French cloud service provider SHADOW has launched ‘Neo,’ an upgraded iteration of its cloud gaming solution, replacing the earlier Boost tier. The enhanced configuration promises up to 150% faster gaming performance and 200% productivity gains across creative tools. Existing Boost users now automatically transition to Neo at the unchanged $37.99/month rate (pre-tax). Updated hardware specifications include:
- Processor: AMD EPYC – 8 virtual cores @ 3.25-3.8GHz
- Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 4060 16GB (server-grade RTX 2000 ADA)
- Memory: 16GB DDR5 RAM
- Connectivity: 1Gb/s fiber network
- Operating System: Windows 10/11 Pro
SHADOW CEO Olivier Abecassis commented during the announcement:
Neo represents our most adaptive cloud-based system to date. From 2K gaming with ray tracing to professional-grade 3D rendering, it delivers the capabilities of a premium desktop without physical hardware constraints.
The platform now supports advanced technologies including DirectX 12 Ultimate, Vulkan 1.3, Frame Generation, and upscaling solutions like DLSS 3.0/FSR 3.0. This advancement raises viability concerns about SHADOW’s Power tier, which retains a similar CPU but pairs it with an outdated GPU (RTX 3070 Ti). With Neo outperforming Power in benchmark comparisons while costing $12 less monthly, the $50 Power tier appears increasingly obsolete without imminent hardware refreshes.
While services like NVIDIA GeForce NOW offer RTX 4080-tier access for $20/month, SHADOW differentiates through full PC emulation. Users gain unrestricted access to install custom software, mods, and DRM-free titles – features absent from conventional game-streaming platforms. This flexibility comes at a premium but caters to professionals and enthusiasts needing broader system control.