Logitech G Cloud Vs Steam Deck: Which Is Better?
The handheld gaming market has gotten a bit crowded lately, with both the Steam Deck and the Logitech G Cloud handheld encroaching on the Nintendo Switch's space. For anyone looking to pick up a dedicated handheld gaming device that isn't made by Nintendo, the two main choices right now boil down to the Steam Deck and the Logitech G Cloud. Other handheld PCs are available, but they cost significantly more than the Steam Deck and Logitech G Cloud. So, which one should gamers pick up?
The Steam Deck received great reviews when it launched and has shown that it is more than capable of running many popular games. The device does run on Linux, limiting which Steam games work, although Valve has smoothed most of that out. It also can't run some popular games like "Lost Ark" due to it being incompatible with certain anti-cheat software. The Logitech G Cloud is focused almost entirely on being a cloud gaming device. The only store you can download games from is the Google Play Store, found on most Android devices. It instead relies on cloud streaming services, like NVIDIA GeForce Now and Xbox Cloud Gaming. Here's which handheld is better.
You should probably just get a Steam Deck
Most people are better off getting a Steam Deck if they are serious about handheld gaming. While the Logitech G Cloud comes in at $350 (discounted to $300 for pre-orders,) the lowest end Steam Deck is $400, just a bit more expensive. A $50 increase in price gets you a powerful handheld PC that you can download games directly to, instead of being limited to cloud streaming services. You also don't have to pay a subscription fee to use Steam, but you do have to pay to use either NVIDIA GeForce Now or Xbox Cloud Gaming. Since the Steam Deck has the ability to function like a PC, you can also use Xbox Cloud Gaming through its web browser if you want to.
The Logitech G Cloud does easily allow you to use remote play apps for both Xbox and PlayStation, but that's also something players could do on their phones. The Steam Deck offers the ability to run a wide variety of emulators and can easily have its storage upgraded via an SD card. Unless you really want a dedicated device for cloud gaming, the Steam Deck is the better option.