NVIDIA GeForce Now with RTX 5080 (Blackwell): Cloud Gaming That Rivals Local PCs

Summary: NVIDIA’s GeForce Now Ultimate now runs on RTX 5080-class Blackwell GPUs in the cloud, delivering near-local performance for demanding games. In testing, Cloud RTX 5080 streams Cyberpunk 2077 at 4K with DLSS 4 multi-frame generation (~170 fps reported) and Overwatch 2 at very high frame rates (up to 360 fps at 1080p). The Ultimate plan is priced around $19.99–$20/month.

Key highlights

• RTX 5080-class Blackwell GPUs in GeForce Now Ultimate (cloud servers with ~48GB VRAM equivalent).
• DLSS 4 multi-frame generation supported for higher frame rates and smoother visuals.
• Resolution/frame-cap updates: up to 5K@120fps, 4K@240fps, and 1080p@320fps (depending on monitor/support).
• Ultimate plan price: ~$19.99–$20/month; Performance plan (cheaper) limits to ~1440p/60fps.
• High bandwidth: NVIDIA’s max streaming bitrate is ~100 Mbps, which can be ~45GB of data per hour at peak settings.

Real-world notes from testing

Testers reported extremely sharp visuals and minimal compression artifacts at high settings. In many cases the experience felt indistinguishable from a local RTX 5090 desktop. However, enabling multi-frame (interpolated) generation can introduce a hint of sluggishness despite boosting frame rates.

Pros

• Access to very high graphical power without buying a new GPU.
• Supports demanding features like ray tracing and DLSS 4.
• Persistent cloud storage / “Install to Play” for a growing library of titles.

Cons / Caveats

• Extreme bandwidth requirements (up to ~100 Mbps; ~30–45GB per hour depending on settings) — can be prohibitive with data caps or shared connections.
• Not every PC game is available; library is large (4000+ titles) but may miss obscure older games.
• Streaming depends on both your ISP and server load — local PC/console remains more reliable for many users.

Where to read more / official sources

• NVIDIA GeForce NOW overview: https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce-now/
• NVIDIA announcement about Blackwell GPUs in GeForce NOW: NVIDIA News
• NVIDIA RTX 50-series (RTx 5080) product page: RTX 5080

Recommended hardware search

If you’re looking for compatible displays (example: 5K/120 or high-refresh 4K monitors), search for options here (affiliate link): 5K LG monitors on Amazon.

Conclusion

GeForce Now’s upgrade to RTX 5080-class Blackwell hardware marks a major step for cloud gaming — it can convincingly match a high-end PC’s visuals and frame rates for many titles. But the service’s huge bandwidth needs and occasional latency concerns mean it’s an excellent option for many, but not a universal replacement for local hardware yet.

Note: This post summarizes recent hands-on reports and official NVIDIA announcements. The original hands-on review text was not reposted verbatim and any direct links to third-party review RSS feeds have been omitted.