One-minute evaluate
The Cellular Controller MG-X Professional is probably the most disappointing cellular gaming controller that I’ve ever examined. For the lofty worth of $119.90 / £99.90 – which is a whopping $19.91 greater than the Spine One 2nd Gen within the US – you’re getting a cellular controller that performs worse, has a decrease construct high quality, lacks lots of main options, and, within the case of the iPhone variant that I attempted, does not even match correctly on some current telephones.
There’s merely no purpose to think about this controller at its retail worth – however that’s to not say that it’s utterly irredeemable.
The thumbsticks are a bit of unfastened for my style however undeniably work properly for fast-paced video games like Name of Obligation: Warzone Cellular. The massive, Xbox-style buttons are additionally responsive and fairly interesting for those who intend to make use of them for Xbox Cloud Gaming – although it’s a disgrace that the D-pad is uncomfortably flat and imprecise. There’s additionally the truth that this can be a Bluetooth gamepad, which, despite the fact that which means that it requires separate charging and doesn’t characteristic charging pass-through, some may nonetheless want over the wired connection of the Spine One 2nd Gen.
The Cellular Controller MG-X Professional is kind of a singular form too, being one thing of a center floor between the compact Spine One 2nd Gen and the full-size Razer Kishi Extremely, and comfy within the fingers for prolonged gaming periods.
If you could find it on sale with a reduction of fifty% or above, I may see this being a stable, although definitely not main, choice. In any other case, I’m hoping that producer Nacon takes the Cellular Controller MG-X Professional again to the drafting board for an up to date, overhauled successor.
Cellular Controller MG-X Professional: Value and availability
- iOS model prices $119.90 / £99.90
- Android model is $99.90 / £74.90
- Out there by way of Nacon and Amazon
The Cellular Controller MG-X Professional sells for $119.90 / £99.90 on the Nacon web site and related charges over at Amazon. It’s accessible in each the US and UK, with two alternate variations to select from. I examined the white ‘iPhone’ variant, which is appropriate with iOS gadgets.
The Android, or ‘Xbox’ model, is available in black – with a bigger Xbox-style residence button. Regardless of being a licensed product, it’s bizarrely a bit of cheaper than the iOS one – at $99.90 / £74.90.
I wouldn’t say that that is good worth, however at this lower cost, the Cellular Controller MG-X Professional is a bit of bit extra aggressive within the face of the $99.99 / £99.99 Spine One 2nd Gen.
Cellular Controller MG-X Professional: Specs
Value | $119.90 / £99.90 (iOS) / $99.90 / £74.90 (Android) |
Dimensions | 2.4 x 9.29 x 3.94in / 62 x 236 x 100mm |
Weight | 0.77lbs / 350g |
Connection kind | Wi-fi (Bluetooth) |
Compatibility | iOS / Android |
Software program | MG-X Sequence App (iOS) |
Cellular Controller MG-X Professional: Design and options
- Thick and comfy within the fingers
- Plastic feels low cost
- Face buttons are dependable
The Cellular Controller MG-X Professional’s design is a midpoint between smaller choices just like the Spine One 2nd Gen and Scuf Nomad and bigger cellular gamepads such because the Razer Kishi Extremely. It’s fairly hefty, weighing 0.77lbs / 350g, with an general form that’s a bit paying homage to the Xbox Wi-fi Controller, albeit with an extending spring-loaded again to accommodate the addition of a cell phone.
The grips are thinner than Microsoft’s pad, nevertheless, and the general structure is a bit of bit squashed as compared – with the thumbsticks, buttons, and D-pad all very shut collectively. It’s definitely not uncomfortable, even in my bigger fingers, and I really fairly like the way in which that little nook beneath the rear triggers offers an ideal little resting place on your center fingers.
Nonetheless, the construct high quality is a letdown at this worth level. There are cheap-looking seams on the perimeters of the controller, plus a number of seen imperfections within the plastic molding. Some corners are fairly sharp too, particularly the place the cellphone is hooked up, which sometimes led to me painfully scraping my fingers on it whereas making an attempt to get my gadget out and in. That is nowhere close to the just about Apple-like building of the marginally cheaper Spine One 2nd Gen.
It is a Bluetooth gamepad, so it has no bodily connection to your cellphone. As a substitute, it is advisable to flip it on by holding the small residence button and ready for it to connect with your gadget. 4 small LED indicators present you its present standing, akin to its present battery degree and whether or not it is in pairing mode. On the underside of the controller is a USB-C port, used to cost up the controller. Keep in mind that, not like the Spine One 2nd Gen, there’s no charging pass-through right here, so gained’t be capable to high up your gadget whereas it’s in use. There’s additionally no headphone jack, so most of the greatest gaming earbuds merely gained’t work.
The Cellular Controller MG-X Professional is appropriate with the MG-X Sequence App, which bizarrely solely gave the impression to be accessible on iOS. That is absolutely purposeful, however lacks something past probably the most primary options – solely providing thumbstick calibration, a fast management information, and the choice to replace your gamepad. There’s no button remapping right here, no strategy to customise set off sensitivity, no checklist of urged appropriate video games, or actually any purpose to ever boot it up. It’s considerably behind the Spine or Razer Nexus apps, which each operate as recreation launchers and supply primary requirements akin to button remapping along with a number of killer options like, in Razer’s case, a incredible digital controller mode.
A minimum of the setup course of is mercifully easy, merely requiring you to activate the controller and choose it out of your cellphone’s Bluetooth menu to pair.
Cellular Controller MG-X Professional: Efficiency
- Sturdy battery life
- Thumbsticks really feel fairly unfastened
- D-pad is terrible
The efficiency of the Cellular Controller MG-X Professional is nearly acceptable, supplied you ignore the worth. The thumbsticks are roughly equal in dimension to the Xbox pad however with a thinner column and way more journey.
There’s not lots of resistance, which makes them fast to make use of in fast-paced multiplayer video games like Name of Obligation: Warzone Cellular or PUBG Cellular, however on the identical time signifies that they really feel a tad slippery.
The face buttons have a flat design with lots of floor space and a pleasing, membrane-feeling mechanism. The D-pad can also be very flat and spongy, however not like the buttons, I quickly discovered that this made it very laborious to make exact inputs. Urgent proper would typically additionally set off an upwards enter and for those who play a number of platformers or retro video games with D-pad controls, that is going to be a whole dealbreaker.
A word on accessibility
Nacon despatched me the Android variant for testing – and I’ve had a reasonably constructive expertise with it from an accessibility standpoint. Because of its chunky design, it is the one cellular controller I’ve actually been ready to make use of and has let me get pleasure from Stalker 2 on the couch by way of distant play. Every arm is completely sized and the buttons are organized intently sufficient for my totally different fingers to have interaction with. It is a disgrace in regards to the worth and construct, however for these seeking to strive a uniquely formed cellular controller, the MG-X Professional earns some credit score.
– Rob Dwiar, Managing Editor, TechRadar Gaming
The iOS model of the Cellular Controller MG-X Professional additionally does not match properly for those who’re utilizing a bigger iPhone. I examined the controller with my iPhone 15 Plus, the place the big digicam module makes it tough to securely insert. It goes in fantastic sufficient at first, however is unfastened and will fall out for those who’re not cautious. After a fast look on-line, I found that this was fairly a standard grievance with a handful of shoppers saying that it didn’t match an iPhone 14 Professional Max both.
Swapping over to an outdated iPhone 12, this was not a problem in any respect, so it’s clear that Nacon must revise the design for contemporary iPhones – or on the very least add a disclaimer to its retailer web page clarifying precisely which gadgets it’s most appropriate with. This makes it a cellular controller that you just’re realistically not going to wish to use out and about; in spite of everything there’s no level risking your cellphone coming unfastened and falling out onto a tough floor when you’re making an attempt to recreation on the prepare.
The one space the place the Cellular Controller MG-X Professional unreservedly delivers is in its battery life. Nacon claims that it’s going to final “as much as 20 hours” and I can attest that it will get very near that determine. I used to be ready to make use of the controller repeatedly all through the week with out ever having to fret about charging it up, which is superb.
Ought to I purchase the Cellular Controller MG-X Professional?
Purchase it if…
Do not buy it if…
Additionally think about
Searching for one thing a bit higher than the Cellular Controller MG-X Professional? Contemplate these two robust alternate options as an alternative.
| Row 0 – Cell 0 | Cellular Controller MG-X Professional | Scuf Nomad | Spine One 2nd Gen |
Value | $119.90 / £99.90 (iOS) / $99.90 / £74.90 (Android) | $99.99 / £89.99 / round AU$179.99 | $99.99 / £99.99 / AU$179.99 |
Dimensions | 2.4 x 9.29 x 3.94in / 62 x 236 x 100mm | 7.95 x 3.98 x 2.01in / 201.9 x 101.1 x 51mm | 6.93 x 3.70 x 1.34in / 176 x 93.98 x 34.03mm |
Weight | 0.77lbs / 350g | 0.5lbs / 228 g | 0.30lbs / 138 g |
Connection kind | Wi-fi (Bluetooth) | Wi-fi (Bluetooth) | Wired (Kind-C / Lightning) |
Compatibility | iOS / Android | iPhone 15 Sequence, iPhone 14 Sequence and earlier | iPhone 15 Sequence, Android / iPhone 14 sequence and earlier |
Software program | MG-X Sequence App (iOS) | Scuf Nomad Companion App (iOS) | Spine App (iOS / Android) |
How I examined the Cellular Controller MG-X Professional
- Check for a number of weeks
- Tried with a wide range of cellular video games
- In comparison with different controllers
I examined the iOS model of the Cellular Controller MG-X Professional for roughly three weeks. Throughout that point I paired it with my trusty iPhone 15 Plus and, briefly, an outdated iPhone 12. I performed all kinds of appropriate cellular video games, together with favorites like Name of Obligation: Warzone Cellular, Zenless Zone Zero, Hitman Blood Cash Reprisal, Name of Obligation Cellular, and extra.
All through my time with the controller, I in contrast my expertise with my hands-on testing of different cellular gamepads together with the Razer Kishi, Razer Kishi Extremely, Spine One, Spine One 2nd Gen, Scuf Nomad, Turtle Seashore Atom, and GameSir X2s Kind-C.
First reviewed February 2025
