Gamevice Flex: A pro gaming controller for your iPhone
When it comes to gaming on our phones, obviously developers have created games that are mostly optimized for touchscreen displays. In some cases this works out perfectly, but in other cases, it’s not the best experience.
For example, there are games like arcade fighting games, racing games, or FPS where using the on-screen controls are less than ideal. This is because those games have typically relied on physical controls for the best experience, and if those genres of games are the ones you play the most, then you might want to get yourself a physical controller.
For iPhone users, you might want to take a look at the Gamevice Flex and here are some reasons why it might be worth your consideration.
Portable design
While Apple has introduced support for external gaming controllers, sometimes this means that you’ll have to use an external controller like that of your PS or Xbox which isn’t the most ideal.
This is because you would need to find a way to prop up your phone in order to play, which isn’t so convenient if you’re outside like on the bus or train to work or school. The Gamevice Flex actually connects to your phone physically and can be collapsed onto itself, making it portable.
If you’ve ever grown up playing handhelds like the Game Gear, then the Gamevice Flex basically transforms it into that, where your phone will act as the display and you’ll be able to comfortably hold the controller in both your hands.
Usable with a phone case
Now, there are some other controllers that are similarly designed, but the problem is that some of these models do not take into account the fact that your phone has a case. This means that in some instances you’ll have to take the case off which is troublesome.
With the Gamevice Flex, that won’t be a problem as it has been designed to be used with or without a case, so it’s up to the users. But what if you have a particularly large or thick case? According to Gamevice, the Flex has been designed to accommodate cases that are known to be thick and bulky, like the UAG Monarch, Otterbox Symmetry, Speck Presidio2, Spigen Tough Armor, and so on.
Being able to use the controller with the case also means that you don’t have to remove the case every time you want to use the Gamevice Flex with your phone. One of the obvious benefits is that it is more convenient and efficient, and the second is that it also reduces the wear and tear on your case whenever you have to take it off and put it back on your phone, which could save you money in the long term.
The company is also including an adapter kit to ensure that the case you’re using will be able to fit the controller just fine. This means that you won’t have to worry about the phone not fitting well with the controller and maybe popping out mid-gameplay.
Low-latency connection
One of the best features of the Gamevice Flex is that it relies on a direct physical connection to your phone. This means that if you don’t want to deal with the hassle of Bluetooth connections, which can cause latency issues and might be a problem for competitive gamers, potential dropped connections, and so on, a wired connection will address that.
This will result in the lowest possible latency so that when you game, your inputs are registered more or less instantly. To be fair to most Bluetooth controllers, latency isn’t that huge of a problem and is usually imperceptible, but like we said, if you’re playing competitively then obviously removing as much friction as possible is best.
The fact that the Gamevice Flex plugs directly into your iPhone’s Lightning port also means that it supports pass-through charging. So if your phone is running low on battery, you can plug a Lightning cable directly to the Flex and it will keep your phone charged while you play your games, so there will not be any interruptions to your gaming sessions. There is also a built-in 3.5mm headphone jack so you can also connect it to a pair of wired headphones if you prefer.
Console-grade controls
Now what good is a controller if the actual physical controls aren’t good, right? With the Gamevice Flex, the company is advertising console-level controls. This includes a set of clickable full-sized ALPS analog thumbsticks that will offer high precision and accuracy, perfect if you play games like FPS and need to aim at the enemy.
There are also hall effect triggers and the buttons offer console-like travel, so every press will be tactile and satisfying as you will know when you have pressed a button. The controller has also been ergonomically designed with large curved grips so that you can hold it easier and more comfortably over extended gaming sessions.
Pricing and availability
If you’re looking for a controller for your iPhone that has the MFi branding (meaning that it is essentially Apple-approved), a portable design, and low-latency, then the Gamevice Flex basically checks all those boxes. The controller itself is priced at $110 and there will also be a free one month subscription to services like Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, making it quite a good deal if you’re looking to try out cloud gaming.
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