Computer games are overwhelmingly superior to games for mobile phones, this is an intuitive thing and a result of the graphic processing power in computers that phones and tablets lack. Therefore, it is normal sometimes to have a strong desire to play your favorite games on the computer through your phone so that you are not restricted to sitting for long periods in front of the computer in order to enjoy the game. Can this be achieved? Fortunately, thanks to a small app called Steam Link - yes, as the name indicates, it's an app from the popular Steam game buying service. We have previously reviewed the application on the topic of playing computer games on Android, but in this article let us explain in detail how to use it according to our experience and whether it is worth or not.
It is likely that you have read or heard before about Google Stadia, GeForce Now or PlayStation Now which are the cloud gaming services that allow playing any video game online via the Internet; That is, when you subscribe to any of these services, you will be able to play your favorite video games on servers, or let's say devices with extraordinary specifications in terms of processor, graphics card, etc., belonging to the company that provides the service. But the actual control in the game is done online through your humble device. Or in short, you control a computer that is not in front of you, and you see everything that this computer displays from the screen of your device, whether it is a computer, a phone, or a tablet.
Steam Link does the same thing, but locally, meaning that it turns your computer into a game server, so the application runs the game on the capabilities and hardware of your PC or laptop, but you will control the game through your phone wirelessly. Thus, even if you have a very old phone and barely run a simple game like Among Us, you will be able to use it to play heavy computer games. And the great thing is that the application is not limited to smartphones, but can be used on a tablet or TV as well, completely free of charge.
But perhaps the big problem that you may face when using cloud gaming services and likewise the Steam Link application, is the necessity of a very fast internet connection. Of course, controlling anything remotely always depends on the speed of your Internet connection, but since we are talking here about controlling games, internet speed must be super and stable at the same time because every movement and pressure you make through your phone or device, it must be sent To the server (hosting the game) and translating it into commands in less than a second, otherwise there will be a noticeable delay in response, which spoils the gaming experience completely, especially with shooting games.
Simply put, if your internet is slow or unstable, expect a delay in the game’s response to commands; Pressing a mouse or a key on the keyboard may take a second or more, and thus you will lose the smoothness and compatibility required to enjoy the game, and with a few minutes in this case, you will not be able to continue playing - from an old experience.
According to Steam, playing computer games on the phone via the Steam Link application requires an Internet connection via Wi-Fi using the 5GHz band as it is more stable than the 2.4GHz band and thus guarantees a better experience. But if you want to play games on TV, it is preferred to connect it to the router via Ethernet cable. As for internet speed, you must have a connection that is at least 5 Mbps or a maximum of 20 Mbps. It is also necessary that the computer and the phone, TV, or tablet are connected to the same internet network (router) in order for the connection to be successful.
If the required conditions are available, here is how to use the Steam Link app below, noting that for the purpose of this explanation, we used the iPhone 8 Plus to control games remotely and a 50 Gbps internet connection via Wi-Fi (5GHz).
In the beginning you will need to download and install Steam program on your computer, if it is not already installed, then launch it and click on the "Steam" menu in the upper left corner of the window and then click on "Settings", then you will go to the "Remote Play" section to add A sign (✔) next to the "Enable Remote Play" option, thus enabling the remote game control feature. However, since you are in this section, you can make some adjustments to improve the gaming experience. For example, click "Advanced Host Options" to activate the "Use NVFBC capture on Nvidia GPU" option, which will provide more fluidity during gameplay if your device is equipped with a Nvidia graphics card. Or press "Advanced Client Options" to control game quality when broadcasting, set internet speed..etc. Finally, press "OK" to save your changes.
Now go to your phone where you install the Steam Link app from either the Google Play Store for Android or the App Store for the iPhone and iPad. Since this is the first launch of the app, you will need to agree to the access permissions that appear, then press "Get Started" from the welcome screen.
You will then be prompted to select the method that you will use to control the games. From here, choose "Use touch control" for touch control like regular phone games, but you can also connect a Steam controller or any other controller to the phone via Bluetooth, which is recommended by Steam for a better experience, especially when playing games. It requires careful control. Even if you do not have a dedicated console, you can connect any wireless mouse and keyboard to the phone if you like.
On the next screen, the Steam Link app prompts you to select the computer you want to connect to, where it will search for the computers on the network, and here you must make sure to leave Steam running on the computer. And when the computer or laptop is found, you just have to click on its name to start the remote connection process.
But before completing the process of connecting the phone to the computer, the Steam Link application displays a 4-digit code, and all you have to do is type this code in the "Authorize Device" window that appears on the computer screen and then press OK to confirm the connection successfully.
In the next step to connect to the computer, the Steam Link application will perform a simple test to know the capacity of your Internet connection, some data will be sent / received to and from the phone to see the efficiency of the connection and thus you have an idea of what the experience will lead to, if the connection is weak or unstable during Testing, the application will inform you of the possibility of facing a problem with the performance of the game, but in any case you will be able to continue using the application.
In the end, after the test is over, you will get a screen confirming that everything is in order. The connection has been made to the computer, the control method has been chosen, and the connection efficiency has been verified. All you have to do now is click on the "Start Playing" button to launch the app..
Once you launch the app, Steam opens on your computer and Big Picture mode is activated, so your game library will look decent on your phone screen. You can now simply browse the game library and play whatever you like. And in the event that the game library is empty and you have not purchased any games from the Steam platform before, there is no problem with that, you can add any game on the computer to the library, even if you obtained the game by illegal means. To do so, open Steam on your computer and go to "Library", then click on "Add a game", then "Add a non-steam game" and select the game launch file you want to add. Once the game appears in the library, you will be able to play it on your phone via Steam Link.
You can enjoy your favorite video game from your phone or tablet as if you were sitting in front of a computer. According to our experience, the Steam Link application was very great for broadcasting games in high quality with smooth enough control, even in shooting games like Battlefield the movement was accurate and I did not notice a delay in the response, so the games are acceptable to play through the application, and it is certain that the speed and stability of the connection contributed greatly Great to achieve this experience. So if you have the conditions that Steam Link needs and want to enjoy your favorite video game away from the office chair while relaxing on the sofa or in another room at home, or on a larger screen such as a TV screen, then it is definitely an app worth trying....
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