Logitech announces a handheld console focused on cloud gaming • TechCrunch

Logitech is unveiling a model new machine right now that’s each intriguing and straightforward to grasp. The Logitech G Cloud is a handheld console that focuses totally on cloud gaming companies, akin to Xbox Cloud Gaming and Nvidia GeForce Now.

Whereas Logitech is best identified for its pc peripherals, webcams and gaming equipment, the corporate is getting into a brand new market with the Logitech G Cloud.

If you happen to have a look at the photograph on the high of this text, you’ll suppose that it seems like a Nintendo Swap or a Steam Deck. That type issue has been massively profitable over the previous few years, and Logitech isn’t attempting to reinvent the wheel. The Logitech G Cloud has a medium-sized show surrounded by gamepad-like controls.

However the machine philosophy differs drastically from different handheld consoles. The Logitech G Cloud runs on Android and options deep integrations with Xbox Cloud Gaming and Nvidia GeForce Now.

Logitech has labored with Tencent to co-develop the launcher, run usability assessments and optimize how one can pause video games and transfer them to the background. But it surely stays a real Android machine with Google Play.

In different phrases, players now have a 3rd sort of handheld console. With the Nintendo Swap, you get the Nintendo expertise with nice first-party video games and a console that simply works. With the Steam Deck, you get a conveyable PC that may run PC video games.

The Logitech G Cloud is in contrast to the Swap and the Steam Deck. It allows you to entry your favourite cloud gaming service with out having to depend on a TV or a pc. Steam Deck homeowners may suppose they’ll already do this. That’s true, however the Steam Deck is designed to run video games regionally.

“They’ve achieved an exceptional job. But it surely’s much less about cloud gaming — it’s extra about ‘how can I’ve a PC in my palms,’” VP and GM of Logitech Gaming Ujesh Desai informed me. It has a strong AMD processing unit, a fan and lots of on-board storage.

The Logitech G Cloud is comparatively cheaper, considerably lighter and options nice battery life. On the subject of inner specs, it has simply the correct quantity of computing energy to run cloud gaming companies, however nothing additional.

The Logitech G Cloud might be accessible in October for an introductory value of $299. After some time, the corporate plans to extend the worth of the machine to $349. It’s going to solely be accessible within the U.S. and Canada at first, however there are plans to launch the machine in additional markets the place cloud gaming companies can be found.

Getting a Spine gaming controller and utilizing it together with your telephone is a less expensive possibility. However likelihood is your telephone has a smaller show, and you might have considered trying to have the ability to use your telephone whilst you play.

“I’m a fan of Spine, I really like the workforce there,” Logitech’s Ujesh Desai mentioned. “However my telephone is my enterprise. Additionally it is how I speak with my household. I’ve the concern of my battery draining.” Telephones are additionally a supply of distractions.

What you get for $350

Fashionable smartphones are far more highly effective than the Logitech G Cloud, as the corporate has opted for a mid-range Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G system on a chip with 4GB of RAM. It has 64GB of storage which you can develop with a microSD card.

And but, with cloud gaming companies, a lot of the intensive computing duties occur in knowledge facilities close to you. You don’t want a strong GPU for cloud gaming.

On the subject of wi-fi connectivity, the G Cloud solely helps WiFi 5. It could have been good to get WiFi 6 help, provided that latency and web bandwidth are so vital for cloud gaming.

The whole lot else appears roughly normal for an Android machine — Bluetooth 5.1, a USB-C port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, stereo audio system and stereo microphones.

Logitech has chosen the Xbox gamepad structure with A/B/X/Y buttons, two analog joysticks, two analog triggers, two bumper buttons and haptic suggestions. There are a handful of additional buttons to get again residence or launch the Xbox overlay menu once you’re taking part in a recreation on Xbox Cloud Gaming.

The place the Logitech G Cloud stands out is with the show and battery life. The console has a 7-inch show with a 1080p decision, and the corporate says you’ll be able to anticipate as much as 12 hours of cloud recreation play. General, the console weighs 463g — that’s roughly 30% lighter than the Steam Deck and a bit heavier than a Nintendo Swap with Pleasure-Con controllers connected.

Along with cloud gaming companies, players can use the G Cloud to stream video games from their consoles or PC utilizing the Xbox or Steam Hyperlink apps, for example. You can also set up apps from the Play Retailer, which suggests which you can probably use Shadow to entry a gaming PC within the cloud.

Logitech isn’t going to promote tens of tens of millions of G Cloud gadgets. It isn’t the subsequent breakthrough console, as cloud gaming continues to be comparatively new — there aren’t tens of tens of millions of individuals taking part in video games on cloud gaming platforms.

But it surely’s good to see one thing completely different that opens up new alternatives to play video games. It’s going to change into increasingly common as cloud gaming companies change into extra mainstream. If you’re already conversant in cloud gaming companies, the Logitech G Cloud may very well be thought-about as a bodily extension of these companies.