5 Best Gaming Controllers for iPhone 15 Series
Mobile gaming has just made a huge leap, thanks to the A17 Pro chipset in the latest iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max smartphones. A17 Pro is the world's first chipset based on the 3nm architecture and brings 20% better graphics and ray tracing capabilities. The chipset is so powerful that it can handle AAA titles like Resident Evil Village, Death Stranding, and upcoming Assassin Creeds Mirage. To enjoy these games on your iPhone, you need to invest in a gaming controller. Here are the best gaming controllers for the iPhone 15 series you can buy.
- Buy these iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max screen protectors to protect its display
Best gaming controllers for iPhone 15 series
While the regular gaming controllers for iPhones and iPads (like the PS5 and Xbox controller) will work fine with the new iPhone 15 series smartphones, the controller that turns your iPhone into a handheld gaming console won't work, as the new iPhone 15 series phones have switched to the new USB-C port.
The USB-C port is ubiquitous on most modern devices, allowing you to charge your iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks with the same cable. If you purchased the iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max, you can buy a USB-C to USB 3 cable to get fast 10Gbps transfer speeds.
While the USB-C port is good for the long term, the downside is that you now have to get rid of your lightning accessories. With all that said, let's check out the best gaming controllers for iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
- 1. BACKBONE One mobile gaming controller
- 2. Razor Kishi V2 for iPhone 15 series
- 3. GuliKit Kingkong 2 Pro
- 4. 8Bitdo Sn30 Pro
- 5. Xbox Core or PS5 DualSense
1. BACKBONE One mobile gaming controller for iPhone 15 series
BACKBONE One is our favorite gaming controller that will turn your iPhone 15 series smartphone into a handheld gaming console. The controller can accommodate the regular-size iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro and the bigger iPhone 15 Plus and iPhone 15 Pro Max. So, no matter which iPhone you buy this year, the BACKBONE One mobile gaming controller will work.
The controller features responsive analog joysticks with tactile directional and action buttons. We have used the BACKBONE One (the lightning version) with our iPhone 14 Pro and couldn't be happier with it. Moving from touch to physical controls is like going from raw to cooked food. You will never go back.
The on-screen controls are harder to use and take up a lot of display space, especially on the AAA titles, which reduces our enjoyment of the game. With BACKBONE One, you can play the game as they are meant to be played, and you will love every single second to fit.
2. Razor Kishi V2 for iPhone 15 series
Razor Kishi V2 is another great handheld gaming controller for the iPhone 15 series. Like the BACKBONE One, the Razor Kishi V2 converts your iPhone into a handheld gaming console, allowing you to play supported titles with physical controls. The controller uses cutting-edge microswitch buttons, analog triggers, and programmable macros to bring a console-quality gaming experience.
The controller lets you play mobile titles and supports game streaming services like Xbox, Steam Link, and PS Remote Play. It features a stable and extendable bridge that can accommodate all four iPhone 15 series iPhones and provides a secure fit that prevents your iPhone from falling.
The controller has an ergonomic design, allowing for long gaming sessions, and can still easily fit in your pocket. You can also install the Razor Nexus app to discover all the supported games that can make use of a controller. Razor is a brand known for gaming, and its Kishi V2 is one of the best gaming controllers for iPhone.
3. GuliKit Kingkong 2 Pro
If you prefer a traditional controller, we recommend the GuliKit Kingkong 2 Pro controller. The USP of this device is the Hall effect sensing joysticks that use permanent magnets that move relative to an electrical conductor to get the positional data. The joysticks never physically touch the sensors and don't wear out.
What this means is that you will never experience joystick drift, which makes for a better gaming experience. They are also more responsive and accurate than their analog counterpart. IFIXIT has done a great report on the Hall effect sensor, which you should read if you want to learn more.
We also love that the controller uses a steel ring on the joysticks, making for a premium experience. While the GuliKit Kingkong 2 Pro costs more than regular analog controllers, it is worth the extra money.
4. 8Bitdo Sn30 Pro
If you are looking for an affordable and compact controller you can take anywhere, we recommend the 8Bitdo Sn30 Pro controller. The 8Bitdo Sn30 Pro is a compact controller that can easily fit in your pocket or sling bag, making it the perfect controller for your day's outing. Despite its compact size, you get two analog sticks, a directional pad, action buttons, and shoulder triggers.
The controller offers 16 hours of battery life, so you don't need to charge it daily. While we don't recommend buying this if you enjoy long gaming sessions, this is the perfect controller for short bursts of gaming sessions. If you want a proper gaming controller, you can upgrade to the 8BitDo Pro 2 controller, which is a full-size controller.
Buy Sn30 Pro from Amazon / Buy 8Bitdo Pro 2 from Amazon
5. Xbox Core or PS5 DualSense
We end our list with the default recommendation of Xbox Core and PS5 DualSense controllers. If you already have an Xbox or PS5 console or are planning to buy one, there's no point in spending money on another controller for your iPhone.
Both the Xbox Core and PS5 DualSense are some of the best gaming controllers out there and you cannot go wrong with these choices. They offer long battery lives, tactile buttons, and premium joysticks. We love the D-pad control on the Xbox Core and the adaptive triggers on PS5 DualSense.
Both these controllers have their merits, and you cannot go wrong with either. We do not recommend buying these controllers primarily for the iPhone 15 series (as GuliKit Kingkong 2 Pro is better and 8Bitdo Pro 2 is cheaper), but if you have the consoles, these will serve the dual-duty well enough.
Buy PS5 DualSense from Amazon / Buy Xbox Core from Amazon
Top iPhone 15 series gaming controllers to buy
We love the BACKBONE One controller that turns the iPhone into a handheld gaming machine. We think it's the perfect gaming controller for iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max that now support AAA gaming. However, if you prefer to put your iPhone on a MagSafe charging stand and play games that way, the regular gaming controllers are better for you.
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