ELO Vagabond Mobile Gaming Controller, Made for iPhone, USB-C, Android

I honestly didn’t expect this controller to make such a big difference, but it quickly became one of my favorite gaming accessories. Setup was incredibly easy—just plug it in and start playing, no pairing or hassle. It fits my RedMagic 11 Air perfectly, even with a case on, and feels solid and well-built in hand. The controls are super responsive, and the Hall Effect joysticks make everything feel smooth and precise with no drift. One of the standout features for me is the full-size grips—they’re noticeably more comfortable than other brands with slimmer or smaller profiles, making longer gaming sessions much easier on the hands. The companion app isn’t 100% required to use it, but it’s very useful for fine-tuning settings and getting everything dialed in just right. It really transforms mobile gaming into a console-like experience and makes PS streaming, Steam streaming, and Xbox Cloud Gaming incredibly easy to jump into. On top of that, it looks sleek and premium, making my setup feel more complete. Overall, it’s a huge upgrade in comfort, control, and performance, and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone serious about mobile gaming.

I had high hopes for this controller and I'm happy to report, it did not let me down. I absolutely love it! The best part for me has to be the Hall Effect joysticks. They're incredibly smooth and precise and it's a relief knowing they won't start drifting after a few months of heavy use. It clamps onto my phone perfectly via USB-C so there's zero lag and it feels solid without putting a weird amount of pressure on the port. Ergonomically, it actually feels like you're holding a premium console controller rather than a cheap plastic toy. The grips are comfortable for longer sessions and the buttons have a really satisfying clicky snap to em. Also want to mention the awesome packaging. Definitely makes the unboxing experience exciting! This thing is absolutely worth the money and I couldn't recommend it more.

Although reasonably comfortable, this controller fits similarly to a PS5 controller but features an Xbox layout; however, it is not quite as comfortable as either. On the surface, the buttons feel OK, albeit the D-pad is a bit stiff, but the analog sticks feel well-made and the grip buttons are well-placed. The main issue I have—and I've played with many telescopic controllers, including the GameSir X5 Lite and the BSP D9—is that although this controller is triple the price of those previously mentioned, it has abysmal software that causes the Select button on the controller to take a screenshot every time I hit it on my Android phone. I have the latest firmware update for the Vagabond controller through their app, along with the latest Android OS on my phone, so it's clearly a software glitch that many others have reported on Reddit. Yet, this problem was never addressed, and it likely will never be fixed since this device has been out for over a year. Unfortunately, the Select button cannot be corrected and will permanently take a screenshot every time it's pressed; the button configuration does not give an option to correct this, even after the software update. Additionally, the serial number is difficult to read and is located inside the telescopic controller when it retracts. There is a code on the box, but it's different from the one inside the controller. Regardless, neither one worked when typed into their app, and I've tried everything for 30 minutes with and without hyphens, punctuation marks, or spaces—testing literally every combination—and was unable to register the product to take advantage of their warranty. I believe it's intentionally this difficult to register warranties because they are aware of the poor quality of the hardware, and it's unfortunate that many report hardware issues shortly after their purchase. Another nitpick is that I like to hotkey the Select and Start buttons in RetroArch to bring up the menu. The Select button on the Vagabond is relocated to the button above what should be the Select button. Not only is it incorrectly labeled and in an odd place, but when I try to hit Start and Select, it automatically enables or disables the RGB lighting, even though I have manually turned it off in the settings. I've downgraded my rating from 2 stars to 1 star because this company uses deceptive business practices to con people out of their warranty and put zero effort into fixing the software issues that many others reported. They have a track record of proven incompetence, and I would not recommend wasting an hour and a half of your precious free time troubleshooting this device. My $20 BSP D9 and the GameSir X5 Lite had better software, making this premium upgrade a major disappointment.

This controller has completely transformed my gaming experience with mobile games. As an avid gamer who’s always playing games at home and on my phone, the Vagabond has given me the edge to game competitively and comfortable on my phone and iPad. Gaming on the go has never been so fun. The design of the controller is sleek and very lightweight so I don’t get tired holding it. I absolutely love the look of it. It feels great in my hands due to the ergonomic build and I couldn’t be happier.It really makes me feel like I’m gaming on a console. The response time of the controller to game is really accurate. And although I’m button mashing some games, the controller feels built to last. The design team definitely invested time and thought into this controller and I applaud them. It’s awesome, that they included little alterations for whatever device youre using and they also included this measuring card to help navigate the adjustments. Final Thoughts: This controller is definitely the best one on the market and it’s not even close. If you’ve used the backbone, you know of the problems that come with it and the Vagabond has completely improved on all of the critiques the backbone faces. The Vagabond was built with gamers in mind- combining top-tier performance, unbeatable comfort, and customizable features. Whether you’re a causal or hardcore gamer, this controller is the way to go if you want to elevate your experience on mobile gaming. This controller delivers both style and substance and is an absolute must have.

Okay guys, I bought one here is my honest opinion of it. Truth is, it's actually not a bad controller at all. It gives you the full size / regular gaming controller feel and vibe, plus it's built to take your phone, with the case on! I have a OnePlus 12 phone with a camera bump and an aftermarket kickstand on my Spigen case and after I removed the swappable adaptive rubber/silicone pads that hold the phone in place, it held my phone perfectly fine. I've played the following games without any issues ..... Call of duty mobile Farlight84 Star Wars Hunters Blood Strike Rally Horizon Metal Storm Asphalt 8 Shadow Gun Legends PPSS22 Emulator (PS2 emulator) Star Wars Jedi Star Fighter and other PS2 games. Today I'm going to try it out on Battle Prime, Genshin Impact, Modern Strike Online, Nova Space Armada & MWT Tank Battles. *Edit- Battle Prime didn't work, Nova Space Armada didn't work, MWT tanks Battles didn't work, Modern Strike didn't work. Now I know people might feel some type of way about the usb-C connector and maybe a slight fear that it will come off or break off into the phone. I had that same fear but after repeatedly connecting my phone on and off several times I can comfortably say it's well built. The passthrough charging is not as fast as I would have hoped, and I'm using the correct quick charger and wire. I've tried several different chargers and wires and no change. If you game on high settings, the pass through charging will take forever to charge your phone back up. It kept my phones battery life from losing more power and in 40 minutes of Call Of Duty Mobile, I gained maybe 4 percent power. This is where I was slightly disappointed but it's not a big deal and they can fix it with the next controller. Actually, they can fix all my critiques with the next controller and they will instantly be #1 ! The controller does look premium but doesn't feel very premium. I say that because I also tested the Gamesir G8 Plus and in my opinion the Elo Vagabond and GameSir G8 Plus both have distinguishable traits that put them at the top of the list for amazing controllers. To be honest I think they are both the best! I ended up returning my GameSir G8 Plus and I've decided to keep my Elo Vagabond controller. Also, please reconsider the android apps design. Please focus on end-user visual aesthetics and please stop forcing landscape mode with the app. That's it, that's all, and I look forward to my mobile gaming a lot more than normal now with the Elo Vagabond Controller.

TL;DR: the box is the best part of this controller, controller itself is fine but $100 still feels steep for the build quality I’ve been trying a few mobile controllers I’ve seen recommended the most, and was instantly drawn to the design of the Vagabond and was convinced it would be the one (for reference, I’ve also tried the Razer Kishi V3 XL, Razer Kishi Ultra, GameSir G8 and G8+, and Backbone Pro). The box it came in was so quality and extravagant even! Lovely box, a beautiful box. Ultimately, the Vagabond itself just doesn’t feel anywhere near its $100 price tag in build quality or functionality. My phone feels rickety and unstable in it, and it feels like it could easily enough break with minimal pressure. The buttons feel good, the joysticks are good, and I do love the overall design of this pad. The LEDs behind the joysticks are a nice flashy but not over the top touch, and everything is well placed. The app is also… useless? I didn’t spend a lot of time in it, but it was just meh and one of my least favorites amongst the competition.

I’ve used the Backbone and thought it was decent...until I got the Vagabond. This controller is on another level. The first thing I noticed was how much more comfortable it is. The joystick placement feels natural, not cramped like the Backbone, and the overall larger size actually makes it easier to hold for extended gaming sessions without hand fatigue. As for the features, everything advertised is spot on. It works seamlessly with iPhone without a single issue. The telescopic design feels sturdy and expands smoothly without any wobble. Gameplay is tight and responsive, with no noticeable input delay or lag whatsoever. One of the best parts is the ability to charge your phone while playing, (pass-through charging feature) and the port is at the bottom where you'd want it. My hands don't interfere with the charging at all, plus there's a 3.5 audio jack down there. Despite being lightweight, the build quality is solid. The buttons, triggers, and joysticks all feel premium and responsive. In terms of comfort and layout, it genuinely feels more like a console controller than anything else I’ve used for mobile gaming. It connects USB-C so you never have to worry about fiddling with bluetooth settings or drop outs. If you’re looking for a mobile controller that actually lives up to the hype, the Vagabond is it. It’s well-designed, comfortable, responsive, and just plain better than the competition. Oh and if you have dry hands like me...invest in a decent cleaning solution for the joysticks. They have GRIP.

Product is good, build quality is lacking. Missing screws and seems don’t fit together good. Not worth what you pay for it.