Cloud gaming shifts the hardware requirement away from a console or gaming PC and onto the internet connection itself — which means the usual hardware-shopping questions get replaced by a completely different set of considerations.
Internet connection quality matters more than any local hardware
Cloud gaming streams video of the game running on a remote server, meaning the device actually being played on — even a basic laptop, phone, or smart TV — barely matters, since it's just displaying a video stream and sending back button inputs. What matters instead is a stable, sufficiently fast internet connection with low latency to the specific service's servers. A fast download speed alone doesn't guarantee a good experience if the connection has inconsistent latency or packet loss, which can cause stuttering or input delay even on an otherwise fast connection.
Input lag comes from a real, physical source: distance and network hops
The delay between pressing a button and seeing the result on screen — input lag — is added to whatever a game's local input lag would normally be, since a signal now has to travel to a remote server, get processed, and stream video back, rather than processing locally on a device in the room. Being geographically closer to a service's server infrastructure generally reduces this added latency, and some services let you check or select server region, which is worth doing to minimize this delay rather than always defaulting to a distant or randomly assigned server.
Game library models vary — owned games vs. included subscription library
Some cloud gaming services let you stream games you've already purchased separately, essentially cloud-hosting your own game library. Others provide access to a rotating included library as part of the subscription, similar to a streaming video service's included catalog — games can be added or removed from that included library over time, meaning a specific game's availability isn't necessarily permanent. Checking which model a specific service uses, and whether specific games you want to play are included or need to be purchased separately, avoids assuming all cloud gaming subscriptions work the same way.
Data usage adds up quickly with cloud gaming
Streaming game video continuously uses meaningfully more data than most other streaming activities, since it's a continuous, often high-resolution video stream for the entire play session — worth checking against any home internet data caps, and a real consideration for anyone playing on a mobile data connection, where cloud gaming can consume a mobile data allowance considerably faster than typical mobile use.
The one thing people forget
Test a service's free trial or lowest-commitment tier with your actual home network and typical time of day for gaming before committing to a longer subscription — network congestion during peak evening hours can meaningfully affect cloud gaming performance in ways that a test at a different time of day, or a different household's network conditions in a review, won't necessarily reflect for your specific situation.