If you have ever connected remotely to a PC with a program like TeamViewer or VNC, you surely understand how Parsec works. It is a remote desktop tool owned by Unity, but unlike other similar applications, Parsec is also designed to play “streaming” video games.
Well, we put “streaming” in quotes since what we really do is play by connecting remotely to a PC. In theory, Parsec can deliver 60FPS quality and Ultra HD resolutions with virtually no lag or latency.
The only thing you have to do is install the free Parsec application on both the PC and the mobile, have a good internet connection, and configure an Android-compatible controller to play some good games comfortably. Something very similar to what Steam offers with its Steam Link app.
How to Play Streaming PC Games on Android Using Parsec
Before starting with the Parsec configuration, you should have the following ready:
- Connect a gamepad to your Android device. For this, you can use a PlayStation controller, Xbox, or any other gamepad compatible with Android. You can use a Bluetooth connection, although using a wired connection via USB OTG is recommended.
- Make sure the internet connection is stable. The PC should be connected to the internet via a wired connection. For the smartphone, use a Wi-Fi connection. If you have stability issues, try switching from a 2.4GHz connection to a 5GHz connection (or vice versa).
Configure Parsec
Now that you have the entire game set ready, proceed to configure Parsec.
- Enter the Parsec website and download the remote desktop application for PC. Available for Windows and macOS.
- Download the Parsec app for Android from the Google Play Store.
- Create an account on Parsec. This will allow you to have a user to synchronize the Android device with the remote PC.
- Now open the Parsec PC app and sign in with your account. In the side menu, select “ Settings ” and enter the “ Host ” section.
- From “Host,” you can configure some server settings for streaming, such as resolution, bandwidth, and frames per second.
- By default, it is recommended to leave all the settings as they are, but if you have problems with the quality of the transmission, you just have to go here and improve or reduce the specifications.
- Next, go to “ Settings -> Client ” to check the settings of the client (in this case, your Android phone). Make sure “VSync” is enabled, “Renderer” uses “Direct3D 11” if you have a Windows PC, and “Decoder” uses hardware decoding (Intel or AMD). If you choose software decoding, this can increase latency and consume more resources.
With this, you have everything ready. Now, you only have to synchronize the PC and the Android device to start playing.
Synchronize Your PC
- Launch the game you want to play on your PC.
- Open the Parsec app on your Android device and sign in with your account.
- You will see the name of your PC in the main menu. Click on “Connect.”
After establishing the remote connection, you can start playing with the gamepad you have connected to Android. Of course, the quality of the stream will be conditioned by the strength and stability of the Wi-Fi signal, as well as by the settings that you have previously selected.
If at any time you want to change any aspect, such as resolution or bandwidth, you can do so by clicking on the button in the upper left margin of the Parsec app.
Gaming experience
After testing Parsec with a few games, we have hardly noticed any lag or frame drops while streaming from PC. First impressions have certainly been quite surprising. In any case, the problem is the same that we find in any other similar tool like Steam Link. That is, we are totally conditioned by the quality of the wireless connection. If the Wi-Fi is powerful and stable, everything will go smoothly. Otherwise, you will have to review the Parsec settings to achieve a more consistent transmission.
In any case, we must highlight the tremendous effort that the developers have made to differentiate themselves from the rest of the remote desktop tools. It is clear that these results are not obtained with a simple computer capture program.
The virtual absence of lag and the resolution quality make playing PC video games from Android possible and even enjoyable. Another thing is that having a good PC, you want to play those games on mobile, but that is already a matter of the tastes and needs of each player.
