SilkRemote
High refresh displays are everywhere now. Many phones, tablets and laptops run at 120 Hz, and once you are used to that smoothness, a 60 fps stream looks noticeably choppy. If you want to play games or use fast-moving apps from your computer on another screen, the streaming tool has to keep up with both frame rate and latency.
We tested five popular options for 120 fps streaming and ranked them for gamers who also use their computer for everyday work.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Platforms | Standout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SilkRemote | 120 fps from Mac or PC to any browser or Android | Yes, on your local network | Host: Mac, Windows (beta). Client: any browser, Android | 120 fps, ~17 ms local latency, no client install |
| Moonlight + Sunshine | Enthusiast PC game streaming | Yes, open source | Host: Windows, Linux. Clients: many | High frame rates, great controller support |
| Parsec | Low-latency play and co-op | Personal use | Windows, Mac, Linux, Android | Built for gaming |
| Steam Remote Play | Your Steam library | Free | Host: Windows, Mac, Linux. Clients: Steam Link apps | Built into Steam |
| Xbox Remote Play | Xbox console games | Free with an Xbox console | Xbox app on Windows, iOS, Android | Stream your console |
1. SilkRemote: best for 120 fps streaming to any screen
SilkRemote streams at up to 120 fps and up to 2560x1440 at around 40 Mbps, with capture-to-screen latency of around 17 ms on a local network. That combination makes fast-paced games, smooth scrolling and quick camera moves feel responsive on a high refresh phone or tablet.
It is especially strong for Mac gamers. The Mac host app (macOS 14+) creates a 120 Hz virtual display, so games and apps on your Mac genuinely render at 120 Hz for the stream rather than being captured from a 60 Hz screen. Few streaming tools are built Mac-first like this.
The client side is the other big advantage: SilkRemote runs in any modern browser, including Safari 17+ on iPhone and iPad, and can be installed to the home screen. There is also a native Android app that works great on Samsung DeX. Host audio streams with the video, and connections go peer-to-peer first over WebRTC to keep latency low. Every session is end-to-end encrypted with ECDH P-256 and AES-256-GCM.
We want to be straightforward about what SilkRemote is and is not. It supports keyboard, mouse and touch input, so it is ideal for mouse-driven games, strategy, simulators, point-and-click titles and casual play. If you mainly play controller-based action games on a Windows gaming PC, Moonlight or Steam Remote Play may suit you better. The Windows host is in beta, and there is no Linux host. For the broadest mix of 120 fps on any screen, Mac support and zero client install, SilkRemote wins.
Pros: 120 fps, very low latency, Mac-first 120 Hz virtual display, browser client, end-to-end encryption. Cons: Keyboard, mouse and touch input rather than a controller focus; Windows host in beta.
2. Moonlight + Sunshine
Sunshine is an open-source game streaming host for Windows and Linux PCs, and Moonlight is the open-source client available on many devices, including iPhone, iPad, Android, Apple TV and PCs. Together they deliver very high frame rates and low latency with excellent controller support.
Pros: Free, extremely fast, wide client support, great with controllers. Cons: Requires setup and tuning, and is focused on games rather than general desktop use.
3. Parsec
Parsec is built for low-latency gaming and is well known for co-op play, letting friends join your game remotely. It supports Windows and Mac hosts and has clients for Windows, Mac, Linux and Android.
Pros: Very responsive, great for co-op, free for personal use. Cons: No official iPhone or iPad app.
4. Steam Remote Play
Steam Remote Play is built into Steam and streams games from your computer to the Steam Link app on phones, tablets and TVs, or to another computer. It also powers Remote Play Together for local multiplayer games online.
Pros: Free, very easy for Steam games, good controller support. Cons: Focused on your Steam library rather than your full desktop.
5. Xbox Remote Play
Xbox Remote Play streams games from your Xbox console to the Xbox app on phones, tablets and PCs over your network or the internet.
Pros: Free with a console, simple setup. Cons: Streams a console rather than a computer, so it is not a remote desktop tool for everyday work.
How to get a real 120 fps stream
A 120 fps stream needs a few things to line up. Your host needs to render at 120 Hz, which is why SilkRemote's 120 Hz virtual display on Mac matters. Your client device needs a 120 Hz screen and a browser or app that can display it. And your network needs headroom: put the host on Ethernet, use 5 GHz or 6 GHz Wi-Fi for the client, and keep other heavy traffic to a minimum. At 120 fps a new frame arrives roughly every 8 ms, which is why high frame rate streaming also feels lower latency.
For more on responsiveness, read our Parsec alternatives for low latency, and if you play on a Samsung tablet or DeX, see the best remote desktop apps for Android and Samsung DeX.
Verdict
SilkRemote is the best all-round remote desktop app for 120 fps streaming in 2026. It delivers up to 120 fps with about 17 ms local latency, runs in any browser with no install, and its 120 Hz virtual display makes it the top choice for Mac gamers. Try it free on your local network, then add Pro to play from anywhere. Download SilkRemote or see pricing.