One-minute assessment
Because the title would recommend, the Amazon Luna Wi-fi Controller is designed particularly for the Amazon Luna cloud gaming service. Though it appears identical to most different gamepads, its flagship characteristic is built-in Wi-Fi performance that connects the controller on to Amazon’s servers, chopping down latency by eradicating your PC or cell phone from the equation.
This characteristic alone makes it worthwhile when you’re a devoted Amazon Luna consumer, because it does make a noticeable distinction to play. Whereas I by no means discovered Amazon Luna to be massively unresponsive when taking part in with a traditional controller or a keyboard and mouse, the Luna Wi-fi Controller feels significantly snappier.
The Wi-Fi performance additionally permits a number of neat tips, like the flexibility to seamlessly swap between a number of gadgets in the event that they’re all related to the identical community. Due to its reliance on Wi-Fi, nevertheless, the controller have to be arrange utilizing the appropriate Luna Controller cellular app which is perhaps a dealbreaker for some.
Though Amazon Luna is the clear focus, the Luna Wi-fi Controller continues to be appropriate with a small variety of different gadgets through Bluetooth. This contains iOS and Android telephones along with PC, although enabling PC performance requires a devoted driver that’s buried in a assist web page on the Amazon customer support web site. The expertise on PC is not something too distinctive in comparison with lots of the greatest PC controllers, however it could be a stable selection in a pinch.
Worth and availability
- $69.99 / £59.99
- Obtainable from Amazon within the US and UK
- Not accessible in Australia
The Luna Wi-fi Controller prices $69.99 / £59.99 and is on the market to buy from Amazon. Just like the Amazon Luna cloud gaming service, the controller is on the market in each the UK and US however shouldn’t be presently supplied in Australia.
At this value, the Luna Wi-fi Controller is available in costlier than alternate options just like the Xbox Wi-fi Controller, which prices $59.99 / £54.99 and can be absolutely appropriate with Amazon Luna. Whereas the Xbox Wi-fi Controller lacks the flexibility to attach on to Amazon’s recreation servers, that means that it suffers from extra latency, it is nonetheless going to be a stable choice for many gamers.
Specs
| Worth | $69.99 / £59.99 |
| Dimensions | 2.3 x 6.16 x 4.24 in / 58.42 x 156.46 x 107.70 mm |
| Weight | 0.62 lbs / 281.5 g |
| Connection sort | Wi-fi (Wi-Fi / Bluetooth), Wired (Kind-C) |
| Compatibility | Amazon Luna, PC, Android, iOS |
| Software program | Luna Controller (iOS / Android) |
Design and options
By way of general design, the Luna Wi-fi Controller is about as commonplace as they arrive. It has a structure that’s nearly equivalent to the Xbox Wi-fi Controller, with roughly the identical general form and button structure. It’s constructed from an impressively high-quality plastic although, providing grips which might be very sturdy with a barely dimpled texture that makes them extraordinarily snug within the fingers. Along with the usual controller face buttons, that are pleasantly tactile and really responsive, the Luna Wi-fi controller has the usual dwelling button, begin button, and choose button on prime of a a lot much less standard Alexa button.
The Alexa button launches Amazon’s voice assistant, which you converse to by the controller’s built-in microphone. It’s fairly helpful if you’ll want to set a timer or create a fast reminder throughout a recreation, however sadly this characteristic is simply accessible whenever you’re taking part in on a Hearth TV that means that the majority gained’t be capable to make the most of it. The house button can be somewhat distinctive, because it encompasses a colourful LED ring that glows with a mushy purple hue whereas the controller is in use. This colour adjustments to convey necessary details about the controller, like if it’s low on battery or presently in pairing mode, which is a superb contact.
On the highest of the controller are the anticipated triggers, shoulder buttons, and a USB-C connector. Though the Luna Wi-fi Controller is powered by two AA batteries, which disappointingly final round 4 hours at most, it may be used with Amazon Luna in a wired capability when you’re keen to forgo the Wi-Fi connection.
The underside of the controller is then dwelling to the three.5mm headphone jack, which can be utilized with any appropriate wired gaming headset.
Efficiency
The thumbsticks are clean and responsive, adorned with charming purple highlights that lend the in any other case plain black and grey controller a much-needed sprint of colour. The D-pad is completely practical general, however its massive and principally flat form makes it a poor match for sure genres. In a fast-paced beat-em-up like River Metropolis Ladies, for instance, I discovered that it was fairly unwieldy when it got here to shortly swapping between left and proper actions.
The shoulder buttons on the Luna Wi-fi Controller are glorious, with an identical degree of clickiness to the face buttons, however the triggers do go away rather a lot to be desired. They’ve a weird degree of resistance and require a good quantity of power to drag which I discovered left my fingers feeling sore after significantly lengthy classes in first-person shooter (FPS) video games like Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction.
All in all, the Luna Wi-fi Controller is a reasonably sturdy package deal with a number of clear areas for enchancment. Whereas it is going to definitely fulfill many Amazon Luna followers, it’s not a controller that’s going to win over anybody not already absolutely invested within the service – particularly given its excessive asking value in comparison with the competitors.
Ought to I purchase the Luna Wi-fi Controller?
Purchase it if…
Do not buy it if…
Additionally Think about
When you’re in search of a controller that works properly with Amazon Luna, you also needs to contemplate these two alternate options.
| Row 0 – Cell 0 | Luna Wi-fi Controller | Xbox Wi-fi Controller | GameSir Nova |
| Worth | $69.99 / £59.99 | $59.99 / £54.99 / AU$74.99 | $34.99 / £39.99 |
| Dimensions | 2.3 x 6.16 x 4.24 in / 58.42 x 156.46 x 107.70 mm | 6.02 x 2.40 x 4.01 in / 152.91 x 101.85 mm 60.96 x | 6.26 x 5.98 x 2.56 in / 159 x 151.89 x 65.02 mm |
| Weight | 0.62 lbs / 281.5 g | 0.61lbs / 275g | 0.88 lbs / 400g |
| Connection sort | Wi-fi (Wi-Fi / Bluetooth), Wired (Kind-C) | Wired (Kind-C), Wi-fi (Bluetooth) | Wi-fi (2.4GHz and Bluetooth), Wired (Kind-C) |
| Compatibility | Amazon Luna, PC, Android, iOS | Xbox Collection X, Xbox Collection S, Xbox One, PC, Android, iOS | Nintendo Change, PC, Android, iOS |
| Software program | Luna Controller (iOS / Android) | N/A | N/A |
How I examined the Luna Wi-fi Controller
- Examined for over a month
- Used with Amazon Luna and PC
- In comparison with different gaming controllers
I examined the Luna Wi-fi Controller for over a month. Throughout this time I used it as my principal controller whereas taking part in the Amazon Luna cloud gaming service, experiencing all kinds of various video games to evaluate its efficiency in a variety of genres. This included loads of Fortnite, the majority of a Lego Star Wars 3: The Clone Wars playthrough, some River Metropolis Ladies, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction, Elex 2, Overcooked 2, and extra. I examined the options of the Luna Controller app utilizing an iPhone 15 Plus and in addition made positive to check out the controller’s 3.5mm headphone jack with a SteelSeries Tusq gaming headset.
Exterior of Amazon Luna, I briefly used the controller with my PC. Right here I performed a few rounds of Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons and ran across the sun-soaked streets of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth so as to examine the expertise with different gamepads.
First reviewed Could 2024
