What is Shadow PC? How do I play? How much does it cost?
What is Shadow PC?
Shadow PC offers gamers a powerful cloud gaming or game streaming experience.
Shadow PC is a PC-as-a-service platform, making it a unique entry in the cloud gaming ecosystem. The platform is widely pitched to gamers as a replacement for high-powered home gaming PCs, but also offers professionals and hobbyists a high-powered Windows PC, setting Shadow PC apart from other cloud gaming platforms.
The subscription tiers of Shadow PC vary in the power of Windows PC you receive on the platform. To start gaming on Shadow PC, make sure you have good, stable internet and the basic hardware on which to play.
How do I play on Shadow PC?
To get started on Shadow PC, users will need to get in line to gain access to the in-demand service by signing up for an account through Shadow PC. Once you receive your welcome notice from the Shadow team, download the Shadow client on Windows, macOS, or Linux PCs. If you prefer to get started on your mobile device, download the Android or iOS app from the Google Play or Apple App store.
Shadow PC differs from the other cloud gaming platforms in that users can install and play nearly any PC game, just as you would on your own high-powered Windows gaming machine. With very few exceptions, Shadow PC can play any Windows PC game, streamed directly to your devices.
Shadow PC recommends that you have internet speeds of 15 Mbps or greater, which means you should be prepared to use about 7 GB/hr of data at minimum. The base tier of Shadow PC offers streaming at 1080p, while the higher tiers offer 4K streaming with ray tracing.
Shadow PC is widely available on many devices, which is a factor in its appeal. Currently, the Shadow PC platform can be accessed from Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS devices.
Shadow PC differs from many other cloud gaming providers, in that it is a Windows PC in the cloud. Gamepads and accessories that are compatible with Windows PC are generally available to use with Shadow PC, including racing wheels and VR devices.
How much does it cost?
Assuming you already own one of the many compatible devices to access Shadow PC, along with stable internet speeds of at least 15 Mbps, getting started on Shadow PC requires a purchase of one of its subscription tiers.
Shadow PC has three subscription tiers, each with limited and varying degrees of availability to consumers: Boost, Ultra, and Infinite. All subscription tiers give users access to a high-powered Windows PC with increasing levels of computing power and streaming quality.
The Boost tier is $11.99 per month if you purchase a full year subscription ($14.99 if purchased month-to-month) and can only be pre-ordered in the US. The Boost tier gives users a Windows PC with a 3.6 GHz 4-core CPU, GTX 1080 GPU (or equivalent), 12 GB RAM, 256 GB upgradeable storage with 1080p streaming.
The Ultra tier is $24.99 per month and is available for users only at the moment. The Ultra tier gives users a Windows PC with a 4 GHz 4-core CPU, RTX 2080 GPU (or equivalent), 16 GB RAM, 512 GB upgradeable storage with 4K streaming and ray tracing.
The Infinite tier is $39.99 per month and is availalbe for users only at the moment. The Infinite tier gives users a Windows PC with a 4GHz 6-core CPU, Titan RTX GPU (or equivalent), 32 GB RAM, 1 TB upgradeable storage with 4K streaming and ray tracing.
Shadow PC has received a lot of attention and is currently in high-demand for new users. Users are queued to receive access to the Shadow PC platform.
Questions?
If you have any other questions about getting started on Shadow PC, please let us know in the comments! You can also check out our knowledge base for a price comparison for all cloud gaming services, and much more!