- PLAY ANY CONTROLLER-SUPPORTED GAMES: Responsive analog triggers, tactile buttons, and clickable thumbsticks for the ultimate mobile gaming experience.
- LOWEST LATENCY, PASS-THROUGH CHARGING & 3.5MM HEADSET JACK: Connects to your phone’s USB-C port for ultra-responsive gameplay. Charge and use your favorite headset while you play.
- WORKS WITH MOST ANDROID PHONES AND IPHONE 15 SERIES: Compatible with most Android devices 10.0 and up as well as the new iPhone 15 series. For iPhone 14 Series and older, please see our Lightning version.
- EARLY ACCESS TO THE BACKBONE APP – The Backbone app is your gaming destination–the feature-rich home for gaming on mobile devices complete with 20+ unique features. Record and share gameplay, party up with friends, and launch your favorite games all from one place
- BUILT WITH PLAYSTATION: Uniquely recognized as a DualSense by the PS Remote Play App, this exclusive Backbone enables gamers to play their favorite PS4 and PS5 games on their mobile device from anywhere.
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Jackybleu –
The BACKBONE One Mobile Gaming Controller for Android has emerged as a stellar gift, transforming my daughter’s mobile gaming experience into a whole new realm of excitement and precision. As an avid gamer, she was thrilled to unwrap this sleek and innovative controller, and it has quickly become an indispensable companion for her gaming adventures.The design of the BACKBONE One is nothing short of impressive. Its compact and ergonomic form factor provides a comfortable grip, allowing for extended gaming sessions without any discomfort. The controller’s build quality exudes durability, assuring users that it can handle the rigors of intense gaming without compromising performance.Setting up the controller with her Android device was a breeze for my daughter. The intuitive design and user-friendly interface ensured a quick and hassle-free connection, instantly transforming her smartphone into a portable gaming console. The seamless integration with popular gaming apps made the transition from touch controls to physical buttons remarkably smooth.The controller’s responsiveness and precision are standout features. The tactile feedback of the buttons, triggers, and thumbsticks enhances the gaming experience, providing a level of control that touchscreens simply cannot match. Whether she’s navigating through complex landscapes or engaging in fast-paced battles, the BACKBONE One ensures accuracy and responsiveness that elevates her gameplay.The inclusion of the Backbone app is a thoughtful touch. It serves as a centralized hub for discovering, capturing, and sharing gameplay moments. The ability to jump into games directly from the app enhances convenience, adding an extra layer of accessibility to her gaming library. The social features also allow her to connect with friends and fellow gamers effortlessly.The BACKBONE One Mobile Gaming Controller for Android is a standout accessory that caters to the needs of avid mobile gamers. It’s a gift that combines innovation, comfort, and precision, creating a gaming experience that goes beyond the limitations of touch controls. Highly recommended for anyone seeking to enhance the mobile gaming journey for themselves or their loved ones.
Tia Lachney –
There are a lot of neat features to the backbone controller and as long as there is controller support for the game you’re playing, you can use the backbone. Let’s start with the capture button which includes screen and video capture at the click or hold of a button. They include a free iPhone 13/14 pro max adapter so that you can still fit the new phones in to the controller base without messing up your phone camera lens and the phone sits very securely in the middle of the controller arms. The design is sleek and the sizing for buttons and joysticks are superb in my opinion. I’ve had no issue with reach and accessibility to all buttons/joysticks and no issues with cramping like I do with my Xbox One controller. The weight and quality of the controller is really good, it’s not too heavy causing fatigue and it’s not too light where it might come across as cheap or easily breakable. The game play is great, and I have no lagging or latency issues. You can use it for mobile gaming, PS Remote play, Steam link and Xbox remote play. They even offer options for if you don’t have a console but I haven’t really looked into those so I cannot speak on them. It is easy to carry with me on the go, I got a little case for it and I just throw it in my backpack. Because of its compact size and collapsible, spring action middle bar it hardly takes up any space at all. I would say for the compatibility across multiple consoles for game play and the actual quality of the product itself the pricing is top notch, as a regular ps5 controller is $70 all by itself and has to be charged. The backbone barely draws any battery from your phone, and it never has to be charged so as long as your phone has battery your controller will work. That’s one of the reasons why I like it so much because I don’t have to worry about the last time I plugged my controller in to charge and I can take it with me everywhere. Now if you are running low on battery (because you’ve been playing for HOURS) they even included a pass through charging option so you can charge your phone without missing a beat. Lastly, there is also a 3.5mm jack on the backbone itself if you want to plug in a headset to talk to your friends and teammates.There is an app that you can download for the backbone, and it does have a paid subscription option for $39.99/year, but the subscription is not required to use the backbone itself. You do get firmware options with the app as well as button mapping and joystick calibration, factory reset and then system info on your backbone like the model and serial numbers and the version of firmware you are using. Now, you do HAVE to select the free trial to be able to use the app, but they make it really easy to cancel and even send you a reminder to cancel towards the end of your subscription plus, immediate in app instructions on how to cancel if you want to cancel right away. This really annoyed me at first but I bit the bullet and tried it anyway just so I could review it and… I freaking loved it so, I’m going to eat my crow, my original review was only 3 stars because of the app and the inability to use the app without selecting the free trial but it has loads of features including chat areas, adding friends, easy connection to Twitch, a place to hold your captures, an awesome support team in the help section and free 3 months of nitro for Discord(when I joined). So, I came back to update my review. I really have loved the backbone since I got it and I take it with me everywhere! The only feature I didn’t like was the app itself and now that I actually used it (instead of just being mad about a trial requirement) I really like it too. Great product all around at a really good price tag for what you’re getting.
Tim –
First let’s talk about the product: The hardware is great! It doesn’t feel cheap, the buttons are clicky, and the sticks seem pretty durable. (I was initially worried about the sticks because of how small the posts for them are) I love the fact that I can charge while I play and there’s a headphone jack too, for those of you who aren’t using Bluetooth headphones!I can see a possible issue with it not fitting future generations of iPhones because of the limited space between the lightning connector and the back of the controller, but we buy new phones every year! Is it too much to ask us to buy a new backbone every 4-5 generations? I can also see an issue for some people with having to take your case off to use it but I have an iPhone 12 Pro Max with a Pitaka case and it’s thin enough to not have to remove it while I’m using the controller. (This is my 3rd Pitaka case, that’s a 5 star product as well) So if that’s a concern just get a thinner case and stop being so clumsy.The Backbone+ service: Also excellent! It feels like a console experience in the palm of my hand! As Apple Arcade grows and mobile gaming becomes more and more popular I only expect it to get better! There are too many features to list here, you can find them in the description.. A couple that I love though are the ability to find games that are compatible with the controller and filter them by which ones are Apple Arcade games and which ones are just apps for purchase. I also love that they’ve made it SUPER easy to request that the developers add controller support for the games that we love that don’t already have it. You can tell they’ve put a lot of thought into the design of the app. That doesn’t even include the ability to stream my PS5 games with an actual physical controller! It can be tough to stream but has always worked great while I’m home and adding a controller makes the experience 1000 times more enjoyable.Finally, the customer service: Top notch! These guys are the real deal! I missed out on a promotion for the Backbone+ service and didn’t realize it until a friend that also purchased the Backbone 1 pointed it out to me. I sent an email with picture evidence that I should have received the promotion and they responded quickly and gave me above and beyond the promotion! No questions, no fuss, just great customer service and WAY above expectations!I like to think that this team is like me and remembers what it was like to be a kid in the 90’s, going to stay at their grandparents house, and wishing they could bring their favorite game with them. They’ve designed a product that is really great at what it does and is blowing the mind of 10 year old me!
J. Meza –
I bought the PlayStation themed backbone with lightning connection. I’m using this with my iPhone 13. The backbone is amazing. I use it to connect to my PS5 via remote play and it has played everything well with no problems. I don’t use the backbone outside of my home, so I can’t comment on connectivity over long distances. I can say within my home it connects well with no drops in connection. Also I like that my phone does not get hot while playing for extended periods of time.The controller feels well made and comfortable. It fits my iPhone 13 with no issue. It’s easy to place the phone in the controller. The buttons feel good too. The tactile feel is a little different than the average console controller.I use Bluetooth headphones, but the backbone does have a connection for wired headphones as well as a connection to charge my phone while playing.So far the list of games I’ve tried with my backbone are-Blasphemous 1and 2-Salt and Sanctuary/Sacrifice-Death’s Gambit Afterlife-Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1+2-Spyro The Dragon trilogy-Crash Bandicoot trilogy-Intelligent Cube-Lego Batman 3-Skyrim-Elden Ring-The Last FaithEvery game has ran very well on the back bone via PS5 remote play. I will caution players who want to play online/PVP. I played Elden ring PVP and it was kinda difficult because of some lag. In the PVE setting it doesn’t feel like much but in faster pace play Elden Ring felt a little sluggish. I imagine it might feel the same with other ARPGs and FPS.The back bone does have its own app for a subscription, but I just use PS5 remote play. The back bone can connect to other services as well such as Apple Arcade and XBOX game pass.Overall the backbone is great and does everything I want it to. My only issues with the backbone are really my phone. What I mean is my iPhone 13 screen is fairly small and the video games are scaled to the screen size. This makes reading text difficult because the print is very small on my iPhone 13. Aside from that the backbone feels great and I wish I would have got one sooner.2/1/24 update. Back bone still works great. It makes mobile gaming even more convenient. The controller itself feels very comfortable. Since purchase I’ve only had a couple times with minor connection issues, but nothing that was concerning. The backbone is an excellent alternative to the ps portal and is compatible with other gaming services like Xbox, Apple Arcade, and Steam making it a versatile piece of gaming hardware.
PropaneSalesman –
The following critiques will be faily split between PS Remote Play testing results and the Backbone peripheral itself, which is an A+ highly recommended device for Playstation/Xbox players, and maybe the small (?) population of Steam users who aren’t quite on board spending >$500 on the impeccable Steamdeck yet would like an occasional time away from the keyboard and mouse. It may not be a return to the days of the underrated Playstation Vita, but it’s close enough.Pros- Controller is an almost 1:1 of the Switch joycons in terms of scale and layout (not ideal for big boy hands like mine) which took alot of adjusting to despite the brand’s console-specific face buttons(ABCs for Xbox, XYOs for Playstation) and matching triggers to emulate the respected controller aesthetics. Analog sticks match the feel of the standard first party joycon so least it doesn’t have a cheap click to it but time can only tell.- The Backbone app is very user-friendly and comfortable. More or less an imitation of the Gamepass and PS Network UIs put together but you can easily switch between Playstation, Gamepass, and Steam apps via the dedicated red home button on the right handed grip. Navigating is simple and the app offers an in-house directory for platform game streaming, F2P base games, and even social media features if you’re into that sort of thing. Pretty cool stuff and although I’m only going to go straight to PS5 play or Steam Link, I appreciate the effort they put into making Backbone a serious companion to all platforms.- Concerning actual gameplay, latency is rock solid for most games sans a few exceptions, maybe a few milliseconds off. On remote play, I ran at 720p to maintain steady frame rate without harsh drops. It’s been reported here and there that the Backbone SORT OF has a hand in making the remote experience as smooth as relatively possible compared to a non-Backbone method. Might be a theory but point is, had practically no major issues. Tested games such as GRID Legends, Returnal, Doom, NHL 22, Resident Evil 4 in addition to some older 3D games and turn-based RPGs which this is perfect for.- Compatibility with PS+, Gamepass, Steam Link, Google Play, annnnnd yes, the wide wide world of emulators. A tremendous positive it shares with the Steamdeck. Enough said.Minor Cons- Going back to the controller design, the thumbsticks could be a little larger because shooters will lead to some sore appendages for bigger hands like mine after maybe half an hour of constant playing. So this is purely subjective; I tried applying removable thumb attachments but they didn’t fully fit and they fell off easily.- Touchpad optimization is non-existent for the controller for obvious reasons however a little back button could remedy this. Otherwise, given the wide length of the attachment plus phone it is a real chore holding the Backbone in one hand so you can press the middle of your smartphone’s touchscreen with the other. Not a design or manufacturer flaw and I don’t know if there’s a solution for it either considering the way Sony implemented that in their own dedicated app (which Backbone mirrors via its own app). It is the only noticeable tangible problem though.- Lastly, from an exclusive streaming/remote play experience, the Backbone’s peak of its potential completely hinges on your router distance and ISP plan. The farther away you are from the gateway, the more hangups you’ll get not to mention stuttering pixelation quality. I read that using a smartphone’s data and wi-fi still does plenty of heavy lifting to run decently unlike the stupid >$400 Playstation Portal which operates way worse on very specific hardware only on wi-fi.This is in no way influenced by the hardware whatsoever BUT be cautioned if you are purchasing the controller for entirely streaming.So to conclude, for what is an official Sony and Microsoft endorsed $60 (Black Friday sale) peripheral that is compatible with any USB-C smartphone and functions with the premier gaming services (plus Google Play emulators)…Backbone is not a bad investment at all to say the very least.Highly recommended, just make sure it’s suitable to your gaming needs.
David –
I have been using the backbone for console emulation on my iPhone. And for that purpose, it has been a dream. It is fully recognized on Flycast with no configuration required. Other mentions are Mupen, Dolphin, and Duckstation. Also works with Genshin Impact. Great little controller that comes with nice dashboard software that gives your phone a console like experience. Lovely.
Rachel F –
I got it the other day and can sat it works really well. I use it with PS Remote play and everything works as described. I love that you don’t have to charge it to use it, it’s just plug and play! I will say that if you have large hands I would not recommend buying this. I would say I have average size hands and at times it can be a bit uncomfortable to use L1, L2, R1,R2 especially with fps or just shooting games in general. That’s the only drawback I see with it and overall it works great for my needs.
James Pettigrew –
Just real quick -The controller works well with IPhone 14. Can’t use a case, though. Recommend simply streaming Gamepass or Steam without the use of the Backbone App. I downloaded the app, but it was quirky getting it to work .. and, it costs after the first month of trial. After deleting the app, and by downloading the Gamepass and Steam Link apps, the controller worked flawlessly. (I bought the black Xbox style.)The controller is pretty well built, and buttons/sticks are crisp with no dead one issues. I had honestly considered returning it, and just blue tooth connecting an XBox controller. I’m happy that I gave it a chance without the Backbone App.I’ve been considering buying a Steam Deck OLED, but honestly, with the playable games being limited on the Deck, and being able to play most (haven’t checked all) of my Steam library on this phone and controller, I think my objective’s been met! Might’ve just saved $700, after spending $70 on the Backbone. And, I can play GamePass, Steam, XBox and PS .. in addition to the IOS games!This is just my opinion, as it works for what I want it to do. But, if you find yourself in a similar situation with similar desires for mobile gaming, I recommend giving this a try. And, if you find out you don’t like it, Amazon’s good about returns! Win-Win. 👍🏻
Shawny Alan –
I’d say this product will not satisfy most people. I’ll get into depth in a bit. But remember at the end of the day it has NO USE WITHOUT A SMARTPHONE. Now some questions to gauge if it is right for you…1. Do you dislike Nintendo Switch joycons? Then do not buy this, as it follows the same stick heights. BIG HANDS Avoid this; you will get cramps. This was made for SMALLER-MEDIUM HANDS.2. Do you want to stream your games from your PS5, Xbox, and even GamePass? even though you know it won’t be smooth? Then buy this, as it’s still amazing to play most games on your phone when it works. Buy the White One (PS Edition) If you buy the black one, you are stuck with only Xbox Remote Play and GamePass.3. Do you think it’s expensive? Yes, it is overpriced, and most people would scoff at the price. It should not be this expensive, as it needs more quality control. As you will read further,.4. Do you have a phone that is modern, as in, a phone that isn’t more than 6-7 years old? Then buy, as you will get the most out of this product with a phone with a large screen and long battery life. Even with my phone (Moto G Stylus 2020), I get an average of 2–3 hours maybe more of play after full charge. The newer the phone, the better.5. Do you have a stable internet connection? You are good to go, but just make sure you know streaming is not perfect and there is always going to be input lag, but in my experience, Xbox GamePass/Cloud is really smooth via WiFi. I am on Verizon Fios. I bought it for PS5 remote play, but sadly, it lags and disconnects every session. Your experience might be different.6. Do you want to play online games on the go? Just avoid that altogether. Firstly, these sticks do not look like they will last an intense session of fighting or any shooters. Secondly, you will have lots of disconnects and lag. This is great for single-player games.7. Do you have a bulky phone case? Avoid the backbone, get ready to take off your case, or buy a slimmer case. Avoid the backbone if you have to keep your case; even with the extra attachments, bulky cases are a no-go. If you have a slim case then you are good.Overall, this is a great product. But it needs more versatility to warrant the price. Most people’s experiences will vary widely because everyone has different phones and internet quality. If you can try it somewhere like a demo or someone can lend you the backbone, then that would be best, or just search your phone and backbone on Youtube.I have a feeling that there will be more versions or models of the backbone, so if this one doesn’t meet expectations, I hope they further improve upon it.P.S. I didn’t bother mentioning the subscription option as I have no interest in it or tried it; it’s completely optional.
christopher danna –
I have a hard time playing games on my phone without having an actual button. This works great. Just had to get used to using a controller for shooter games.There is a couple reasons for a 4 star from me. This needs to be Bluetooth as well. It would be nice to use this with other devices easier or even a PC if want. It also would have been nice to create this with phone cases in mind. Especially thinner cases at least. Would have been nice to not have to keep taking off my phone case to use this. But outside those couple things it works great.
Danny –
Love: Perfect fit for an iPhone 15 Pro. It may seem like common sense, but the phone and game controller together provide a really nice weight. Love the 3.5MM headphone jack, and passthrough charging. I bought this for gaming on the same Wi-Fi as my PS5, and this excels at making that experience so much more convenient than using the touchscreen or connecting a PS5 controller to my phone via Bluetooth.Dislike: I’m docking 1 star because I wish the back of this controller had a bit more contour. Right now, it’s pretty flat. And that weight I mentioned? Well, it causes the entire device to slip from your hands a bit after a while. This isn’t a problem if you rest your hands in your lap, but that’s not always comfortable.Do I think this is worth $100? No…a better price would be ~$75. However, I don’t regret the purchase and if you’ve been eying this for as long as I have, I don’t think you’d regret the purchase either.
Julian’s mama –
Please note: This review’s 2 star rating is based on the original Amazon listing when I bought and received my backbone that made no indication of a subscription service necessary to use the advertised features. It has since been updated on or about Dec 3, 2021 to indicate there is a subscription service to access the app that is only free for the first year. The listing does a poor job of conveying the fact that the app is required to use any of the features achieved through the app and makes no mention of the annual cost of $49.99. The controller has been around since late 2020 and all app functions were available free until they announced their new backbone+ as a paid service to any NEW users after October 22. This was made public on their website but no mention on the Amazon listing until early December, For all these reasons listed above I still feel this deserves a 2 star rating. However, minus the poor choice to implement a subscription plan, the controller is actually an awesome controller that deserves a 4 or 5 star rating minus a few complaints.I’ll start by what the controller does right:-Build quality is remarkably good for such a small device from a (I think?) new company on what appears to be their first version. There is little to no slop or creaky plastic- It just feels SOLID!. The slider is especially impressively free of slop. Granted I have only had it a little over a week so not sure on the durability but since I will be returning it I won’t get to test that.-Charge port and wired headphone access on the bottom of the handgrips are well designed and aid in a more relaxed gameplay. They are countersunk with large cutouts for larger connector shrouds to still fit and really are non obtrusive even when playing using them. They are hardware connected via the same lightning connector into the phone that allows the hardware connection for the controller. Very well thought out.-The hardware buttons that interact with the app and the software itself is really nice especially when wanting to just jump into a game quickly when you just have a few minutes to burn. Just pop the phone in, push the launcher button and then start using the controller to select a game in your library and the app even enables a game mode that silences obtrusive notifications while playing. There’s also a record button that can be used to start recording video or take a screen shot when pressed. SLICK! Just a great implementation of hardware and software working together. Note: because of what is mentioned above, the app and its features are no longer available without the subscription plan so three of the hardware buttons having to do with app functions I found to not be usable unless I installed the app (they can’t even be reprogrammed in other apps) and two of those continually prompt an app download every time they are pressed.-All other hardware buttons feel responsive and well built- no complaints on their feel.-The mechanism to put the phone in is simple and quick to implement. Care must be taken to put the phone in on the left side first then insert the lightning port side and uninstall in reverse or damage to the controller or phone may result. But after a few times its second nature to do it that way anyway.-The designers have added support to use the controller hardwired to other devices- Macs, iPads, PC’s, etc. At the time I purchased it there was no mention on Amazon of this feature and its cool they added it – however, this is another case where the subscription is required to use. I also have not used this function as I feel in those cases for me, I’ll just use an xbox controller.Things I think the controller could improve on:-If your phone is in a case, it doesn’t matter how thin it is, you’ll have to take it off. This is my BIGGEST GRIPE OF THE HARDWARE design of the controller as it adds another step and to some I’m sure removing there case is not that easy or desirable (I know its not for me)-Small grips, I can cut some slack here as the design choice may have preferred a more compact form factor over larger grip comfort. If you are used to an Xbox controller this will be uncomfortable at first and will likely never be as enjoyable as a larger controller-Small joysticks- they’re very short making them that much more sensitive on a controller that is somewhat small to hold to begin with. This again is excusable because it helps maintain a lower profile, compact form factor. The larger these sticks become the more susceptible they are to damage in transport, or rough use.-No case, due to its slider design the controller without a phone is thinner and less tall, BUT wider than an xbox controller! For this reason I feel it needs a case to be carried around as I don’t trust it safe form damage otherwise, and for the price I wouldn’t want to risk it and feel it maybe should have been included.-Probably don’t need to mention it again but, REMOVE the need for a subscription to use the app!-Ability to fold or slide to a smaller form factor to make it more likely to want to be carried around.Some things that aren’t great, but no fault of backbone:-xbox cloud gaming is hit and miss, if you haven’t tried it before, don’t assume its as enjoyable as local gaming or gaming on the xbox. It works sometimes and other times stutters bad regardless of connection. Also, this cannot be accessed through backbones game launcher but that is due to a fight between Apple’s app store and Microsoft. It must be loaded as a safari app (easy and backbone walks you through it) xbox cloud gaming was a big draw for me (using it on the phone, not the free month access they supply). I already have it and had used it on the xbox but felt I would get more use out of the phone using it- I found out, I don’t like its performance on the phone.-To conclude this overly lengthy review, I don’t think this controller at the current price and app subscription plan is worth the purchase. I think a version 2 with even just a few improvements, notably for me, its ability to use phones inside their case and a removal of the subscription requirement for most features would provide a better value proposition. As is, I am returning mine primarily for the failure to advertise the need for the subscription for all advertised features..Attached are photos of the app prompts when its not installed and either the photo or launcher button is pressed and another of the subscription service that is added when setting up the app. Also pictures showing its size next to an xbox controller.
Neeko –
The v2 works with my iPhone 15 pro in a wooden Carved live edge case. The magnetic, removable spacers are great! I just wish they’d swapped the BackBone and pause buttons. And maybe I missed it, but I wish you could program the PlayStation Touch Bar to be one of the buttons on the left of the backbone. I don’t always like touching my phone screen to check the in game map/menu.I used it to play a lot of AC Valhalla, Allan Wake 2, Ghost Runner 2, Lords of the Fallen, and Sonic Dream Team. Wouldn’t recommend it for something like an FPS.Don’t buy this thinking you’ll be able to travel with it. PS remote play is garbage. Works well enough in your own home. Great for playing while someone else is using the TV for a bit. Almost unusable while traveling.
Matt Hunt –
If you are a parent and/or have a significant other who loves to watch the real housewives of wherever or whatever, this is a MUST HAVE LIFESAVER! And if your backlog has been sitting on your throat for years, like mine has been, this convenience should help make a dent.The only issue I came across (so far) was not being able to run full sprint in a game that I’m playing right now, which doesn’t have joystick sensitivity settings. So, I would imagine this isn’t ideal for every game, but it’s perfect for RPG’s, side scrollers, rogue-likes, etc.Edit: I recalibrated the joysticks shortly after posting this. I wish I bought this when it was on sale, but it’s still worth every penny.
nicholas –
I have enjoyed pretty much every minute with this product!I really enjoy the build quality of this product. It has a little squeak in the left joystick but all of the buttons feel nice and crisp and the triggers/bumpers are seamless.The backbone app is really well made and makes sorting through games effortless.I’m not a fan of the 39.99 yearly subscription to it although it could be much worse!I use this primarily for playing Apple Arcade games as well as GeForceNow on my iPhone 14pro max. I would definitely recommend to anyone thinking about getting one, especially since they occasionally run sales on this product.
Ry –
My main reason for buying a Backbone was due to my new phone no longer fitting into my Razer Kishi and the second-gen Kishi didn’t have good opinions about it so… I love this controller it is very durable and works great with mobile gaming (dropped it many times and accidentally sat on it a few times). The one thing I hugely dislike is the fact that it disconnects after a certain amount of time you go idle, which is annoying because I have to unplug the port and replug just to get it to connect again (very minor, but annoying..). Would recommend though if you have an iPhone 14 Pro Max and up, it fits perfectly!
Ronaldo Lopez –
Let me start off by saying this is not inherently a bad product. Despite my criticisms you’ll see in the following paragraphs I do think this is at least a decent product for a lot of people who are less picky than me. Probably the more casual crowd will like this more than I do.I was looking for a nice game pad for my recently purchased IPhone 13 Pro so I can really take advantage of the immense power that is in this phone. For anyone who doesn’t already know, due to the 13 Pros larger camera module that is both larger and protrudes more than the previous generation 12 Pro, the backbone requires a special adapter in order to mount your 13 Pro comfortably into the device. I anticipated liking this product so I went ahead and ordered it from their website (free, you just pay shipping) but I did not arrive in time for me to use the adapter. Be warned, without the adapter it’s a very tight fit and the “backbone” really rubs against the camera lens of the phone. I don’t consider this a con quite as much as I normally would because the company took it upon themselves to release a solution very quickly.I saw someone mention in their review that the game pad had the tactile feel and functionality of an actual dedicated console controller. I’d have to agree! It does! But it feels like a 3DS or a Switch. Perhaps that’s not a big deal especially since we’re talking about playing games on your phone. It has PlayStation reminiscent triggers and bumpers but the rest feels very Nintendo-ish. I’ve been spoiled from using a Xbox Elite Series 2 controller for the past year and I’ve grown accustomed to this excellent button presses and joystick manipulation. Joysticks, that’s where my main gripe is. They’re probably great for most people playing casually but the issue is they’re small and lack the same manipulation that the Xbox joystick has. It feels very difficult to make small incremental adjustments unless I take my focus off the game and then take the focus to actually manipulating the joystick. I think you could make the argument that this is a muscle memory issue and can be remedied by getting used to these joysticks. Maybe, but maybe not. The hours I spent trying to play cod mobile and then Minecraft just felt clunky with constantly having to adjust sensitivity settings until I realized that the real issue is just the lack of ability to make those fine small adjustments on these joysticks. Is it better than using your fingers? Absolutely. It’s more comfortable by a long run but I often times felt I could generally be a faster and more accurate player using my fingers for aiming then I could using the joysticks which is natural yes, but the gap was so large I found it to be unacceptable.Moving onto the ergonomics. This is a mixed bag, one the one hand the ergonomics feel pretty good and I’d say that’s exactly what they are but the button placement feels every so slightly awkward in terms of spacing that I find myself making slight adjustments with my hand I order to comfortably click ABXY buttons and mostly the D pad under the left joystick. When your holding it normally and don’t need to use that D pad it’s fine but when you do need to use it (at least for me) I had to adjust my hand each time. The handles on each side are also a little too small for my hands but that wasn’t a huge deal for me.Another con for me is that the “backbone” and the way the device is designed prohibits the use of both a case and MagSafe accessories. It’s incredibly annoying to have to take off the case each time you want to use the backbone. But even without a case the backbone covers the magsafe area so you cannot use a magsafe charger while playing. Some people may wonder why this is a big deal, honestly it’s not but here’s my thinking. I have one charger, an apple 20 watt charger with the apple magsafe hockey puck attached to it. I don’t use the lighting cable so in order to use the backbones built in lighting bypass to charge the phone while I’m playing would require I disconnect my magsafe charger each time and revert back to lighting for my charging needs. I don’t want to do that. But hey, it has a headphone jack!!! Too bad I bought AirPods with literally the same order the backbone came in though.Last con and probably the most nitpicky thingThe plastic material of the type that absorbs the oils from your hand and wears it like a badge of honor. It’s honestly kinda yucky to look at because it looks oily and stained and it’s actually kind of hard to clean if you don’t have alcohol. Not a functional con but it still bothers me. You can see this in my picture that I attached.Onto the prosIt feels generally well constructed despite my criticisms. The buttons have a very clicky feel which is always satisfying.The backbone app software (despite my limited use) genuinely looks and feels pretty cool. It’s a seamless experience once you plug your phone into the built in lighting connector and it honestly feels like something that apple would have made themselves as a first party accessory once you get it up and running. The backbone app feels like something actually built around gaming, whether that be mobile games or your streaming Xbox on Xcloud. Unfortunately the awkward ergonomics and sub par joysticks could not make the product live up the expectations I had for it.
Elliott E. –
The controller is high quality, and I haven’t ran into any input wear with heavy use. The app isn’t required to use them, and I rarely end up in it (usually just when I hit the orange button by accident). The only issue I have is that it doesn’t work with my case, which is a really slim Mous limitless. Mine came with the end spacer to help 14’s fit, so I didn’t have to order the extra part (which was nice). I hope in the future, they use the spacer idea on both sides to allow for at least some cases to fit.
agumartzpc –
I have tried a couple of different controllers but I gotta say that the backbone is the most comfortable for long gaming sessions just make sure to get the gen 2 so you can use it with a caseI have a pixel 8 pro and it fits pretty goodThe first controller I had got defective with stick drift and I contacted backbone directly and they gave me a new controller no problemGreat product and great company
Anastasia Snyder –
I love the fact that I can take my gaming anywhere that has a solid wifi connection. If there isn’t wifi, I can connect to the gaming cloud and play it without wifi. The only issue I have is that if you have a galaxy s 21 ultra, my case for the phone is too big to fit in the backbone and i have to take the phone out of the case every time to use it. Other than that, I love this product.