Logitech G Cloud review

Best Prices Today: Logitech G Cloud

Handheld gaming has always been popular, with brands such as Nintendo long dominating the market with the Gameboy, DS and Switch. In recent years there have been a surge of handheld gaming PCs, including the Steam Deck and the Asus ROG Ally.

The Logitech G Cloud offers something a little different, combining cloud gaming with an Android experience that is similar to what you’d find on a basic tablet.

What is the Logitech G Cloud?

• Cloud gaming device
• Controls inspired by Xbox

The Logitech G Cloud is a handheld gaming console in the style of the Nintendo Switch, with a twist. The console is designed specifically with cloud services like Xbox Game Pass and Nvidia GeForce Now in mind.

The console isn’t packed with powerful hardware like you’d find on the Steam Deck or Asus ROG Ally. Instead, the heavy lifting in games is done elsewhere via various cloud services. This way, the price and weight can be kept down.

The look is pretty familiar to other modern handheld consoles, with the display in the centre, and the buttons and levers on the side.

The layout of the buttons mimics what you’ll find on an Xbox control, and the asymmetrically placed joysticks, ABXY buttons, trackpad, triggers and bumper buttons are also pretty much the same. This is perhaps not surprising when Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass is one of the main gaming sources for the console.

Design and build

• 463g
• One colour option
• Ergonomic build

One of the most important aspects of a portable console is how it feels in your hand. Fortunately for the Logitech G Cloud, it is just right.

The rounded bottom corners sit comfortably in the palm, whilst the lightly textured materials on either side allow it to be gripped securely. Most of the buttons are easy to reach without having to adjust too much, and those that are a little more out of the way are the two buttons you’ll likely use the least.

The weight of the console is crucial for comfort. You don’t want to drop what feels like a brick on your face when you’re lying in bed playing. At 463g, the G Cloud weighs almost a third less than both ROG Ally and Steam Deck, but slightly more than a regular Nintendo Switch with Joy-Cons connected – it varies slightly between different models of the Switch.

Playing on the G Cloud for long periods of time shouldn’t be a problem, you just need to make sure you find a good sitting or lying position to play in. The light weight and slim profile also means its great for slipping into a bag for travel.

One of the most important aspects of a portable console is how it feels in your hand. Fortunately for the Logitech G Cloud, it is just right

Display, speakers and battery

• 7in LCD panel
• 60Hz refresh rate
• Stereo speakers

The Logitech G Cloud’s 7in screen is largely impressive. The resolution is the same as the ROG Ally, 1080p, which is better than both the Nintendo Switch’s 720p and Steam Deck’s 800p. The 60Hz refresh rate is on par with Steam Deck, but falls behind the 120Hz refresh rate on the ROG Ally.

The G Cloud uses an LCD panel. Whilst the colours aren’t as rich as what you’ll find on a console with an OLED panel, they’re still impressive and pop well enough.

In terms of brightness, the panel is 450 cd/m2. For reference, the Steam Deck’s screen is 400 cd/m2, whilst the ROG Ally can reach 500 cd/m2. In practical terms, this means its just bright enough to use outside when turned up to full.

The console features dual stereo speakers on the bottom. Whilst these are reasonably loud and punchy, their placement means that they’re easy to muffle if you’re leaning the console against something. There’s also a headphone jack located on the bottom if you want a more personal audio experience.

Under the hood there is a 6,000mAh battery, which should be able to keep the G Cloud going for 12 hours of play “under normal gaming conditions.” This is reflected during testing, with the console only requiring a few charges during numerous days of testing.

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

Cloud gaming

• Works with Xbox Game Pass, Nvidia GeForce Now, Steam Link and more
• Some games may leave libraries at short notice

The longevity of any games console is the largely dependent on the range of games available. The Switch has Nintendo’s proprietary masterpiece, whilst the Steam Deck and the ROG Ally can install large parts of the Steam library and many other PC titles.

The Logitech G Cloud ends up in a bit of a strange position here, as it is more or less dependent on the cloud services available – though you can certainly play some of the games you already own on PC via features like Steam Link.

Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming, which is part of Xbox Game Pass, has a really wide range of games to choose from, from Assassin’s Creed: Origins to Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. However, there are drawbacks to the service. For starters, it’s a subscription. In addition to paying for the console, you must fork out every month to play the titles available.

Xbox Cloud Gaming also has a rotating library, with titles being removed from time to time. Like your favourite series on Netflix, your favourite game could be gone from the service before you’ve finished playing it.

However, the storage of saves in the cloud is really cool. It allows you to seamlessly switch from playing something on your Xbox console on the TV to handheld on the G Cloud without losing any progress.

Nvidia’s GeForce Now lets you play lots of games you have on various libraries, such as Steam or Epic Games Store. There is a free version, but this comes with lots of drawbacks – so again, you’ll likely want to pay a monthly subscription. In addition, you need to already own the games on one of the other services to be able to play them.

One of the new services added to the Logitech G Cloud with the launch in Europe is Shadow PC, a cloud service that gives you access to an entire virtual PC in the cloud. The service can be used for most things a regular PC can do, including gaming.

For example, you can play modified versions of games via the cloud computer. Mods for games like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim have been an incredible part of its popularity over the past 12 years, and are often cited as a major benefit of PC gaming. But yet again, it’s another subscription.

Playing on the Logitech G Cloud may be great, but there’s no escaping the fact that you’ll face a pretty hefty bill every month to get the most out of the console. The only gaming that doesn’t require a subscription are some Android titles – more on that later.

…there’s no escaping the fact that you’ll face a pretty hefty bill every month to get the most out of the console

Connectivity

• Wi-Fi needed
• Slow internet speeds can affect cloud gaming

There’s been a lot of talk about cloud services, but there’s one thing they all require: a network connection. How much you get out of a Logitech G Cloud depends on your internet speeds.

The faster your internet is, the better your gaming experience will be – slow speeds will lead to lag. During testing, we found that 100mbps was fast enough for smooth cloud gaming, providing that nobody else was doing anything taxing such as downloading large files. If you don’t have that luxury, you can hotspot using your smartphone.

This is the only way to play cloud games on the Logitech G Cloud while travelling, which rules it out of being used on planes and the underground, where connections are limited. For longer sessions, you may need to invest in a power bank to ensure your phone doesn’t run out of juice.

The fact that it is not possible to connect G Cloud to a mobile network directly is a shame. Inserting a SIM card and playing using a 5G network on the bus or train would have been perfect. As it is, G Cloud can only handle the most basic of games without a Wi-Fi connection.

Android experience and specs

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

The Logitech G Cloud can also function as an Android tablet. However, finding the button to switch to tablet mode is a bit tricky and requires digging around in the settings. To return to console mode, there is a large button right on the home screen.

With this, you can browse the internet and download traditional smartphone apps like Twitter, Gmail and YouTube. Oddly, it runs on the slightly older Android 11.

You can download games and apps from the Google Play store and play them when you’re offline. Despite being a dedicated gaming device, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G processor is not the most powerful on the market.

As a result, Genshin Impact can only run on low graphics settings without overclocking, and even then there is some stuttering. More casual games like Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp will work just fine.

An interesting feature that the G Cloud got for the European launch is that you can map the physical buttons to points on the screen in some mobile games, so you can play with a more ergonomic grip instead of tapping the screen.

In addition to the Snapdragon processor, the console has an internal storage of 64GB, and has room for a microSD card to expand it if you really want to go heavy on mobile gaming.

Price and availability

The Logitech G Cloud costs $349/£329, though at the time of writing the console has a $50 discount in the US. American readers can get it from Logitech, Amazon and Best Buy. Those in the UK can get it from Logitech, Amazon and Currys.

If we just take into account the RRP, this is expensive for a console that largely relies on Wi-Fi. It undercuts the base version of the Steam Deck ($399/£349), but this console can play PC games offline once they’re installed.

It’s also more expensive than all the Nintendo Switch consoles, two of which offer a hybrid way of gaming with the option of being used with your TV. Granted, you’re limited to Nintendo’s library with these consoles – but once you own a game, you’ll have it for life.

On top of that, you have the monthly subscriptions – Xbox Games Pass is priced at $10.99/£8.99 per month. There is a free tier of GeForce Now, but you’ll have to put up with queuing. The next tier up, Priority, costs $9.99/£8.99 per month.

Overall, this results in quite a pricey portable console to run. Other than the mobile games, you won’t own titles that you purchase, so there’s also a big question mark surrounding the longevity of this device in comparison to rivals.

Verdict

The Logitech G Cloud is not the easiest console to rate. On the one hand, it is an incredibly comfortable handheld gaming device that lasts for hours on end on a single charge. The tablet mode also gives it another edge when it comes to versatility.

On the other hand, the reliance on cloud gaming puts a serious hindrance on it. You can’t really play it without Wi-Fi, and you’re beholden to the titles that are available in the cloud libraries that could be taken away at any point. Powerful mobile games also struggle on the G Cloud.

If you’re a big cloud gamer and love idea of trying out numerous titles every month, then it is still worth considering the Logitech G Cloud. Otherwise, there are other portable consoles that you can use anywhere on the go for a more affordable price.

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

Specifications

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

Best Prices Today: Logitech G Cloud