Google Stadia Premiere Edition - White

Product Information

Stadia in a Chrome window is also very good. On both a gaming laptop and a much more modest office-issued laptop, Destiny 2 and Mortal Kombat 11 play very well. I had no issues with sluggish controls when shooting or performing combos. The games don't look quite as sharp in Chrome as they do on a phone, though. Of course, a picture will naturally look sharper when you fit about the same number of pixels into a much smaller space, like a six-inch phone screen instead of a 27-inch computer monitor. It can’t offer the same killer game selection as Xbox Cloud Gaming (thanks to its ties to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate), but it does offer a more versatile experience. You can stream on far more devices, including some ridiculous options like a smart refrigerator. It also supports 4K on some titles and streaming on cellular 4G and 5G connections, although you should be careful due to high data usage.

I believe the input lag between the controller and Stadia when playing through a Chromecast Ultra is due to the wireless connection between the controller and the Chromecast itself. With every other available Stadia setup, the controller is connected to the Stadia device through a cable, so the entire process of streaming over the internet is performed through the phone or PC, with inputs sent through a fast wired connection. When playing with a Chromecast Ultra, the controller wirelessly syncs with the Chromecast, creating another network stepping point in the streaming process. Stepping down from a hardwired connection to a dual-band 5GHz connection, Stadia still held up immensely well with only small issues in the audio impairing an otherwise flawless performance. Now other recent AAA releases like Madden and Hitman 3 look and play perfectly as well. We're reaching the point where we no longer have to ask, "How does it look and play on Stadia?" and can instead simply ask if the game itself is good or not. Under the right conditions, Google's Stadia service provides streamed video games with crisp, smooth graphics and responsive controls. Those conditions are easy to access on your compatible smartphone and reliable in a Chrome tab, but not through the Chromecast Ultra. And even when working optimally, Stadia doesn't rise above the performance you can get with Shadow or GeForce Now. The potential for 4K60 is there, but don't expect to see it with any consistency.

Likely, the desyncing of all of these elements comes from the fact that the controller is paired through WiFi. The input is registering right away, but the sound comes later. In short, there is input lag, but only on certain games and in some strange aspects of those games. Playing Stadia with a Keyboard and Mouse

Great device 4k gaming on the go or at home. No big console just plug and play. No load times and great library of games. I have got 3 one at each of my family members so can all play together.

Stadia is Google’s gaming platform that lets you instantly play your favorite video games on screens you already own. Stadia on a smartphone with a good 5GHz Wi-Fi connection is fantastic. Controls felt responsive and graphics looked sharp on every game I tested. Playing Destiny 2 on a small screen is a particularly unique experience, and the fact that aiming was spot-on, with no discernible input lag, and the action looked and sounded consistently crisp is downright impressive. Google Stadia slowly added in the features it promised at launch. For example, the service rolled out direct streaming to YouTube via YouTube Gaming. For streamers, Stadia held real potential as a way to unify the gaming and streaming platform - and that in itself was pretty exciting.

Although it works on just about any hardware, Google Stadia has some stringent requirements when it comes to your internet connection and data usage. These apply to both Wi-Fi connections and 4G/5G mobile networks. Here’s what the platform recommends: If you want to use the controller with your phone, tablet, Chromebook, or PC, you need to use a cable; Stadia currently has no method of pairing the controller wirelessly with anything besides a Chromecast Ultra. Google sent us a phone clip and a short USB-C-to-USB-C cable for testing, but if you're just buying the controller or Premiere Edition and want to play Stadia on your phone, you'll have to supply your own USB-C-to-USB-C cable or the appropriate USB-C adapter for your mobile device. If you’re using the official controller on your smartphone, Google has a fun accessory you can buy to help out: the Power Support Claw. The Claw snaps onto your controller and then you can clip your phone in to enjoy an all-in-one gaming experience. Unsurprisingly for a service that's closed down, Google Stadia hardware sales have been suspended. You also can't buy games, new controllers (without going second-hand) or a Stadia Pro subscription, either. Even if you do meet the speed requirements, you’ll need to be careful if you have a data cap. Cloud gaming chews through a lot of data, especially when gaming at 4K resolution. Here’s what you can expect:Google Stadia is set to launch this November but a solid date is yet to be confirmed. When pressed, a Google rep told me that it would be ready to "share a specific date soon" and that we will "have to wait to see why" we haven't received that information already. Google also confirmed that the Stadia Premiere Edition will ship shortly after the Founders Edition bundle – giving Founders the opportunity to secure their Stadia Name – and that the Premiere Edition bundle will be the "the new version of Stadia that we're going to have for the foreseeable future". The Stadia Premiere Edition will cost €129.00 in Europe, with UK, US, and CAD pricing to be announced once the Founders Edition bundle sells out in those territories. To secure yourself the bundle, you'll want to head over to the Google Store. It comes down to a matter of preference: do you want to pay for a subscription-only service, or do you want to be able to buy games outright? Other than that, it's a question of library and company preference as well. Stadia by far has the better overall library right now and a much more robust feature set, so at the moment it's the clear winner, but that could change in time.