Review: The PowerA MOGA XP-Ultra is an Xbox controller Swiss Army knife

The PowerA MOGA XP-Ultra is incredibly versatile if you want a controller that does it all, wired and wireless modes for Xbox, PC and Android, and use as an Xbox cloud controller to boot. It’s great to see Xbox finally allowing use of wireless technology in third-party controllers, but the MOGA XP-Ultra tries to do too much at once and masters none of its essential functions. Sometimes less is more.

Pros

• +Great build quality
• +Incredibly versatile
• +Long battery life
• +Programmable rear buttons
• +Wireless capabilities

Cons

• -Bulky
• -High price tag
• -Mini-controller seems like an impractical gimmick
• -Mobile clip doesn’t feel good to use

In it’s natural state, the controller measures just slightly larger than a standard Xbox Series S|X controller, and while robust the need to split it into two means the handles can look a little unsightly where they meet the controller interface. This doesn’t interfere with the usability of the controller however.

With the press and click of a few clips, the controller comes apart into two pieces, and the mechanisms that hold it in place are also really well-made and easy to use. It’s almost a magic trick how this thing comes apart to transform into a much smaller controller for travel or mobile use.

The mobile clip which can be used for turning this into a cloud controller, has two hinges that can be adjusted and tightened to preference and hold your phone securely in place. This also clips on and off very securely, without ever feeling like you will damage the controller.

Unfortunately, for all its robustness and clear vision that’s gone into the design, I just didn’t find this controller all that comfortable to use over long periods. I’d say my hands are perfectly average sizes, neither large nor small, but the slight size difference of this to the standard Xbox wireless controllers was felt. The handles themselves have a nice grip texture, but It was just a smidge extra for my fingers to stretch for the ABXY buttons. I could use this controller for a short stint but not certainly not during a grindy levelling session on Diablo 4.

There is of course the option to remove the handles and transform into a micro controller, but this is equally just not that comfortable to use, and feels like more of a gimmick than an actual useful piece of gaming kit. I can see the attraction of having a small, wireless controller to slip into your bag for travel, but just like a travel hairdryer — it just leaves me wishing I’d sacrificed the space and packed something that I don’t dislike using.

What you do get that you don’t on a standard Series S|X Controller though is the two rear mappable buttons, which are included on a bunch of third-party controllers now, even in the lower $30 price range, and I almost feel should be a standard (maybe Xbox will consider this for their next controllers).

When I’m using a controller that doesn’t have them, I really miss the extra functionality they provide, and I do actually find flat rear buttons more comfortable than the Elite controller paddles. I appreciated this detail on the controller, but it didn’t detract enough from the fact I didn’t find it overall very comfortable to use.

I also found when using the mobile clip, that the weight of my phone was constantly pulling back on the unit, trying to topple. This isn’t something I’ve experienced with the standard MOGA clip on an Xbox controller, but perhaps this not having the same weight distribution could be causing that. Again, fine for small bursts but over longer periods it was just annoying to hold.

I will say though that however I decided to use the controller, it was easy to set up. So a simple press of the pairing button to connect to Xbox or via Bluetooth on my phone just worked. Instructions? Who needs those? And the rear buttons were similarly a no-brainer to pair with whatever I wanted to use them for.

Additionally, the battery life of this controller is immense, PowerA state it lasts up to 60 hours which is 20 hours more than the already generous battery life of the Xbox Elite controllers.

The main reason why there are no other third-party wireless Xbox controllers right now, is because Xbox uses a proprietary wireless protocol that requires licensing from Microsoft. Until now they’ve kept this under lock and key, so as of current date there is no like-for-like competitor for the MOGA XP-Ultra from a third party, at least not one that is both a wireless controller and a cloud controller in one.

That being said, the price of this puts it firmly in competition with Xbox’s own controllers, which with a clip, would also ‘transform’ into a cloud controller for mobile. Whether that be the standard Xbox Series X|S controller, the Elite Series 2, or the Elite Series 2 Core. The closest in price would be the Elite Series 2 Core which I would say aesthetically is the preferred choice, but it only has the rear button functionality if you buy separate paddles.

Whilst my review probably sounds negative on the whole, I’ve still given the MOGA XP-ULTRA a 3 out of 5, because I appreciate what they are trying to achieve here, I just wish they hadn’t tried to do everything at once. Being the first licensed third-party wireless out of the gate, with those rear mappable buttons would have been enough to impress, and potentially keep the costs of this down rather than trying to pack in this modular Frankenstein-esque design. In fact, a wireless edition of the PowerA enhanced Nano controller would be a home run, I for one am hoping this happens.

The controller market is fierce though, and trying something different is to be commended, so I hope this is the first of many attempts at the all-in-one we see on offer.