Gaming on an iPhone for many is a vertical wonderland of faucets and swipes as you sit on the bus or move time on the bathroom. Nonetheless, the facility of iPhone gaming, and specifically cloud gaming, has by no means been stronger. To that finish, we’ve seen a large rise within the variety of individuals utilizing their iPhones as portals to Xbox Cloud Gaming, panorama Apple Arcade titles, and extra.
Controller gaming on iPhone is all the fad proper now, and there are many options. Do you purchase a PlayStation or Xbox controller, and wirelessly recreation utilizing a stand or a mount? Or do you purchase a Nintendo Change-esque iPhone or iPad attachment just like the Spine or the Razer Kishi? There are professionals and cons to each, however a brand new participant has entered the fray that guarantees to resolve a few of the quirks of each in comparatively reasonably priced model.
The RiotPWR Cloud Gaming Controller isn’t excellent, but it surely supplies a number of wonderful options for many who need a panorama, controller-powered iPhone gaming expertise. I’ve had the possibility to try it out not too long ago, and regardless of a few drawbacks, I’m impressed. Additionally impressed is Apple, which has seen match to promote the RiotPWR on its web site and in its shops. This can be a prestigious honor and makes the RiotPWR worthy of your consideration. Let’s discover out if it additionally deserves your hard-earned money.
RiotPWR Cloud Gaming iOS Controller: Worth and availability
The RiotPWR Cloud Gaming Controller, as talked about, could be purchased from Apple. It’s obtainable at Apple.com (opens in new tab) and in Apple Shops, costing $69.95 within the U.S. or £79.95 within the UK. So far as I can inform, it’s at the moment unique to the Apple retailer, as this particular model isn’t listed on both RiotPWR’s web site or Amazon. You possibly can, nevertheless, purchase RiotPWR’s Xbox Version of the controller by way of each of those avenues, it is barely cheaper however nonetheless boasts the ‘Made for iPhone’ certification and a few of the identical options.
RiotPWR Cloud Gaming iOS Controller: What I like
There’s rather a lot to love concerning the RiotPWR Cloud Gaming Controller. Out of the field, the controller is surprisingly mild. It’s noticeably lighter than an everyday Xbox controller and my Razer Wolverine, partly because of a design that does really feel extra plasticky than the opposite controllers I personal. Nonetheless, given you’ll largely be utilizing the RiotPWR together with your iPhone mounted on prime of it, this weight-saving is significant to retaining hand and wrist fatigue down while you’re gaming on the go. I used to be pleasantly shocked by how light-weight the controller was in hand even with my iPhone docked and mounted.
The RiotPWR Cloud Gaming Controller seems to be nearly equivalent to an Xbox controller when it comes to format and buttons. There are two triggers, two bumpers, two sticks within the customary offset Xbox format, an eight-direction D-pad, ABXY buttons, and three central buttons for Possibility, Dwelling, and Menu. There’s additionally a Share button that can be utilized for taking screenshots while you’re enjoying.
The middle of the controller additionally homes a mount, lined by a rubber cap, which hides the slot you employ to insert the iPhone stand in with ease. The mount affixes to the controller with a really satisfying click on and might’t be eliminated once more with out a first rate quantity of pressure, so there are not any considerations concerning the mount coming free or detaching throughout play. Your telephone is mounted utilizing the adjustable bracket, which could be very sturdy and holds your telephone tightly in place. This additionally means you need to use any dimension of iPhone within the mount.
Different superior options the RiotPWR Cloud Gaming Controller boasts embody charging passthrough, so you may play alongside whereas charging your iPhone by way of a standard charger, that is excellent for longer classes the place you would possibly want some further juice, though given the controller itself is wired, quite than wi-fi, it does begin to get a bit cable intensive.
The Lightning port on the controller for passthrough is complemented by a headphone jack and an onboard DAC, which suggests you may recreation utilizing wired, in addition to wi-fi headphones, which is a pleasant contact.
One other characteristic I used to be impressed by was the Corridor impact triggers. In the event you don’t know, Corridor impact sensors use magnets quite than bodily touching parts to detect inputs. This implies they’re immune to stay drift and have much less of a lifeless zone than common triggers. Sadly, this isn’t prolonged to any of the opposite enter controls, that are all both digital or analog, however nonetheless, it’s a pleasant contact, however the triggers gained’t really feel any totally different to make use of in comparison with a normal controller.
The principle promoting level of the RiotPWR Cloud Gaming Controller is that it makes use of wired connectivity. This would possibly sound counterintuitive within the age of wi-fi all the pieces that we reside in, nevertheless, there are some actual advantages to utilizing wired connectivity right here. Firstly, there’s little or no enter lag. Enter lag is simply as essential in cell gaming as it’s on PC or console. Notably, not having enter lag is nice with regards to providers like Xbox Cloud Gaming, the place you’re already coping with a sure stage of lag from the cloud.
A wi-fi controller may be slicker, however for those who’re utilizing a mount then there’s little or no profit to wi-fi connectivity given the proximity of the telephone to the controller, so that you would possibly as nicely have a wire that reduces enter lag. The opposite main advantage of the cable is lowered battery utilization. By not having a wi-fi connection, the RiotPWR makes use of much less juice out of your iPhone, which means you aren’t draining your iPhone’s battery utilizing Bluetooth. You might be, nevertheless, utilizing your telephone to energy the charger as a result of there’s no battery, so this can be a trade-off.
Wired connectivity does have one downside, in that it limits compatibility. To this finish, the RiotPWR comes with two cables, one Lightning and one USB-C, so you may recreation on both iPhone or iPad by merely swapping to the requisite cable as and when the temper takes you. The cable is indifferent from beneath the controller the place you would possibly look forward to finding the battery pack of a wi-fi controller, and the connection is flush and durable. What’s additionally notable is that this twin connectivity extends the RiotPWR’s compatibility to the upcoming iPhone 15, anticipated to characteristic USB-C.
The RiotPWR additionally comes with an accompanying app referred to as Ludu Mapp. The app is nice for bringing controller-based gaming all underneath one roof. Sadly, there’s no native assist for something like Xbox Cloud Gaming or Apple Arcade. Nonetheless, it does not less than assist present a handy place to seek out all the perfect video games you may play with a controller in your iPhone. The app is a little bit buggy, and leaving the app to obtain video games or open up Xbox Cloud Gaming could be irritating, particularly while you’re altering orientation from panorama to portrait on a regular basis. General although, the app is cool and likewise incorporates a store, suggestions, a testing suite, and even guides and walkthroughs for some video games. There are additionally classes for various genres, in addition to a devoted Apple Arcade and Xbox Cloud Gaming part. You don’t want the app for those who don’t need to use it, however I’d advocate it. It has a consumer interface broadly just like the Spine app however doesn’t allow you to obtain or play video games inside the app itself.
RiotPWR Cloud Gaming iOS Controller: What I don’t like
There are a few quirks and issues I don’t like concerning the RiotPWR. Most notably, the Lightning cable to connect it to an iPhone is approach too lengthy. The cable is 60 cm / 24 in. lengthy. This is sensible for the USB-C iPad cable the place you want the size, nevertheless, the iPhone cable may very well be a least half the size if not shorter. There’s an terrible lot of slack and I’d fear about by accident wrapping that cable round an armrest or getting a baby or medium-sized canine caught in it if I used to be out and about. As famous above, you’ll be utilizing the USB-C cable for iPhone 15, which can prolong this downside to telephone in addition to pill gaming. The nifty cable swapping mechanism does require a pin to detach the cable. That is essential to cease it from occurring by accident mid-game, however it’s a tad annoying.
One other design quirk is that I discovered my left thumb relentlessly bumped up towards my iPhone when the mount is about to its most upright place. This isn’t fairly the optimum angle for gaming, so I’ll let it slide, however in case you have bigger fingers like me it’s positively one thing to contemplate.
I believe the largest downside of the RiotPWR is the commonly low cost feeling you get from the buttons and the fabric of the controller total. As I’ve famous, that is essential for retaining the burden down (it solely weighs 280 grams), however anybody who has used a extra premium controller, for example, the Xbox Sequence X controller, will instantly discover the hole in high quality. Every click on and press on the ABXY and D-pad sound ever so barely hole and the buttons aren’t fairly as satisfying to press as I’d like. That is most noticeable while you press the bumpers.
General, nevertheless, I believe the RiotPWR does nicely as a video games controller for many who want an iPhone-specific cell answer. Whereas I believe its value evaluating the controller to console choices as a degree of reference, it’s not a very truthful combat given the RiotPWR provides cell customers a lot extra in the way in which of iPhone-specific options that you just gained’t get just by connecting your Dualshock to your iPhone.
RiotPWR Cloud Gaming iOS Controller: Competitors
Because the world’s solely “Lightning-connected, full-sized, cell recreation controller obtainable as we speak” the RiotPWR Cloud Gaming Controller doesn’t have a variety of competitors. However there are some alternate options. If wi-fi connectivity is essential to you, you would possibly need to take into account both the Xbox Wi-fi Controller or Sony’s DualSense PS5 Controller (you could even already personal one). You possibly can pair both with a separate iPhone controller mount to create the panorama gaming expertise the RiotPWR provides with out a few of the bells and whistles.
One other different, and my most popular approach to play, can be to amass a tool that molds your iPhone to a Nintendo Change-style gaming expertise. Notable entrants embody the Gamevice Flex, which is our prime decide for greatest iPhone Sport Controllers, or the Razer Kishi for iPhone, in addition to the Spine. The Razer Kishi and Gamevice Flex are each cheaper alternate options to the RiotPWR, nevertheless, the Spine is costlier, (however provides a extra complete cell gaming expertise by way of the app and higher recreation assist.)
RiotPWR Cloud Gaming iOS Controller: Must you purchase it
You should purchase this if…
- You need a controller that can work on iPhone and iPad
- You need a controller that gained’t chew up your battery life
- You like the Xbox-style controller format
You shouldn’t purchase this if…
- You don’t have an iPhone
- You insist on a wi-fi controller
- You need to recreation on iPhone with out utilizing a mounted controller
RiotPWR Cloud Gaming iOS Controller: Verdict
The RiotPWR is certainly a cool answer to the problem of gaming utilizing a controller on an iPhone. Regardless of the marginally cheaper really feel it’s a strong controller total, and advantages from a number of options together with passthrough charging, audio connectivity, and low-latency enter because of its wired enter. Hardcore players will discover the cheaper really feel of a few of the buttons and the outside end, and that lengthy cable looks as if an actual misstep. Finally although I believe anybody who picks one in all these up from Apple’s web site or the Apple retailer will likely be more than happy total with their buy.
RiotPWR Cloud Gaming iOS Controller
A wired controller for each iPhone and iOS that boasts passthrough charging, mild weight, and assist for a plethora of gadgets.
