Verdict
The SteelSeries Nimbus Cloud boasts itself as a unique answer to a 21st-century problem, enabling you to quickly fold up a brilliant mobile controller into a Bluetooth-ready gamepad. It also helps that it's fast, responsive, and comfortable to hold. It's just a shame it's so expensive.
- Responsive, tactile buttons
- Comfortable design
- Double threat and closes up for more space
- Expensive
- No wired connectivity
I've found myself wondering plenty of times before whether a mobile controller that switches to a usual gamepad would work, but it seems that SteelSeries got ahead of me on that idea. The SteelSeries Nimbus Cloud controller doubles as an extension to your phone as well as a Bluetooth-enabled bit of tech that surprisingly manages to be a jack-of-all-trades for iPhone and PC, as well as a master of its lane.
It's not perfect - nothing ever is. But the Nimbus Cloud feels like the right choice for someone who plays the best mobile games and then quickly dives onto a PC for a few sessions. It's expensive, as one of the priciest options compared to some of the top picks from our best mobile controllers guide, but it also has the benefit of being a double threat.
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Price and availability
The SteelSeries Nimbus Cloud controller, which I will be shortening for the remainder of this review, holds a pretty hefty price tag. At $149.99 / £149.99 at SteelSeries, it's one of the most expensive mobile controllers (and gamepads in general), while Gamesir's various offerings are much cheaper - the G8 Galileo remains one of my favorites at just $80 and can be found on sale frequently.
There's only one colorway here, a sleek, simple black. There's no RGB around the analog sticks, nor is there the Kishi V3 Pro's nice lighting in other places, just a light indicator for charging and battery life. That's not a deal breaker for me, but I would've liked a little pizazz, even if the controller's party trick is interesting enough on its own.
Design
I was surprised at how light the controller is, despite all of the little gimmicks that differentiate it from the competition, sitting at just a measly 230g. If I were a bad comedian, I would make the joke that it's as 'light as a cloud,' but for the sake of your reading experience, I won't make that joke.
I'm happy that the actual layout of the buttons feels exactly the way I'd like, an asymmetrical joystick with an Xbox-style approach, which is much better than the Steam Deck / PlayStation-like design. It's more comfortable to hold for long play sessions, and I've noticed that it's a lot easier to use in intense missions in the best FPS games, such as Destiny Rising and PUBG Mobile.
The obvious feature that makes the SteelSeries Nimbus Cloud stand out is how it can be a phone controller, extended out to fit your gaming phone at one moment, but then quickly close up to be used as a standard gamepad. That makes it remarkably easier to store and also means that it takes up less space on my desk. On its own, that's a pretty great reason to buy it.
All of the buttons feel remarkably clicky, and it seems that SteelSeries has taken a page out of Razer's book to make each press feel tactile and satisfying. That's not just a feature limited to the face buttons, but rather, everything from the shoulders and triggers to the press of an L3 or R3 - it complements the peripheral and makes each action feel enjoyable.
Performance
Straight off the bat, I had a small issue with the SteelSeries Nimbus Cloud that made it hard to enjoy fully. Even though the iPhone 17 Pro Max is compatible with the controller, as Apple suggests it is, the device's design with the plateau for the camera means that, while the large model does fit, it's not perfect, and it does feel a little loose for my liking.
However, that's one of only two problems with a pretty spectacular and unique controller. The Home button automatically directs to Apple's new Games app for instant access to your library of titles, without having to download a third-party app like the Backbone or Razer phone controllers do, and it makes it easy to jump straight into your favorite games quickly.
The connection with the USB-C is solid enough and doesn't randomly fall out of place despite my aforementioned worries about the 17 Pro Max, and playing Destiny Rising on it in particular made for a great time. I actually stopped playing the PC version as my main system to enjoy the gacha game on, simply because Destiny's brilliant gunplay feels truly impactful with the Nimbus Cloud.
However, I also had to make the unfortunate choice between my PC and iPhone for Destiny. The SteelSeries Nimbus Cloud, at least in all of my testing, won't connect to my PC with a wired connection - and that's a problem for me. While it's a problem alleviated by the Bluetooth option, I like having it wired up for low latency, and I also don't have a Bluetooth dongle attached to my computer.
If you do have a Bluetooth-ready device, like a handheld console or perhaps your gaming phone (if you want it set up a different way), then it works fairly well. The connection is quick and snappy. I didn't notice any latency issues when playing games like Dead Cells or COD Mobile, and it's got a decent battery life of around 15-20 hours based on my testing. I love the fact that it has passthrough, allowing you to charge the controller while you're gaming.
Should you buy the SteelSeries Nimbus Cloud Dual-Mode controller?
The answer to whether you should buy the SteelSeries Nimbus Cloud controller is a 'maybe,' and that likely depends on your situation. If you've got an iPad or another gaming tablet alongside your phone that other controllers don't fit, then it's a good all-in-one solution to a unique problem. It's pricey, sure, but the ease of use, as well as the fantastic design, make it worth that price.
If you're looking for just a mobile controller, chances are it's a bit overkill. You can pay a lot less to get a similar experience from the likes of Gamesir, and I don't think it's worth that $150 price tag when you're using it for just one reason. However, there's a good reason it's called a Dual Mode controller, and that's not because you'll want it for one device.
That's our SteelSeries Nimbus Cloud Controller review, and while it may be expensive, it's still a great controller to pair with some of our best budget gaming phones. If you're going to break the bank on a premium peripheral, you may as well save on upgrading your aging handset.