Rotor Riot wired gamepad for Android review
The Rotor Riot is a wired XBOX-Style game controller that plugs into an Android (or iOS if you get that version,) via a USB-C wire. If you’re familiar with an XBOX controller, you know what you’re getting other than motorized feedback.
TL;DR – works as expected, no haptic feedback, no lag, Paul as usual finds something to complain about.
The incredibly subjective nitpicky review
First off, everything works as expected (yes, L3 & R3, pass through charging too.) Anything from here on is nitpicking, which I get paid those Pocketables Millions to do (almost made enough for a 4pack of Guinness this week.)
I do not understand why they’ve made two versions of this rather than slapping an adapter on the end. Seems you could easily have MFI, USB-C, and Micro-USB connectors and reach a wider audience, but then again that might just be a certification issue with the MFI and not their choice.
The cable management I have issues with. That cable is simultaneously too long and too short. If you don’t wrap it up right after putting your phone in it tends to get in the way. I’ll note that the “after putting your phone in,” is a requirement because the cable management pegs are located on the part that moves rather than the part that doesn’t. Wrap it up neatly and just try and put your phone in there.
The unit doesn’t sit down well with a phone in it, and there’s no way to adjust viewing angle. After a while you notice that your wrists are expending some effort to maintain the balance as, while the controller is lighter, with the phone on a stick you’re extending a bit.
That’s about the extent of me complaining about it. If you’re a new reader that’s a pretty short list of complaints for me.
I made a few videos on this (one’s a chipmunky sped up unboxing, one’s the unedited version of that, and then there’s a little showing off the thing) – feel free to watch my first attempts at video editing from bad source (long story involving half my house filled with bug death and I had to do this elsewhere) based on time.
Quick Rotor Riot unboxing
Slewwwwww Rotor Riot unboxing
After playing with the Rotor Riot for a while
And we’re done with the videos
For a little less nitpicking, the style of this there’s not a lot to be done – even if it had an adjustable viewing angle that’s not going to change much. Honestly the only thing I don’t like other than cable management on these are the bumpers and d-pad center pit, and that’s entirely a personal preference.
Overall – you like the style, you’ll like this most likely. I had no interference due to controller issues playing my V Rally and other XBOX remote-playable games. I noticed no lag attributable to the controller, and other than some suggestions for a future version I have this works as expected/desired.
The Rotor Riot mobile wired gamepad is available from Amazon in both Android (reviewed above,) and iPhone/iOS flavors
