JANUARY 2020 PCWorld 101Google Stadia
PROS- Best case scenario, it works.
- Can run modern games on old laptops and other
low-powered devices. - Controller is decent.
CONS - Will it work? Depends on your internet connection.
- 4K limited to Chromecast at launch.
BOTTOM LINE
Google Stadia is a mess at release, with many of its
advertised features only half-finished, a paltry lineup
of games to play, barely any Android or iOS support,
and no way to test the experience before buying in.
$129
Google’s recommended speeds.
But Google should be even more
worried. By Google’s own math, 4K
streaming requires up to 20GB of data per
hour. If we take the average Red Dead
Redemption II playthrough of 75 hours, Stadia
would burn through up to 1.5TB of data
before the end.
Stadia simply isn’t a good choice for
most people with metered internet,
especially those with multiple players
under one roof. Ten hours here, ten hours
there, it adds up incredibly fast—and
that’s before you factor in Netflix, HBO,
Spotify, or any other streaming services you
might use.
BOTTOM LINE
Is Google Stadia the future? That’s really two
questions, I guess. First, “Is streaming the
future of gaming?” Possibly. It’s convenient,
and even exciting at times. But if you’re asking
whether Stadia is the platform to get us there?
I have my doubts.
Whether or not Google turns Stadia into a
long-term success, it’s hard not to feel they
botched the launch. The underlying tech is
great, but everything else half-works, or
works only in specific situations, or it’s
“coming soon.” I can’t imagine this is what
Google had in mind when it put on that
splashy unveiling event at GDC. If it is, then
that raises even more questions.