The PS5 Slim just won the award for Best Console in this year’s Tom’s Guide Gaming Awards, and rightly so. Personally, it’s my favorite console and it’s the best investment I’ve made so far. When I’m not working or spending time with my partner, I’m sinking hours into RPGs like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Baldur’s Gate 3.
There are times I wish I owned a PlayStation Portal so I could play on the go… but why get that when I can get one of the best phone controllers instead and turn my smartphone into a gaming powerhouse? There are many mobile controllers available today, and I’ve just tested my favorite yet: the Backbone Pro.
What makes the Backbone Pro so special and fantastic is its ergonomic design and 40-hour battery life, both of which enable you to play all day long.
Backbone has also added Hall Effect triggers to the controller, giving you more precision and control over finetuning your movements. I can’t believe I’ve gone so long without a mobile controller, and here’s why I won’t be leaving the apartment without the Backbone Pro now.
PlayStation Portal who?
I’ve been on the fence about getting a PlayStation Portal. On the one hand, I’d love to be able to play PS5 games anywhere in the world (as long as I have WiFi) with haptica feedback on what’s basically a split DualSense controller. On the other hand, I know it isn’t the most user-friendly experience. So why get that when I can just use the Backbone Pro?
The Backbone Pro can be used with PS Remote Play on iOS and iPadOS devices. While the controller isn’t big enough to accommodate iPads (not even the Mini), there’s plenty of space to mount your iPhone, and I played my PS5 games on an iPhone 15 Pro — and it worked like a charm.
What’s even better is that the Backbone Pro can be used wirelessly over a Bluetooth LE connection, so you can use it untethered as a regular gamepad. While it can’t pair with my PS5 Slim due to Sony’s restrictions, it works with PC, tablets, Xbox, MacBooks, Android and iOS smartphones, you name it.
So if you need a second gamepad that doubles as a mobile controller, the Backbone Pro is the one for you.
A magnetic powerhouse
As I mentioned up top, the Backbone Pro features Hall Effect triggers which means they’re more durable and sensitive compared to traditional analog ones — and I really wish the PlayStation DualSense had them. They make the Backbone Pro a formidable gamepad.
Over a steady WiFi connection which negated any input lag while streaming, all of my commands on the controller registered promptly. I was parrying like my life depended on it in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and I took out Nevrons with ease thanks to the highly responsive Hall Effect triggers. The triggers and comfortable, full-size thumbsticks came in clutch in Need for Speed Heat too, aiding me in turning tight corners and drifting down winding mountainous roads with ease.
Also, the Backbone Pro’s R1 and L1 triggers have very short travel distances, so a short, simple tap is more than enough for your command to register. This made quick work of cycling through weapon radial menus in Baldur’s Gate 3.
There are also two back buttons on the Backbone Pro which can be remapped via the (very user-friendly) companion software. You won’t understand the importance and impact back buttons have on making games more immersive until you’ve tried them.
Read about my experience with them in my full Backbone Pro review.
The elephant in the room
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: the Backbone Pro’s price. This isn’t a cheap controller, especially compared to its $99 predecessor, the Backbone One. The Backbone Pro retails for $169 / £169 — that’s only $30 cheaper than the PlayStation Portal’s retail price.
The thing is, many of the Backbone Pro’s competitors cost much less, such as the Scuf Nomad ($99), the Gamesir G8 Galileo ($99) and, its stablemate, the Backbone One Gen 2 ($99). This isn’t a cheap investment, and at this price, I expected the Backbone Pro’s thumbsticks to feature Hall Effect sensors and for some app features not to be paywalled.
Should you still buy it? If you can afford it, I don’t see why not. It’s got a lot of potential and it exceeded my expectations when I reviewed it. My dreams of owning a PlayStation Portal have been realized… in a twisted, roundabout way, at least.
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