Did you see the prices on those Nvidia RTX 40 cards? You may want to switch to cloud gaming for a while and Logitech G has just the thing for you – an Android-powered handheld that has been designed for exactly that task. The Logitech G Cloud gaming handheld is listed at CAD 400, it will be released on October 18. It was also spotted in an Amazon US listing with a US$ 350 price tag, though pre-orders will have a lower US$ 300 price. You can also snag one from Logitech G's site.
Let’s have a closer look at the device
itself. As you can tell from the images, it is intended to be used with Xbox
Cloud Gaming and Nvidia GeForce Now for cloud streaming, as well using the Xbox
app and Steam Link for local streaming from your console and PC. You can download
other streaming services too, anything that works on Android (e.g. Google
Stadia and Amazon Luna).
The Google Play Store is on board, but
native gaming really isn’t the G Cloud’s forte – it is powered by a Snapdragon
720G, which is nice and efficient, but is not cut out for AAA gaming. If you do
want to try native gaming, you should know that there is 4GB of RAM and 64GB
storage, which can be limiting for more advanced games. You can expand the
storage with a microSD card, however.
Efficiency is key, though, this handheld
promises over 12 hours of battery life (23.1Wh battery). Recharging is done in
2.5 hours over USB-C. There is a 3.5mm headphone jack, Bluetooth 5.1 and stereo
speakers, so audio can be handled however you like.
There is a 7” LCD on board, a sharp 1080p
panel with 450 nits brightness, multi-touch support and 60Hz refresh rate. That
is a bit disappointing – cloud streaming isn’t well-suited for HRR gaming, but
GeForce Now already supports 120fps streaming, for example. Even so, the 1080p
resolution may be the best thing about this handheld as both the Switch and the
Steam Deck have 720p-class 60Hz displays (more on them in a moment). The
handheld relies on Wi-Fi for its Internet connectivity. The 720G supports Wi-Fi
5 (ac), but not 6 (ax). Also, there is no 4G or 5G connectivity, you need to be
in Wi-Fi range (the 720G only supports 4G, anyway).
The Logitech G Cloud has left and right
analog joysticks, L & R analog triggers, two bumpers, a D-pad and A/B/X/Y
buttons. The controls are remappable. There is also haptic feedback and a
gyroscope on board. The device weighs 463g. For comparison, the Steam Deck (7”
1,280 x 800px display) is 669g), the Nintendo Switch OLED (7”, 720p display) is
398g (with Joy-Cons).