Logitech’s $AU450 G Cloud Game Streaming Handheld Promises an Impressive 12 Hours of Battery Life

Logitech’s $AU450 G Cloud Game Streaming Handheld Promises an Impressive 12 Hours of Battery Life

Nintendo started a renaissance in handheld gaming with the Switch, but it was the advent of game streaming that has reshaped what portable gaming can be. Big budget AAA titles, once relegated to powerful consoles, can be now be played anywhere, and it’s ushering in a new wave of handhelds designed specifically for streaming games, including Logitech’s new G Cloud, which promises great battery life because it doesn’t need a beefy processor on board.

Image: Logitech
Image: Logitech

Developed in cooperation with China’s Tencent, the Logitech G Cloud was announced today with a design that’s reminiscent of the Switch and Valve’s Steam Deck: a generous 60Hz LCD touchscreen, measuring in at 7-inches in size with a 1080P resolution, sandwiched between controls on either side of the display that include asymmetrical analogue joysticks, four action buttons, a D-pad, and shoulder triggers. The handheld also features vibrating haptic feedback, gyroscope-powered motion controls, and remappable controls, and weighs in at just 463 grams — a little heavier than the Switch with Joy-Cons attached, and a little lighter than the Steam Deck.

Image: Logitech
Image: Logitech

Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G processor and running Android, the G Cloud has full access to the Google Play Store, which means that in addition to accessing game streaming services like Xbox Cloud Gaming and Nvidia GeForce Now, users will be able to download apps to use Steam Link, Google Stadia, and Amazon Luna, as well as streaming services like Netflix and Disney+, games, and even emulators, for those looking for a big-screen device with physical controls for properly enjoying retro titles.

The G Cloud also includes Bluetooth for connecting to a wireless headset, a physical 3.5mm stereo headphone jack, support for headphones connected digitally over USB-C, and even its own stereo microphone with echo cancelling and noise suppression so you can trash talk opponents without any other accessories.

The Logitech G Cloud will be available for $US349 ($450), with shipping expected to start sometimes in October next month. That’s just $US50 ($69) less than the cheapest available Steam Deck, which packs much more horsepower than the G Cloud’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G processor can muster, although pre-ordering the device will snag you $US50 ($69) off.