Xbox Nano Controller review roundup: a great $49.99 travel pad with no rumble, and a Wi-Fi cloud trick in preview

Microsoft's Xbox Nano Controller went on sale on November 4 for $49.99 (£44.99), and the first wave of reviews agrees on what it is: a real Xbox controller shrunk to pocket size, good for travel, cloud gaming and smaller hands, but not the pad you'd pick for a five-hour session. The same day, Xbox opened a US-only preview that lets the Nano skip your TV's Bluetooth and talk to Xbox Cloud Gaming directly over Wi-Fi.

That second part is why this is more than a cute accessory. Cheap controllers that pair with phones and TVs are common; a first-party one that connects straight to the cloud server is the approach Google's Stadia controller used, as Engadget and The Verge both pointed out. If it works, it removes one hop of input lag for people who stream games rather than own a console.

What Microsoft says you get

According to Microsoft's October 14 Xbox Wire announcement:

The Independent measured it at 133 x 66.5 x 36.6 mm and 101 g, and noted it also works wired over USB-C, though the cable is sold separately. T3 says white is the only colour for now. Microsoft has not published a battery-life figure.

What the reviews say

• The Independent (Jake Brigstock, 4/5): calls it excellent for its purpose, praising the compact size, easy setup and Bluetooth pairing with anything. Downsides: cramping for larger hands over long sessions, small shoulder bumpers, and no way to dock a phone for mobile play.
• Press Start (Shannon Grixti, no score): a "winner" as a second controller for kids or travel. It keeps the full-size layout's functions, with face buttons the reviewer estimates at about 70% of standard size and a near-identical d-pad. The big omission they flag is no vibration. It sells for A$79 at JB Hi-Fi.
• The Verge, CNET and Windows Central, as summarised by Pure Xbox: positive overall. The Verge's reviewer, who has small hands, was surprised how comfortable it was; CNET recommends it for travellers and people with smaller hands but would keep a full-size pad at home; Windows Central's first impressions call it a nice addition to the lineup.

Our read of the consensus: if you want one controller for everything, buy the standard pad. If you want a second controller that lives in a bag, or one for a child, the Nano does the job without the usual third-party compromises on layout.

The Wi-Fi "cloud connect" preview

Xbox's November 4 post describes two Cloud Gaming previews:

1. Cloud connect for the Nano (US only). Instead of pairing to your TV over Bluetooth, the controller joins your Wi-Fi and connects directly to the cloud server running the game. Microsoft says this can reduce input latency but gave no measured figures. It currently works only on supported smart TVs and the web, and not with every cloud gaming experience.
2. Phone as controller on smart TVs. Android and iOS phones can act as the gamepad through a browser, with tailored touch layouts in some games. It is rolling out on supported TVs in Cloud Gaming countries. Engadget notes touch controls suit slower, turn-based games better than fast action.

To try cloud connect: set it up in the Xbox beta app on Android, or the Xbox Accessories app on PC (PC setup requires Xbox Insider enrolment); follow the prompts to put the controller on your Wi-Fi; then open a supported Cloud Gaming experience signed in to the same Xbox account. For the phone mode, turn on Preview Features under Settings > Account in the TV's Xbox experience, start a game with no controller connected, and choose the phone option.

Who should care

• Cloud gamers on smart TVs or browsers in the US: the Nano is currently the only way to try Xbox's direct-to-cloud connection. Treat the latency benefit as unproven until someone measures it.
• Travellers and parents: the reviews line up behind it as a bag or kids' controller.
• Anyone who wants rumble or long-session comfort: stick with the full-size pad.

What to watch: whether cloud connect expands beyond the US and beyond TVs and the web, and the first independent latency measurements against Bluetooth.