Verdict
The 8BitDo Ultimate Mobile Gaming Controller is a fairly solid controller that does little to innovate in a packed market but offers exciting features like Hall Effect sticks and triggers at a very competitive price. While Bluetooth-only and a lack of iPhone support may bring it down a few points, it’s still a solid option for anyone running an Android phone.
- Excellent price
- Hall Effect sticks and triggers
- No software needed
- Battery life is mediocre
- No iPhone support
There’s no shortage of excellent phone controllers out there. While you have the typical controller-and-clip pair that seems to have mostly died out, the Switch-style extending controller is now the main option on the market. Even in that niche, you have Gamesir, Backbone, Razer, ASUS, and more, with 8BitDo bringing the Ultimate Mobile Gaming Controller against the stacked competition.
That does mean 8BitDo has had plenty of time to note any mistakes from the best mobile controllers, and hopefully work on improving a seemingly perfected style. Unfortunately, 8BitDo doesn’t do enough to stand out in a crowd, but it sticks the landing fairly well as just another great option, one that isn’t heavy on requiring lots of software for the best mobile games to run.
In terms of performance and ergonomics, it’s an impressive bit of tech that only suffers in a few places. Admittedly, those problems may be the difference between whether or not you buy it, but I’m mostly happy with the Ultimate Mobile Gaming Controller, yet 8BitDo certainly has room to improve with a second iteration.
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Let’s start with the good bits. For the best Android games that offer controller support, the 8BitDo Ultimate Mobile Controller feels fantastic. Offering a larger design than the hard-to-wield Backbone One, but one that isn’t as cumbersome as the Gamesir G8 Galileo, 8BitDo’s version of a phone controller hits the ‘just right’ spot.
That’s made even better by the incredible feeling sticks and triggers, which use Hall Effect tech for added wear resistance and to avoid that dreaded drift. It’s something that many companies are starting to add to their peripherals, but a lot of premium brands are charging… well, a premium for that feature, and the 8BitDo UMC is far from extortionately priced despite the excellent features.
Not only do the sticks and triggers feel great, but so do the face buttons and the D-Pad, all of which feel tactile and offer the ideal level of resistance. For the price, the entire peripheral feels sturdy and reliable, and like it should cost a lot more money than it really does.
The back of the telescopic device has an anti-slip textured back to help keep your phone secure, which is massively helpful considering there’s no USB-C connector to fix into your gaming phone (more on that soon). Interestingly enough, my S25 Ultra – a truly colossal phone – sits nicely into the Ultimate Mobile Controller with a pretty sturdy case bolted on, something that I’ve never experienced with other controllers.
That does, unfortunately, mean that the 8BitDo Ultimate Mobile Controller is a Bluetooth model. There’s still a decent 13 hours of playtime with the controller, and it only requires roughly 90 minutes to charge to full again, but it’s something that I rarely want to see in my mobile controllers. It’s not a huge problem, especially as it makes it better to pair with stuff like the ASUS ROG Phone (which has an annoying off-center port), but for many, it may be a huge negative.
Playing games like Minecraft, Terraria, or COD Mobile is an absolute breeze with the device, and despite a lack of plugging in, it feels plug-and-play. Unlike my experience with the Gamesir X3 Pro, which required the annoyance of relying on the software (which isn’t very good), the 8BitDo performs wonderfully. And with the previously mentioned Hall Effect and ergonomic design, it’s great to play for a few hours without any issues.
There is a relatively simple companion app, but it’s not required. However, if you’re looking to change your back buttons to an action of your choosing, or you want to adjust each stick’s dead zone, the app can do that. Notably, there are two 8BitDo apps on the Play Store, and it’s the 8BitDo Ultimate Software v2 version, as opposed to the non-V2, which is for the standard Ultimate Controller. It’s a bit confusing, but not a huge issue to solve.
However, there’s a fairly major issue – a lack of iPhone support. If you were hoping to play the best iPhone games using the 8BitDo Ultimate Mobile Controller, you’re out of luck. Considering the low price of the UMC ($49.99 / £39.99), it would be a wonderful addition to turn your iPhone into a worthy handheld console, but sadly, you’ll have to look elsewhere for another mobile phone controller.
If you’ve made it this far, it’s clear to see why I’m both impressed and disappointed in the 8BitDo Ultimate Mobile Gaming Controller. It’s a fairly safe peripheral, boasting little in terms of innovation while still offering plenty of great features, and it’s available at a fantastic price point. But, a focus on Bluetooth and a lack of iPhone support makes it hard to recommend for everyone. It’s a solid device, especially if you like keeping your case on your phone.
That’s everything you need to know when it comes to our 8BitDo Ultimate Mobile Gaming Controller review. If you’re running the best gaming iPhone, I’d recommend checking out our Scuf Nomad review or opting for a compatible GameSir controller. Or, if you’re looking for something a bit sturdier for gaming on the go, check out our list of the best handheld consoles right now.