The Logitech G Cloud Gaming handheld has just been announced, and while a streaming handheld for Xbox Cloud Gaming doesn't sound bad at first, it's becoming clear that this handheld doesn't stand a chance.
After an early listing on Amazon and the formal announcement at Logi PLAY, the idea is sound, but the price and capability doesn’t seem to be enough to handle it.
What do we know?
Let’s list off the details that have just been revealed in this bombastic blunder:
- The Logitech G Gaming handheld is launching on October 18 for $349, but discounted to $299 for a limited time.
- It will feature a seven-inch 1080p display running at 60Hz and will be powered by a Snapdragon 720G chipset.
- Methods of control include the remappable buttons and a built-in gyroscope, alongside a range of haptics across it.
- Logitech claims 23.1Wh battery will last “12+” hours and the system weighs 463 grams (16.3 ounces).
- It is running Android 11, which gives you access to the Google Play store for more games/streaming services alongside the built-in Xbox Cloud Gaming, Steam remote play and Nvidia GeForce Now.
Here’s the problem
This price puts it in a weird no-man’s-land, it's hard to imagine anyone wanting to pay for the feature set it provides.
Want to make the most of remote play and cloud gaming on-the-go? Just pick up one of the best phone controllers and get playing on your current smartphone. The screen may be smaller, but (most Android phones) offer a higher refresh rate. Plus, doing it this way means you could pick up a good controller for as little as $70.
Meanwhile, if your aspirations were higher for a dedicated gaming handheld, just pay the extra $50 and get yourself a Steam Deck. Logitech’s G Gaming offers everything a Backbone One could provide, but at a steeper price point that would make it hard to recommend to anyone outside of just grabbing one of Valve’s handhelds for the additional benefits.
Outlook
It all started with the interesting story about Logitech joining up with Tencent to make a handheld, followed by an early leak where I said the companies needed to seriously think about its pricing.
With a steep cost like this, unless there’s some major feature that hasn’t been specified here (e.g. PlayStation Cloud Gaming exclusive to the device), I don’t see a world where this thing succeeds.
The G Gaming handheld is just too damn expensive for what it provides and while I’m sure it’s fun to use, it won’t provide anything different from what you can get by using the likes of the GameSir X2 Pro with an Android phone.
