When you’re searching for router recommendations, Nvidia might not be the first company that comes to mind, but its new recommended router program wants you to start thinking otherwise. Over a year in private beta, Nivida has yet to roll out its GeForce Now online game streaming platform officially; however the company has already begun sanctioning hardware to complement the service, providing what it says are already “optimized [routers] to improve your cloud gaming experience.”
Online gamers are already familiar with, the sometimes, headache-inducing setups behind correctly performing routers that ensure you don’t lag in your next online firefight or dungeon crawl. Nvidia’s new GeForce Now recommended router program aims in recommending “best-in-class routers for cloud gaming in homes” that offer easy setup, a GeForce Now QoS (Quality of Service) profile, and lower latency. With gaming routers being nothing new, the new QoS profile has a lot to do with the company’s recommendation.
Quality of Service profiles allows network administrators, such as yourself in your own home, to select traffic to prioritize on the network. While routers have been offering QoS profiles for quite some time now, the new GeForce Now profile means that no one on the network will have to worry about their gaming becoming impacted by someone else firing up a 4K Netflix stream for a bingeing session. Whether you are streaming a game to your Mac, PC, or Nvidia Shield, you shouldn’t see service bumps.
As of now, the only router recommended officially is the AmpliFi by Ubiquiti Networks — more specifically, the company’s HD Gamer Edition. Nvidia’s own customer support even provides a tutorial on how to set up the QoS profile for GeForce Now. Other companies listed as part of the program, but not yet offering products, include Asus’ Republic of Gamers, Razer, TP-Link, NetGear, and D-Link.
Nvidia’s GeForce program has remained in private beta access for over a year, so it is fascinating that the company has decided to launch an industry-wide recommendation program. The development may mean the company intends to make the service available sometime soon — perhaps as soon as next year’s upcoming CES event in Las Vegas.
