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How to sync your Xbox Wireless Controller
Easily connect your Xbox Wireless Controller to any device
Connecting an Xbox Wireless Controller with your Xbox might seem simple, but multiple controllers, new consoles, and connection issues can cause problems. While a foolproof way to connect your Xbox controller to your console is with one of the best USB-C cables, wireless connections avoid the frustrations of tangling with cables. We show you how to connect your Xbox Wireless Controller with your Xbox console.
The Gamesir Cyclone T4 Pro showed us you don't need to pay a premium for a great controller
Gamesir's fantastic controller is AP's best controller of the year
2023 was a big year for Android controllers, but one came out on top: the GameSir T4 Cyclone Pro. It may not be the most feature-packed or stylish Android-compatible controller on the market, but as we noted in our review, it does all the essential stuff better than its competitors. Whether you're gaming with a phone clip, an Android tablet, or your console, the Cyclone Pro has you covered. Typically, we would expect to pay a premium for a quality controller like this, but the Cyclone Pro is only $50, cheaper than the majority of the competition. Whether you're serious about gaming or need something to play casual games comfortably, the T4 Cyclone Pro is the best controller for Android gaming we've seen this year.
Cooler Master Storm Controller review: You get what you pay for
This gaming controller cuts numerous corners to hit its price point
Cooler Master’s Storm Controller is an Android and Windows gaming controller that aims to offer the essentials at a great value. I spent the last few weeks testing the Storm Controller to see how it stacks up against the best Android controllers on the market. While its massive battery sets it apart from many of its competitors, cheap construction and mushy buttons make it harder to recommend.
Turtle Beach Atom review: Comfortable Bluetooth gaming meets innovative design
You can't go wrong with this stellar Bluetooth controller
Snap-on controllers like those produced by Gamevice and Razer are some of the best mobile controllers around, but Turtle Beach’s Atom is an excellent device that can go toe to toe with any existing model. Thanks to its innovative design and massive battery, this is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a mobile controller, assuming they can stomach the price.
The Razer Kishi V2 offers a new Virtual Controller mode, and it's pretty slick
Easily add controller support to touchscreen games
Razer's Kishi line have been the go-to controllers on Android thanks to quality ergonomics and ease of use, with the Kishi V2 offering a design similar to the Backbone controller. Having reviewed the Razer Kishi V2 last June, we were impressed, though it was clear the supporting app needed some work. A new update for the Razer Nexus app brings it to 2.0, adding some much-need functionality and support for a new Virtual Controller mode. With this brand-new new feature in the Razer Nexus app, anyone can map the Kishi V2's physical controls to the touchscreen to finally tackle touchscreen-only games with something a lot more tactile. This is why I've gone hands-on with the new 2.0 update for Razer Nexus, to see just how well the fresh Virtual Controller mode works. Let's dig in.
Amazon's Luna Controller drops to its lowest price ever for Black Friday
Grab an Amazon Luna Controller at its best price yet
Inevitably, game streaming will be the future of video games. While it's still early days for the tech, there's no doubt Amazon's Luna platform is one of the better services, thanks to a solid pricing structure where you pick and choose the genres you enjoy, as well as dependable streams that deliver quality graphics up to 1080p. But if you wanted to jump into the game streaming platform with the official Luna Controller, this would typically run you $69.99, which is nothing to sneeze at. Thankfully today is Black Friday, and Amazon is running tons of sales, including a fantastic 43% discount on the Luna Controller for the lowest price to date.
Kickstart your Amazon Luna setup with this Prime Day bundle
Pounce on some deals for gaming gear during Amazon Prime Early Access
Amazon is holding yet another Prime Day event, and we're inching closer and closer to Black Friday. But this hasn't stopped quality sales from appearing, and if you're into gaming, especially gaming on Android as well as through streaming services, we have a few sales worth highlighting. First up is a discount on a Fire TV Gaming Bundle that comes with a Fire TV Stick 4K Max and Luna Controller, currently 40% off at $75. But that's not all.
Gamevice Flex hands-on: Even better than the original Razer Kishi
A familiar Kishi design returns under Gamevice, with plenty of improvements in tow
What with game streaming being in the news a whole heck of a lot recently, with Stadia shutting down, all the while, Logitech has a new handheld hitting the market soon. There has also been a rash of Android controllers released in the last few months that all offer Xbox branding (not to mention a free month of Cloud Gaming), signifying Xbox support, and one of the latest controllers hitting the market soon is the Gamevice Flex. The thing is, the Flex looks a heck of a lot like the Razer Kishi V1, and that's because Gamevice was partnered with Razer at the time the Kishi was released. Well, that partnership is over, with Razer now inspired by Backbone with the launch of the Kishi V2, which freed up Gamevice to take the design of the Kishi V1 and tweak it. So let's dig in and see precisely if these tweaks are worth it.
Razer Kishi V2 review: Micro switches make all the difference
Razer's managed to improve one of Android's best controllers
Razer hit the ground running back in 2020 with a slick mobile controller designed in partnership with Gamevice, known as the Razer Kishi. It's been two years since its release, and it was growing a little long in the tooth thanks to a size limitation inherent to the design where large phones and large camera bumps didn't fit.
The best console controller that works on Android has some hot new customization options
Plus, the new Pride controller is finally available
When you're a big-time console gamer, trying to make do on Android can be a bit of an adjustment. Sure, plenty of games are designed from the ground up with smartphones in mind, and make smart use of touch input — but there are also more than enough that will have you wishing for the reliable, precision input you're only going to find with a physical controller. Microsoft's got some great options, and its Elite Wireless Controller is easily one of the best Android gaming controllers around. Today we're checking out the company's slightly more affordable offering, as some fun new customization options come to the Xbox Design Lab.
The new Stratus+ controller from SteelSeries gets the GeForce Now thumbs up
That's right, it's GFN Thursday
One of the best controllers on Android has just gotten a little better. The SteelSeries Stratus Duo is our Editor's Choice here at AP, and SteelSeries has just updated the Stratus Duo, now called the Stratus+, and just like its predecessor, the Stratus+ is part of the GeForce Now Recommended program, so says Nvidia in its weekly GFN Thursday announcement. While much hasn't changed between the Stratus Duo and the Stratus+, gamers can expect the phone clip to now ship in the box (it used to be a separate purchase), with a fresh redesign to the clip that makes it easier to attach to the controller and smartphone.
HyperX is a fairly well-known peripheral manufacturer that grew popular thanks to its affordable gaming headsets. The company operates as Hewlett Packard's peripheral arm, now dabbling in all manner of hardware, such as mice, microphones, and keyboards. Well, since CES 2022 is in full swing, HyperX has announced its very first gamepad, and it's an Android-focused controller called the HyperX Clutch that will support Android and PC out of the box, and it even comes with a detachable mobile phone clip.
8BitDo's excellent Android-friendly Pro controllers are on sale for Black Friday
Plus support for Stadia, Steam, Switch, and more
With the holidays fast approaching, you might finally have time to dig into that backlog of games you've built up over years of sales and impulse purchases. Whether you're streaming Stadia to your Chromecast, playing through another run of Dead Cells on Android, or trying to buy any of those fancy new consoles, a good controller is a must. 8Bitdo makes some of our favorite third-party controllers around these days, and two of its best are on sale for Black Friday.
8BitDo's new Pro controller lets you remap its buttons from your phone
The Pro 2 also gets two rear buttons and easy profile switching, and it's still just 50 bucks
8BitDo has become, in a very low-key way, one of the best gaming accessory companies out there. Its last high-end controller design was praised for its ability to rebind controls on both the PC and Nintendo Switch. With the upgraded model, christened the 8BitDo Pro 2, you can now do that reprogramming without needing a full-sized computer. Like the excellent SN30 Pro+, the controller can be customized in terms of button layout and more esoteric options, like analog stick dead zones or trigger sensitivity. (It's great for Nintendo's weird A-on-the-right habit.) But the 8BitDo Pro 2 can be programmed via and Android (or iOS) app over Bluetooth, making it a lot easier to tweak your settings if you're playing on mobile or the Switch. Even better, the profiles for your button mapping aren't bound to the connection mode anymore: a button on the front switches between profiles on the fly, a la the Xbox Elite controllers.
Nvidia Shield TV can now use PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S controllers
The system update also includes security fixes and Control4 home automation support
The Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 started arriving on store shelves a few months ago, but both consoles have been incredibly difficult to find. If you've been lucky enough to score one, or you just have the controllers, here's some extra good news — you can now use your shiny new controller with Nvidia's Android TV boxes.
Sony's DualSense controller for the PlayStation 5 works with Android
But there are probably better controllers for your phone
Sony is starting to send out PlayStation 5 consoles (and the accompanying controllers) to reviewers and influencers, including tech YouTuber Austin Evans. Evans published an initial video about the console's 'DualSense' controller yesterday, which revealed an interesting detail for you smartphone gamers out there — the PS5 controller appears to work with Android.
How to use a PS4 controller on an Android phone or tablet
The DualShock 4 works very well on Android devices
The controller for Sony's PlayStation 4, the DualShock 4, is one of the most popular gamepads right now. It's even a great controller for people without PlayStation consoles, since it can also be used with gaming PCs and Android devices. That's right, you could be playing Fortnite, Minecraft, and plenty of other titles on your phone with physical controls with a PlayStation 4 controller.In this guide, we'll show you how to set up the DS4 with your Android phone or tablet, plus some tips for improving the gaming experience.
Stadia is rolling out support for its Wi-Fi controller on the web
You won't be needing the extra long cables anymore
While Stadia's launch last year arguably packed fewer features than we initially anticipated, Google is hard at work to add long-promised capabilities. This Tuesday, the company announced that it would roll out wireless Stadia controller support for laptops and desktops, and it looks like the capability is now already widely available. Just like always could on Chromecast, you can finally enjoy Stadia wirelessly on your computer using its first-party hardware.
During the first Stadia AMA on Reddit, we learned that support for Bluetooth audio through the controller would be coming but not available at launch in November. The Stadia FAQ page has just been updated to highlight that the same is true of audio over USB-C.
A couple years back, Microsoft released a Bluetooth-compatible version of its Xbox One controller, further cementing the company's game controller dominance. But when it came to using one with an Android device, there was a big catch: button mapping was broken compared to other controllers. According to a recent change on Google's bug tracker, that problem has been resolved in Android P.