The Razer Kishi: A Controller for Android Phones?

As I must admit, this is not the kind of product that I would typically be interested in. However, my first experience with the Razer Kishi, adorably named by the way, was during a sponsored video for a company called Rainway. Rainway makes software that consolidates all different game launches on your computer, allowing you to click on the game and play it from one place.

The Razer Kishi is a controller designed specifically for Android phones, with the only function being charging via its Type-C port at the bottom. There's a sticker on the bottom that needs to be removed, but other than that, this controller seems like a standard USB-C controller doodad. The buttons are fine, and the D-pad is nothing special. The analog sticks feel really good, and the A, B, X, Y buttons get an average rating of a B. They lack tactile feedback, feeling mushy and consistent but without any standout quality issues.

The triggers on the Razer Kishi leave room for improvement. While I think you can hear everything I have to say about them, they simply don't stand out in terms of quality compared to other controllers I've tried before. In comparison to these products, it's hard not to feel like this controller is just average.

Moving on, let me grab my phone that I daily drive, which is my Note 9. I'm back on it again, and I just can't get away from this phone; I love it. Now, you've got clips in here, a pad material right here, a Type-C connector inside, and then on the other side, there's kind of this ribbed rubber that's intended to hold the phone in place and not scratch the glass.

I didn't follow the instructions or read them rather, so I'm going to guess that you just kinda plunk it onto the USB Type-C like that. And see, there's a bit of stretchability to it, which you can then plunk onto like that. Although this is a phone sample size of one, and I don't think Razer designed this thing for me specifically or for this phone specifically, but dang, does it ever fit perfectly.

There's very little wobble in that, and when I naturally put pressure on the device when using it, I found that it fit extremely well. Android has native support for controllers like this, so you can see immediately controlling my home screen at a 90-degree angle because that's brilliant obviously.

However, one thing that's kind of a drag is that if you have a rear-mounted touch sensor, it gets in the way with this controller, and the same goes for your rear camera. I mean, I guess most of the time when you're gaming, you don't really need your rear camera, and your phone would be unlocked.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: en- I'll be the first to admit thatthis is not the kind of productthat I would typically be interested in.But my first experiencewith the Razer Kishi, adorablename, by the way, was whenI was doing a sponsored videofor a company called Rainway.And Rainway makes a software that's kindof like a consolidation of allthe different game launcherson your computer, soyou just have one placeto kinda click on the game and play it.So this is a controller that is supposedto be a universally compatibleUSB-C controller doodadfor your Android phone.So this only handles charging.There's a Type-C port on thebottom that is charging only.Get that sticker off of it.Let's talk buttons first,(controller clacks)they're fine. (laughs)The D-pad is nothing special.The analog sticks feel really good,and the A, B, X, Y, I would give like a B.They don't really haveany tactile feedback,they're kind of mushy,but they're consistent,and there's nothing that jumps out to meas like an obvious quality issue.As for the triggers?I mean, I think you can hear everythingthat I would have to say about those.(triggers clacking)Not amazing, no click in the shoulder,and not the best trigger I've ever felt.But compared to anyother one of these thingsthat I've tried beforeit feels really good.So I guess it's not abouthow good the product is,it's about how good the competitors are.Let's go ahead and grab thephone that I daily drive,it's my Note 9.I'm back on it again.I just can't get away fromthis phone, I love it.So you've got these kind of clips in here.You've got kinda like apad material, right here.A Type-C connector on the inside here.And then on the other side,you've got kind of this,it's neat, it's kinda likea ribbed rubber, right here,that's intended to hold the phone in placeand then, presumably,not scratch the glass,although we'll find that out soon enough.So I didn't follow the instructions,or I didn't read them rather,so I'm just gonna guessthat you kind of plunk itonto the USB Type-C like that.And then, see, there's kind oflike some stretchability to it,and then you kinda plunk it on like that.Now, of course, this is aphone sample size of one,this is the Note 9, and I don't thinkthat Razer designed thisthing for me specifically,or for this phone specifically,but, dang, does it evergo with it perfectly.Look how little wobble there is in that.Like, that fits.There's a little bit more this way,but that's not how I wouldnaturally put pressureon the device when I'm using it.I would typically hold it kinda like that,like kinda from the bottom,and I found that it fit extremely well.Android has native supportfor controllers like this,so you can see I'm immediatelycontrolling my home screenat a 90-degree angle, 'causethat's brilliant obviously.One thing that's kind of a drag is thatif you have a rear-mounted touch sensor,obviously you can't use itwith this thing in the wayand same goes for your rear camera.I mean, I guess most ofthe time when you're gamingyou don't really need your rear cameraand your phone would be unlocked,but it's just somethingthat I found kind of obnoxious just 'causeit's so hard to get at.Actually, wait, I'm gonnanavigate over to Utilities, here,and tell you about our sponsor, Displate.Displate makes metal prints.They've got over 800,000 unique designsthat you can put on your walls,and their magnetic mountingsystem decreases the riskof damaging your walls.We've even got some of our owndesigns on the platform now,and you can use code CIRCUIT to save 15%at the link in the video description.All right, let's go back to Rainway.Let's...You know what, \"Overcooked 2.\"\"Overcooked\" is a good testgame for me just becauseit's one of the few controller gamesthat I've actually invested enough time into be any good at.Okay, this is a small screenfor this game. (chuckles)I cannot find the fire extinguisher.Ah, hello?Hello, where's the fire extinguisher?Wait, there is no fire extinguisher.This is beforethey introduced the fireextinguisher mechanic.Ah, shoot.Last time, okay.I swear to you, I'm actuallydecent at this game,I just can't see anything.Where did this cucumber go?Oh, I threw it by accident.'Kay, just don't includeany of this, Editor.Okay, how'd I do?Hey, I got a star.(claps) Whoo!You know what?No, it's there, \"Tomb Raider.\"\"Tomb Raider\", it's a classic.There's tombs, they're raided, 'kay?They've got redundancy.- They've got--- Oh, God.- (chuckles) Yes!Got him!I kinda wish my workstationwas a little bitmore performancy right about now.Man, Wi-Fi is so not goodenough still. (humming)\"Spike trap, press A to jump.\"Ah!Oh, wow, that's really gruesome, hey?Wow, all right, enough of that.So far nothing aboutactually playing gameson this thing has changedwhat I had to say about it.For one of these things, it's solid.Feels well built.Quality of the controller is really good.It's still a controllerstrapped to a phone,but it's not the kind of thingthat I could see myself typically using.Okay, in fairness though,a number of years back,I did play the entire first installmentin the \"Tomb Raider\" rebootseries on my NVIDIA SHIELDwhich fundamentally was notthat different from this.To be clear,I'm talking about the SHIELDPortable, the game console one,not the tablet.What's that racing seriesthat everyone plays on mobile?- \"Asphalt.\"(triggers clacking)- I get it, I get it.You make your epic,snazzy thing or whatever.What, no, I don't want a tutorial.I know how to play video games.\"Quit race.\"How about that?What do you think of that?\"Congratulations!\"You received these cards.\"\"Well done, Driver.\"You didn't...Skip!It's not even that much time,that was less than a minute,but it felt like 10 becauseit's so unnecessary.Holy crap, is this the same...(cameraman laughing)Whatever, I don't even care,I'm not even gonna do it.But that's fine.The Kishi, pretty cool device.You can check it out at thelink in the video description.Just, oh man, so angry.Thanks for watching, subscribe.\n"