Customer Ratings & Reviews

Awesome mobile gaming device/controller. Works with the new IPhone 14 Pro Max. Just need to use the 13 pro max adapter included with the controller! I would get the warranty Best Buy offers just in case of accidents. Quality over all, it feels solid. Let’s see how the bottoms and sticks hold up after 9 -12 months.

I had the original Backbone and while the form factor was nice to look at, it felt weird in texture. Time has passed and i decided to take a chance on the new PS Edition (same functionality as the original, so others wont be confused). Im absolutely loving it this time around. I dont know what they did but it feels great even after long sessions. Being able to even remap buttons, and recording on the spot (membership required for that). The ONLY reason I give this review 4 stars instead of 5 is because Backbone ADVERTISES a one year membership of the Backbone+ membership with every purchase. I personally received a 2 week trial, and a friend of mine whom I gifted one to was given a 7 day trial. That is just terrible marketing. I emailed Backbone days ago and still havent gotten a reply either although they also ADVERTISE 24/7 support.

This gamepad is incredible and very responsive. Plus, it has the lightning port and headphone jack, you can play peacefully and charge your iPhone at the same time. However, it isn't case friendly and doesn't flush when you have a lens protector. It also has the adapter for iPhone 13, 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max (hopefully the adapter works with iPhone 14, 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max, so that the gamepad can be flushed and fit perfectly with the phone. Overall, still a good gamepad for not only for PlayStation users, but also for Xbox Xcloud and remote play for current Xbox consoles, mobile users who plays COD Mobile, Genshin Impact, PUBG Mobile and Steam Link (play Steam games via remote play). Highly recommending it!

Disclaimer - I’m not a professional on any items like this, I’m you’re average dude who had a Best Buy gift card and used it. Product feels nice to use, it’s what you’d expect for the price tag. I liked the PlayStation button layout because that’s what I’m used to. It’s all great until you realize that the library for mobile games that are actually enhanced by this device basically consists of just Cod Mobile and maybe Apex. Then suddenly you don’t feel like it’s worth $100 anymore. The subscription that comes with your purchase, the one that wears off in a month to a service that you’ve already paid $100 for, also takes away a chunk of rating that a shortcutted screen recorder button doesn’t earn back. The subscription should have more to offer, give you more time free, or maybe even be free for it to be worth it money. Still cool for what it is, but I personally wouldn’t recommend anybody else get unless they have money to burn and are fairly set on this product. My Final Verdict - A 7.5/10 (As a PS, the subscription to the app and the app itself gives you free limited access to some other recurring subscriptions like 3 months discord nitro, which is pretty nice).

This controller is amazing,the only thing I. Wish is that the joysticks were a little better and that it connected to my PS5 a little smoother,but that could be just internet speed when I was away from home. At home with fiber this thing is breathtaking the simple fact that I don’t need a new handheld to play PS5 games is so dope!

It’s good works with any phone easy to use can take it anywhere

Very suitable and great grip of the controller. Easy to connect and ver good with video games

I've seen the Backbone's for a while and have always wanted one, but I've been a PlayStation guy since the PS4 released and thus, it never really appealed to me as they've all used the regular "Xbox" button layout. I don't do too many mobile games on my phone and have always wanted to dabble with Remote Play on PlayStation, but never really wanted to deal with the extra controllers, setup and such. Then, I heard that Backbone was releasing a PS5-themed version of their controller and I decided it was finally time to get one! Now, I've done a lot of research in the past, as I've thought about getting one before. I know you cannot use your phone case with it. Which, for me, is not such an issue because I use an Apple silicone Magcase on my iPhone 12 Pro Max, so the phone just pops right out. Not a big deal. However, I do use a Zagg screen protector and even in my research before pulling the trigger on this PlayStation-themed Backbone...I've read online and on various forums that it is fully compatable with screen protectors and that there should be no issues in that department. So, with this knowledge, I went ahead and bit the bullet and grabbed this Backbone controller. I was super pumped for this to arrive. Once it got here, I waited for the weekend, so I'd have PLENTY of time to play with it and test it out. Well...guess what? My phone, with the case off, will NOT fit the Backbone because the left and right "lips" of the Backbone unit that goes over the edges of your phone do not raise above the glass enough for it to fit properly. Thus, the lightning plug does not go fully into the phone and the phone is not secured to the Backbone properly. I did try pressing down and "wedging" it in, but to no avail. So, this review is very limited, as I've not even gotten to try out the device because I'm not taking off a $60 screen protector just to be able to use this. However, I will be fair and give this review a 4/5 stars because of the unboxing experience and the overall build quality of the Backbone itself. It even has the PS logo on the back, once it's stretched out, which I thought that was super cool! All the buttons are very tactile and feel just like those on the PS5 DualSense controller, which I LOVE. However, this is the end of my review, sadly. If you're in the market for this, GET IT. It seems to be an amazing little device... BUT...know that: A) You cannot use a case with it - I'm not docking a star for this because I totally expected to have to take my case off every time, anyway. B) If you're using a thicker screen protector (like a diamond one), such as the those by Zagg, this will NOT fit. At all. I'm docking a star for this because we already can't use a phone case with it - there should be just enough "budge" in the design of this device to allow for at least a screen protector. With that being said, I don't know anyone who goes completely naked with their iPhone...without using at least one or the other of the above. So, for now, this will just double as a super awesome looking paperweight or desk decoration.

Rule #1: DO NOT... download...the Backbone app! The controller is fine, but the backbone app will absolutely destroy the experience. One you download it, it will infiltrate your gaming session, constantly prompting you to sign up for their paid subscription service which serves absolutely no useful purpose whatsoever. Also, don't let the PlayStation branding fool you, its a phone controller and is not of Sony quality. You can use it with PlayStation remote play, XBOX, Steam, iOS games, doesn't matter, so long as the game you're playing has controller support. I will say that the lightning connector went bad after 6 months of use, it would disconnect and reconnect constantly, further interrupting sessions. On a positive note though, Backbone quickly and efficiently replaced the unit on warranty without any resistance. It does not fit perfectly (even with adapter) on iPhone 14 plus, it's a bit off-parallel to the backing due to the camera protrusion. This is not a major issue though, you might not even notice if you're not particularly observant. Control sticks have the travel of a Nintendo Switch JoyCon, so takes getting used to. Overall I recommend this controller based on convivence factor and use.

The Backbone One is the first controller accessory I’ve ever had for my phone and I’m excited to share my thoughts about it with all of you. I’ll be using this with my iPhone 12 and reviewing it with several services, but specifically using PlayStation Remote Play. I’ll be posting my overall impressions first in case you don’t want to read the entire thing. My overall experience with the Backbone One was a positive one. Other than it missing a hard case or the ability to fold down for a smaller travel footprint, the device is a completely solid, well-built, and essential accessory for anyone wanting to elevate their mobile gaming. The ability to have actual physical controls for these games is a game changer and makes mobile gaming much more approachable for those used to PC and console gaming. If you’re looking for a premium gaming experience for your iPhone, look no further than the Backbone One. Unboxing/Build Quality: Unboxing the Backbone One makes you feel like you’ve purchased a premium device. The box is made of a soft velvety material and the Backbone is packaged front and center in a minimalistic way. You’ll get the Backbone One, an iPhone 13 Pro/Pro Max adapter, and a quick start card, along with safety instructions that you’ll probably never read. The device itself is light but solidly built. Once attached to your phone, it feels solid and like it’s a natural attachment for your iPhone. The buttons and analog sticks feel good, the triggers are also decent, but could use a little more resistance in my opinion. The D-Pad is a little on the mushy side, but overall the controller is built very well and feels solid. Anyone that has played on a PlayStation or Xbox controller will feel right at home with the layout. The only drawback I can see with the Backbone One in comparison with other units is the fact that it doesn’t fold up or come with a carrying case of any sort. Traveling with the Backbone One might be a little bit challenging when not attached to a phone. I have a fear that I may end up breaking the back support of the unit if I were to cram it into a backpack during a flight without a proper hard case. For the price, I think a case should have been included. Functionality/Ease of Use/Gameplay: The Backbone One is super easy to use. You’ll probably have to take the case off your phone to get the Backbone connected, but that’s pretty standard for devices like these. Once you connect it to your phone, you’ll be asked to download the Backbone application from the App Store. Once downloaded you’ll be granted 1 year of Backbone Plus which gives you a bunch of benefits as an owner of the product. None of these limit the ability to use the product but are niceties like access to a streamlined game hub, direct live streaming, and the ability to share gameplay and screenshots easily. You’ll also get some free benefits from places like Discord, Stadia, etc. To test the PlayStation Remote Play functionality, you’ll download the PlayStation Remote Play application from the App Store and sign in to your PlayStation account. After you’ve linked your desired console, in my case a PS5, you’ll see the home screen of your device on your phone and be able to navigate it just as if you were using the native controller in front of your console. The input response, video quality, and smoothness of the games I streamed were all very good. Everything from Demons Souls, to Spider-Man and Uncharted played fantastically via Remote Play on my Wifi 6 mesh network. I only experienced a few hiccups with the connection when moving locations in the house, but other than those few occasions where I felt a little lag or visual distortion, the experience was great. Don’t forget you can also stream from your Xbox or pick a streaming service like Stadia to stream from. Streaming from the Xbox was a smooth experience as well, minus the fact that the buttons aren’t labeled correctly for an Xbox controller, but that doesn’t hinder the experience much. Local gameplay is also fantastic. I played a ton of Diablo Immortal with the Backbone One and it was a great experience. CoD Mobile worked just as well and felt completely natural to play with the Backbone One. All other games that support a controller should also play great with the Backbone One.

Works good. But for personal reasons I didn’t get the experience I was looking for. Controller felt entirely too small for me. & there was a little but of a delay when gaming. As if either the controller/phone couldn’t keep up. For maximum efficiency when gaming its Better for me to just play on the console. Haven’t used the backbone since I first got it. Outside of those two reasons I had no issues with it.

The controller is great when it comes to quality is all plastic but rigid and the mechanisim to expand is also very nice the things I didnt like was the buttoms sound and feel is clicky is weird for those buttoms to sound like that or feel that way you get used to it but is weird not a fan. the analog sticks are limited to movement I understand they tried to make the controller very portable and small but wish they made them like a ps5 controller not like a nintendo swtich controller but those things I didnt like are not deal breakers to me. Before I forget also I wish the controller woul have more grip I struggle playing warzone with the controller sometimes have change the grip to hold the controller.

Felt comfortable in your hands. Pretty easy to use. Only downfall was it didnt fit properly because of the lense protector over the camera lenses, even with the adapter they provided for the iphone 13 pro max.

Great product for travelling and on the go gameplay. If you have an iPhone 13 Pro Max, it's a little tricky to fit into the controller but it's not that bad. Make sure your lightning port is clean as well. Mine had some dust in it and the connection was pretty bad but that's a problem with my phone and not the controller.

Good product, but it doesn't allow for use with a phone case. The fitting is too snug for a slim phone case to be used with it. You will have to remove your case to use, but it is a quality product aside from that.

I bought the backbone in order to make my (admittedly) very long Diablo Immortal mobile farming sessions more tolerable. What I discovered was that, while the controller feels premium and the buttons solid, my hands are too large and made using this more of an exhausting endeavor rather than a relaxing one. I ultimately returned this product as it didn’t meet my specific needs, but don’t be discouraged from giving it a try. If my hands were smaller I would have 100% kept it. The pros: premium materials and buttons, seamless iOS integration The cons: button presses are noisy and can be heard in quiet environments (such as when you’re laying in bed next to your significant other) which made this a dealbreaker in my case. Additionally, if you have large hands this may not be the one for you.

Great product. Biggest downside is how small it feels in my hands. Still makes mobile gaming more enjoyable and has a nice app that makes gaming more console-like.

Great handheld for on the go casual gaming, or offline gaming. I get quite noticeable lag when I try to play online, definitely do not want to play Call of Duty with it.

I really liked it in general, I bought it because I travel a lot and I can't take my PS5 everywhere, it is very easy to use and you only need one app which is PS Remove Play and obviously a good internet connection, the only thing that doesn't I liked that it has a little delay in some games like Call of Duty.

This controller is really good if you can’t afford a ps5 or are just in love with play station products just connect your phone and it’s easy to play games and chat get your phone at the same time for