PowerA’s xCloud-ready controllers can keep your phone charged while you game

Gaming peripheral maker PowerA has debuted a few controllers designed with Microsoft’s new xCloud cloud gaming service in mind. The first is the MOGA XP5-X, a $69.99 wireless controller that will launch in September alongside the service’s integration into Game Pass Ultimate.

You could just use Microsoft’s cheaper Xbox One Bluetooth controller (which this model looks very similar to) and pick up a cheap phone clip separately, but this pricier model might be worth it if you want to stay charged on the go. It includes an admittedly tough-looking phone clip, and the controller itself has a 3,000mAh power reserve that can be tapped to keep your phone juiced up via USB while you play. To do that, just flip the switch near the right joystick.

Image: PowerA

PowerA will include a few USB cables that you can plug into the controller, and each is outfitted with tips to accommodate phones that charge via Micro USB or USB-C. With the controller’s multiple ports, you can charge the controller and your phone simultaneously. To that end, you can either pair the controller to your phone via Bluetooth or use it as a wired controller.

Remappable controls aren’t unique only to PowerA controllers, but the company definitely leans in hard on them and this device is no exception. There are two buttons on the rear side of the controller, inside the curve of each grip, that can be mapped to any function in an xCloud game (or really any game you want to play on your phone) without the need for any additional software.

PowerA announced another battery-touting xCloud controller with two rear remappable buttons, but it’s not coming until the winter. It’s called the MOGA XP7-X Plus, and with its 2,000mAh battery, it can charge your device via Qi charging. Given that wireless charging is slower than over a wire, I wouldn’t expect to gain charge while using this controller, but hopefully it can at least keep your phone’s battery level. As for the design, it spreads apart like the Razer Kishi to make room for your smartphone, though the large controller sections look more akin to those on the beloved Hori Split Pad Pro Joy-Con for Nintendo Switch. This one will cost $99.99.

If you’re going to get a controller just for cloud gaming, PowerA makes a strong argument that you might as well get the one that’s going to let you do it for the longest and with the most versatility in terms of button schemes. It just comes down to how much you want to spend and whether you want wired or wireless charging.