Slim magnetic controllers turn your phone into a gaming handheld

Gaming hardware brand Abxylute has come up with two products to enhance your mobile gaming sessions wherever you find time to play. Its new M5 and M6 controllers are designed to offer proper-sized buttons and joysticks, while attaching securely to your phone and fitting in your pocket.

That's unlike most mobile controllers today, which either have a full-sized gamepad inelegantly clamp on to your phone, or stretch in the middle to accommodate your handset in between two halves of a controller. I have one of the latter from GameSir and enjoy using it, but it's large enough to make me think twice before packing it for a trip.

Abxylute's M5 and M6, however, are basically slim, flat slabs that are much easier to carry with you. They both slide to double their width, and reveal a spacious controller deck complete with all the buttons you'd expect, a D-pad, joysticks, and more. The top half, meanwhile, attaches to your phone magnetically.

The two models are similar in many ways, but differ in their build, and how they connect to your phone. The slimmer M5 uses a USB-C connection for zero-lag input, while the battery-powered M6 uses Bluetooth and offers larger joysticks.

What do the M5 and M6 have in common?

Both models promise rock-solid magnetic attachment, and allow you to adjust the magnetic mount's position on the rear panel. This means it should comfortably accommodate phones of all sizes, regardless of their camera bump. I imagine this could also fit flip phones like the Moto Razr and Samsung Galaxy Flip, which only have the bottom half of the body available to attach to. For phones without MagSafe, a magnetic adhesive ring comes in the box.

Like high-quality controllers, these feature dual z-axis linear motors to provide vibratory feedback in games. You can adjust the intensity across four levels.

The M5 and M6 include a physical switch to toggle between NS, XInput, and PS input modes, so they'll work across all platforms, game types, and emulators.

The controller bodies both have a rounded rectangular shape. For a little extra dough, you can get a detachable magnetic grip that snaps on to the bottom and extends into your palm for better ergonomics and less fatigue during extended play sessions.

A companion app lets you set up your controller, remap buttons, and adjust vibrations and joystick sensitivity. It also features a game library to quickly find a title to jump into.

Honestly, it feels a bit difficult to choose between the two – not only because of the difference in connection type, but also because they offer different control experiences with how the D-pad feels.

The M5 with USB-C

The slim M5 features wired connectivity, which might sound like a drag, but this eliminates lag and you also get pass-through charging to top off your phone while you play.

To pull off its svelte profile, it comes with low-profile sliding joysticks. These aren't clickable, so instead, you've got dedicated LS and RS buttons alongside them. Note that the M5 uses a separated button D-pad design, similar to what you'll see on a PS Vita.

You'll also find micro-switch triggers on the shoulders, and a macro button that can be programmed for combos and quick actions. It all comes together in a 6-oz (170-g) package.

The wireless M6

If you simply must have taller joysticks, this is the one to consider. The M6 gets clickable capacitive sticks mounted on a recessed section of the deck. Along with a traditional D-pad structure, as well as analog Hall Effect linear triggers that can switch to a fast trigger mode for FPS and action titles, it offers a more tactile experience than the M5.

The M6 connects over Bluetooth 5.3, and you can expect 10 hours of play from a full charge of the 500-mAh battery. The cells make it just a tad heavier than the M5 at 6.7 oz (191 g).

There's another neat feature on here. A 6-axis gyroscope enables motion control, so you can physically tilt and turn your M6 to navigate and aim in games. I've never been good at this, but it can be fun for more adept players.

Abxylute is crowdfunding both models on Kickstarter, where you can pick up the M5 at US$59 (down from an expected MSRP of $84.99); the M6 can be had for $65 (down from $89.99).

All crowdfunding campaigns carry an element of risk, so you'll want to keep that in mind if you choose to back this campaign. For what it's worth, Abxylute already makes and sells a range of controllers and accessories, and it's been in the game for a while now. It also offers the M4, a similar magnetic controller with a more compact, squarish design.

Both models are pitched significantly cheaper than the $149 OhSnap Mcon, which is arguably the one that started the magnetic controller trend.

If all goes to plan, orders are slated to ship worldwide later this year – the M6 from November, and the M5 from December. Delivery costs a flat $10 per unit wherever you order from.

Source: Kickstarter