Customers admire the Backbone One controller for its portability, comfort, and ease of use. They appreciate its compatibility with various devices, including the iPhone 15 and Android phones. However, some users express concerns about the subscription requirement for certain features, the relatively high price, and the size and quality of the joysticks.
This summary was generated by AI based on customer reviews.
The vast majority of our reviews come from verified purchases. Reviews from customers may include My Best Buy members, employees, and Tech Insider Network members (as tagged). Select reviewers may receive discounted products, promotional considerations or entries into drawings for honest, helpful reviews.
Page 6 Showing 101-120 of 1,436 reviews
Pros mentioned:
Portable
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Way Better than the Switch in every way
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Posted . Owned for less than 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This is way better than the Switch and costs so much less.
Got the Switch to relax when I'm on the go but Mario kart proved to be too hype for my heart rate, and cost of their other games are ridiculous considering some need internet connection so can only be played with WiFi. And can only use their charger and tv adapters
The backbone is super easy to set up and can be used anywhere, I can play all my PS games plus others from Xbox live and my phone. Doesn't need to be charged, very light and portable. Such a great value. Wish they had the PS version in black but the gray gives original PS nostalgia vibes so I'm still happy!
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
My son is a Freshman in college. As with most boys his age, he loves to play video games. It is a way for him to relax between his studies and his other activities. The Backbone Mobile Gaming Controller is a game changer when it comes to playing video games on his phone. He was able to quickly add the controller to his existing Android phone and immediately began playing video games. If you are looking for a controller to use with your phone, I would highly recommend this product. It is easy to set up, easy to use, and fits comfortably in his hands.
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Its amazing...
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Posted . Owned for less than 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Backbone One PS Edition is and amazing device. It covers a whole bunch of game and you can literally use it anywhere you want. 4star due to having some features behind a paywall (streaming, button remapping, and some cloud games). Though this last part is not much of a deal breaker since you can access your PS, XBOX and PC games through their respective apps. The cloud service is more if you dont own a console!
Menu / button layout: it might take you a few days before you can completely get used to what button does what, but its just a regular controller with a few extra features so nothing bad to say here...
Grip: its not bad, though it could be better. For people maybe with small hands its perfect. For people with big hands (as myself) it a bit uncomfortable as the handle are slim and your hands will feel weird when holding it.
Sound: guess it depends on the devices you use. I have Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro and i can tell you sometime it feels like i have full headset. Clear and heavy sounds. Guess it does support some sort of surround/ atmos audio (again depending on your device).
Charging: It does have a USB C passthrough under he right hand handle. Have read that for some people it does not charge as fast as it depletes the battery (yes it does use some of your phone's battery for certain features) but in my experience Ive found thats NOT the case.
Overall GREAT device for those looking for an alternative to a STEAMDECK, ROG ALLY, GCLOUD or ONEXFly. (yes yes i know, this is for phones and those are basically full-blown handheld PCs, but if you dont have the $ this is the way to go. )
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Pros on IPhone 16: Light, quality build with buttons and joysticks that function very responsively. Easy to play RPGs, maybe some difficulty with action games but mostly because of playing on a smaller phone screen. It fits with variety of phone cases (but not all). Can use WiFi or your phones data plan to remote play.
Cons: might have to take your case off to fit it but it’s expandable to a point.
Have to learn the buttons because some will send you out of the app to the Home Screen mid play.
It needs a touch screen function button to assist because on PS remote play you have to press the screen and it gets wonky.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Not only was it on sale the design was excellent for on the go gaming and great to attaching for your smart phone. I definitely recommend this especially if your a on the go gamer or need a sub for new controller.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I works great. It fits my S24 Ultra with a case and is easy to pull off too. Controls are good overall, very similar feel to a Nintendo Switch. Though it has a better d pad. One knock is you have to pay for the touch controls mapper utility and it does not work with all apps. Otherwise it works great.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Absolutely amazing, gen one I couldn't use a case and the subscription drives me crazy but with the second gen being able to use with a case, the style of the white PlayStation addition, and the updates to the paid app... So worth the extra money spent. And it works with Genshin Impact on Android!!! A must pick up for any gamer especially mobile or cloud gamers like me!!
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I liked the product because I feel that I can play most of my games with greater ease taking into account that some games require both hands that control the main controller. In terms of aesthetics, I liked it. It has a good design, good use of the buttons, I love the PlayStation logo on the back in pesos, I feel like it falls short, I would like or would have liked it to be made of more consistent materials based on better product quality, however, I really liked the product, the color is great, however I feel that it lacks detail, just like the PlayStation controller, detail on the controller
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I did a lot of research before buying the Backbone 1. I knew that the Playstation Portal was about to come out but it was going to be $100 more. I read about the Portal's limitations and decided to buy the Backbone. The portal is harder ro find, more expenaive and you'd need a very good quality wifi connection in order to even load your game. The decision was a no brainer. I would recommend this to a friend (as a matter of fact, I did!)
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Bought it for traveling and playing games on my phone rather than its intended use, and it works great with the games installed on my phone. I have also used it to play my PS5 remotely, and it works great as well. The shape of the controller can feel a little clunky and not that conformable after a while. Overall satisfied.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I bought this for my husband as a fathers day gift a couple years ago. He literally takes it with him everywhere. He can just snap his phone right into it. And he doesn't have to worry about the hassle of carrying around a controller and a charger for the controller. Granted the price of a controller and this device is essentially the same, but now he can leave his controller at home! He loves that the feel of the backbone is similar to the controller itself. The fact that it collapses is also great for when you need to put it in small spaces, meaning i can literally stick it in my purse and not have it being bulky! This keeps him gaming on the go! It's great for gaming when he has down time at work or when we are traveling.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Convenient and easy to use device that can be traveled with. I enjoy using it when I need to be away from home for hours or days. Comfortable hand-held and audio is suffice.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The backbone has been a grate addition to my console collection, its allowed me to play my games and do my daily's on the go and whenever i need to, i would recommend
Backbone or Gamesir G8 Plus for IPhone 16 Pro Max!
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Posted . Owned for less than 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I tried out the Backbone and Gamersir G8 Plus for my mobile gaming needs.
The Backbone is great for mobile gaming. It is small and light compared to the Gamersir G8 Plus. The big plus is passthrough charging. The controls feel like switch controllers, which may be a downside for some. It is only compatible with certain cases for the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
In the end, I picked the Gamesir G8 Plus. Despite giving up the passthrough charging, I preferred the feel of an actual controller. Also, I have a bulky case and did not want to switch and/or take my case off every time I wanted to use a controller.
The Backbone is great for those who:
-Want a small and light controller
-Have a compatible case
-Want passthrough charging
I would recommend this to a friend
Cons mentioned:
Price
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Giod
Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Fist i love it it could play my favorite games but 40 bucks a month or a year why.
I would recommend this to a friend
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Almost everything you are looking for.
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Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I want to start off by saying that the Backbone works great. No issues with the controls, ergonomics, or design. It fits great into a backpack or vehicle door pocket. It's straightforward, plug in your phone, access the Backbone or other app (Xbox for me) and play.
For Xbox, it requires you to have Game Pass Ultimate to play remotely. If you do not already pay for this, then it is an additional monthly charge you'll need to add. You also need decent internet connection to prevent lagging gameplay. When I use 5G/5GUW, it works great - when I use cheap WiFi from businesses, it's laggy and almost unplayable - when I use higher quality WiFi - no issues.
Also realize that not all games are supported for remote play, so do your research before to see if what you want to play is available.
If you have a solid internet connection and are okay with the monthly fee for Game Pass Ultimate, then this is a fantastic way to take your games on the go.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Comfortable grip
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Amazing controller but tricky for thick cases
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
It’s amazing finally owning one of these now having finally switched to the iPhone 15 pro max I can confidently say this is the best portable option for mobile gaming buttons feel nice and tactile, they have analog triggers, has a nice comfortable grip, comes with passthrough charging, and as a nice touch come with an aux port for any of you who have nice wired headphones/IEM, but with all the goods aside (this is for people who have more thicker kind of cases) I will say getting the fit to keep the usb c port fully connected to the phone was a tricky ride and after trying different adapters and multiple angles I finally got the spot to where I can confidently use it but if you have like a thin or like a medium kind of thickness phone case you will be fine even without a phone case works better but obviously leaves little protection for your phone against falls but if your not worried about any of the negatives than I would say definitely go for it.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Easy to use
Cons mentioned:
Subscription
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
great, but be aware
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Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
It's great! It's really easy to use and the controls work well, however you need to get a subscription on the backbone app to play specific games. Which sucks since you already pay 100 dollars on the controller itself.
I would recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Portable
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
"Backbone One PlayStation Edition: The Ultimate Mo
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Posted . Owned for 6 months when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The Backbone One PlayStation Edition delivers an impressive gaming experience for mobile players. Its ergonomic design perfectly complements the PlayStation 5 aesthetic, offering a comfortable grip for extended sessions. The responsive buttons and analog sticks provide precise control, while the adjustable, extensible design ensures compatibility with a wide range of smartphones. Integration with PlayStation’s remote play functionality enhances the overall experience, making it easy to access your PS5 games on the go. The Backbone app adds value with its intuitive interface and features. Overall, it's a must-have accessory for PlayStation enthusiasts seeking to extend their gaming beyond the console.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The controller works really well. I do wish it was bigger for my hands, but i understand the need for portability. I appreciate the usb c connection for charging my phone while i play as well as the aux cable port for my headphones so that i dont have to worry about Bluetooth lag.