Razer’s Kishi Ultra controller is one of the best I’ve used

Razer’s Kishi Ultra controller is one of the best mobile controllers I’ve used, even if it doesn’t quite live up to the company’s lofty claims.

When the gaming accessory maker launched the Kishi Ultra, it touted the controller as a competitor to the burgeoning handheld PC industry. It was a big claim and not entirely without merit. One of the big selling points of the Kishi Ultra is that it works with the iPad mini, giving gamers a much larger display to work with compared to other controllers that only work with smartphones. Razer’s pitch was that, thanks to supporting the iPad mini, the Kishi Ultra could go toe-to-toe with handheld PCs and even beat them on some metrics, like cost or battery life. In my testing, however, I found the Kishi Ultra to be excellent but not quite the handheld killer Razer claimed.

To start, let’s get the major pros out of the way. The Kishi Ultra looks great, is extremely comfortable, feels premium and has excellent tactile buttons. Working with tablets is a huge plus as well — having that extra screen real estate really makes a difference. Razer loaned me an iPad mini to try with the Kishi Ultra, and the games I tried looked fantastic. One of the main mobile titles I play is Diablo Immortal — I honestly didn’t know it could look that good.

I also tested the Kishi Ultra with my Pixel smartphone, and it worked great, but it was hard to enjoy after experiencing the iPad mini. Plus, the Kishi Ultra relies on rubber inserts to help hold the device in place, and the iPad required a different insert size than my Pixel. That meant swapping between them was pretty annoying, so I mostly used the Kishi with the iPad.

Putting handhelds on notice

The Kishi Ultra plus iPad mini is a potent combination that comes pretty close to matching the handheld PC experience and does, in some cases, surpass it. You get a similar screen size and, in my opinion, a more comfortable controller. Plus, you also have the benefit of having a whole iPad to use when you’re not gaming. Of course, some handheld PCs run Windows, so technically, you also have access to a whole desktop OS that way — personally, I prefer the latter, but having an iPad is nice, too.

The Kishi x iPad combo is also lighter, which was easier on my wrists for longer play sessions. It generally had better battery life compared to a handheld PC, though graphically intense games can still tear through the iPad’s battery life quickly.

Overall, I’d say from a hardware perspective, the Kishi Ultra and iPad mini are a little better than handheld PCs. However, things start to fall apart when you consider pricing and game libraries.

There’s a slight flex to the back of the controller when using an iPad mini.

On the price side, the Kishi Ultra will run you $199.99. It’s pricey, but if you already have an iPad mini, it’s a lot cheaper than a handheld gaming PC. Most people have smartphones that will work with the Kishi Ultra, but the iPad mini was the most comparable experience to a handheld PC for me. If you don’t have an iPad mini, picking one up alongside the Kishi Ultra swings the price in favour of a handheld. The iPad mini starts at $679 for a 64GB model in Canada, and games take up a lot of space so some will want more storage — the next step up is $879 for 256GB. Add on that the iPad mini is old and, arguably, not the best iPad to spend your money on right now, it’s tough to justify when a handheld PC would cost you $500-$1,000, depending on the model you want.

It’s also important to consider where your gaming library is. I own tons of games on PC platforms like Steam, plus I have Game Pass. I can’t really access either of those on an iPad (yes, I can do cloud streaming, but it’s a subpar experience). The fact is, local remains king in handheld gaming, and that’s where the Kishi Ultra really loses against a handheld PC.

An excellent controller

Rubber inserts for the Kishi Ultra controller.

Despite losing out in the handheld comparison, the Kishi Ultra remains a top-notch controller and an easy recommendation to anyone who’s really into mobile gaming (and who already has an iPad mini). There are plenty of excellent, cheaper mobile controller options out there, but the Kishi Ultra’s fantastic hardware and value add-ons, like the ability to use it as a controller with your PC, help round out the experience.

My only real complaint with the hardware is that sometimes the iPad mini slides out of position. If I didn’t notice, it sometimes slid far enough that the controller pressed the sleep button and turned the tablet off. After that happened a couple of times, I started keeping a closer eye on the iPad and pushing it back into place when it started sliding.

I’d recommend the Kishi Ultra to any of the following people:

• Anyone with an iPad mini (or other compatible tablet) who enjoys gaming.
• PC gamers looking for a controller to use on their PC and phone.
• Hardcore mobile gamers who want a premium controller experience.

The Razer Kishi Ultra costs $199.99 and is available from Razer, Best Buy, and Amazon.