SteelSeries’ Stratus+ Is Not a Replacement for My Favorite Mobile Controller, the Razer Kishi

Not even the greatest smartphone is a alternative for a full-blown console, however it may possibly develop into a succesful gaming machine with the appropriate accent. Now that there’s a option to play huge, AAA first-person shooters and story-driven RPGs with the assistance of cloud providers like Amazon Luna and Microsoft Game Pass, it’s time to contemplate whether or not you wish to seize a controller for gaming on the go. The SteelSeries Stratus+ is one such choice, and whereas it’s lots versatile, it doesn’t all the time really feel as pure because the extra targeted competitors already available on the market.

Take the Razer Kishi, a tool I already personal that’s made particularly for telephones. It expands to suit snuggly round both facet of my telephone, letting me play it like a Nintendo Switch. One of the Kishi’s drawbacks is that it solely works with smartphones, an issue the Stratus+ avoids due to a extra conventional design and the power to work on PC. You may be in search of one thing like this should you reside a multi-device life, however you’ll should reside with some awkward design decisions when in your telephone, like a wonky telephone mount. And if you’re not on cellular, it’s not just like the Stratus+ doesn’t have loads of competitors among the many greatest sport controllers which are already out and are purpose-built for consoles and PCs.

All of that leaves this little Bluetooth-compatible controller that works with smartphones, tablets, and PCs of every kind (together with Chromebooks) in an ungainly center floor. It’s not the primary controller with a telephone clip, and a few corporations even promote telephone clips individually, anticipating you to make use of them with the extra commonplace console controllers you in all probability have already got laying round. But the recognition of the format doesn’t make it much less awkward, and solely emphasizes how a lot the painfully generic Stratus+ wants some specialised options to assist it stand out.

After spending a while with the Stratus+, I used to be certainly impressed by the gadget’s versatility, however nonetheless not bought on shopping for a jack-of-all-trades controller versus a extra specialised gadget particularly suited to the job I would like it to do.

Weird little telephone mount

The SteelSeries Stratus+ seems to be like a gamer’s controller. It’s black with angular edges and bulbous buttons. It additionally has a row of white LED lights on the entrance that blink in particular methods to indicate the controller’s connection standing and battery meter.

The Stratus+ has commonplace current-gen console controls, together with an 8-way directional pad, again and choose buttons, two analog joysticks, and the requisite A, B, X, and Y buttons. There are 4 shoulder buttons on the highest of the controller, plus a wi-fi pairing button and a battery stage button.

The Razer Kishi has the identical button format, besides it’s break up throughout the gadget. When expanded, the Kishi has an identical configuration because the Nintendo Switch, a console that I revere a lot I’ve one stationed in the lounge and a Switch Lite upstairs in my bed room. Part of what drew me to the Kishi within the first place was that when it’s arrange, it’s like leaping to a different Switch. It’s a really perfect format for cellular gaming, and it’s one thing that Stratus+ doesn’t have.

At the highest of the SteelSeries Stratus+, there are little silicon inserts the place the smartphone holder’s retractable metallic prongs go. This is the place issues begin to get dicey. You should fastidiously slide out the metallic prongs after which shove the telephone holder into the 2 slots till you suppose it may possibly’t go in anymore. I used to be just a little annoyed determining how one can use this a part of the controller, and it made me wish to quit and return to the simplicity of the Razer Kishi, which expands round my telephone and plugs in through USB-C. Nevertheless, I persevered.

Once I obtained the telephone mounted in place within the corresponding slots (or so I assumed), I took my OnePlus 9 out of its case and inserted it into the expandable mount. Then, it fell to the bottom, with my telephone in tow. It took me a number of instances to grasp how one can get the mount to remain contained in the silicon inserts. But even as soon as I managed, it nonetheless didn’t make sense. All I’ve picked up thus far is to not make sudden actions when the telephone, the mount, and the controller are all put collectively.

I should not have this downside with the Kishi. In truth, probably the most awkward a part of the controller is placing it again collectively—the Kishi has just a little latch the place you possibly can clip the controller collectively to hold it in your bag or stow it away. To that finish, as a result of it’s a smaller controller, it takes up much less room in my nightstand drawer than the Stratus+. Another profit for players on the go.

The different awkward a part of the SteelSeries Stratus+ is that my specific telephone mannequin is off-center when it’s within the expandable mount as a result of my quantity and energy buttons are on both facet of the gadget. It’s the identical subject with the big Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, which has an influence button virtually precisely on the midway level on the chassis. If the telephone is just a little dense, the controller additionally tends to wiggle in direction of the heavier a part of the gadget, making handheld playtime really feel unbalanced. The Kishi doesn’t have this downside.

Once you get the telephone to remain put, the Stratus+ connects through Bluetooth. It’s easy and simple—long-press the center button to pair a tool. If you want to pair to a different gadget, long-press the pairing button and look forward to the LED standing lights to point they’re scanning for brand spanking new {hardware}. For this take a look at, I paired the Stratus+ with my Android telephone plus my Windows PC.

Double-duty sport controller

As I discussed, what drew me to the Razer Kishi is that it turns into part of the gadget as soon as it’s snapped on, basically reworking your telephone right into a handheld. The SteelSeries Stratus+ isn’t that form of smartphone accent. It’s a controller first and a cell phone management pad second. But that additionally signifies that for $60, which is across the identical value because the Kishi, you should buy a double-duty controller for numerous suitable gadgets.

I attempted the Stratus+ with my OnePlus 9. I performed the demo of Resident Evil Village on Google Stadia and the total model of Lumines on Amazon Luna. I additionally performed Sonic the Hedgehog 2 on Android. As a facet be aware, discovering apps within the Google Play Store that enable for controller enter isn’t a straightforward feat.

But as soon as I obtained going, I discovered the Stratus+ is just a little stiff, significantly when pushing down on the joystick controllers. It was laborious to press down with my thumbs with out gripping the edges of the controller with my different fingers and bracing myself for the push. This made crouching in Resident Evil Village tedious. The Kishi, however, has softer joysticks, and I didn’t really feel like I needed to barrel down to maneuver my characters round.

I additionally performed Lumines, one in all my favourite puzzle video games of all time, with the Stratus+ utilizing Amazon Luna. I performed it for about half an hour with the Stratus+ on my Android gadget, after which one other half hour on my PC. The controller felt much less stiff with a puzzle sport, and so did I when racing towards the neverending barrage of blocks that I wanted to line up. However, the Stratus+ requires me to cradle it a bit on the edges, and since it’s a bit massive for my fingers, it’s laborious to make the form of speedy maneuvers wanted to assist clear a row.

Lastly, I performed by way of Green Hill Zone on Sonic 2, which solely requires the D-pad and any one of many four-lettered buttons. I didn’t thoughts taking part in the less complicated, classic video games with the Stratus+, although I nonetheless most popular the Kishi.

I had extra enjoyable taking part in by way of Luna and Stadia’s libraries as soon as I paired the Stratus+ with my PC as a result of I may extra freely articulate my fingers throughout playtime. I additionally appreciated having the ability to bodily tether the controller to my pc through USB-C relatively than relying solely on Bluetooth. But I don’t play PC video games for a cause, and that’s as a result of on the finish of the day, I wish to be horizontal and nothing extra. The Razer Kishi is rather more attuned to that form of laying-around fashion of gameplay, just like the Nintendo Switch it mimics, whereas I had a tough time with the Stratus+ as a result of I’m nonetheless uncertain about that mount.

Consider the Form

The important factor to contemplate if you’re purchasing for a smartphone controller is whether or not it’s one thing that can entice you to arrange your gadget for a play session. I just like the SteelSeries Stratus+ as a result of it’s multi-platform, however its type issue is simply too huge for me, sufficient that I’m exhausted by the concept of choosing it up on the finish of the day. I a lot favor the simplicity of the Razer Kishi, which is inbuilt a means that facilities the telephone and total cellular expertise, even when it’s not one thing that I can use with different gadgets.