To expand the smartphone expansion, the backbone is now selling all content controllers. Like the backbone’s $170 backbone professional, the phone becomes a fast and dirty gaming handheld handheld, but with Bluetooth connectivity increasing, it can also be connected to a PC or smart TV. If you are of the travel type, it will hopefully be the only quality (although expensive) you need to carry. Otherwise, if you're like me – your hands are obviously huge, that would be a reliable 2-in-1 gaming board.
There must be some examples about the “Pro” device, especially to prove that the price of $170 is with the backbone you pay for selling for $100. If you judge it only by its on-paper feature set, then you won't stand out. The new mobile controller has a pair of rear buttons on the left and right grips. Not exciting enough? Backbone Pro also includes a special pairing button for connecting to external devices (including PC, Mac or TV), Bluetooth. You can use it in conjunction with the Backbone+ App for button mapping and easily swap between connected devices using the new “FlowState” feature.
Backbone Pro
It feels good at hand, but the lack of features makes it less than “professional”.
advantage
- The control is clicked and responds quickly
- Textured grips provide extra comfort
- Solid battery life, intelligent power delivery
- Smart ideas for connecting to multiple devices
shortcoming
- The backbone is still not suitable for my hands
- No hall effect joystick
- Not enough to support the latest iPad mini
- Expensive
Easily swaps are especially good for gaming on multiple devices, but are you honestly looking for a controller that you use on your PC and mobile devices? Controllers die and die because of the feelings in their hands. If you ever had a backbone, you have a good idea of ​​what the overall feeling of the “Pro” controller is, even with minor improvements. The high points of the backbone are the D-pad and facial buttons, and even if they have the kind of clicking I like best on the low-key controls, they won't be too loud. This more expensive backbone includes Hall effect triggers, but even if the new full-size thumbs respond quickly, they are still traditional Alpine-style sensors. These use potentiometers to calculate the direction of the stick, which can cause wear and sticking to drift, while Hall effect sticks usually last longer. The lobby effect bar will be more popular on the game board.
The Backbone Pro's satin textured grip has the feeling I usually get from premium devices only, but is this a premium device for $170? If I have to judge, it's not exactly the same as high-end “Pro”-class devices like SCUF, Razer, or even Xbox Elite Wireless Controller. These devices usually cost close to $200 or more, so the backbone Pro needs to be perfect. Using the controller, I found my hands were big enough that I wanted to access the face button or D-pad while maintaining quick access to the thumb keys, requiring adjustments to the grip. This is not a problem when playing with some mobile title or mock retro title. When playing more modern games, e.g. Elder Scrolls V: Forgotten Remake with the Xbox Game Pass, I had to adjust my grip more than before.
Larger devices like the GAMESIR G8+ are better suited to my hands, but its controls feel almost as good as the Backbone Pro. There are other trade-offs. Unlike the backbone, there is no Pro version that supports Apple Lightning Connect. The Razer Kishi Ultra costs $150, which is enough for a small tablet, but the Backbone Pro doesn't even stretch to allow the latest iPad Mini's 8.3-inch screen. That's where Bluetooth can come in handy, as long as I can cover or remove the USB-C dongle to fit my non-standard device.
Coupled with foldable phones like the Google Pixel 9 Pro, Backbone Pro has become a pseudo-game handheld handheld, especially easy to play games that fit its weird 20:9 aspect ratio, especially Diablo Immortal. Plus the ease of Backbone+ App, and Backbone Pro is now streaming games with Nvidia Geforce or Xbox Game Pass, and it's more of a console-like experience. The app promotes its “dual-screen” experience when it plays on a PC or TV. However, it is only useful for checking the charge on the controller and on the phone.
Battery life is perhaps the best feature for backbone experts. I can go for three hours or so, and see the device immersed in 20% fraction. The gamepad also includes a smart pass charge, allowing immediate access to the phone and built-in battery. I can't beat the build quality on the backbone professionals. It has controls and I'd love to use it on almost any other gaming device, although I only don't have any other preferred controls.
If my steam deck hasn't taken up that space yet, the backbone Pro is the wireless controller I'll slide into my backpack. As for a mobile controller that actually fits my pocket, I will continue to wait for McOn to enter my life.
