So far as Spine-style controllers go, the Razer Kishi Extremely is now the very best you should buy. Its construct high quality is nice, its full-size grips are supremely snug, and the subscription-free Razer Nexus app delivers every little thing it’s worthwhile to make your cellular gaming expertise silky easy. Nevertheless, there are lots of, many different controllers on the market that value half as a lot as this, so solely critical cellular avid gamers (with deep pockets) want apply.
Razer Kishi Extremely assessment: At a look
- What’s it? The Razer Kishi Extremely is a Spine-style cellular controller. It is notable for having full-size grips, bringing it to a consolation degree you’d often get with console controllers, such because the Sony DualSense or the Xbox Collection X controller. It additionally comes with free companion software program (no subscription required) that offers you full management over many particulars, together with RGB lighting, button mapping, adjusting stick lifeless zones, and extra.
- What’s the value? The Razer Kishi Extremely prices $149 in the US and €169 in Europe.
- The place can you purchase it? You should buy the Razer Kishi Extremely immediately from Razer’s on-line retailer, its varied brick-and-mortar shops, and thru a lot of its accomplice retailers.
- How did we check it? I examined the Razer Kishi Extremely with a Samsung Galaxy S23 Extremely snapped in. Nevertheless, it helps any cellphone with a USB-C port, together with all fashions within the iPhone 15 collection. It even helps small tablets, similar to a USB-C-supported iPad Mini.
- Is it price it? So far as cellular gaming controllers go, the Razer Kishi Extremely sits on the high of the heap. It’s extremely snug to make use of, affords loads of customization, and Razer’s Nexus software program is beneficial for launching video games, tweaking the controller’s settings, making display screen recordings, and extra. Most significantly, although, “it simply works” in any recreation, whether or not it is a typical cellular title, an emulated recreation, a streamed recreation, a recreation that solely has on-screen controls, and so on. Nevertheless, all that energy comes at a hefty value, with Razer asking for a full $150 for the Kishi Extremely, making it actually twice as costly as most different gaming controllers you will get. This value makes the Kishi Extremely tough to advocate to simply anybody. Solely those that do numerous cellular gaming and have loads of money to spend ought to trouble.
Must you purchase the Razer Kishi Extremely?
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
In the case of gaming, few corporations are as recognizable and distinct as Razer. Its minimalist aesthetic and obsession with RGB lighting have made it one of many few crossover gaming manufacturers that even non-gamers know and acknowledge. In the case of cellular gaming, although, Razer’s most well-known contributions had been two smartphones that didn’t even make a dent out there. Since these losses, the corporate has solely strayed into the world of cellular controllers, and the Razer Kishi Extremely — launched on April 18, 2024 — is now the latest in its roster.
Razer beforehand launched a number of different cellular controllers, together with the unique Kishi and the Kishi V2. The principle distinction between its earlier efforts and the Kishi Extremely is that these controllers had been designed for optimum portability, whereas the Extremely is designed for consolation. Gone are the stubby grips, shrunk buttons, and shallow analog sticks, and of their place are full-sized, premium elements, not too dissimilar from what you’d get from console controllers, similar to a Sony DualSense or an Xbox Collection X controller.
This new design makes the Kishi Extremely essentially the most snug Spine-style cellular controller I’ve ever used. I don’t spend hours enjoying cellular video games, however I do spend hours enjoying console/PC video games, and I’m sure I may use a Kishi Extremely for simply so long as I do a “regular” controller with out extreme wrist pressure.
The Razer Kishi Extremely simply is perhaps the very best cellular controller I’ve ever used, nevertheless it’s a dear buy.
One of many drawbacks to this new deal with consolation, although, is portability. Within the picture beneath, you’ll be able to see the Kishi Extremely subsequent to one of many unique Nintendo Swap consoles, and also you’ll discover it’s far bigger when you’ve snapped in a giant Android cellphone (just like the Samsung Galaxy S23 Extremely, which I used all through this assessment). Since there’s no strategy to take away or break down the controller’s retractable again plate, it takes up about twice as a lot room as a standard console controller, making storage and journey a bit of trickier, too.
Nevertheless, this massive dimension additionally works to the controller’s benefit on the subject of compatibility with a variety of gadgets. The Kishi Extremely can help just about any Android cellphone (even with a thick protecting case on it), all fashions within the iPhone 15 collection (and all future iPhones, since they’ll all have USB-C help), and even small USB-C tablets, like the latest iterations of the iPad Mini.
It’s necessary to know that the Kishi Extremely has no wi-fi connectivity. It doesn’t help Bluetooth and can’t be powered on with out one thing hooked up to it. To attach a tool, all you do is slide it onto the Kishi Extremely’s built-in (and non-removable) USB-C adapter after which lock it in place with the opposite grip. If you snap your cellphone onto the USB-C connector, it instantly begins powering the controller. There’s no battery contained in the controller, so it will likely be leeching energy from no matter you connect with it. And, after all, that’s going to make your gadget’s battery drain quicker. Nevertheless it additionally powers the Chroma RGB lighting, which, let’s be sincere, appears to be like fairly sick.
Fortunately, the Kishi Extremely does have a USB-C pass-through port on the backside of the right-hand grip, so you’ll be able to plug in and cost whilst you’re gaming. You may also use this port to attach the Kishi Extremely on to your PC to behave as a conventional wired controller. In fact, you’ll look fairly foolish utilizing what appears to be like like a standard controller snapped in half with an 8-inch black bar connecting every grip. Moreover, the controller additionally has a 3.5mm headphone jack on the opposite grip, which is a pleasant contact.
When you’ve linked your gadget to the controller, you’re good to start out enjoying no matter you need. In my expertise, the Kishi Extremely “simply labored” throughout every little thing I threw at it. That included typical cellular video games like Fortnite, streamed PC video games by way of the Steam Hyperlink app, emulated video games by way of Retroarch, and even video games that don’t even have gamepad help because of a neat trick I’ll come again to later.
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
Although the controller simply works by itself, Razer actually needs you to make use of the Razer Nexus app, which is on the market on each Android and iOS. That is what you utilize to tweak every little thing concerning the controller, together with the RGB lighting, remapping the buttons, and calibrating lifeless zones. It additionally acts as a recreation launcher, a strategy to simply document and share gameplay movies, and extra. Fortunately, this app is completely free — no subscription required.
The Nexus app additionally helps a Digital Controller Mode. This lets you use the bodily controller to govern a recreation’s digital controls — helpful if a cellular title doesn’t help bodily inputs natively. However watch out: some video games would possibly contemplate this dishonest, so if you wish to play competitively, you need to test to make sure that it isn’t towards the foundations.
So the massive query right here is whether or not or not the Razer Kishi Extremely is price shopping for. In a nutshell: sure, the Razer Kishi Extremely is an unbelievable, snug, and versatile cellular controller. It’s the very best mannequin I’ve ever utilized in its class. However regardless of all this, it’s tough to advocate the Kishi Extremely to simply anybody as a result of it’s so, so costly and solely affords a number of options you’ll be able to’t get from different gadgets.
Mainly, the Razer Kishi Extremely suits into a specific area of interest, and it’s actually, actually good at delivering to that area of interest. However when you aren’t particularly searching for a mobile-only controller that does every little thing at a value that’s twice as excessive as rivals, there are different choices on the market.
Razer Kishi Extremely
Prime gamepad • Plug and lay • Light-weight • Good match
Extremely-charged.
The Razer Kishi Extremely is a Spine-style cellular controller. It is notable for having full-size grips, bringing it to a consolation degree you’d often get with console controllers, such because the Sony DualSense or the Xbox Collection X controller. It additionally comes with free companion software program (no subscription required) that offers you full management over many particulars, together with RGB lighting, button mapping, adjusting stick lifeless zones, and extra.
What are the very best Razer Kishi Extremely options?
C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
You would possibly love the Razer Kishi Extremely, however you additionally would possibly detest its exorbitant value. In case you fall into that class, listed below are some less expensive options price testing:
- Razer Kishi V2 with USB-C ($92 at Amazon): Razer’s earlier entry on this class will do just about every little thing the Kishi Extremely does however with much less compatibility throughout giant telephones/small tablets and fewer consolation because of the much less ergonomic building. It additionally lacks Chroma RGB, a haptics motor, and a 3.5mm headphone jack, however at a value of $99, you’re getting a complete lot of controller for a complete lot lower than the Kishi Extremely.
- GameSir G8 Galileo ($79.99 at Amazon): This telescopic cellular gaming controller appears to be like and performs very similar to the Kishi Extremely for round half the worth. The sticks appear a bit of stubbier, and also you’re not going to get the flexibility of the Razer Nexus app, however when you simply wish to snap your cellphone in and play cellular video games, what extra do you want? Additionally, the SNES-inspired look is fairly sizzling.
- Spine One ($99.99 at Amazon): It took some time for us to get an Android-compatible Spine One, nevertheless it was definitely worth the wait. It’s not fairly as versatile because the Extremely, however it’s $50 cheaper.
- Sony DualSense ($69.99 at Amazon): If the telescopic side of the Kishi Extremely isn’t necessary to you, why not simply purchase among the finest customary controllers in the marketplace? This may work natively on Android, iOS, iPadOS, Home windows, macOS, and so on., affords among the finest designs within the gaming world, and may be discovered for lower than half the worth of the Kishi Extremely. Even when you splurge on a flowery cellphone mount for it, you’ll nonetheless be spending far lower than you’d a Kishi Extremely or perhaps a Kishi V2.
Razer Kishi Extremely assessment: FAQ
Sure, you’ll be able to play Name of Obligation Cell with the Razer Kishi Extremely. In actual fact, COD Cell seems by default within the Nexus app (you’ll nonetheless have to obtain it manually, although).
Sure, however solely in a wired state. Additionally, this isn’t really useful attributable to the truth that you’ll be able to’t take away the telescopic mount plate, so that you’d find yourself enjoying with a really lengthy, silly-looking controller. It’s potential to do, although, with a USB-C cable (not included).
Sure, the Kishi Extremely is designed to work with large telephones and thick circumstances. Within the field with the Kishi Extremely, you’ll discover three units of rubber mounts which you can swap out to seek out the right match on your gadget. Clearly, some very thick circumstances won’t work, however most ought to.
Sure, the PS Distant Play app seems by default within the Razer Nexus app. Simply obtain it and hearth it up; the Kishi Extremely ought to simply work.
We examined the Kishi Extremely with the Android model of Retroarch, and every little thing labored routinely. Different emulators — together with Dolphin and PPSSPP — additionally seem by default within the Nexus app, so you need to see vast compatibility with the preferred cellular emulators.
Sure, however solely trendy iPhones with USB-C ports (i.e., the iPhone 15 collection). There isn’t a Lightning model of the Kishi Extremely, no strategy to swap out the USB-C connector, and no wi-fi help, so it is a USB-C-only product. Notably, USB-C help additionally permits this to work with the iPad Mini, which does match into its giant body.