The Logitech G Cloud is one of the latest handheld gaming devices to hit the market. It’s certainly taken some inspiration from the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck, but it is most closely related to the Ayn Odin and Odin Lite (which we recently reviewed) and the recently launched Razer Edge. Like these devices, the Logitech G Cloud is Android based – running the slightly dated Android 11 version.
Being Android based (and certified by Google) the device has access to all the apps/games that the Google Play Store has to offer as well as all the cloud gaming options that you’d expect on an Android phone or tablet – in short: all of them.
I got my hands on a Logitech G Cloud and have put it through its paces. And, I’m ready to share my review. Let’s start by running through the device specifications.
Specs
Here are the official specifications
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G
- 16GB LPDDR5 RAM
- 7-inch 1920×1080 60Hz IPS Screen (450 nits)
- 6,000mAh Battery with an estimated 12 hours streaming game play time. Based on our early experience, it looks like you’ll indeed be able to get close to this.
- 64GB Internal Memory
- MicroSD Card Expansion Slot
- 2.4GHz and 5GHz WiFi
- Stereo Speakers, Dual Microphones and USB-C Head Phone support
- Linear Haptics
- Weight: 1.02 Pounds
The specs are impressive, but they are short of being flag-ship-phone like. The 7-inch screen and 12 hours of battery life, however, stand out as major pluses.
The lack of support for the recent WiFi 6E 6GHz band is a little disappointing. The 60 Hz screen will be enough to satisfy most users, but it is lower than that found on many Android phones shipping these days and lower than the 120 Hz that GeForce NOW can technically deliver to Android devices. Demanding gamers may miss not having those higher refresh rates.
Unboxing and First Impressions
You can check out my unboxing and first impressions video below.
One of the first impressions I had with the device was that the screen was bigger, brighter and more impactful than I was expecting. It’s noticeably more engaging than playing on a 5 or 6-inch phone screen.
The device feels really solid, well-built and fits very comfortably in your hands. The controls – especially the joysticks – feel premium with a perfect amount of resistance.
The interface and OS has been customized to present a simple and optimized gaming experience. The Android OS has been tweaked to only let one user application be run at a time, minimizing the chance for background applications interfering with your gaming experience.
Beyond the standard controller buttons (including two menu buttons), the device has a dedicated home button which brings up the main device interface (semi-transparently above whatever game you have running) and a special yellow colored “G” button. We’ll discuss how this button is mapped for various services below.
Xbox Cloud Gaming and GeForce NOW
Front and center in the G Cloud interface are two Xbox apps. One is the main Xbox app that allows you to manage your account, text, and audio chat with friends and stream games from a local console. The next is the Xbox Game Pass application that allows you to stream games from the cloud whenever and wherever you are as long as you have a WiFi connection.
Also front and center on the device home screen is the NVIDIA GeForce NOW app. It worked just as well on the device as any other mobile device we’ve played over WiFi. GeForce NOW does have a quirk where you need to manually set the resolution in games when you launch them on a new screen. So, we had to go into the settings to set the LEGO Bricktales resolution to 1920×1080 in the video above, but that isn’t the fault of the device. Note that you won’t be able to stream above FHD and 60 Hz on the device due to the screen, however. The resolution, at least, seemed more than adequate in our testing for the 7inch screen at a typical distance from your face. It’s significantly higher resolution than the Steam Deck’s 720P screen for example.
In addition to Xbox Cloud and GeForce NOW, other services like Amazon Luna, Shadow, Blacknut, Utomik all should work as you’d expect. The device also features the Steam Link app (for streaming games from a local gaming PC).
Android Games & Apps
In addition to the multitude of cloud gaming options that you can use on the device, you also have access to all the apps and games on the Google Play Store. This includes a lot of great gaming options including lots of classic titles like Final Fantasy 1-9 and apps to play console titles.
In the video above you can watch me play Horizon Chase – an addictive arcade-like racing game.
Minecraft? Yep! You can find and install it from the Google Play Store! Both Xbox Cloud Gaming and GeForce NOW give you access to a great Fortnite experience, but you should be able to install the Android .apk as well.
Enter the Giveaway!
We are giving away our review device! To enter the contest, go to our Gleam raffle page. Giveaway entries close on February 14th.
The Verdict
There is no doubt that the Logitech G Cloud is an impressive piece of technology. Put simply: it is a joy to use! But! Is it worth $349 when you can buy a mobile controller (like the Razer Kishi V2) to attach to a smart-phone you probably already own? That’s the question I’ve been pondering…
The solid feel and larger 7-inch screen make the device more fun to use than playing on your phone. However, for myself (an admitted minimalist), I’d personally rather not travel with an additional device to pack, carry and charge.
That said. I think the device could be perfect for people who don’t already have a personal flagship class smartphone. This includes kids, people who carry business phones, folks who prefer to carry smaller phones or prefer dedicated gaming devices. The Logitech G Cloud could also potentially replace the tablet in your life.
In conclusion, the Logitech G Cloud itself impresses in almost every way. Whether its form-factor adds to your gaming repertoire is a matter of personal preference. For some people, it’ll be their favorite way to play; for others, it’ll be redundant given the ability to use their phones with a mobile controller.
Logitech G Cloud
Summary
The Logitech G Cloud is an impressive handheld gaming device targeting cloud gaming as well as local Android apps and games (including console apps). Whether it is right for you largely depends on whether you have an existing smartphone that already works well with a mobile controller or if you prefer a dedicated gaming device.
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