Gaming tech company Logitech has unveiled a G Cloud gaming handheld, a gaming console that has evoked much interest in the gaming community. Priced at $349.99 the Logitech handheld gaming console gives access to the Google Play Store, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and Nvidia’s GeForce Now service.
Logitech Gaming Handheld Features
The Cloud Gaming Handheld is equipped with a 7-inch 1080p IPS touchscreen with a 16:9 aspect ratio and refresh rate of 60Hz. The handheld showcases two offset analog thumbsticks, a D-pad, and Y, B, A, and X buttons. On the front, there are four buttons: Logitech G, home, menu, and a context menu button.
On pressing the Logitech G button the system will open up a sub-menu that allows you to pause or quit games. The home button will take you back to Logitech’s launcher. Similar to other modern controllers, there are two bumper buttons and two trigger buttons. Logitech’s gaming handheld also includes haptics, a gyroscope, and remappable controls.
The handheld houses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G processor, which is an octa-core CPU that clocks up to 2.3GHz. It highlights 4GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 64GB of UFS storage. There is a 6,000mAh battery that has to be charged for 2.5 hours with using the USB-C 3.1 port. There is a microSD card for expansion. There is no 5G or SIM card support here, therefore, you will need to be near Wi-Fi for cloud games.
The noteworthy feature of the Logitech gaming handheld is the promise of more than 12 hours of battery life by the firm. According to the specs, it has a lightweight frame and is less wide than both the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch. It weighs only 463 grams, a little heavier than the Switch which is 322 grams, but a lot lighter than the Steam Deck which weighs 669 grams.
Multiplatform Integration
Logitech tied up with Microsoft and Nvidia to integrate Xbox Cloud Gaming and Nvidia’s GeForce Now service into the device. The Switch-like UI will let you launch each service, however, the Xbox Cloud Gaming app is just a basic Progressive Web App (PWA), without real deep integration into the device. This also means you can’t save specific cloud games to the homescreen either.
Logitech has also partnered with Tencent on this handheld and has leaned on the Chinese company’s expertise in software to help design the Android launcher. Logitech has a handheld mode with its game launcher and a classic Android tablet launcher mode if you want to use this outside of gaming. Apps like YouTube and Chrome will be preinstalled alongside Xbox Cloud Gaming, Nvidia’s GeForce Now, and Valve’s Steam Link.
This is an Android-powered device capable of running Android games, but Logitech is marketing it for cloud gaming. However, you will constantly need to be near a Wi-Fi signal with the Logitech gaming handheld, which may reduce its appeal to mobile gamers.
The G Cloud Gaming Handheld from Logitech will be available on October 17th at Amazon, Best Buy, and Logitech’s website.
