The Name of the Best Cloud Gaming Service might Surprise you!

At Flickstiq, we are often asked Who’s the best Cloud Gaming company? This is a good question to ask because the answer matters. There aren’t any free Cloud Gaming services out there. That means that you’re investing money into the company that you choose.

The Answer is Subjective

I’ll start by saying that there isn’t a clear answer that is true for everyone. A huge part of whether a Cloud Gaming service is good for you is your proximity to their closest data center. You might have heard the term “ping” being tossed around by other Gamers. Ping is your distance to the server that you are connecting to. This important for any sort of connection, and it’s especially important for Cloud Gaming. Latency is another term that you could use to describe your distance from a server. Ping and latency are both measured in milliseconds (ms). When your latency is lower, your experience is better. Overall, your latency is the most important factor to consider when selecting a Cloud Service. It will make or break your streaming experience.

Your Download Speed Matters

Assuming that you are reasonably close to a Cloud data center, your Internet Download Speed is the next most important factor to consider. Each Cloud Service has a minimum Download Speed requirement. You have to be able to meet that minimum speed in order to enjoy their product. The amount of speed that you need can vary between providers. Snoost only requires 4 Mbps for their 480p package. Paperspace and GeForce Now both want you to have 25–50 Mbps of Download Speed. Your Download Speed may ultimately determine which Cloud Gaming provider you can use.

Data Centers run on a variety of Equipment

So let’s say that there are multiple Game Streaming providers that could work for you. Meaning that more than one is close enough to you, and you meet their minimum Download Speed requirements. Your next consideration might be the equipment that is powering their product. Not all Cloud Providers use the same hardware to run your games. LiquidSky’s hardware is on the lower end while Paperspace and Snoost can stream many games on High or Ultra Settings. If you’re chasing the best-looking experience, these details will matter. It’s important to research each potential Cloud Provider to see what they are capable of.

Miscellaneous Details may be the Deciding Factor

Each Cloud Gaming provider has something that makes it special. This “icing-on-the-cake” may be what ultimately makes your decision for you. Snoost offers unlimited gaming for $10 a month. LiquidSky has one of the better mobile Apps for Tablets and Smartphones. Paperspace is affordable while also being one of the most powerful services on the list. There are other unique benefits to each service, but you get the idea. The way that you want to play and your budget will weigh heavily into your decision.

At this point, it should be clear why we can’t name one Cloud Gaming provider as the definitive “best” service. There are many factors that you have to consider when choosing the company that is best for you. And when you do have your answer, it will likely be different than what’s right for someone else.

What do you think? Who’s your favorite Cloud Gaming provider? Let us know in the comments!

Originally published at Flickstiq.