A few years ago, there was talk in the tech world
that it might be possible, instead of using onboard PC tech for gaming, to
“borrow” the processing and computing of much more powerful professional-grade
servers. But what was once just talk is now a reality, thanks to the unveiling
of Blade’s new cloud-based gaming, which they’re calling Shadow.
Shadow requires two parts: a monthly subscription to
the brand’s service and a device named the Box. This device, which measures
only 7.5″ at its widest point and weighs just 1.5 pounds, is to replace your
traditional PC tower. Rather than having tech onboard, only to have it go
obsolete in a manner of months, the Box allows you to remotely access the
computing power of a highly-secured local server house via the cloud.
The
result is that you’ll get to use 8 dedicated threads on an Intel Xeon server,
12 gigs of DDR4 RAM, 256 gigs of storage, and a single-user high-end Nvidia
graphic card (streaming directly to you in 4k HD with zero visible latency).
What’s even better is that you will never have to upgrade your PC again, as the
brand will regularly update their servers with the newest tech. You can rent
the Box itself for US$ 10 or purchase it upfront for US$ 150, and the monthly service
costs start at US$ 35.
