Stretching it a bit, but we don’t mind blurting it out that the Razer Kishi is probably the best mobile gaming controller that we have seen in a while. The excitement of stacking up the good vs the bad and the ugly is buzzing, so let’s get to it. Straight up, the fact that the Razer Kishi works with most USB-C Android phones is a big plus from our end. We are Android Community after all!
The best mobile gaming controller yet, the pass-through USB-C charging for the phone along with the ports for audio is a great aspect. The cherry-icing is that its plug-n-play with no setup required. Making it a seamless experience, the heightened lag-free control, allows for an immersive experience, making you forget that you are using an add-on attachment. For folks who like to keep their gadgets neatly, these Razer Kishi fold up to a compact size and can be stowed away neatly.
Let’s get picky for a bit and dive into the cons of this gaming controller – the design is such that for some phones, the headphone port gets blocked. Though ergonomic in design, they seem to be a tad small for adult hands. For sure you can’t fit tablets, as it’s not made for them, but the biggest bummer is that there is no wireless connectivity.
Smart Built
With their legacy spanning over two decades, Razer has carved its niche in the gaming hardware world. Makers of an extensive range of devices that you can use for gaming, the Razer Kishi fits right into their portfolio. Although we have limited experience with the brand, it is something we are looking to fix. Right off the bat, hands-on experience with the Razer Kishi, we know that it feels like the perfect fit.
What we like about it the most is its potential longevity. Hooking up to Android devices via USB-C and folding up to a compact size when not in use, is not the crux of the device. The ability to fit with a vast variety and vast majority of Android devices, it works with the last several generations of Android and USB-C. This aspect unleashes the true potential of it being used, even if change your old Android device for a new one.
Easy as Plug-and-play
Gone are the days when we had to sync devices to new hardware and kept fingers crossed that they work. The Razer Kishi makes life easier for us by being a plug-and-play accessory. Unboxing it, you will find it in a compact form and held together by two plastic switches. When you unlock it though, the controller is kept in place using a strong rubber strap. This is how the device is structured: The Face Buttons, clickable analog thumbstick, USB-C power port LED light Status Indicator, trigger (R2), bumper (R1), speaker ports, and a phone connector (USB-C) are found on one side of the controller.
The left side hosts another clickable analog thumbstick, a function button, 8-way D-pad or directional buttons, a Home button or ‘special function button’, a trigger (L2), and a bumper (L1). To simplify the understanding, note that the USB-C parts are featured as the Lightning port and plug with the iPhone-compatible version of the Razer Kishi.
Plug the controller to a phone, using the USB-C connector, then expand the two segments appropriately, to fit the two ends of your Android device. The rubber back holds it all together and you will know that you have fitted the accessory correctly when the rubber bumper surrounds the top and bottom of your phone. This is to protect your device while you are gaming.
Thanks to the USB-C port at the bottom of the controller, you can change your phone while you are gaming. This feature is necessary because the controller itself is not fitted with a battery. It tanks up on power via your phone. Like we mentioned earlier, this is a plug-n-play device, hence no additional software is needed for you to get going. We simply plugged everything into place and the buttons came to life immediately.
To enhance your experience with the controller, we do recommend downloading and using the Razer Kishi smartphone app. It works like a game launcher and gives you pointers on how you can optimize your play.
The Verdict
The overall experience with the Razer Kishi was good, however, it could do with a sli8ghtly bigger size. It feels more like a Nintendo Switch rather than the Xbox controller or the PlayStation DualShock controller. Apart from this, it’s a good deal for $80 USD. It can be bought from the Razer Store online now.
The overall experience with the Razer Kishi was good, however, it could do with a sli8ghtly bigger size. It feels more like a Nintendo Switch rather than the Xbox controller or the PlayStation DualShock controller. Apart from this, it’s a good deal for $80 USD. It can be bought from the Razer Store online now.
