8bitdo Xbox mobile controller review: A gamepad for ants?

8bitdo Xbox Controller Xcloud Review Source: Windows Central

Project xCloud or, as its now known, Xbox Game Laissez passer cloud gaming, is an interesting animate being. For the first time, nosotros're now able to play console-quality Xbox games on our Android mobile devices, streaming via the cloud. Despite our best efforts to find the best Xbox mobile clips for cloud gaming and all-time tablets for Xbox cloud gaming, at that place remains an ergonomic puzzler that Microsoft has yet to solve. Playing Xbox games on a phone just doesn't experience as good, from UI scaling to the weird plastic clips we're expected to employ to get our game on. Arguably, the best solution correct now is the Razer Kishi by a pregnant margin, but that hasn't stopped other companies from throwing their hat in the band.

This is 8bitdo'south solution, a Super Nintendo-like gamepad with a clip for your phone. Information technology's portable enough to fit in your pocket, simply would you desire to put it in there in the kickoff place? Here are some thoughts.

Catchy headline

8bitdo Xcloud Se

8bitdo Xbox controller

$45

Bottom line: The 8bitdo Xbox controller is decent, but its tiny size and unbalanced weight brand information technology a hurting to use for whatever length of time.

Pros:

Good 15-xvi hour battery life
Bluetooth and USB-C connectivity option
Materials and construction sport decent quality

Cons:

Its lightweight design makes information technology experience top-heavy and imbalanced
Uncomfortably tiny for even the smallest adult easily
Cannot be used with your Xbox

8bitdo Xbox controller review: What I liked

8bitdo Xbox Controller Xcloud Review Source: Windows Primal

The 8bitdo Xbox controller sports an iconic design, which may be nostalgic for gamers of a certain age. If you had a Super Nintendo, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

Category	Spec
Battery	480mAh Li-on
Bombardment Life	16 hours playtime, 1-2 hr charging time
Compatibility	Android 6.0+
Connectivity	Wireless Bluetooth, USB-C to USB-C
Size	144 x 63.4 10 33mm
Weight	111g

The shape and push button layout isn't your typical Xbox-way design, but if yous're familiar with controllers from the 90s yous may observe a chip of joy from the style. I know I did. I was also impressed with the general quality of the production. The buttons and triggers have decent activity for a third-political party controller, and the d-pad is arguably amend than earlier iterations of Microsoft's own d-pads. The thumbsticks also accept good motion, and reply well to commands, especially when connected via USB-C.

Although 8bitdo's website says this is primarily a Bluetooth controller, you can utilise a USB-C-to-USB-C cable to eliminate the added latency. Using the controller this mode made information technology experience more than responsive, and I was able to play fast-paced reactive games like DOOM Eternal with relative ease.

The 8bitdo controller tin can be used as a separate device, either continued via Bluetooth or USB-C, if you accept your ain tablet or phone stand. However, it also comes with a surprisingly good prune in the box, which can be angled in various ways. Dissimilar many clips nosotros've previously tested, this one comes with a metal-reinforced base, which should run into it sport a caste of durability many of its competitors simply don't have.

The clip tin can fit phones of practically any size and width, exceeding the width on even the chunkiest phones similar the Razer Telephone 2 or the Samsung Milky way Notation 20 Ultra. The notches are also rubberized to keep the telephone held in place. The snap-back action and force on the clamp isn't as powerful as some clips I've used, but it's more than adequate to keep even heavier phones stable.

8bitdo Xbox controller review: What I disliked

8bitdo Xbox Controller Xcloud Review Source: Windows Cardinal

On newspaper, the 8bitdo Xbox controller does everything right. Information technology has good battery life at around fifteen-16 hours, with fast charging over an hour or two. The materials and components are of decent quality and structure, and the action on the buttons, triggers, and sticks is very solid. Where 8bitdo fails, ultimately, is in the overall design of this production.

Ergonomically, the 8bitdo is just horrible to utilise. It's extremely lightweight at around 110 grams, which may seem like a skilful thing if you're into portable gaming. Nevertheless, when y'all couple this with the fact you lot accept to residual your potentially heavy phone on top of the controller'southward arm, you create a very annoying weight imbalance that is but uncomfortable for long-term play. You can re-adjust the angles on the clip to center the weight as much equally possible for the angle you're playing at, merely fifty-fifty slight shifts tin can exist irritating.

8bitdo Xbox Controller Xcloud Review Source: Windows Primal

This lack of balance is made worse by how difficult it is to simply grip the product. Given its small size and shallow triggers, I establish myself constantly repositioning my easily when playing very active action games. Playing with the added latency from the cloud can be detrimental past itself, without having to deal with a controller that'due south awkward in your hand.

I don't accept the biggest easily in the earth, but I only establish it supremely awkward to use, fifty-fifty after spending a couple of days trying to practice with multiple attempts at repositioning the phone prune for the best weight distribution. I but would struggle to recommend this to anyone except younger children with much smaller hands.

Given its price, it's also very foreign that this controller cannot be used with an Xbox panel. Microsoft blocks 3rd-parties from using its wireless bespeak for controllers (which is very annoying), simply you tin can't fifty-fifty use this controller in a wired configuration on Xbox.

Should you buy the 8bitdo Xbox controller?

8bitdo Xbox Controller Xcloud Review Source: Windows Central

I really wanted to similar this controller, if for no reason other than the Super Nintendo-mode cornball design. In reality, though, it simply isn't noteworthy. Information technology'll become the job done if you absolutely desire something small enough to fit in your pocket, but the weight distribution is a deal-breaker for anyone who is using a modern phone that has even a pocket-sized heft to it.

Given that this controller costs roughly the aforementioned equally a regular Xbox controller, I don't know why you wouldn't simply buy a real Xbox controller over this and pick up one of the cheaper clips from our best Xbox mobile prune round-upwards. It could be an option for a much younger gamer, but I suspect they'd rather have a Nintendo Switch Low-cal in their hand than a clunky solution like this.

Will we ever get a truly ergonomic xCloud gaming solution? The search continues.

A controller for ants

8bitdo Xcloud Se

8bitdo Xbox controller

1 for smaller easily.

This controller might be a decent selection for a youngster playing on xCloud, simply for adults with even the smallest hands, it'southward simply too uncomfortable to recommend.

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