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While I may be harsh on flawed cloud services, I actually quite enjoy cloud gaming on Google Stadia and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, and I'm excited about the technology's potential for gamers and developers.
Currently, most of my cloud gaming takes place on my phone, but Logitech and Tencent Games want me to start playing cloud games on a new device. In October, the Logitech G Cloud Gaming Handheld begins shipping and hopes to become the way to play games in the cloud.
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During a hands-on preview of the device, Logitech certainly highlighted an Android device with two cloud-native gaming apps that gamers can use to enjoy games over a Wi-Fi connection.
For US $ 350, however, it seems like a solution to a niche usage problem that similarly priced devices already solve.
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I could see myself taking advantage of this device if I wanted to stream a video game from my bed or a room without my TV and consoles.
Unfortunately, it seems second only to the ability to stream games on a mid-range or better phone, something anyone reading this can probably already do.
What is the Logitech G Cloud Gaming Laptop?
From a technical standpoint, the Logitech G Cloud Gaming Handheld contains specs that wouldn't look out of place on a midrange mobile device. It has a 2.3GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G CPU, as well as 4GB of LPDDR4x RAM and 64GB of internal storage that people can expand with an SD card.
The display is a 7-inch IPS multi-touch display that displays a 1080p resolution with a 60Hz refresh rate. Gamers can listen to audio through its stereo speaker, a 3.5mm stereo audio jack, or a Bluetooth 5.1 connection.
What sets it apart is that Logitech built the controllers into the device, giving it a similar look and feel to the Nintendo Switch.
It has the d-pad, analog joysticks, buttons, bumpers and triggers expected from a modern controller, as well as a Home button to take players to the home screen and a “G button” that will access more system-specific settings.
Players will be able to remap controls however they want. Additionally, gamers can expect the Logitech G Cloud Gaming Handheld to have haptic feedback, a gyroscope, a light sensor, and even a built-in stereo microphone with echo cancellation and noise suppression support.
These aren't top-tier specs, but Logitech made this choice because the device is made for gaming natively on the device.
It also allowed them to reduce the weight of the device to just 463 grams and offer a battery life of around 12 hours (uses USB-C for charging), which has never been seen in a gaming laptop.
Think of the Logitech G Cloud Gaming Handheld as an Android 11 tablet with built-in controllers, a uniquely customized user interface, and access to native Xbox Cloud Gaming and Nvidia GeForce Now apps and the Google Play Store.
Logitech emphasizes that its real purpose is as a cloud gaming device, not a device for installing multiple apps natively.
That said, only Xbox Cloud Gaming and Nvidia GeForce Now will have apps adapted for the handheld at launch; Google Stadia and Amazon Luna use the already available Android apps. Another caveat is that the handheld only supports Wi-Fi connections.
If you were hoping to take the Logitech G Cloud Gaming Handheld on the go and use 4G or 5G, this device doesn't allow that. Logitech says its research has shown that most people use cloud gaming over Wi-Fi connections in their homes, but it's a notable limit to the appeal of a handheld as expensive as a Nintendo Switch or Xbox Series S.
Too niche to be worth it
Like the Qualcomm Snapdragon G3x, this is a proof-of-concept idea, but it doesn't make sense for most casual users.
In practice, this is a device worth over US $ 300 for people who like to play cloud games through Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Nvidia GeForce Now in their home, but don't want to do it through their PC, phone or Samsung Gaming Hub.
Logitech seems to think it's a big enough market, but to me, this seems like a niche scenario that might struggle to find broad appeal.
People already have phones that can access cloud gaming services, and they can get a great mobile gaming controller like the Razer Kishi V2 for less than $100.
Even when it comes to hardcore cloud gaming fans, I don't know how many will feel the need to get a device like this, especially when Logitech doesn't run a cloud gaming service of its own.
Logitech tells Digital Trends that the device's real advantages are its lack of frequent notifications, its weight, and its 12-hour battery life.
But even so, the phones are reasonably lightweight, you can turn off notifications, and the required Wi-Fi connection means you're never too far from somewhere to plug it in while gaming.
Its screen is good, but not ultra-impressive, and the fact that Google Stadia and Amazon Luna still don't have native apps is also annoying.
For some, the Logitech G Cloud Gaming Handheld could solve a specific problem and finally offer an easy way to fully immerse yourself in cloud gaming. Its controls and screen can also be great to use once you start using it.
That said, what I saw in this hands-on preview didn't convince me that hardcore cloud gaming fans have much need for this device, especially when it's not top-notch, super technically impressive, or compatible with every significant cloud gaming app.
My opinion may change once I get my hands dirty, but for now I still recommend that those interested in cloud gaming put this US $ 300 into a Razer Kishi V2 and get a mid-range or flagship phone that can play a lot of games natively and from the cloud.
The Logitech G Cloud Gaming Handheld will cost US$ 300 until October 17th, when it will reach US$ 350. Currently, Logitech plans to make the device available only in the United States and Canada.
