There's no shortage of excellent mobile controllers on the market, so much so that sifting through the top choices is a daunting task. But, as someone who has plenty of experience testing out the range of options, let me make it a lot easier for you. The SCUF Nomad is our favorite choice for iPhone, and you can get it at a huge discount for a very short time, so be quick.
We've got good reason to believe that this is one of the best mobile controllers, thanks to Connor Christie's impressive 9/10 SCUF Nomad review, where he called it a "top-tier mobile controller," while also saying that "if this were 100% compatible with both iPhone and Android and had the option of touchscreen mapping, it'd be hard not to give it full marks." That's right, it's only for iPhone - sorry to those using the best Android phones.
However, if you do have an Apple handset, you'd be hard-pressed to find many better than this. It's a wireless controller, meaning you don't have to worry about Lightning or USB-C connections, but it still boasts an impressive 15-hour battery life, so it suddenly dying on you while playing the best iPhone games shouldn't be an issue.
Even if you don't take into account the reliable Hall Effect sticks, or the ergonomic design, or the great software with the SCUF Nomad app that doubles as a reliable game launcher, it's just a great-feeling bit of kit. Pairing it with the best gaming phones, so long as it's an iPhone, practically turns your device into a handheld console, allowing you to play any of the best mobile games that offer controller support, as well as remote play services like PS Remote Play, Xbox Cloud Gaming, or even Steam Link titles, if you happen to own a gaming PC.
Of course, the very nature of the controller's wireless nature does mean you'll have to charge it. Meanwhile, its biggest problem is that it doesn't feature a 3.5mm headphone jack, even though a lot of others do, including our top contenders with Gamesir's various models. However, it's a problem that the best earbuds for gaming can easily alleviate, and if you haven't got a pair, well, it's worth grabbing so you don't annoy anyone with various game audio in public - you and strangers alike will thank us later.
If you've been looking to turn your iPhone into the best handheld console, you can grab the SCUF Nomad controller for just $44.99 at Woot! using this link, securing a huge 55% off the usual price of $99.99, which is certainly the best time to grab it. We'd also recommend playing some of the best Apple Arcade games once it arrives, such as Balatro and Hello Kitty Island Adventure, so you can truly get the most out of your new SCUF Nomad.
Still deciding which phone to use the SCUF Nomad with? Well, our best iPhone list will give you all of the information you'll need on which Apple handset to choose for games. If you're hoping to stay safe when playing games or scrolling the internet, make sure to grab the best iPhone VPN and stay secure on your mobile phone.