In the world of cloud gaming, one of the most prominent names has long been Shadow PC. What sets Shadow PC apart from most other cloud gaming services is that it provides you with a full gaming PC in the cloud for a fixed monthly fee, while most other services only let you play a limited list of supported games. With Shadow PC, you can install and play almost any game you own and even add your favorite mods.

While this makes Shadow PC a popular choice in the cloud gaming market, not all is great with the service. Starting at $29.99 per month for a gaming PC suitable for modern games, Shadow PC is not exactly cheap, which is a barrier for more cost-conscious gamers. Additionally, the hardware provided by Shadow is starting to show its age, impacting performance and the overall gaming experience.

For those looking for a more cost-effective cloud gaming experience with more powerful hardware and without having to compromise on game selection, CloudDeck can be a great Shadow PC alternative.

What is CloudDeck?

CloudDeck is a new cloud gaming service that lets you play your favorite games on any device. It offers modern hardware with Raytracing support at an affordable rate of just $19.99 per month. Like Shadow PC, CloudDeck gives you access to a full gaming PC in the cloud, allowing you to install your favorite games without being restricted by a limited library of supported games. CloudDeck provides a gaming console-like experience similar to SteamOS and is currently capable of running more than 15,000 games.

What makes CloudDeck a great Shadow PC alternative

CloudDeck offers several advantages over Shadow PC, including a user-friendly interface, similar game selection, competitive pricing, and enhanced performance. Here’s a closer look at how CloudDeck compares:

Interface

Shadow PC provides you with a standard Windows 11 installation, whereas CloudDeck offers an experience similar to SteamOS on the Steam Deck. This setup gives CloudDeck more of a gaming console feel and makes it easier to control when you’re connecting from a device without a keyboard and mouse, such as your smartphone or TV.

Game selection

While other cloud gaming services like GeForce Now and Boosteroid offer limited selections of roughly 1,500 and 800 supported games respectively, most games that run on Shadow PC will also run on CloudDeck. You can find all 16,000+ supported games here: ProtonDB . The most notable exception is that Xbox Game Pass games are unsupported on CloudDeck.

Price

Shadow PC starts at $29.99 per month for a gaming PC capable of handling most modern games at 1080p. Additionally, a more powerful configuration is available for $49.98 per month, which can run more demanding games at up to 4K resolution.

In contrast, CloudDeck offers a single tier that can run all modern games at 1080p for just $19.99 per month, making CloudDeck 33% cheaper than the comparable Shadow PC tier.

Performance

Shadow’s $29.99 per month tier includes a 4-core, 8-thread Intel Xeon CPU clocked at up to 2.5 GHz, 12GB of RAM, and an Nvidia P5000 GPU, which is comparable to an Nvidia GTX 1080. While this configuration can still handle most games at 1080p, the aging CPU struggles to achieve 60 FPS in many modern titles, even on low settings. Additionally, this tier does not support Raytracing or DLSS for upscaling.

CloudDeck’s $19.99 per month tier features a 4-core, 8-thread AMD EPYC CPU clocked at up to 3.7 GHz, 16GB of RAM, and an AMD Radeon W6600 GPU, which is similar to an AMD Radeon RX 6600. This setup is capable of running the latest games at 1080p and generally performs 10-20% better than the comparable Shadow PC tier, especially in CPU-intensive games. Moreover, this tier supports Raytracing and upscaling with FSR 3.

Conclusion

Shadow PC has long been a major player in the cloud gaming market, offering the unique advantage of a full gaming PC for a fixed monthly fee. This flexibility, which allows users to install and play almost any game they own, including mods, has made it a popular choice. However, the high cost, starting at $29.99 per month, and aging hardware are notable drawbacks that affect performance and overall value.

For those seeking a more cost-effective Shadow PC alternative with modern, powerful hardware, CloudDeck presents a compelling option. With its competitive pricing, advanced hardware featuring Raytracing support, and extensive game compatibility, CloudDeck offers an attractive solution without compromising on game selection. If you’re looking for a cloud gaming service that combines affordability, performance, and flexibility, give CloudDeck a try .