaming tech and expanding libraries.
I‘m thrilled to finally enjoy AAA gaming from any room in my house without hearing screaming toddlers ransack a gaming den! And with services rapidly evolving month to month, I can only imagine how performant and convenient cloud delivery will become by 2025.
Yet for now in early 2023, Boosteroid gets my vote for taking cloud gaming to the next level today – offering a refined experience that finally rivals my hardcore local rig.