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Mobile gaming shows no signs of slowing down, with new handheld versions of the most popular PC and console titles popping up every week. While thebest gaming phonescan generate graphics with amazing detail and smooth frame rates, controlling the fast-paced action with touch controls is often frustrating. That’s where mobile controllers like the Turtle Beach Atom step into the spotlight, offering as close to a full-sized controller experience as possible.
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The Turtle Beach Atom for Android launched in November 2022 and remains recognizable for its split controller design. Each side of this Bluetooth controller operates with battery power and seamlessly interlock for maximum portability. Despite its collapsible design, the Atom boasts full-sized buttons and analog sticks to emulate the ergonomics and responsiveness of a standard controller.
It’s been a fairly long wait, but the Atom Controller for iOS is finally set to arrive in North America on September 10th, for a suggested retail price of $79.99. Turtle Beach was kind enough to send along a review sample, so Game Rant could discover how well the innovative Atom controller design translated to the iPhone.
Turtle Beach Atom Controller for iOS
The Turtle Beach Atom Mobile Game Controller is designed to provide a convenient and comfortable gaming experience on iPhones. Its compact shape conveniently and magnetically fuses together, making it easy to take on the go. With a low-latency Bluetooth connection, it’s ideal for cloud gaming on platforms like Xbox Cloud Gaming and PS Remote Play.The controller’s familiar controls provide a console-like gaming experience on a mobile device, while adjustable phone clamps fit iPhone 11–14 models. With a 20+ hour battery life and quick-charging capabilities, gamers won’t have to worry about interruptions.
Contents of Package
The Turtle Beach Atom Controller for iOS ships in a compact square box, making no mistake about what phone the controller is compatible with.
Unpacking the box reveals the 2 part controller itself, adhesive pads for iPhones with cases and without, a USB-C charging cable, a travel pouch, and a quick start guide.
Installation
The physical part of the installation with the Atom controller involves applying the soft adhesive pads to the lower inner grooves of each individual module. In this instance, an iPhone 12 without a case was the target, so the thicker pads were used.
With clamps that slide up or down on each controller half, it was possible to achieve a reasonably secure fit. In one orientation, the camera bump on the back of the phone interfered with one side of the controller and made the assembled unit loose. However, flipping it around to its opposite side and placing it into the Atom again solved the problem. In most cases, the iPhone should automatically rotate the screen to the correct position when playing games. All the essential buttons of the iPhone remained accessible, but gamers won’t be able to use its charging port.
Since this controller is designed specifically for iPhone 11–14 models, there shouldn’t be as much variation in how phones fit as with theAndroid version of the Atom. Turtle Beach states that phones between 67-92 mm deep and 6-10.5 mm high are supported with the controller. Even so, without testing out a bunch of different cases, it’s difficult to know how accommodating this Atom controller is to thicker accessories.
Pairing the Atom with an iPhone requires first powering on each half of the controller separately. On the left side, users will press the Home button near the bottom of the controller, while on the right side, they will do the same on the Menu button. This does take a bit of getting used to when using the controller each time, and it would be ideal if a single power button could activate both controller parts. The sides of the Atom communicate with each other using a low-latency RF connection.
Once the Atom is powered on, it’s just a matter of pressing the Bluetooth button on the bottom of the left controller half and pairing the entire controller unit in the iPhone settings.
Design and Usage
In a stark departure from othermobile controllers like the Backbone One, the Atom controller is not a single piece of hardware with a large back bracket that connects to a Lightning port. The Atom is split into two halves that rely on an internal battery. To charge the device, gamers must first slide both halves into each other and attach a USB-C cable to a PC, power adapter, or power bank. This design choice will have its supporters and defenders, but the idea is to make the Atom as portable as possible. The fact that the Atom boasts a 20+ hour battery life prevents some of the hassles of regularly charging it to full capacity, which takes around 2.5 hours. Although it doesn’t do much to protect the analog sticks, the pouch that Turtle Beach provides makes it easier to store the controller when traveling.
The Turtle Beach Atom Controller for iOS uses a hard plastic which may not prove to be the most durable design, but helps to keep the weight of the device down. Each controller half is securely attached to the iPhone, but with a bit of force they can be pulled right off, despite the clamps. That means it likely won’t stay intact if it takes a tumble, and users shouldn’t trust the controller to double as a protective case.
Turtle Beach hasn’t changed the controller layout dramatically from the Android version of the device. The Atom still utilizes atypical Xbox controller layoutwith asymmetrical placement of the two analog sticks and the X-Y-A-B button configuration on its right side. On the top of the Atom are the trigger and bumper buttons: L1, L2, R1, and R2.
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To actually play some games with the Atom, by default, the home button on the controller will launch Apple’s Game Center. The software will have shortcuts to what games are regularly launched, keep track of achievements, and connect gamers to a social network. Of course, there are many other ways to access titles, like the Xbox Cloud and PS Remote Play apps, or simply using the Apple Store. Unfortunately, not all menus auto-rotate to landscape mode, leaving users better off with the touch controls until they can start their match.
Turtle Beach plans to release a companion app for the iOS version of the Atom shortly, which will allow gamers to adjust settings, update firmware, and launch a Game Discover hub to direct users to supported titles. On its website, the company already has alist of gamesthat maximize the performance of the controller.
Performance
When it comes to mobile controllers, user experience can vary dramatically depending on how well a particular title supports these devices. Thankfully, most of the games tested with the Atom Controller for iOS worked at least adequately.
Once the more straightforward touch control mode was turned off in the game, the analog sticks on the Atom effectively guided the cars around tracks inAsphalt 9. Comparable in size to the most popularfull-sized game controllers, the tactile buttons and regulation thumbsticks were familiar and intuitive. Many mobile games will now display the corresponding Xbox-style control schemes on menus, making using a controller much less painless.
Easy Come Easy Golfon Apple Arcade was a test of how quickly commands registered, since alack of timing can result in hooks and slices. Drives and approach shots were straight with the Atom controller, indicating minimal latency with the RF connection between each side of the controller and the Bluetooth pairing with the iPhone.
With far more complicated controls,Call of Duty: Mobilewas quite a different experience with the Atom. If a gamer isn’t adept at playing FPS titles on mobile platforms, the learning curve is steep, and it’s not always apparent what each button on a controller does. The analog stick sensitivity was much too high initially, but adjusting it in the game’s settings made aiming and moving the camera easier. The paddle and bumper buttons on top of the Atom responded well to constant firing action, with the bumpers having a clicky response similar to typing onmechanical gaming keyboards.
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The lightweight but chunky profile of each side of the Atom controller should allow medium to large hands to grip the device comfortably. Although there is no texture to enhance the grip, the back half of the controller features bulbous contouring to effortlessly rest in palms.
At no time did it feel like the commands of the buttons, D-Pad, and thumbsticks of the Atom weren’t registered instantly in games. Having separate RF and Bluetooth connections working together with the controller is certainly a different approach, but one that largely works without issues. Compared to touch commands in mobile games, there is no argument with how effectively a gamer can perform when using a controller like the Atom. Mobile gamers can also opt to use afull-sized wireless controllerwith Bluetooth, but then the issue becomes how to prop up the phone for a practical gaming experience. Additionally, there are times when gamers will need to use touch commands to unlock a phone or perform other functions, which can be done much easier with an attached mobile controller rather than with a wireless one.
Conclusion
With the Android-compatible Turtle Beach Atom Controller having been on the market for quite some time, iPhone users have been clamoring for a version of their own. The split controller design is now less shocking and is the solution when single-piece mobile controllers are too cumbersome to travel with. Even though the layout is slightly more cramped, the size and feel of the Atom’s buttons and sticks will have gamers thinking they are using afull-sized controller.
Since some competing mobile controllers utilize the iPhone as a power source, the fact that the Atom requires recharging may turn off some buyers. Still, the more than 20-hour battery life will ensure that the Atom can outlast the displays of many gaming phones. What the Atom might lack in convenience, itmakes up for in portability. The interlocking design that allows the two sides of the controller to become one compact unit deserves praise for its ingenuity.
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Without Turtle Beach’s iOS companion app available, it’s premature to make any judgments on Atom’s software. However, unless the app is a dramatic departure from its Android counterpart, it won’t provide the comprehensive, all-in-one game hub and launcher offered by the Backbone One. Navigating several different apps for shortcuts to installed mobile games remains an annoyance that Turtle Beach could rectify in the future.
Ultimately, the build quality, ergonomics, and responsive buttons outweigh any drawbacks with this controller. The Turtle Beach Atom is undoubtedly one of the best mobile controller on the market when storage space is a priority.
Related Products
The mobile controller arena has become increasingly competitive in recent years, including plentiful solutions for iPhone gaming specifically. Each of these controllers takes a slightly different approach to solving the problem of how to game on the go with less aggravation.
One of the more popular alternatives to the Turtle Beach Atom Controller is the Backbone One, which has different versions for Android phones and iPhones. Another bonus is there are separate varieties for fans of PlayStation or Xbox controller layouts. Unlike the Atom, theBackbone Oneis a single piece of hardware that stretches around the edges of a phone. It uses the connected phone as its main power source, negating the need for recharging the controller. However, its analog sticks are smaller than those found on the Atom, and some protective phone cases may be incompatible.
As one of the mostpopular manufacturers of gaming miceand keyboards, Razer hasn’t neglected the mobile market either. The manufacturer’sRazer Kishi V2features impressive customization for a mobile controller with the ability to remap some of its buttons. Drawing on their knowledge of how to manufacture top-class switches for gaming gear, the Kishi V2 has microswitch buttons with unmatched responsiveness. The Razer Nexus app also functions as a central hub, displaying shortcuts to installed games and popular cloud gaming apps.
TheNacon MG-X Prois another mobile controller with distinctively long handles. Ergonomically, the MG-X Pro best resembles a PlayStation controller and is one of the easiest mobile controllers to grip. Like the Turtle Beach Atom, the MG-X Pro relies on its own internal power source with a 20-hour battery life.
$100
Nacon MG-X Pro
Most mobile controllers that are comparable in features to the Turtle Beach Atom often cost more outside of sales. Each competitor has some advantages and disadvantages, but it’s hard to deny the value of the Atom at its launch price.
FAQ
Q: Why would a mobile gamer want to use a controller?
Even though most mobile games are designed for touch controls, it’s usually much easier to move characters around virtual worlds and execute commands with controllers. Mobile gaming controllers provide gamers with an experience that’s as close to at-home gaming as possible.
Q: Which is better for gaming, wireless or wired controllers?
Both wireless and wired controllers are good for gaming. Power users and eSports professionals do favor wired controllers for better input latency but for casual use, wireless controllers are more than good enough. And with time, they continue to get better and use low-latency tech to get a polling rate of as much as 1000Hz, making them extremely accurate and lag-free.
