Building on the success of the Backbone One, Backbone is back with a pro version of one of the best phone controllers which features significant upgrades and even the option to play wirelessly over Bluetooth.
While the new Backbone Pro shares a similar look and design to the Backbone One, it’s been completely redesigned to enhance comfort and provide wider device compatibility.
In addition to its new more rounded design that feels a lot more comfortable to hold for extended play sessions, Backbone has swapped out its smaller thumbsticks for full-sized ones in the Backbone Pro. Likewise, the controller now features two programmable back buttons which can be customized in the Backbone app.
The Backbone Pro also includes a number of upgrades aimed at making the controller quieter while in use. For instance, both its D-pad and face buttons now sport a carbon-pill design to reduce click volume. Its bumpers and triggers are larger and the triggers now use magnetic Hall Effect sensors for better longevity and accuracy.
On the bottom side of the Backbone Pro, you still have a USB-C charging port on the right for charging your phone while you play along with a headphone jack on the left so that you can connect a pair of wired headphones. However, next to the headphone jack there’s now a pairing button so that you can connect the Backbone Pro via Bluetooth.
Beyond your phone
Just like with previous models, the Backbone Pro connects to your phone using a USB-C connector on the right side of the controller. Not only does this give you a basically latency-free connection, it also means that you don’t have to worry about charging the device if you want to play on one of the best phones.
Unlike the Backbone One though, the Backbone Pro does feature a battery which Backbone claims can get you up to 40 hours of wireless playtime. In wireless mode, the controller can pair with your phone, tablet, laptop, PC, smart TV and even VR headsets like the Meta Quest 3.
Instead of having to go through the pairing process whenever you want to switch between devices, Backbone has created what it calls its FlowState technology. This lets you instantly switch between your tablet, PC, TV and other devices with just a tap in the Backbone app. The best part though, your profiles, connection settings and input preferences follow you from screen to screen.
The Backbone Pro will cost $169.99 and the new controller will start shipping out soon. However, as you might have guessed from the picture above, I actually have a Backbone Pro in for testing right now, so stay tuned to Tom’s Guide for my hands-on experience with the new controller.
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