Use Steam Remote Play first if your game is in Steam, launches normally on your main PC, or you want Steam Remote Play Together for local co-op with friends. Use Moonlight with Sunshine if you are willing to configure a separate host and client and need Moonlight’s wider range of documented client platforms. Neither option has a universally proven latency or picture-quality advantage: your host hardware, client, controller, network path, game and settings matter more than the brand name.
What the two options actually do
Steam Remote Play
Steam Remote Play runs the game on one computer and sends its video and audio to another device. Keyboard, mouse or gamepad input travels back to the computer running the game. In the normal case, Steam handles discovery, pairing and launching for you after both devices are connected to the same Steam account and the host game starts correctly. Steam says its own games can be streamed between a user’s computers, and its documentation is designed around minimal setup when the title launches properly on the primary PC. See Steam’s Remote Play support page.
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Remote Play Together
Remote Play Together is a Steam-specific feature for local multiplayer. The owner starts a compatible local co-op game and invites friends through Steam; invited players can join the session remotely without owning or launching the game themselves. That makes it a different use case from simply streaming your own single-player session. Valve describes the feature on its Remote Play product page.
Moonlight and Sunshine
Moonlight is an unofficial, open-source client for NVIDIA’s GameStream protocol. The Moonlight project recommends Sunshine as its open-source host. Sunshine is a self-hosted game-streaming server that documents hardware-encoding support for AMD, Intel and NVIDIA GPUs. You therefore configure two components: Sunshine (or another compatible host) on the gaming computer and Moonlight on the device where you will play. Moonlight’s setup guide and Sunshine documentation describe the current installation and pairing process.
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Steam Remote Play vs. Moonlight at a glance
| Decision point | Steam Remote Play | Moonlight with Sunshine |
|---|---|---|
| Basic model | Steam streams a game running on a Steam-connected host to another supported device. | Moonlight is the client; Sunshine is a separately installed, self-hosted server. |
| Setup effort | Usually the shorter path when the game already launches in Steam. | Install the host, configure it, pair the client and add or launch games and applications. |
| Steam library integration | Direct integration with Steam games and Steam’s streaming controls. | Can launch games or applications configured on the host; Steam integration is not the organizing principle. |
| Remote local co-op | Remote Play Together lets invited friends join a local co-op session without owning the game. | No equivalent Moonlight-specific invitation feature is documented in the cited materials. |
| Host hardware | Uses the computer that runs Steam and the game; exact requirements depend on the game and Steam’s current support. | Sunshine documents hardware encoding for AMD, Intel and NVIDIA GPUs. |
| Documented client platforms | Steam-connected computers and supported Steam Link app devices; verify support for your exact model. | Windows, macOS, Linux, Raspberry Pi 4, Steam Link hardware, Android, Amazon Fire tablets and TVs, iOS, Apple TV and ChromeOS are listed by Moonlight. |
| Web browser client | Not the normal Steam Remote Play model. | Moonlight’s FAQ says there is no pure web client. |
| Network guidance | Steam strongly recommends wired networking for Steam Link hardware and lists several unsupported network types. | Requires a network path that lets the client reach the Sunshine host; exact routing and firewall behavior depend on your setup. |
| Latency and image quality | No controlled, official head-to-head benchmark in the cited documentation establishes a universal winner. | |
Choose Steam Remote Play when convenience or co-op matters most
- Your game is already in Steam. Remote Play is the natural first attempt when the title appears in your library and starts normally on the host computer.
- You want the fewest moving parts. You do not need to select and maintain a separate streaming server for the basic Steam-to-Steam scenario.
- You are inviting friends to local multiplayer. Remote Play Together is the decisive feature if the game supports local co-op and your friends do not own the title.
- Your target device is covered by Steam’s current apps or Steam Link support. Check the current device list rather than assuming every smart TV, tablet or browser is supported.
- You prefer Steam’s account, library and overlay workflow. Invites, game launching and controller handoff remain in the Steam ecosystem.
There are boundaries. Steam says streaming non-Steam games may work but is not officially supported. Voice recording over streaming is not currently supported in its FAQ, and older systems or certain legacy controllers can have limitations. Those details make Steam the easier default, not a guarantee that every game and peripheral will behave identically to playing locally.
Choose Moonlight with Sunshine when control and client coverage matter most
- You need a client Steam does not document for your device. Moonlight lists clients for a broad mix of desktop, mobile, TV, single-board-computer and streaming-hardware platforms.
- You are comfortable administering the host. Sunshine must be installed and configured on the gaming PC, then paired with Moonlight.
- Your host uses AMD or Intel graphics. Sunshine documents hardware encoding support across AMD, Intel and NVIDIA GPUs, rather than limiting the host to one vendor.
- You want to stream applications as well as games. Sunshine lets you add or launch applications on the host, subject to the compatibility of the individual program.
- You want a separately configurable client/server stack. Moonlight exposes its own client settings and Sunshine its own host settings, which can be useful when you want more control than a single integrated launcher provides.
Moonlight is not a browser service. Its FAQ explicitly says there is no pure web client, so a phone, tablet, computer, TV device or other supported client must be installed and paired. Compatibility also varies by exact operating-system version, device firmware and controller combination.
How to set up Steam Remote Play
- Prepare the host. Install or update Steam on the computer that will run the game, sign in, and confirm that the game launches locally before troubleshooting streaming.
- Enable Remote Play. In the Steam desktop client, open
Steam > Settings > Remote Playand ensure Remote Play is enabled. Steam’s labels can change between client releases, so use the current Remote Play settings page if the wording differs. - Prepare the client. Install Steam on the second computer, or install the supported Steam Link app for the target device. Sign in to the same Steam account for your own library streaming.
- Pair or connect. On the client, select the host computer when Steam presents it and complete any PIN or pairing prompt.
- Launch the game from the client. Start the title from the Steam library. The game continues to render on the host while video and audio are sent to the client and input is returned.
- For Remote Play Together, invite players from the host session. Open the Steam overlay while the local co-op game is running and use the Remote Play Together invite control. Guests join the host’s session; they do not need to own or launch the game themselves.
- Adjust streaming settings only after the basic path works. Change resolution, bandwidth or hardware-encoding options one at a time so you can identify which setting affects stability.
How to set up Moonlight with Sunshine
- Check the host platform and GPU. Moonlight’s setup guide documents Windows 10/11, macOS 12 and newer as experimental, and selected Linux distributions for Sunshine. Confirm the live guide for your exact operating system before installing.
- Install Sunshine on the gaming computer. Use the current package and instructions in the Sunshine documentation. During setup, allow the host service through the operating system firewall when prompted.
- Configure Sunshine’s host settings. Open its web configuration interface, set authentication credentials and verify that hardware encoding is available for your GPU. Add the games or applications you want Moonlight to launch.
- Install Moonlight on the client. Choose the current Moonlight build for Windows, macOS, Linux, Raspberry Pi 4, Steam Link hardware, Android, Amazon Fire tablets or TVs, iOS, Apple TV or ChromeOS, as applicable.
- Pair the devices. Open Moonlight, select the Sunshine host discovered on your network and enter the pairing PIN shown by Sunshine. If discovery fails, use the host’s local address and check firewall rules.
- Launch an application. Select the game or desktop entry published by Sunshine. The host performs the rendering and encoding; Moonlight decodes the stream and sends controller, keyboard or mouse input back.
- Test one controller and one game first. Moonlight recommends testing specific Android-device and controller combinations because some combinations can show latency or disconnection problems.
Device, operating-system and GPU compatibility
Compatibility is where the choice often becomes practical rather than theoretical. Steam Remote Play is tied to Steam-connected computers and supported Steam Link app devices. Steam’s support pages are the authority for current app and hardware coverage, and a device that can install an app is not automatically guaranteed to support every controller or feature.
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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Moonlight publishes a longer client list, but “listed” does not mean every model behaves the same. Android phones, tablets and TV devices can differ in decoder support, Bluetooth behavior, display refresh rate and USB handling. Moonlight’s documentation specifically advises testing the exact Android-device/controller pairing. ChromeOS, iOS and Apple TV clients also depend on the operating-system version and the capabilities exposed by the platform.
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On the host side, Sunshine’s documented hardware-encoding support for AMD, Intel and NVIDIA GPUs broadens the hardware choices. That does not eliminate driver, encoder or game-specific issues: the host still needs to run the game at the chosen resolution and frame-rate target while encoding the stream.
Network requirements and topology
Use a predictable local path
For the most consistent setup, connect the gaming computer to the router by Ethernet and place the client on a strong, low-congestion Wi-Fi connection or use Ethernet there as well. Steam’s Steam Link Hardware FAQ states, “Wired network strongly recommended.” A Cat 6 Ethernet cable is a reasonable optional purchase when both endpoints have Ethernet ports, but a cable alone cannot guarantee a good stream; router load, Wi-Fi interference, distance and the client device still matter. See Steam Link Hardware support.
Know the networks Steam does not support
Steam lists public, workplace, school or university, guest, gateway-login and access-point/client-isolation networks as unsupported for Remote Play. These networks may block peer discovery, device-to-device traffic or the connections needed for streaming. The related Steam Link suggested network settings page explains the network conditions Steam expects.
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What to check when the host is not found
- Confirm both devices are on the intended home network, not one on a guest SSID.
- Disable client or access-point isolation on the wireless network if you control the router.
- Check that the host computer is awake, Steam or Sunshine is running, and the operating-system firewall permits the service.
- For Moonlight, enter the host’s local IP address manually if automatic discovery does not show Sunshine.
- For Steam, restart Steam on both devices and repeat pairing after confirming the account and Remote Play setting.
What to check when video stutters
- Reduce the stream resolution or frame-rate target on the client.
- Prefer Ethernet for the host and move the Wi-Fi client closer to the access point.
- Stop large downloads or uploads on the same network.
- Check whether the host GPU is saturated by the game before changing stream settings.
- Test a different game; a title with unusual frame pacing can expose problems that another game does not.
Controllers, audio and game compatibility
Input is a round trip: the client reads the controller, sends the input to the host, and the host game responds in the next rendered frame. A controller that works on the operating system may still need a compatible mapping in the game or streaming client.
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Steam’s FAQ notes limitations for certain legacy controllers and old systems. It also says voice recording over streaming is not currently supported. If voice chat is essential, plan to use a separate voice application or the game’s supported network voice path rather than assuming the streamed session will carry microphone input.
Non-Steam games can sometimes be added to Steam and streamed, but Steam does not officially support that scenario. Moonlight and Sunshine can publish applications beyond a Steam library, yet each game or launcher may require its own controller mapping, elevated-permission handling or anti-cheat compatibility. Test the exact title before relying on it for a tournament, class or shared living-room session.
Latency and picture quality: what can and cannot be concluded
The official materials cited here do not provide a controlled, head-to-head measurement proving that Steam Remote Play is always faster or that Moonlight always produces a cleaner image. Any universal ranking would overstate the evidence.
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Your result depends on the same variables that affect any game-streaming system: host render time, encoder load, client decoding, display refresh, controller polling, Wi-Fi conditions, router queueing, resolution, frame-rate target and the game’s own frame pacing. An integrated Steam setup may reach a playable baseline sooner because it involves fewer configuration steps. A Sunshine/Moonlight setup may expose more independent settings and may fit a device Steam does not support. Those are configuration differences, not a promise of a measured latency advantage.
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If you want to compare both on your own network, keep the test reproducible:
- Use the same host PC, game, controller, client display, resolution and frame-rate target.
- Use the same network path, preferably with the host wired and the client fixed in one location.
- Change one variable at a time, recording whether stutter, input delay, disconnects or image artifacts appear.
- Repeat the test in the actual game you care about; a menu or lightweight title is not a substitute for a demanding scene.
A practical decision matrix
| Your situation | Start with | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| The game is in Steam and you want to play on another computer tonight. | Steam Remote Play | It uses the existing Steam library and normally requires less host configuration. |
| You want friends to join a local co-op game they do not own. | Steam Remote Play Together | The invitation and guest-access workflow is built for this scenario. |
| Your client is Android TV, Apple TV, ChromeOS, Raspberry Pi 4 or another platform in Moonlight’s documented list. | Moonlight with Sunshine | Moonlight publishes client builds for those platform categories; verify the exact device. |
| Your host uses AMD or Intel graphics and you want a self-hosted option. | Moonlight with Sunshine | Sunshine documents hardware encoding support for AMD, Intel and NVIDIA GPUs. |
| You cannot install software on a school, office or guest network. | Neither until the network changes | Steam lists those network types as unsupported, and Moonlight also needs reachable host-to-client traffic. |
| You want a browser-only solution. | Neither | Moonlight’s FAQ says it has no pure web client, and Steam Remote Play is not presented as a browser streaming service. |
Common failure modes and recovery
The game launches on the host but not from the client
First launch it locally on the host. Then confirm the Steam library entry or Sunshine application path points to the correct executable or launcher. Some games require a launcher window to remain open; others reject input when they run with different permissions from the streaming service. Use the simplest published entry first, then add launch options only when the game’s own documentation requires them.
The controller connects but the game ignores it
Test the controller in the client’s input screen, then test a second game. If only one title fails, inspect that game’s controller mode and whether it expects XInput, DirectInput or a platform-specific mapping. On Android, follow Moonlight’s advice to test the exact device and controller combination because latency and disconnection behavior can be model-specific.
Discovery works, then the session disconnects
Check power-saving settings on the phone, tablet or TV device, disable aggressive background restrictions for the streaming app, and verify that the host does not sleep. On Wi-Fi, test with the client near the access point and pause other traffic. If the wired host remains stable while the wireless client drops, the network path—not the game launcher—is the likely fault.
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The picture is sharp but input feels delayed
Lower the stream resolution or frame-rate target temporarily and compare again. Check the display’s game mode, because television post-processing can add delay after the stream has already arrived. Keep the same settings when comparing Steam and Moonlight; otherwise you are measuring two configurations rather than two applications.
Which should you use?
For most Steam owners, begin with Steam Remote Play. It is the shortest route from an installed game to a second screen, and Remote Play Together is a unique advantage when the goal is shared local co-op with remote friends.
Choose Moonlight with Sunshine instead when your target device is better covered by Moonlight, your host uses a supported AMD, Intel or NVIDIA encoder, or you specifically want a configurable server/client arrangement. Expect to spend time on installation, pairing, firewall rules, application entries and controller testing.
Whichever path you choose, validate it on the exact host, client, controller, game and network you will use. The documentation supports clear setup and compatibility trade-offs, but it does not support declaring one platform the permanent winner for latency or image quality.
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