Nvidia GeForce Now was one of the first game-streaming services to hit the scene, and it was originally a huge selling point of the Nvidia Shield TV. Now that the service has expanded, Nvidia is rolling out further support for Android TV devices to use GeForce Now, but that support arrives with some big asterisks.
In a quiet update to its Android app, GeForce Now is suddenly compatible with more Android TV devices. Previously, the app was exclusive to the Nvidia Shield TV.
Why the sudden expansion? Nvidia confirmed as much would happen earlier this year, but in this case specifically, the door is being opened to allow for Nvidia to bring the GeForce Now app to the UHD3 set-top box. That box is used and distributed by LG U+, one of Nvidia’s Korean partners for GeForce Now.
The latest update for GeForce Now adds fully optimized support for that box in particular but adds wider support for Android TV devices as a result. Specifically, it adds support for any Android TV device running Android 5.0 or higher with at least 2GB of RAM and support for OpenGL ES 3.2. Technically, this should include the majority of Android TV boxes and even a fair number of TVs.
Technically, the UHD3 and Nvidia Shield TV are the only officially supported Android TV devices for GeForce Now. Nvidia even reiterates as much in the changelog:
Our latest update adds beta support for Android TV devices. NVIDIA recommends SHIELD TV with the NVIDIA Games app for the best GeForce NOW experience on a TV. SHIELD TV provides the lowest latency and highest quality on TVs. Other Android TV devices have not been optimized and experiences may vary.
Full, official support for more Android TV devices should roll out later in 2020.
More on Android TV:
- Nvidia GeForce Now comes to more Android TV devices this year
- Shield TV (2019) Review: Smaller, cheaper, still the best streaming device
- TCL brings Android TV lineup to the US, will be sold alongside Roku models
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