Currently, mobile is a platform for playing with all the laws. For many years it was considered a second platform because a lot of the games were pretty bad and the prices for good games were… extortionate.
However, now it’s the perfect portable console because we have the best native gaming (with platforms like Apple Arcade or Google Play Pass) and the best cloud platforms like Stadia, GeForce Now, Steam Link and, above all, GamePass.
And while the on-screen controls have gotten better, playing with a controller is still great. Two years ago, Razer released the first Kishi, an adapter that turned your phone into a kind of Nintendo Switch – an analysis of the OLED version -. Now comes the second version, which improves all aspects of the original and adds interesting things.
After a week of hard play, here is my analysis of the Razer Kishi V2 for Android. WARNING, there will be a version for iPhone later, which we will also talk about, but it is only compatible with mobile phones with a USB-C port.
Razer Kishi V2 Analysis Sections:
- Design: Compatible with more mobile phones and less fragile feeling
- Buttons: Now they are clickable and there are two programmable buttons
- Android experience: zero latency with compatible games that not all
- Cloud Gaming Experience: Xbox Portable Gets Better
- Conclusion: improves the first version, but the price increases by 30 euros.
Compatible with more mobile phones and less fragile feeling
The first Kishi seemed like a very good team for mobile devices. I think it’s much easier to both control games on a mobile phone (since I don’t like traditional kickstand controls, I prefer the Switch format) and put it in a backpack to take it with you wherever you go.
Nonetheless, there were a few elements that I didn’t really like. The first is related to the rear. Yes, it was very compact when I did not have a mobile phone, but I had to remove the mounts, stretch the elastic bands, which may be contrary to the durability of the product.
The second thing that did not quite suit me was the support mode. There are kinks on each side of the device that could prevent some mobile phones from entering and this, together with the fact that there were large terminals that didn’t fit, made the first version incompatible with many phones.
These two details have been fixed in the second version.. There are no more rubber bands, instead plastic guides to stretch the device, and in addition, the sides where the top and bottom of the mobile rest are flat for maximum compatibility.
I’ve used it with both the vivo X80 Pro and the RedMagic 7 Pro, phones that aren’t exactly small and are fun to play with, especially the RedMagic. But hey, I’ll deal with that later.
In both the USB-C area and the opposite area, Razer includes two types of rubber adapters. in case your phone is wide so you can get in without problems and the truth is that this is a detail that I liked. The two mobile phones I used are quite wide and fit perfectly, so…great.
And the feel in the hand is not bad thanks to not the most premium plastic, but not having “glossy” areas that can be easily marked, and, in addition, the rail system seemed quite reliable.
When folded, it fits perfectly in a backpack pocket, and can’t you see the vices I’ve stuck with Diablo Immortal – here I leave you with a guide for you to dominate the game – for a couple of trips I’ve had recently. At any time, you can turn your mobile into a laptop.
On the right controller we have a USB-C port which is used to charge the mobile phone while playing. I’ve tried USB-C to headphone jack adapters and I’m afraid to tell you they didn’t work for me. In this control or right knob we find a couple of holes in the plastic so that the sound of the left speaker (or the bottom one, depending on how we hold the mobile) comes out.
What I don’t like is that we don’t have the same hole on the left joystick. Yes, many mobile phones use a headset for calls as a speaker, but some, like the POCO F4 GT, have speakers on the top of the case, and it would be nice if Razer thought about it.
But hey I like the feel in the hand, on the back we have a textured design that improves the grip and the device, despite the fact that I’m talking about plastic, I think it’s a step up from the level we had in the first Kishi. .
Now they “click” and there are two programmable buttons.
And where everything also changes is in the keyboard. Not only do we have more buttons, but their feel has also changed.
You may or may not like it, but to be honest, I prefer the approach of this new version. And that’s what it is now when you press all but the two triggers we get a more… clicky sound and feellike the one we can find in brand controls.
The first Kishi had membrane switches with a more rubbery feel.but as I said I prefer this new answer. I find all the buttons feel nice to the touch, the d-pad is precise, and the sticks are very similar to those found on Switch joy-cons, but with a slightly wider range of action.
On the front we have, in addition to the classic buttons, a Nexus button to open the Razer app and one to take screenshots, but best of all are the triggers.
R2 and L2 have a move. These are analog triggers with all the laws, and this means that in a car game we can press the accelerator halfway to accelerate more slowly. R1 and L1 have very good response and between them we have M1 and M2..
At first I didn’t really like the location and after a few days I keep pressing them by accident, but the truth is that if you get used to it, they are quite useful in the place where they are, because you don’t have to move your fingers at all.
On the M2 (left) I have an X button assigned and on the M1 I have an A. This means that in a shooter I can jump without taking my thumb off the right stick and also easily reload by holding my thumb in place (stick) .
In general, I really like both the feel and the layout of all the buttons, but triggers are too sensitive. They have a very low activation point, and for example in Diablo Immortal I inadvertently pulse more than R2 because, as I said, it activates immediately.
Zero latency with compatible games that aren’t all
The advantage of such a device is that we have no latency because the connection is via USB-C and not via bluetooth.
This is important in all games, but especially in the cloud, because it eliminates control lag. And the fewer obstacles we have in these games… the better.
But hey, we’ll go with that, now we need to talk about what works on mobile, and the answer with all USB control compatible games is perfect. Diablo Immortal, Dead Cells or Stardew Valley is a real joy.
In games like Stardew we can constantly switch with touch controls and I think this is one of the best ways to enjoy this game, but in others it’s a fantastic way to keep your fingers from taking up screen space.
Compatible games will recognize the controller first, but the bad thing is that the two most popular are still not compatible with the device. Genshin Impact doesn’t recognize it as Mihoyo game currently only supports Kishi on iOS, but Call of Duty Mobile doesn’t support it either.
Yes, there is a way to connect an Xbox or PS4 controller via Bluetooth and then use Kishi, but that’s impractical and you might not even have that controller. So, from a practical point of view, Kishi is not compatible with two of the most interesting games on the platform.
Secondly, we have the Razer Nexus app. The truth is that it is not intrusive and, in fact, it is a launcher for compatible games and applications that we have installed on our platform. If you press the Nexus button, it will open automatically and you can quickly select a game.
If you want to install it, fine, but if not, you’re not missing anything unless you want to remap the M buttons as you can only do it from there. To be honest I haven’t used it day in and day out since I run games from mobile dash.
Xbox Portable gets better
And continuing with the M buttons, they are fully compatible with cloud gaming. The title says that in my case I have two A buttons and two X buttons… and no problem using them.
The first Kishi was almost synonymous with the Xbox Game Pass controller. play in the cloud, and, in fact, many users have a portable Xbox thanks to a controller and a mobile phone. Everything good from the first Kishi and improved design of the second version are kept here.
You might not be able to play native mobile games (although there are actually some great ones out there), but with this you will be able to play GeForce Now, Stadia, and Microsoft’s service in luxury. And, well, you also have the option to remote stream your Steam games running on your PC.
Upgrade the first version, but the price will rise by 30 euros.
As I said at the beginning, mobile phones have gradually turned into a gaming platform with monstrous possibilities. something more and more developers are looking at with both playback or streaming apps and native games.
And of course, there are many compatible controls on the market that want to turn the phone into a console. The first Kishi was hugely popular both because of the overall quality and the trust that a brand like Razer puts in, and this Kishi V2 surpasses the original in just about every way.
I like the feel of the buttons, the overall ergonomics of the device, and the layout of the M-buttons. Although, of course, this is very subjective. And although I find it very round, there are little things that need to be improved.
I would add a headphone jack In order to be able to charge the mobile when using wired headphones, a larger hole would have been left on the left side so that the sound from the upper speakers would expand and perhaps this would make the triggers a little harder.
But in the end, the experience is very good in all kinds of games, and perhaps the most controversial point is that this version has undergone a price increase from 90 of the original (which can now be bought for about 68 euros) to 120 euros, for which this version is sold.
Source: Computer Hoy
