Despite being fully aware of xCloud since its beta launch back in November 2019, it was never something I had really considered using. The thought of touchscreen controls on my phone to play a game that was initially intended for a controller simply never appealed to me. Neither did finding a way to prop my phone up so that I could use an official Xbox pad. Enter the NACON MG-X.
First up you have the build quality, which is excellent. At first glance, it looks like the two inspirations for the design are NACON’s own Pro Compact controller and the Nintendo Switch. This was a really smart move because it integrates the success of one of their existing products with the familiarity of the market leader in handheld gaming.
Comfort is also not in question. The device itself is very lightweight and comes with a rubber pad on the back that really increased both how nice the device felt to hold and how secure it was in my hands. At the end of the day, you are likely slotting one of the most expensive items you own into this, so any extra grip protection is very welcome. Connecting the controller to your phone is simple and can be done in seconds via Bluetooth. Throughout the review period, I never encountered a single issue with connectivity.
Due to the nature of the NACON MG-X stretching to accommodate all manner of Android devices I can’t really give you an exact size. However, it can take a phone with a screen size of up to 6.7 inches. The mechanism you use to secure the phone is very well built and gives you confidence that your phone is in safe hands. It’s spring-loaded and so automatically tightens around your device at all times. I tested this on both a Samsung Galaxy 10 & 21, as well as an iPhone 13. Again, this is an Android device, so the iPhone test was to check for size purposes.
All the button presses feel firm and responsive. I was particularly impressed with the analog sticks, which in my opinion felt superior to the joycon’s on the Nintendo Switch. The only slight issue I had in regards to controller input was the left and right trigger. They feel stiff to push in, which I assume is again to reduce the chance of dropping the device but it does take a bit of time to adjust.
Battery life is another huge plus. When first removing the unit from its packaging I instantly expected it to require batteries due to how light it felt. To my surprise, the NACON MG-X comes sporting an in-built battery that lasts for up to 20 hours of gaming. Charge times are also impressive thanks to the USB-C connection and you get a cable included in the box.
My xCloud experience itself has been a little mixed at times, with some lag and stuttering framerate despite my fast fibre internet, this is in no way the fault of the controller though. There are select native Android games that can be used as well, so it’s worth keeping a lookout for third-party uses. One issue people may encounter is that when the phone is secured in place, you won’t be able to access the charge port or headphone jack. This means you won’t be able to charge your phone while you play and if you want to use earphones they will need to be Bluetooth.
Overall, the NACON MG-X is an impressive bit of kit. The build quality is good and feels premium. The only limit is the streaming technology itself. If you can get a decent connection and keep the lag to a minimum, you basically have a portable Xbox Game Pass machine, which is pretty incredible when you think about it.
-Craig ✌️