Best case scenario, it works; Can run modern games on old laptops and other low-powered devices; Controller is decent;

Will it work? Depends on your internet connection; 4K limited to Chromecast at launch; Compression artifacts are omnipresent even at the highest quality;

Google is one of the largest tech companies in the world, with an almost unrivalled infrastructure (though Microsoft might have something to say about that). If game streaming is going to properly take off, Google has as good a chance as anyone of making it work. But right now, Stadia is seriously undercooked. Now I've stress-tested the tech for myself, I really hope it doesn't stay that way. This stuff does work, and you don’t need crazy internet speeds for it to do so. An all-you-can-eat style subscription service in the mould of Xbox Game Pass would make it far more appealing though, especially as we now know that Microsoft will merge that service with its own streaming platform, Project xCloud, when it launches next year. It’ll be worth keeping an eye on Stadia over the coming months to see how the platform continues to grow. Whether Google will remain committed to its latest side hustle in the long-term is anyone’s guess, but one thing’s for sure: the video game streaming war is only just beginning, and like it or not, it’s probably going to be the future.

It works, most of the time; Good controller; Clean UI;

Lack of display support; Full price games on top of Pro subscription fee ; Still missing loads of features; Weak list of games; Wired play only away from the TV;

While it doesn’t feel quite as solid as the Xbox One or PS4’s gamepads, the Google Stadia Controller has some neat tricks up its sleeve. Details are still scant but, after playing with it ourselves, we’re more optimistic than ever about Google’s gamepad.

Connects via Wi-Fi; Google Assistant button; Great design;

Lots of question marks; Unknown battery life; Triggers are unremarkable

This review was updated by Matthew S. Smith on 3/4/2020. I picked up Death Stranding at release. Not a download but a real, physical disc. I took it home and placed in my PlayStation 4 Pro. You’d think that’d be the end of it, but it wasn’t. An installation bar crept across my screen at an agonizing pace. When it finished, I checked the time on my phone. An hour and a half had passed since I first touched the game; 40 minutes since I put it in the console. That’s what Google wants to fix with Stadia. Stadia is Google’s cloud gaming service. You need an internet connection and a Google account, but if you have that, starting a game is simple. There’s no need for an expensive console or gaming rig. There’s no need to install from a disc or cartridge. There’s nothing to download. Just buy, hit play, and you’re in. That’s the dream, anyway. It’s a big one, and that means big obstacles. Bugs, a slim library,and confusing interface decisions bring Stadia’s cloud gaming future down to earth. ...

Excellent image quality; Plays great on TV and phone; 1080p tier is free;

Poor performance on PC; Latency can be an issue; Too few games at launch; Subscription isn't a good value;

Google Stadia’s cloud-streaming service shows a lot of promise, and could be a great option for those who want to game without spending a fortune on a console. But with lots of missing features at launch, Stadia has a long way to go to become a serious challenger to PlayStation and Xbox.

Affordable 4K gaming; Can play on TV, laptop and smartphone; Supports third-party controllers;

Many features missing on day one; Can't play in 4K through web browser; No offline mode; Video compression affects picture quality;

Streaming video games is a very compelling concept. Instead of investing in an expensive console or PC, you subscribe to a service that lets you access hardware that's powerful enough to run the games you want to play, streamed over the internet to whatever device you want. We've watched the idea grow since the first days of the now defunct OnLive, and as internet connections and Wi-Fi technologies have become faster, it's only improved. Now Google is getting in on the action with Stadia, a subscription service that lets you play console- and PC-quality games on your phone, in a Chrome browser tab, or on your TV with a Google Chromecast Ultra. Google Stadia is impressive from a technical standpoint, especially when used on a phone or in a browser. However, its $69 controller currently can't function wirelessly without considerable input lag, and that makes the TV gaming experience rough. Stadia's launch library is also very small, it requires buying each game individually, and it...

The Google Stadia streaming platform offers a high-quality gaming experience on your phone or PC, but gameplay lags on TV and the launch library and pricing structure are disappointing.

Excellent performance on compatible phones and in Chrome

Significant input lag over Chromecast Ultra; Limited wireless controller support; Games must be purchased individually and are only accessible on Stadia; Small launch library

It works, most of the time; Good controller; Clean UI;

Lack of display support; Full price games on top of Pro subscription fee ; Still missing loads of features; Weak list of games; Wired play only away from the TV;

If you pay for 100Mbps internet speeds, Google Stadia will perform wonderfully and is the game-streaming service we’ve long waited for. That said, if you have a slower connection or you’re tied to a capped data plan, Stadia will still work, but it isn’t quite the ‘negative latency’ experience Google promised and chews through data quickly.

Surprisingly good performance; 4K HDR for Pro subscribers; Transitions from mobile to PC;

Confusion around Pro; Missing features at launch

Stadia controller; Solid speeds; Free tier;

Few games; Poor mobile support; Feels half-finished;