Trusting your phone to Abxylute’s mobile controller requires a big leap of faith

As a retro gamer, I was thrilled when Apple opened up its App Store for emulators in 2024, but I’ve yet to find a console that makes me want to fully embrace retro gaming on my phone.

Mounted controllers like the Backbone Pro are a bit bulky, and I wouldn’t want to prop my phone up somewhere to use a standalone gamepad. The Abxylute M4 looked exactly what I was looking for when it debuted a few months ago. It’s a compact wireless gamepad that uses a magnetic mount to attach to my iPhone. It’s a smart design, but one that’s let down by the stiff thumb sticks and a magnetic mount that doesn’t always seem to hold my phone securely.

There are two components to the Abxylute M4: a retro-looking rectangular gamepad that connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth, and a Q-shaped stand that connects the controller to your phone so it feels like you’re playing on a portable console. The mount is compatible with MagSafe iPhone models and the Google Pixel 10 series. I primarily tested it with the iPhone 16 Pro, but Abxylute includes an adhesive metal ring that you can stick to the back of any phone to make it compatible.

The magnet ring on the M4 holder adhered to the back of my iPhone as securely as any MagSafe accessory or Qi2 charger I’ve ever used. It won’t be done until you want it to. It also features a smooth finish, allowing you to rotate the stand and attach the gamepad so that it completely disappears behind your phone instead of hanging off to the side. But the whole thing got too bulky and thick to fit in a pocket, so I’ve been removing it entirely when I’m not playing.

One design limitation of the M4 is that when plugged in, it can only be used to play games in landscape orientation. In portrait mode, the controller doesn’t protrude far enough for all of its controls to be accessible. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but as a Game Boy fan for decades, I tend to prefer playing games vertically. Recently announced portable controllers like the GameSir Pocket Taco and 8BitDo FlipPad support this.

A much bigger issue with the M4’s design, and a potential deal-breaker, is the connection between the stand and the controller. It also relies on strong magnets that hold the controller in place when mounted on the stand. But the connection doesn’t seem strong enough to keep the stand securely attached to the controller while your phone is connected.

The connection between the stand and controller feels secure enough when I hold the M4 with my phone in front of me while playing a game. But at some angles, or when I accidentally bumped my phone, the stand could come loose from the gamepad. The connection between the two will also be constantly disconnected if you unconsciously turn the whole thing upside down, causing the phone and attached stand to fall. Fortunately, all of my testing was done on a soft sofa.

I’m not the only one who suffers from this behavior. Retro DodoSo did Brandon Saltalamacchia. Connectivity might be better with a lighter phone, like the iPhone Air, but since smartphones are now such a big investment (my iPhone 16 Pro costs about $1,500 CAD here in Canada, or about $1,100 USD), I’m not comfortable using the M4 as it was designed.

The M4 doesn’t fully rely on its magnetic mount. It can be used as a standalone controller with phones, controllers, or any device that supports Bluetooth gamepads. I was surprised at how comfortable it was to use with my giant hands. Its square-shaped design allows me to reach the M4’s shoulder buttons without twisting my index fingers, and the build quality feels solid.

The controller’s four action buttons are small but have a satisfying amount of resistance. It’s paired with a large D-pad that’s a bit soft and prone to registering inputs from multiple directions, but it’s sufficient for gaming and gaming sessions. Choose a different controller if you are aiming for high scores.

The Abxylute includes two analogue joysticks, a feature rarely found on controllers of this size. They use a sliding disc design similar to what Nintendo used on the 3DS – but it’s less effective. The M4’s sliding joysticks are stiff and uncomfortable, making precise movements nearly impossible. My thumb was hurting after a few races Mario Kart Worldand I can’t see myself using either joystick again.

As with compact controllers, the $49 Abxylute M4 is good, but not great. But that’s not why people buy it. Its promise of turning a smartphone into a portable console helped the company raise more than $300,000 from nearly 6,000 backers on Kickstarter — many of whom I think would feel frustrated or disappointed if they weren’t very careful while using it. Trusting your $1,000 laptop in the M4 takes a leap of faith too far for me.

Photos by Andrew Leszewski/The Verge