The Backbone One has been the preferred devoted controller for cell gaming for a number of years now. Outdoors of minor Gen 2 revision that added assist for telephone instances, the Backbone is identical dependable controller at present because it was when it launched in 2020. However beginning at present, you possibly can select between the Backbone One and the Backbone Pro.
The Backbone Pro takes cues from different pro-style controllers by including a pair of again buttons and customization choices designed to present gamers the liberty to fine-tune to the expertise to suit their preferences. The Backbone Pro retains its USB-C connection for iPhone 15/16 and Android telephones, however it’s also possible to use it as a wi-fi Bluetooth controller on tablets, PC, Mac, Steam Deck, and extra gadgets. The Backbone Pro is on the market now for $170 solely at Best Purchase and the Backbone on-line storefront. Whereas the Backbone One is on the market in PlayStation (white) and Xbox (black) editions with USB-C or Lightning connections, the Pro is simply provided in black with USB-C.
I have been utilizing the Backbone Pro for the previous week and am fairly impressed by the {hardware} and software program enhancements. The Backbone One was and nonetheless is a superb cell controller–it’s on the high of our telephone controller greatest listing (for now)–but the Backbone Pro provides a marked enchancment in ergonomics, customization, and integration with the superb dashboard and sport launcher app.
$170
This is a fast rundown of the Backbone Pro’s technical specs in addition to its design modifications.
Key Options & Updates:
- Platforms:
- iPhone 15/16 and Android telephones by way of USB-C
- Bluetooth wi-fi for PC, Mac, Steam Deck, tablets, VR headsets, and different gadgets
- Further Ports:
- USB-C passthrough for charging telephone
- 3.5mm audio jack
- Design:
- Bigger handles with textured end
- Full-sized ALPS analog sticks (not Corridor Impact)
- Concave stick caps
- Anti-friction rings
- Corridor Impact triggers with textured grips
- Two remappable again buttons (M1 and M2)
- Quieter “carbon-pill” face buttons and D-pad (shiny end)
- Backbone App integration:
- Remap all inputs contained in the app
- Adjustable set off and stick sensitivity
- Create set off and stick deadzones
- Customized profiles for every sport
- Constructed-in emulator for NES, SNES, GB, GBC, GBA
- Good Search helps you discover video games
- Launch all appropriate video games put in in your gadget
- Distant play Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation libraries
- Launch cloud gaming subscription providers
- Constructed-in assist for Apple Arcade (iOS) and Google Play Go (Android), and Netflix Video games
Backbone says it spent three years designing the brand new premium controller. That course of included dozens of consumer research and 1000’s of element iterations geared towards discovering essentially the most snug controller for as many gamers as attainable. Ergonomics are subjective, however the distinction between the Backbone Pro and Backbone One is straight away noticeable. The Pro mannequin is under no circumstances cumbersome, however the extra rounded, chunkier handles really feel extra pure.
The redesign is particularly helpful for longer play periods. In case you, like me, discover the Backbone One to be considerably uncomfortable when taking part in for longer than half-hour to an hour, the Pro’s kind issue is far friendlier on this regard. It caters higher to these with bigger palms with out sacrificing the compact design that many individuals love. My four-year-old son examined the Backbone Pro with a number of Apple Arcade video games with none points with the bigger measurement.
After I picked up the Backbone Pro for the primary time, my ring fingers rested naturally on the M1 and M2 again buttons. Relying in your hand measurement and the way you maintain the controller, it is perhaps extra pure so that you can use your center fingers as a substitute. Again buttons are now not novel options like they as soon as have been, but it surely’s a significant addition nonetheless.
The presence of again buttons spurred a considerable enchancment throughout the Backbone App. If you wish to remap your controls on the Backbone One on iPhone, it’s important to exit the app and use Apple’s devoted sport controller settings menu. On Android, the one official choice is Backbone’s TouchSync function, which is restricted to Backbone+ subscribers. Fortunately, the Backbone Pro helps enter customization throughout the official app. You’ll be able to shortly arrange as many customized profiles as you need, remap buttons, regulate set off and stick sensitivity, and create deadzones for each.
Talking of the sticks and triggers, it is value reiterating that whereas the Backbone Pro has Corridor Impact triggers, it does not have Corridor Impact sticks. The Backbone Pro’s full-sized sticks are actually nicer than the shorter ones discovered within the authentic. They provide a easy vary of movement and really feel exact, however these are nonetheless ALPS sticks. Although ALPS stays essentially the most extensively used analog stick technology–Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony all use it of their controllers–ALPS sticks are prone to drifting points. The anti-friction thumbstick ring ought to act as an additional layer of safety, but it surely’s nonetheless disappointing {that a} $170 pro-style controller does not have Corridor Impact sticks.
Like the original, the Backbone Pro’s greatest asset is its ability to turn your phone into a Switch-like gaming handheld. The ability to use the Backbone Pro as a wireless controller for other devices via Bluetooth is an interesting bonus. I tested the Backbone Pro on my PC, MacBook, iPad, Steam Deck, and Meta Quest 3S. From a pure performance perspective, the Backbone Pro works well as a wireless controller. The app remembers your devices, and you can swap between them almost instantly. Customization and game-specific profile support could make using the controller as a traditional gamepad enticing for some. As an Apple Arcade subscriber, it’s neat to have control profiles that can be used for the same game across iPhone, iPad, and Mac
If you already have a pro-style wireless controller for PC and mobile, the Backbone Pro probably won’t replace that. Without a phone attached, it feels a bit too light as a standalone wireless controller. Plus, if you’re like me, you might have a hard time getting past the visual aesthetic of the Backbone Pro without a phone between each half.
At $170, the Backbone Pro is one of the most expensive dedicated mobile controllers around. It’s $70 more than the Backbone One ($100) and $20 greater than the Razer Kishi Ultra, a high-end cell controller that launched final 12 months. For Android customers, it sounds much more costly when you think about that the 8BitDo Ultimate Mobile Controller prices $50 and is provided with Corridor Impact sticks/triggers and again buttons. However Backbone’s cell gaming expertise stays unmatched because of the Backbone App, and the Pro takes notable strides ahead in software program utilization.
In case you use your Backbone One a minimum of a couple of instances every week, you’ll doubtless recognize the Pro’s upgrades. And should you’ve averted the Backbone One purely since you thought it was too small, you need to give the brand new Pro mannequin a glance.
Current Backbone customers may also reap the benefits of one of the vital thrilling new options within the Backbone App: a built-in emulator on iOS and Android for NES, SNES, and Recreation Boy video games (GB, GBC, and GBA). It is at the moment in beta, however I examined homebrew video games for every platform and located the expertise to be as easy as different retro emulators on iOS.
Backbone supplied GameSpot with a pre-launch pattern for testing.