If you want to play Android or iOS games with physical controls, the easiest and most portable way to do so is with a clamp-on phone controller. You could also buy a regular Bluetooth gamepad, though it won't stay attached to your handset unless you add a clunky clip. Or you could get both with the Backbone Pro, a $169.99 snap-on phone controller that's almost as compact as the Backbone One and has Bluetooth. The Backbone Pro performs well in both roles and feels better in the hand than its predecessor. However, it isn't quite as comfortable as the full-size Razer Kishi Ultra ($149.99), and it locks several useful companion app features behind a $39.99 yearly subscription. Still, it's a good compromise if you want a single gamepad you can easily use with your phone or PC.

Design and Controls: Not Quite a Full-Size Gamepad

The Backbone Pro is slightly chunkier than the Backbone One at 4.1 by 7 by 1.4 inches (HWD). It's still easy to slip it into a pocket, despite the plumper, rounded grips that are much more comfortable to hold. Weighing 7.02 ounces without its rubber inserts installed (more on those in a bit), the Backbone Pro feels a little hollow since it doesn't have haptic motors. Still, it doesn't feel remotely flimsy. The Backbone Pro is a well-built, comfortable gamepad. 

(Credit: Will Greenwald)

The controls consist of a standard Xbox-style gamepad layout with offset dual analog sticks on either grip. There is also a plus-shaped direction pad below the left stick, A/B/X/Y face buttons above the right stick, and a pair of bumpers and analog trigger sets on the top. Small system buttons for Start/Select, Capture, and Backbone/Guide sit below the direction pad and right analog stick. The Backbone button lights up and doubles as a status indicator.

The Backbone Pro's analog sticks are larger than the ones on the Backbone One and the same size as the sticks on an Xbox controller. They don't use Hall effect sensors like the magnetic triggers. Due to the controller's compact design, the triggers' pull distances are much shorter than the triggers on full-size gamepads. Likewise, the face buttons are noticeably smaller than full-size gamepad buttons, though slightly larger than Nintendo Switch Joy-Con face buttons. They're satisfyingly clicky, though.

Like the Backbone One, the Backbone Pro has a USB-C port in the right grip and a headphone jack in the left grip. They serve the same power and audio pass-through functions. A new pairing button puts the controller into Bluetooth pairing mode. Since the Backbone Pro functions as a standalone wireless controller, the USB-C port also charges its internal battery, not just the phone it's attached to.

(Credit: Will Greenwald)

The Backbone Pro works with almost any phone with a USB-C port. That covers most Android phones and iPhone 15 (and later models). The older Backbone One has an iPhone-friendly Lightning version if you have an iPhone 14 or earlier handset. The Backbone Pro holds phones between approximately 3.4 and 7 inches long, so it can snap onto phablets like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. If you own an iPad mini or a small Android tablet, consider the larger Razer Kishi Ultra.

Two pairs of included rubber adapters (one narrow, one wide) let you get a snug fit. They aren't designed for specific phone models, but they should accommodate your handset. To use the Backbone Pro with your phone, just pull it open and slip the phone between the jaws with the USB-C plug lined up with the phone's port. Your phone should automatically detect that it's connected to a Backbone controller and prompt you to download the Backbone app for configuration. At that point, the Backbone Pro functions as a controller for any game that supports it.

Wirelessly connecting the Backbone Pro to a compatible device is easy. You press the pairing button and sync using a phone's standard process. It works with anything that supports a generic XInput Bluetooth gamepad, including PCs, phones, tablets, and many media streamers and TVs with games or game streaming apps.

(Credit: Will Greenwald)

If you wirelessly use the Backbone Pro with your phone, you can't access the Backbone app's features. As mentioned, the Backbone Pro lacks haptic motors, so the only rumble you'll experience will potentially come from your handset. According to Backbone, the Pro can function as a Bluetooth controller for up to 40 hours between charges.

Software: Major Features Need a Subscription

Even though the Pro's basic controls work without issue, you'll want to launch the Backbone app to update the firmware and add features. For example, the app lets you remap the controller inputs and take screenshots with the Capture button. Once it's all set up, the Backbone app opens whenever you insert your phone. You can also launch it by pressing the orange Backbone button.

(Credit: Backbone/PCMag)

Out of the box, those functions are where the Backbone app starts and ends, but you can expand the feature set with a Backbone+ membership ($39.99 per year). Backbone+ lets the app launch installed and streaming games, capture video at up to 1080p60 with cloud storage and Twitch streaming support, and use voice chat with other Backbone+ subscribers. iPhone users also get beta access to an in-app emulator for retro games.

Most of Backbone+'s features should be available by default with the Backbone Pro and are unnecessarily gated behind a subscription. The emulator and voice chat are fun bonuses, but they are already well-supported on mobile devices with RetroArch and Discord, respectively. It just doesn't feel necessary. 

(Credit: Backbone/PCMag)

Playing Games With the Backbone Pro

I had no problem controlling PC games with the Backbone Pro thanks to Steam's gamepad support. It also worked well with the Xbox app, albeit not quite as consistently. I had several hiccups with Claire Obscur: Expedition 33; it occasionally wouldn't respond to controller inputs, though restarting it fixed the problem. It seemed like an issue with the game rather than the Backbone Pro, because the controller worked reliably under all other circumstances.

The full-size analog sticks were comfortable to use in testing, and they tracked movement consistently. Likewise, the buttons, bumpers, and triggers had just the right amount of resistance. Although the gamepad's face buttons are a bit small, I didn't accidentally press the wrong ones while playing. Moving and aiming with the analog sticks were similarly accurate, which resulted in exciting Monster Hunter Wilds and Palworld sessions. That said, the analog triggers' shallow pull required a bit more finesse than usual to accelerate and brake precisely in Forza Horizon 5.