I adore this smart portable gamepad with Hall effect sticks and a speedy design

In a sea of ​​smartphone gaming controllers with chunky grips, annoying analog sticks, and hard backplates, the MCON by Ohsnap stands out. It’s a gamepad that basically turns any phone into a supercharged Xperia Play, complete with Hall-effect joysticks, silent buttons, and knobs that can extend beyond its base. It also has bumper-style triggers and actual bumpers. When attached to the back of the phone, the MCON creates a slightly chunky but uniform profile that slides into a pocket without any fuss. When you’re ready to start playing, the phone pops up from the gamepad with a satisfying click.

The MCON connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth, with no cables or connectivity required. MagSafe is used to connect to iPhones, and for Android devices, there will be a MagSafe adapter included in the box – which is just a 2mm thick disc that sticks to the back of your phone or case. This covers basically every smartphone out there, and it’s possible to assemble multiple connected balls to make room for awkward camera bumps. Ohsnap’s goal is to support iOS, Android, Xbox, PC, and Mac, with PlayStation as a pipe dream platform.

Ohsnap and MCON creator Josh King showed off the gamepad at CES 2025 with a near-finished prototype. The final version will have silicone surfaces on the analog sticks, a cover for the spring mechanism and more precision all around. King said he wasn’t completely satisfied with the D-pad either. But even in its current form, the MCON is a nice little fringe device. It feels nice—lightweight yet sturdy enough to support and toss a full-sized smartphone—and it folds into a compact rectangle that’s satisfying to hold.

Opening it involves pressing two buttons on the top of the controller, behind the connected phone, and requires the right amount of finger strength and angle. It took a few tries for me to successfully spread the pop, largely because I have long, manicured nails, but I was able to use the tips of my actual nails to make the magic happen.

When King discovered my Samsung Z Flip 6, he immediately started troubleshooting ways to make the foldable device work with MCON. You only have to move the attached dial a little, he explained, so you can connect to the lower back quarter of the phone instead of the center hinge. He was confident he could make it work, and said he had already confirmed that the Galaxy Z Fold was MCON compliant. King’s goal is for MCON to support every smartphone ever.

the Emcon Kickstarter It launched on January 2, and after four days, more than $740,000 of the $25,000 goal had been raised. He enjoyed the concept of the king quite a bit Viral fame Over the years, he eventually took the idea to Ohsnap, a MagSafe-focused accessory manufacturer. By their combined powers, the MCON is on track to ship in August for $150.