One-minute overview
The Cellular Controller MG-X Professional is probably the most disappointing cellular gaming controller that I’ve ever examined. For the lofty value of $119.90 / £99.90 – which is a whopping $19.91 greater than the Backbone One 2nd Gen within the US – you’re getting a cellular controller that performs worse, has a decrease construct high quality, lacks loads of main options, and, within the case of the iPhone variant that I attempted, does not even match correctly on some latest telephones.
There’s merely no motive to contemplate this controller at its retail value – however that’s to not say that it’s utterly irredeemable.
The thumbsticks are just a little unfastened for my style however undeniably work properly for fast-paced video games like Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile. The massive, Xbox-style buttons are additionally responsive and fairly interesting when you 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, although because of this it requires separate charging and doesn’t function charging pass-through, some may nonetheless choose over the wired connection of the Spine One 2nd Gen.
The Cellular Controller MG-X Professional is kind of a novel form too, being one thing of a center floor between the compact Spine One 2nd Gen and the full-size Razer Kishi Ultra, and comfy within the palms for prolonged gaming classes.
If you will discover it on sale with a reduction of fifty% or above, I might see this being a strong, although actually not main, possibility. 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: Worth and availability
- iOS model prices $119.90 / £99.90
- Android model is $99.90 / £74.90
- Accessible by way of Nacon and Amazon
The Cellular Controller MG-X Professional sells for $119.90 / £99.90 on the Nacon web site and comparable 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 suitable with iOS units.
The Android, or ‘Xbox’ model, is available in black – with a bigger Xbox-style house button. Regardless of being a licensed product, it’s bizarrely just a little 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 just a little bit extra aggressive within the face of the $99.99 / £99.99 Spine One 2nd Gen.
Cellular Controller MG-X Professional: Specs
|
Worth |
$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 Collection App (iOS) |
Cellular Controller MG-X Professional: Design and options
- Thick and comfy within the palms
- 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 total form that’s a bit paying homage to the Xbox Wireless Controller, albeit with an extending spring-loaded again to accommodate the addition of a cell phone.
The grips are thinner than Microsoft’s pad, nonetheless, and the general structure is just a little bit squashed compared – with the thumbsticks, buttons, and D-pad all very shut collectively. It’s actually not uncomfortable, even in my bigger palms, and I really fairly like the best way that little nook beneath the rear triggers gives an ideal little resting place to your center fingers.
Nonetheless, the construct high quality is a letdown at this value level. There are cheap-looking seams on the edges of the controller, plus a couple of seen imperfections within the plastic molding. Some corners are fairly sharp too, particularly the place the telephone is hooked up, which often led to me painfully scraping my palms on it whereas making an attempt to get my system out and in. That is nowhere close to the just about Apple-like development of the marginally cheaper Spine One 2nd Gen.
It is a Bluetooth gamepad, so it has no bodily connection to your telephone. As a substitute, it is advisable flip it on by holding the small house button and ready for it to hook up with your system. 4 small LED indicators present you its present standing, reminiscent of its present battery stage 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, in contrast to the Spine One 2nd Gen, there’s no charging pass-through right here, so received’t be capable to high up your system whereas it’s in use. There’s additionally no headphone jack, so most of the greatest gaming earbuds merely received’t work.
The Cellular Controller MG-X Professional is suitable with the MG-X Collection App, which bizarrely solely gave the impression to be accessible on iOS. That is absolutely purposeful, however lacks something past probably the most fundamental options – solely providing thumbstick calibration, a fast management information, and the choice to replace your gamepad. There’s no button remapping right here, no option to customise set off sensitivity, no checklist of advised suitable video games, or actually any motive to ever boot it up. It’s considerably behind the Spine or Razer Nexus apps, which each perform as sport launchers and supply fundamental requirements reminiscent of button remapping along with a couple of killer options like, in Razer’s case, a implausible digital controller mode.
Not less than the setup course of is mercifully simple, merely requiring you to activate the controller and choose it out of your telephone’s Bluetooth menu to pair.
Cellular Controller MG-X Professional: Efficiency
- Robust 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 value. The thumbsticks are roughly equal in dimension to the Xbox pad however with a thinner column and rather more journey.
There’s not loads of resistance, which makes them fast to make use of in fast-paced multiplayer video games like Call of Duty: Warzone Cellular or PUBG Cellular, however on the identical time implies that they really feel a tad slippery.
The face buttons have a flat design with loads of floor space and a nice, membrane-feeling mechanism. The D-pad can also be very flat and spongy, however in contrast to the buttons, I quickly discovered that this made it very onerous to make exact inputs. Urgent proper would usually additionally set off an upwards enter and when you play numerous platformers or retro video games with D-pad controls, that is going to be a whole dealbreaker.
A be aware on accessibility
Nacon despatched me the Android variant for testing – and I’ve had a fairly constructive expertise with it from an accessibility standpoint. Due to its chunky design, it is the one cellular controller I’ve actually been in a position 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 palms to have interaction with. It is a disgrace concerning the value 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 when you’re utilizing a bigger iPhone. I examined the controller with my iPhone 15 Plus, the place the massive digital camera module makes it tough to securely insert. It goes in wonderful sufficient at first, however is unfastened and will fall out when you’re not cautious. After a fast look on-line, I found that this was fairly a standard criticism with a handful of shoppers saying that it didn’t match an iPhone 14 Pro Max both.
Swapping over to an outdated iPhone 12, this was not a difficulty 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 units it’s most suitable with. This makes it a cellular controller that you simply’re realistically not going to need to use out and about; in any case there’s no level risking your telephone coming unfastened and falling out onto a tough floor whilst you’re making an attempt to sport on the practice.
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 in a position to make use of the controller repeatedly all through the week with out ever having to fret about charging it up, which is great.
Ought to I purchase the Cellular Controller MG-X Professional?
Purchase it if…
Do not buy it if…
Additionally contemplate
On the lookout for one thing a bit higher than the Cellular Controller MG-X Professional? Think about these two robust options as a substitute.
| Row 0 – Cell 0 |
Cellular Controller MG-X Professional |
Scuf Nomad |
Spine One 2nd Gen |
|
Worth |
$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 (Sort-C / Lightning) |
|
Compatibility |
iOS / Android |
iPhone 15 Collection, iPhone 14 Collection and earlier |
iPhone 15 Collection, Android / iPhone 14 collection and earlier |
|
Software program |
MG-X Collection App (iOS) |
Scuf Nomad Companion App (iOS) |
Spine App (iOS / Android) |
How I examined the Cellular Controller MG-X Professional
- Take a look at for a couple of weeks
- Tried with quite a lot 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 suitable cellular video games, together with favorites like Name of Responsibility: Warzone Cellular, Zenless Zone Zero, Hitman Blood Money Reprisal, Name of Responsibility 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, Backbone One, Spine One 2nd Gen, Scuf Nomad, Turtle Beach Atom, and GameSir X2s Type-C.
First reviewed February 2025