BACKBONE One Mobile Gaming Controller for iPhone 14 & Older (PlayStation Edition) Lightning - 2nd Gen - Phone Controller, Play Xbox, PlayStation & More (With 3 Months of Apple Arcade Access)

This Backbone for PlayStation is an impressive mobile gaming controller that enhances the gaming experience on your smartphone. Designed to provide console-like controls, it connects seamlessly to your phone, turning it into a portable gaming device that supports a wide range of PlayStation games. The ergonomic design ensures comfort during extended gaming sessions, and the controls are responsive and precise, offering excellent feedback with every press. The Backbone’s compatibility with PlayStation Remote Play allows you to stream your console games directly to your phone, making it an ideal accessory for gamers who want to play on the go. It also supports a variety of other mobile games, offering versatility beyond just PlayStation titles. The quality build, user-friendly setup, and immersive gaming experience make the Backbone for PlayStation a must-have for any mobile gamer or PlayStation enthusiast. It’s a great way to enjoy your favorite games wherever you are, with all the controls you need for a satisfying experience.

The following critiques will be faily split between PS Remote Play testing results and the Backbone peripheral itself, which is an A+ highly recommended device for Playstation/Xbox players, and maybe the small (?) population of Steam users who aren't quite on board spending >$500 on the impeccable Steamdeck yet would like an occasional time away from the keyboard and mouse. It may not be a return to the days of the underrated Playstation Vita, but it's close enough.Pros- Controller is an almost 1:1 of the Switch joycons in terms of scale and layout (not ideal for big boy hands like mine) which took alot of adjusting to despite the brand's console-specific face buttons(ABCs for Xbox, XYOs for Playstation) and matching triggers to emulate the respected controller aesthetics. Analog sticks match the feel of the standard first party joycon so least it doesn't have a cheap click to it but time can only tell.- The Backbone app is very user-friendly and comfortable. More or less an imitation of the Gamepass and PS Network UIs put together but you can easily switch between Playstation, Gamepass, and Steam apps via the dedicated red home button on the right handed grip. Navigating is simple and the app offers an in-house directory for platform game streaming, F2P base games, and even social media features if you're into that sort of thing. Pretty cool stuff and although I'm only going to go straight to PS5 play or Steam Link, I appreciate the effort they put into making Backbone a serious companion to all platforms.- Concerning actual gameplay, latency is rock solid for most games sans a few exceptions, maybe a few milliseconds off. On remote play, I ran at 720p to maintain steady frame rate without harsh drops. It's been reported here and there that the Backbone SORT OF has a hand in making the remote experience as smooth as relatively possible compared to a non-Backbone method. Might be a theory but point is, had practically no major issues. Tested games such as GRID Legends, Returnal, Doom, NHL 22, Resident Evil 4 in addition to some older 3D games and turn-based RPGs which this is perfect for.- Compatibility with PS+, Gamepass, Steam Link, Google Play, annnnnd yes, the wide wide world of emulators. A tremendous positive it shares with the Steamdeck. Enough said.Minor Cons- Going back to the controller design, the thumbsticks could be a little larger because shooters will lead to some sore appendages for bigger hands like mine after maybe half an hour of constant playing. So this is purely subjective; I tried applying removable thumb attachments but they didn't fully fit and they fell off easily.- Touchpad optimization is non-existent for the controller for obvious reasons however a little back button could remedy this. Otherwise, given the wide length of the attachment plus phone it is a real chore holding the Backbone in one hand so you can press the middle of your smartphone's touchscreen with the other. Not a design or manufacturer flaw and I don't know if there's a solution for it either considering the way Sony implemented that in their own dedicated app (which Backbone mirrors via its own app). It is the only noticeable tangible problem though.- Lastly, from an exclusive streaming/remote play experience, the Backbone's peak of its potential completely hinges on your router distance and ISP plan. The farther away you are from the gateway, the more hangups you'll get not to mention stuttering pixelation quality. I read that using a smartphone's data and wi-fi still does plenty of heavy lifting to run decently unlike the stupid >$400 Playstation Portal which operates way worse on very specific hardware only on wi-fi.This is in no way influenced by the hardware whatsoever BUT be cautioned if you are purchasing the controller for entirely streaming.So to conclude, for what is an official Sony and Microsoft endorsed $60 (Black Friday sale) peripheral that is compatible with any USB-C smartphone and functions with the premier gaming services (plus Google Play emulators)...Backbone is not a bad investment at all to say the very least.Highly recommended, just make sure it's suitable to your gaming needs.

Actually I bought it to make a gift, and what do you think? 😊 My husband installed it on his phone and has not stopped using this wonderful game. Easy to use and pair with your mobile, it works very well, it has many games but you can download the ones you love, and the screen is spacious and sharp, you will not regret buying it😊💯💯

Summary:The backbone is extremely light weight and does exactly what it says. It took me a bit to understand the setup for streaming as it doesn’t come with instructions for setting up steam link and I’ve never done it before. Once I figured that out however it was great. I’ve been able to play Destiny 2 without needing to sit at my computer. There were a few configuration changes that I needed to make in game that I wish the backbone would take on. The first being the sensitivity of the sticks as they’re a lot smaller than the ones on a regular controller so a high sensitivity with have you all over the place. The second is the fact that I have to downgrade my resolution to 1080p from 4K. This isn’t a deal breaker but switching it when I go back to my pc and again when I go to the backbone can get a bit annoying. I was able to get enough frames in full on fire fights and move adequately once all of the configuration was done with very little delay or stuttering.Pros:* very lightweight. I was able to lay down and hold it over my face without fear that it would fall or that my arms would get tired quickly.* the 8mm aux plug is very handy, I bought a super cheap pair of ear plugs that go well with it.* the backbone app seems to have a lot of cool stuff so you don’t need a console to play some of the great games they have.* controls take some getting use to but they’re very responsive, too responsive in the case of the tiny joy sticks.Cons:* the backbone app has a subscription service, if you’re just using it for steam link then you can maybe bypass this.* for iPhones that need adapters like the iPhone 13 Pro, you don’t just have to take off the case but also you have to take off your camera protection to make it fit. I keep the camera protection on but it makes it slide out a little at a time.* you still have to download steamlink separately. I only use it to play destiny 2 so I never really need to open the backbone app.* the calibrations are very limited and the customizations don’t provide much value outside of simple bottom mapping. The 4 main buttons at the bottom can’t be changed.* the sticks take a lot of getting used as they’re very tiny compared to full blown controllers and the placement of the sticks are weird. I’d appreciate a version with the buttons below the sticks on the right side.it makes my brain do gymnastics some times to remember the lack of symmetry between the left and right side. Either put the sticks both at the top or both at the bottom please.* no back paddles. I use an 8bitduo controller for my pc games and they come with customizable back paddles which have made gaming an amazing experience. Not sure how difficult this would be to add but it would probably put my review up to a clear 5 star rating.Tips:Back/SELECT button - my first complaint was that there was no back button and no way to map one. I found out after digging that the “…” button works as a function button. So if you press it then the “O” button, it replicates a select/back button press. You may want to disable the default behavior for the “…” in steam and in the settings configurations for the backbone.