Linux Format - UK (2020-03)

18 LXF260 March 2020 http://www.linuxformat.com

Taking screenshots and clips via the controller saves

them directly to the Stadia app, but you can only see

them on your phone. There isn’t even a way to share or

download screenshots from your phone, only delete

them. The Stadia controller also doesn’t work wirelessly

with a PC.

With the right combination of fast, reliable internet

service, a good modem and router, and an ISP that

doesn’t cap your bandwidth, Stadia is an alternative to

PCs and consoles. However, Stadia is missing a bunch

of extras, has a tiny catalogue of games, and there’s still

a huge performance divide between single-player and

multiplayer games. Google’s proven that Stadia’s tech

works – but it’s also proven that without its many

missing features, it’s rarely going to be the best way to

play any of the games on its service.

tadia is like other cloud gaming platforms:

great for single-player games, terrible for

multiplayer and if your internet isn’t

great. It’s a cool innovation, free from the

hardware that a PC needs. But when things go

wrong, figuring out why can take even more

technical savvy than building the best gaming

PC. Added to that, Stadia just after launch is

simply missing many of the features it needs to

make it a robust gaming platform.

Setting up Stadia is simple on TV: connect

the Chromecast Ultra to the Google Home app

on a smartphone; configure the user’s Stadia

account; sync a controller; start playing games.

On a desktop, meanwhile, you just need to log

into the Stadia site in Chrome (ensuring hardware

acceleration is on).

Compared to the hardware that’s needed to run PC

games at 4K, Stadia’s launch price of £119 is a minimal,

as is the £9 per month Pro subscription. The 4K option

is only available with Stadia Pro, but this isn’t available

on PC.

Stadia recommends a minimum connection of

35Mb/s to play games in 4K, but not all of its games ran

perfectly, even with a higher bandwidth. Nearly every

game tested performed either slightly under or on par

with a local machine at 4K and 1080p, but something

just felt ‘off’ visually when playing Shadow Of The Tomb

Raider and Destiny 2 via Stadia on PC, rather than on a

local machine. That off feeling was a result of Stadia

running with double the input latency on PC compared

to native PC gaming.

Google’s claim that games will run flawlessly at 4K at

60fps with an internet speed of 35Mb/s has some truth

to it. Some single-player games can perform near-

flawlessly at 4K at as low as 25Mb/s, but Destiny 2

proved unplayable at that download speed. On 35Mb/s

at 4K, there was massive lag, input latency, pixelation

and frame-rate drops. These persisted until the

bandwidth was raised to 100Mb/s.

For anyone with a data cap, meanwhile, Stadia’s data

usage is as taxing as feared: 2.5 hours of game time at

4K consumed around 40GB of data. Playing Stadia at

4K for 2.5 hours every day for 30 days will use about

1.2TB of data, so those with data caps can forget about

daily 4K gaming.

The Stadia controller is solid, with weighty-enough

buttons and two sturdy thumbsticks that move

smoothly. If you have small hands, you may experience

finger fatigue after a while, but the controller is

comfortable enough.

Would you consider using a streaming gaming platform, asks

Joanna Nelius? She takes Google’s offering on a test drive.

Broadband:

10Mbps min,

35Mbps for 4K

Resolution:

Basic: 1080p

Pro: 4K

Controller:

USB-C,

802.11a/b/g/n/

ac, Bluetooth

Low Energy

v4.2, 3.5mm

audio jack

Chromecast

Ultra: 802.11ac,

HDMI, Micro-

USB for power,

Ethernet

Direct device

support: Pixel

Slate, Acer Tab

10, HP X2, Pixel

2/3/3a/

REVIEWS

S

Want to game? You’re probably better off buying a console,

or else we’re going to stick to our trusty Linux box and GoG.

SPECS

FEATURES 6/

PERFORMANCE 6/

EASE OF USE 8/

VALUE 6/

Rating 6/

MAN.: Google

PRICE: £119 (£8.99 monthly sub)

WEB: https://store.google.com/gb/product/

stadia

VERDICT

Google Stadia

TV support requires the

Google Chromecast Ultra.

18 LXF260 March 2020 http://www.linuxformat.com

Takingscreenshotsandclipsviathecontrollersaves

themdirectlytotheStadiaapp,butyoucanonlysee

themonyourphone.Thereisn’tevena waytoshareor

downloadscreenshotsfromyourphone,onlydelete

them.TheStadiacontrolleralsodoesn’tworkwirelessly

witha PC.

Withtherightcombinationoffast,reliableinternet

service,a goodmodemandrouter,andanISPthat

doesn’tcapyourbandwidth,Stadiaisanalternativeto

PCsandconsoles.However,Stadiaismissinga bunch

ofextras,hasa tinycatalogueofgames,andthere’sstill

a hugeperformancedividebetweensingle-playerand

multiplayergames.Google’sproventhatStadia’stech

works– butit’salsoproventhatwithoutitsmany

missingfeatures,it’srarelygoingtobethebestwayto

playanyofthegamesonitsservice.

tadiaislikeothercloudgamingplatforms:

greatforsingle-playergames,terriblefor

multiplayerandif yourinternetisn’t

great.It’sa coolinnovation,freefromthe

hardwarethata PCneeds.Butwhenthingsgo

wrong,figuringoutwhycantakeevenmore

technicalsavvythanbuildingthebestgaming

PC.Addedtothat,Stadiajustafterlaunchis

simplymissingmanyofthefeaturesit needsto

makeit a robustgamingplatform.

SettingupStadiaissimpleonTV:connect

theChromecastUltratotheGoogleHomeapp

ona smartphone;configuretheuser’sStadia

account;synca controller;startplayinggames.

Ona desktop,meanwhile,youjustneedtolog

intotheStadiasiteinChrome(ensuringhardware

accelerationison).

Comparedtothehardwarethat’sneededtorunPC

gamesat4K,Stadia’slaunchpriceof£119isa minimal,

asisthe£9permonthProsubscription.The4Koption

isonlyavailablewithStadiaPro,butthisisn’tavailable

onPC.

Stadiarecommendsa minimumconnectionof

35Mb/stoplaygamesin4K,butnotallofitsgamesran

perfectly,evenwitha higherbandwidth.Nearlyevery

gametestedperformedeitherslightlyunderoronpar

witha localmachineat4Kand1080p,butsomething

justfelt‘off’visuallywhenplayingShadowOfTheTomb

RaiderandDestiny 2 viaStadiaonPC,ratherthanona

localmachine.Thatofffeelingwasa resultofStadia

runningwithdoubletheinputlatencyonPCcompared

tonativePCgaming.

Google’sclaimthatgameswillrunflawlesslyat4Kat

60fpswithaninternetspeedof35Mb/shassometruth

toit.Somesingle-playergamescanperformnear-

flawlesslyat4Kataslowas25Mb/s,butDestiny 2

provedunplayableatthatdownloadspeed.On35Mb/s

at4K,therewasmassivelag,inputlatency,pixelation

andframe-ratedrops.Thesepersisteduntilthe

bandwidth was raised to 100Mb/s.

For anyone with a data cap, meanwhile, Stadia’s data

usage is as taxing as feared: 2.5 hours of game time at

4K consumed around 40GB of data. Playing Stadia at

4K for 2.5 hours every day for 30 days will use about

1.2TB of data, so those with data caps can forget about

daily 4K gaming.

The Stadia controller is solid, with weighty-enough

buttons and two sturdy thumbsticks that move

smoothly. If you have small hands, you may experience

finger fatigue after a while, but the controller is

comfortable enough.

Wouldyouconsiderusinga streaminggamingplatform,asks

Joanna Nelius? ShetakesGoogle’sofferingona testdrive.

Broadband:
10Mbpsmin,
35Mbpsfor4K
Resolution:
Basic:1080p
Pro:4K
Controller:
USB-C,
802.11a/b/g/n/
ac,Bluetooth
LowEnergy
v4.2,3.5mm
audiojack
Chromecast
Ultra:802.11ac,
HDMI,Micro-
USBforpower,
Ethernet
Directdevice
support:Pixel
Slate,AcerTab
10,HPX2,Pixel
2/3/3a/

REVIEWS

S

Wanttogame?You’reprobablybetteroffbuyinga console,

orelsewe’regoingtosticktoourtrustyLinuxboxandGoG.

SPECS

FEATURES 6/

PERFORMANCE 6/

EASE OF USE 8/

VALUE 6/

Rating 6/

MAN.:Google

PRICE: £119 (£8.99 monthly sub)

WEB: https://store.google.com/gb/product/

stadia

VERDICT

Google Stadia

TV support requires the

Google Chromecast Ultra.