Logitech G Cloud review

Greatest Costs Immediately: Logitech G Cloud

Handheld gaming has at all times been common, with manufacturers similar to Nintendo lengthy dominating the market with the Gameboy, DS and Swap. In recent times there have been a surge of handheld gaming PCs, together with the Steam Deck and the Asus ROG Ally.

The Logitech G Cloud gives one thing a bit of totally different, combining cloud gaming with an Android expertise that’s just like what you’d discover on a fundamental pill.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

What’s the Logitech G Cloud?

• Cloud gaming machine
• Controls impressed by Xbox

The Logitech G Cloud is a handheld gaming console within the model of the Nintendo Swap, with a twist. The console is designed particularly with cloud providers like Xbox Recreation Cross and Nvidia GeForce Now in thoughts.

The console isn’t full of highly effective {hardware} such as you’d discover on the Steam Deck or Asus ROG Ally. As an alternative, the heavy lifting in video games is completed elsewhere through varied cloud providers. This fashion, the worth and weight may be saved down.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

The look is fairly acquainted to different fashionable handheld consoles, with the show within the centre, and the buttons and levers on the aspect.

The structure of the buttons mimics what you’ll discover on an Xbox management, and the asymmetrically positioned joysticks, ABXY buttons, trackpad, triggers and bumper buttons are additionally just about the identical. That is maybe not stunning when Microsoft’s Xbox Recreation Cross is among the primary gaming sources for the console.

Design and construct

• 463g
• One color choice
• Ergonomic construct

Probably the most essential points of a transportable console is the way it feels in your hand. Happily for the Logitech G Cloud, it’s excellent.

The rounded backside corners sit comfortably within the palm, while the frivolously textured supplies on both aspect permit it to be gripped securely. A lot of the buttons are simple to achieve with out having to regulate an excessive amount of, and people which can be a bit of extra out of the best way are the 2 buttons you’ll probably use the least.

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The burden of the console is essential for consolation. You don’t need to drop what appears like a brick in your face while you’re mendacity in mattress enjoying. At 463g, the G Cloud weighs nearly a 3rd lower than each ROG Ally and Steam Deck, however barely greater than a daily Nintendo Swap with Pleasure-Cons related – it varies barely between totally different fashions of the Swap.

Enjoying on the G Cloud for lengthy durations of time shouldn’t be an issue, you simply must ensure you discover a good sitting or mendacity place to play in. The sunshine weight and slim profile additionally means its nice for slipping right into a bag for journey.

Show, audio system and battery

• 7in LCD panel
• 60Hz refresh price
• Stereo audio system

The Logitech G Cloud’s 7in display is basically spectacular. The decision is identical because the ROG Ally, 1080p, which is healthier than each the Nintendo Swap’s 720p and Steam Deck’s 800p. The 60Hz refresh price is on par with Steam Deck, however falls behind the 120Hz refresh price on the ROG Ally.

The G Cloud makes use of an LCD panel. While the colors aren’t as wealthy as what you’ll discover on a console with an OLED panel, they’re nonetheless spectacular and pop nicely sufficient.

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When it comes to brightness, the panel is 450 cd/m2. For reference, the Steam Deck’s display is 400 cd/m2, while the ROG Ally can attain 500 cd/m2. In sensible phrases, this implies its simply vivid sufficient to make use of exterior when turned as much as full.

The console options twin stereo audio system on the underside. While these are moderately loud and punchy, their placement implies that they’re simple to muffle for those who’re leaning the console in opposition to one thing. There’s additionally a headphone jack situated on the underside if you need a extra private audio expertise.

Underneath the hood there’s a 6,000mAh battery, which ought to have the ability to hold the G Cloud going for 12 hours of play “beneath regular gaming situations.” That is mirrored throughout testing, with the console solely requiring a number of fees throughout quite a few days of testing.

Charging is completed through the USB-C port (a cable and brick is included), and it takes simply over two hours to juice the console from flat to full.

Cloud gaming

• Works with Xbox Recreation Cross, Nvidia GeForce Now, Steam Hyperlink and extra
• Some video games could depart libraries at brief discover

The longevity of any video games console is the largely depending on the vary of video games obtainable. The Swap has Nintendo’s proprietary masterpiece, while the Steam Deck and the ROG Ally can set up massive components of the Steam library and lots of different PC titles.

The Logitech G Cloud leads to a little bit of an odd place right here, because it is kind of depending on the cloud providers obtainable – although you possibly can actually play a few of the video games you already personal on PC through options like Steam Hyperlink.

Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming, which is a part of Xbox Recreation Cross, has a extremely wide selection of video games to select from, from Murderer’s Creed: Origins to Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. Nevertheless, there are drawbacks to the service. For starters, it’s a subscription. Along with paying for the console, you could fork out each month to play the titles obtainable.

Kristian Kask

Xbox Cloud Gaming additionally has a rotating library, with titles being eliminated once in a while. Like your favorite collection on Netflix, your favorite sport might be gone from the service earlier than you’ve completed enjoying it.

Nevertheless, the storage of saves within the cloud is admittedly cool. It permits you to seamlessly change from enjoying one thing in your Xbox console on the TV to handheld on the G Cloud with out shedding any progress.

Kristian Kask

Nvidia’s GeForce Now enables you to play a lot of video games you could have on varied libraries, similar to Steam or Epic Video games Retailer. There’s a free model, however this comes with a lot of drawbacks – so once more, you’ll probably need to pay a month-to-month subscription. As well as, it’s good to already personal the video games on one of many different providers to have the ability to play them.

One of many new providers added to the Logitech G Cloud with the launch in Europe is Shadow PC, a cloud service that offers you entry to a whole digital PC within the cloud. The service can be utilized for many issues a daily PC can do, together with gaming.

For instance, you possibly can play modified variations of video games through the cloud laptop. Mods for video games like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim have been an unimaginable a part of its recognition over the previous 12 years, and are sometimes cited as a significant advantage of PC gaming. However but once more, it’s one other subscription.

Enjoying on the Logitech G Cloud could also be nice, however there’s no escaping the truth that you’ll face a fairly hefty invoice each month to get essentially the most out of the console. The one gaming that doesn’t require a subscription are some Android titles – extra on that later.

Connectivity

• Wi-Fi wanted
• Sluggish web speeds can have an effect on cloud gaming

There’s been a whole lot of discuss cloud providers, however there’s one factor all of them require: a community connection. How a lot you get out of a Logitech G Cloud depends upon your web speeds.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

The sooner your web is, the higher your gaming expertise shall be – sluggish speeds will result in lag. Throughout testing, we discovered that 100mbps was quick sufficient for easy cloud gaming, offering that no one else was doing something taxing similar to downloading massive recordsdata. For those who don’t have that luxurious, you possibly can hotspot utilizing your smartphone.

That is the one option to play cloud video games on the Logitech G Cloud whereas travelling, which guidelines it out of getting used on planes and the underground, the place connections are restricted. For longer classes, it’s possible you’ll must spend money on an influence financial institution to make sure your cellphone doesn’t run out of juice.

The truth that it isn’t doable to attach G Cloud to a cell community instantly is a disgrace. Inserting a SIM card and enjoying utilizing a 5G community on the bus or prepare would have been excellent. As it’s, G Cloud can solely deal with essentially the most fundamental of video games with no Wi-Fi connection.

Android expertise and specs

• Android 11
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G processor
• 64GB value of storage

The Logitech G Cloud also can operate as an Android pill. Nevertheless, discovering the button to modify to pill mode is a bit difficult and requires digging round within the settings. To return to console mode, there’s a massive button proper on the house display.

With this, you possibly can browse the web and obtain conventional smartphone apps like Twitter, Gmail and YouTube. Oddly, it runs on the marginally older Android 11.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

You possibly can obtain video games and apps from the Google Play retailer and play them while you’re offline. Regardless of being a devoted gaming machine, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G processor just isn’t essentially the most highly effective available on the market.

Because of this, Genshin Influence can solely run on low graphics settings with out overclocking, and even then there may be some stuttering. Extra informal video games like Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp will work simply high quality.

An fascinating characteristic that the G Cloud obtained for the European launch is which you could map the bodily buttons to factors on the display in some cell video games, so you possibly can play with a extra ergonomic grip as an alternative of tapping the display.

Along with the Snapdragon processor, the console has an inside storage of 64GB, and has room for a microSD card to increase it for those who actually need to go heavy on cell gaming.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Value and availability

The Logitech G Cloud prices $349/£329, although on the time of writing the console has a $50 low cost within the US. American readers can get it from Logitech, Amazon and Greatest Purchase. These within the UK can get it from Logitech, Amazon and Currys.

If we simply bear in mind the RRP, that is costly for a console that largely depends on Wi-Fi. It undercuts the bottom model of the Steam Deck ($399/£349), however this console can play PC video games offline as soon as they’re put in.

It’s additionally dearer than all of the Nintendo Swap consoles, two of which provide a hybrid manner of gaming with the choice of getting used together with your TV. Granted, you’re restricted to Nintendo’s library with these consoles – however when you personal a sport, you’ll have it for all times.

On prime of that, you could have the month-to-month subscriptions – Xbox Video games Cross is priced at $10.99/£8.99 monthly. There’s a free tier of GeForce Now, however you’ll need to put up with queuing. The subsequent tier up, Precedence, prices $9.99/£8.99 monthly.

General, this leads to fairly a dear moveable console to run. Apart from the cell video games, you received’t personal titles that you just buy, so there’s additionally an enormous query mark surrounding the longevity of this machine compared to rivals.

Verdict

The Logitech G Cloud just isn’t the best console to price. On the one hand, it’s an extremely comfy handheld gaming machine that lasts for hours on finish on a single cost. The pill mode additionally provides it one other edge with regards to versatility.

Then again, the reliance on cloud gaming places a severe hindrance on it. You possibly can’t actually play it with out Wi-Fi, and also you’re beholden to the titles which can be obtainable within the cloud libraries that might be taken away at any level. Highly effective cell video games additionally wrestle on the G Cloud.

For those who’re an enormous cloud gamer and love thought of making an attempt out quite a few titles each month, then it’s nonetheless value contemplating the Logitech G Cloud. In any other case, there are different moveable consoles that you need to use anyplace on the go for a extra inexpensive value.

This assessment has been translated and localised by Hannah Cowton for Tech Advisor, who additionally added in her personal opinions after testing the Logitech G Cloud. The unique article was written by Kristian Kask for M3.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Specs

• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G
• Storage: 64GB
• OS: Android 11
• Show: 7in IPS LCD, 1920 x 1080 pixels, 60Hz, multitouch
• Wi-fi: Twin band Wi-FI 2.4 GHz & 5 GHz, Bluetooth 5.1
• Battery life: 6,000mAh cell, 12 hours of sport play beneath “regular gaming situations”
• Ports: USB-C, microSD, 3.5mm headset
• Dimensions: 256.84 x 117.21 x 32.95mm
• Weight: 463g