As a retro gaming fan, I was thrilled when Apple opened up its App Store to emulators in 2024, but I have yet to find a controller that inspires me to fully embrace retro gaming on my phone.
Clamp-on controllers like the Backbone Pro are a bit bulky, and I don’t want to prop my phone somewhere to use a standalone gamepad. The Abxylute M4 seemed like exactly what I was looking for when it launched a few months ago. It’s a compact wireless gamepad that uses a magnetic mount to connect to my iPhone. It’s a clever design, but let down by rigid thumbsticks and a magnetic mount that doesn’t always feel like it’s supporting my phone securely.
The Abxylute M4 has two components: a retro-looking rectangular gamepad that connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth, and a Q-shaped mount that attaches the controller to your phone to make it feel like you’re playing a handheld console. The mount is compatible with MagSafe iPhone models and the Google Pixel 10 series. I primarily tested it with the iPhone 16 Pro, but Abxylute includes an adhesive metal ring that you can stick to the back of any phone to make it compatible.
The magnet ring on the M4’s mount sticks to the back of my iPhone as securely as any MagSafe accessory or Qi2 charger I’ve ever used. It’s not going to go away unless you want it to. It also has a smooth finish, allowing you to rotate the mount and attach the gamepad so that it hides completely behind your phone instead of hanging off the side. But the whole thing gets too heavy and thick to keep in a pocket, so I remove it altogether when I’m not playing.
One limitation of the M4’s design is that when attached, it can only be used to play games in landscape orientation. In vertical mode, the controller does not extend far enough to allow access to all of its controls. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but as a decades-old Game Boy fan, I prefer playing games vertically. Mobile controllers like the recently announced GameSir Pocket Taco and 8Bitdo FlipPad support it.
A big issue with the M4’s design, and potential deal-breaker, is the connection between the mount and the controller. It also relies on a strong magnet that holds the controller in place when attached to the mount. But the connection doesn’t seem strong enough to keep the mount always securely connected to the controller while your phone is connected.
When I hold the M4 and my phone in front of me while gaming, the connection between the mount and the controller feels quite secure. But at certain angles, or when I accidentally bump my phone, the mount can detach from the gamepad. If you unthinkingly turn the whole thing upside down, causing the phone and its attached mount to fall out, the two will remain constantly disconnected. Thankfully, all my testing was done on a soft couch.
I’m not the only person experiencing this behavior. retro dodoBrandon Saltalamacchia did too. The connection might be better with a lighter phone like the iPhone Air, but given smartphones are now a significant investment (my iPhone 16 Pro costs CA$1,500 here in Canada, or the equivalent of about US$1,100), I’m not comfortable using the M4 as it’s designed.
The M4 is not entirely dependent on its magnetic mount. It can be used as a standalone controller with phones, consoles, or any device that supports Bluetooth gamepads. I was surprised at how comfortable it was to use with my huge hands. Its square-shaped design lets me reach the M4’s shoulder buttons without distorting my index finger, and the build quality feels solid.
The controller’s four action buttons are small but have a satisfying amount of resistance. They’re paired with a large D-pad that’s a little mushy and capable of taking input from multiple directions, but is good enough for pick-up-and-play gaming sessions. Choose a different controller if you’re chasing a higher score.
The Abxylute includes two analog joysticks, a feature rarely found on controllers of this size. They use a sliding disc design similar to the one Nintendo used on the 3DS – but less effective. The sliding joysticks on the M4 are stiff and uncomfortable, making subtle movements almost impossible. My thumb hurt after a few runs mario kart worldAnd I can’t see myself using any joysticks again.
As compact controllers say, the $49 Absolut M4 is good, but not great. But that’s not why people are going to buy it. The promise of turning smartphones into handheld consoles helped the company raise over $300,000 from about 6,000 backers on Kickstarter — I imagine a lot of them will be disappointed or frustrated if they’re not extra cautious when using it. Trusting the M4 on your $1,000 mobile device requires a leap of faith that’s too far for me.
Photos by Andrew Liszewski/The Verge
<a href