RiotPWR Xbox Edition
MSRP $69.99
“RiorPWR Xbox Edition is a well-made cloud gaming controller, but one which’s outclassed by the competition.”
Pros
- Great Game Pass companion
- Solid construct quality
- Flexible mount
- Handy share button
Cons
- Dated design
- Awkward menu buttons
- Strange cable dynamic
The RiotPWR Xbox Edition controller is an amazing cloud gaming solution that you almost certainly shouldn’t buy. On paper, it’s an ideal companion for Xbox Game Pass subscribers who need to turn their phones into a transportable cloud console. It’s an all-around strong mobile gaming device anchored by a sturdy, aesthetically pleasing controller. If it were still 2020, it could be one of the best cloud gaming device in the marketplace.
Nevertheless, it’s 2022 and that market has modified rapidly in only two years. After just a few years of corporations experimenting with flimsy controller clips and overly complicated phone contraptions, attachable gamepads just like the Backbone and Razer Kishi have found the right formula for turning your phone right into a handheld console. It’s hard to return to the old ways, even when RiotPWR makes an incredibly strong case for its admittedly dated approach.
If you would like to use a well-recognized controller in your cloud gaming experience, the RiotPWR Xbox Edition is a well-thought-out option that completely pairs with the Xbox Game Pass app. Its design quirks and price tag make it a tricky sell, though, considering how stiff the competition currently is.
Game Pass ready
Quite than creating phone clips or controller attachments, RiotPWR creates all-in-one products that turn a phone into a transportable console. Their products include a custom controller and a built-in clip that different devices — from phones to tablets (form of) — can easily snap into. The Xbox Edition is probably the most appealing product in the road yet though, because it duplicates the design of a conventional Xbox Wireless Controller.
It’s hard to shake the sensation that the corporate’s core design philosophy is somewhat dated by today’s standards.
In a vacuum, it’s a slam dunk. In case you use the Game Pass mobile app for cloud streaming, it’s about one of the best piece of portable tech you may hope for. The dedicated Xbox button layout means which you can easily play games from the platform without having to remap a more generic gamepad layout. Something so simple as having an Xbox-branded home button negates the “workaround” feel of a whole lot of cloud gaming devices, including a few of RiotPWR’s own controllers (the tradeoff is that you just might find yourself feeling somewhat confused in the event you try to make use of it with, say, PS Plus).
As a part of my testing, I went forwards and backwards with playing some games on my Xbox Series X after which switching to portable play with the RiotPWR. The transition was seamless. I used to be in a position to load up my save files and adapt to on-the-go play with no friction since I used to be using virtually the identical layout. I’d just must account for the additional weight that a tool like this brings when it’s weighed down by a phone, but that’s expected.
The worth of the device gets cloudier the more you set it in context. At $70, the RiotPWR is pricier than an everyday Xbox controller. In case you already own an Xbox, you may just as easily buy a $20 or $30 clip (just like the Xbox-ready one Otterbox offers) and construct the identical product for less money. It’s more of a price in the event you don’t own an Xbox controller in any respect, but not by much.
The most important challenge, nonetheless, is that the RiotPWR is competing against the Backbone and Razer Kishi V2. Each attachments are positively graceful, turning your phone right into a Nintendo Switch by just strapping on some lightweight side grips. I don’t really know why you’d need to go for a heavier, full controller setup when each options can be found. RiotPWR is $30 cheaper and its Xbox gamepad makes it more familiar (though Backbone is entering into console-specific variants), however it’s hard to shake the sensation that the corporate’s core design philosophy is somewhat dated by today’s standards.
Controller quality
With that key caveat out of the best way, let’s concentrate on what the device actually is. RiotPWR is superb at what it does, even when it feels one step behind the curve currently. The controller itself feels pretty much as good as an ordinary Xbox controller, with some minor nitpicks. It’s lightweight with responsive buttons that just about click like a mouse switch. This isn’t an affordable reproduction; it almost seems like Microsoft made this, not a third-party company.
I’m especially keen on the general aesthetic here. Quite than using the Xbox’s standard black color scheme, the RiotPWR is white with some bright-green accents under the thumbsticks and on the highest. It’s almost a Nickelodeon slime look, however it’s one which seems like a pleasant match with the Xbox brand.
The one thing that throws me off is its menu buttons that are laid into the controller flat quite than jutting out. It could be somewhat hard to hit them, especially when a phone is clipped in. It tends to hold over those buttons at nearly any angle, meaning you could have to wedge your fingers under it and feel around for the groove. On the plus side, it does contain a dedicated share button on the left side, which is a pleasant touch that goes beyond what a correct Xbox controller offers.
I’m impressed by the general quality of the RiotPWR, which nearly seems like a first-party device.
The mobile clip itself is especially well designed. It’s a separate piece that will be firmly slotted into the front of the controller (the slot has a rubber capper when it’s not in use), so it’s easy to disassemble it and pack it up for a visit. The mount feels quite sturdy, clamping down on my phone with a pressure that makes it feel secure. It gets a great angle range too, as I can bend it to have my phone nearly perpendicular to the gamepad or snapped to date back that I can’t see the screen.
I’m impressed by the general quality of the RiotPWR, which nearly seems like a first-party device. I do think it’s something I’ll likely find yourself using every so often, but likely more as a go-to office cloud controller than something I tackle the run.
Design quirks
The RiorPWR starts to actually lose some points in relation to just a few notable design quirks. The most important of those is its approach to connectivity. Quite than attaching to your phone wirelessly, it only connects via lightning cable — specifically, one which juts out of the back of the controller. The wire is excessively long and awkwardly hangs down when playing. The mount has somewhat groove to clip the wire in place, but it will probably’t fit a couple of pass of the wire. Mine coils around no less than twice, so there’s at all times a loop hanging off even when clipped.
Together with your phone’s lightning port in use, you possibly can’t use that to charge it while playing. To resolve that, the controller itself has a lightning port at the underside, which allows for pass-through charging. It could feel somewhat annoying to have a charging wire dangling between your hands, especially because it’s next to the headphone jack (though it’s weird to have a headphone jack in any respect when your iPhone’s lightning cable port will at all times be in use while playing).
The range of the mount can be somewhat limited. While the box says it supports iPads, I don’t have any earthly idea which one would fit. I even have an iPad Mini and the clip doesn’t extend nearly enough to suit it. My iPhone 12 can fit within the clip with its thin case on, but somewhat rubber bumper implies that I wouldn’t have the opportunity to suit my phone if it were only a bit wider. In case you use a thicker case, you would possibly have to remove it before slotting it in.
I just don’t know tips on how to justify a full advice regardless of how some ways I slice it.
Quirks like that put a dent in the general value, which is something RiotPWR can’t really afford to lose here. Considering how stiff the competition is, any otherwise small annoyance turns right into a much larger knock against it. On some level, I actually do love the RiotPWR Xbox Edition. It’s a wise device that compliments the Xbox ecosystem well. Anyone who strictly plays console-quality games on their phone could likely profit from it. I just don’t know tips on how to justify a full advice regardless of how some ways I slice it.
Our take
The RiotPWR Xbox Edition is a well-built cloud gaming controller that just about feels pretty much as good as a first-party device. It’s a superb Game Pass companion due to its Xbox gamepad layout and a sturdy mobile mount. It’s only a matter of competition. It doesn’t really compete with something just like the Backbone and even just an everyday Xbox controller with a mount — especially as a result of its $70 price tag. It’s an amazing mobile device, just not an amazing mobile device for 2022.
Is there a greater alternative?
The Backbone and Razer Kishi V2 are pricier, but more graceful cloud devices. In case you have already got an Xbox controller, just get something like Otterbox’s mobile clip and avoid wasting money.
How long will it last?
The clip itself feels sturdy, however it’s on the mercy of phone manufacturers. If the iPhone gets thicker, as an illustration, it may not fit down the road.
Must you buy it?
No. It’s an amazing device for what it’s, however it’s hard to justify the acquisition at this price point when there are higher solutions on the market.
Editors’ Recommendations
