Razer just announced the Kishi Ultra mobile controller – and we’ve already put it into practice
Gaming peripheral maker Razer has revealed the Razer Kishi Ultra, an all-new premium mobile controller available now for $149.99 / £149.99. Rather than a traditional mobile controller, the Razer Kishi Ultra feels more like a regular console controller cut in half. It’s the company’s first mobile controller to feature full-sized grips, thumbsticks, triggers, and buttons, […]
Gaming peripheral maker Razer has revealed the Razer Kishi Ultra, an all-new premium mobile controller available now for $149.99 / £149.99.
Rather than a traditional mobile controller, the Razer Kishi Ultra feels more like a regular console controller cut in half. It’s the company’s first mobile controller to feature full-sized grips, thumbsticks, triggers, and buttons, delivering a handheld gaming experience as close to that of a console game as possible.
Like other Razer controllers, the Razer Kishi Ultra uses tactile mechanical switches for its buttons, including a delightfully clicky concave D-pad. In addition to all the inputs you’ll find on a standard Xbox Wireless Controller, it offers two small programmable buttons located next to the triggers for an extra level of customization. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Razer product without RGB lighting, located in a light strip on the edge of each grip.
At the bottom of the controller is a USB-C port, allowing you to charge your device while you play, and a 3.5mm headphone jack perfect for use with any of the best gaming headphones. In addition to compatibility Along with the existing Razer Nexus app, which offers a virtual controller mode for playing touchscreen-only games, the controller features Razer Sensa HD Haptics, a new multi-directional haptic feedback system.
As a USB-C device, the controller works with Android phones or iPhone 15 in addition to iPad mini and 8-inch Android tablets. It can also be used as a wired PC controller, which can come in handy if you need a controller in a pinch. Although the feature is fully compatible with Android and PC, it is worth keeping in mind that the Razer Sensa HD Haptics are not yet available on iOS.
First impressions
I’ve been testing the Razer Kishi Ultra for two days now and have been very impressed so far. The large grips are a huge improvement over the overly narrow design of competitors like the Backbone One, while the full-sized thumbsticks and buttons make switching from mobile to console gaming much easier by completely removing the need to readjust constantly at a different size. controls.
After playing a few Call of Duty Warzone Mobile fits a Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus, I found the controller to be an absolute treat when paired with an iPad mini and an Apple Arcade subscription. From Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop has Sonic Dream Team, all the games I’ve tested so far have worked flawlessly and been a complete pleasure to explore. The iPad mini’s brilliantly sharp 8.3-inch screen puts the Nintendo Switch’s relatively small 6.2-inch screen to shame, making for a very luxurious portable gaming experience.
Outside of native Android and iOS titles, I also played a handful of games through the Amazon Luna game streaming service where, again, everything worked flawlessly. The only frustration I’ve had so far is with the interchangeable rubber pads included to ensure a good fit with different devices. Swapping them out is pretty simple, but it’s not hard to imagine the extra pairs getting lost if you try to take them out.
