At CES earlier this year, Razer showed off a new kind of gaming controller for smartphones, the Razer Kishi. The controller features a design that is split in half, somewhat similar to the Nintendo Switch or Razer"s own Junglecat. Today, the Razer Kishi is available to purchase from Razer"s website.
While the split design might bear some resemblance to the Junglecat controller, or something like RedMagic"s Pro Handle, there are some major differences. For starters, those controllers were designed to work with specific devices, since they rely on a case that helps the controller fit on the sides. The Razer Kishi has a near-universal fit that should accommodate most modern smartphones, provided they have a center-aligned USB Type-C port.
That leads us right into the second main difference, which is that the Kishi connects using USB Type-C or the Lightning port on iPhones, rather than Bluetooth. While the lack of Bluetooth support means you can"t use the controller without wrapping it around the phone, but it also means that when you do use it, you won"t get the kind of input latency you usually get with Bluetooth controllers.
Aside from that, the Kishi features a control layout that will likely feel familiar to Xbox fans. The face buttons are mostly in the same relative position, including the ABXY button array. Additionally, the analog sticks also act as clickable buttons, like most mainstream gaming controllers. The controller also has its own USB Type-C port which supports passthrough charging for the phone itself.
The Razer Kishi can be purchased from Razer"s website, with the Android version costing $79.99 in the U.S. or €89.99 in Europe, while the iOS version goes up to $99.99 or €109.99.