9 Best iPhone MFi Gaming Controllers That Connect Wirelessly via Bluetooth

You can buy a variety of different gaming controllers for Apple’s iPhone. Still, only those that participate in the company’s MFi (Made for iPod) licensing program are guaranteed to work flawlessly.

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At A Glance: 9 Best iPhone MFi Gaming Controllers That Connect Wirelessly via Bluetooth

• SteelSeries Stratus XL, Bluetooth Wireless Gaming Controller
  Our Top Pick
• SteelSeries Nimbus Wireless Gaming Controller for Apple TV, iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac

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Featured in this article, some of the most popular MFi gaming controllers on the market.

Best iPhone MFi Gaming Controllers That Connect Wirelessly via Bluetooth

1. SteelSeries Stratus XL

The SteelSeries Stratus XL is similar to the Razer Serval in a lot of different ways. Still, most importantly, it’s one of the closest controllers to a full-size console gaming controller. This means excellent ergonomics and more precision in games.

SteelSeries makes it easy to connect the Stratus XL up to an iPhone of your choice. We should note that the Bluetooth drain is pretty significant and affect’s your phone’s battery life quite a bit.

What makes the Stratus XL unique is the ability to set up different profiles for the controller, allowing you to truly customize the sensitivity of the triggers and joysticks for different types of games.

Buy it now: Amazon

2. SteelSeries Nimbus Wireless Gaming Controller

SteelSeries is a well-known manufacturer of gaming peripherals and accessories, and its Nimbus wireless gaming controller is a prime example of why the company is trusted by so many amateur and professional gamers around the world.

It features a familiar layout with two analog thumb-sticks and four rear trigger buttons. The buttons on the back are pressure-sensitive, making it possible to control acceleration and braking in racing games precisely. Right in the center of the control is an extensive menu button for instant navigation, as well as a battery charge indicator LED bar. The battery inside the gamepad can last up to 40 hours on a single charge. Charging is done through the lighting connector at the back of the controller, right next to the power switch.

SteelSeries developed a companion app for the controller, which gives players instant access to regularly updated charts listing the top free and paid controller-enabled games. It even includes a step-by-step walkthrough of the features of the Nimbus controller. Overall, an excellent product from a reputable company.

Buy it now: here

3. MOGA Hero Power

The MOGA Hero Power is up next and is an excellent choice for most iPhone MFi Gaming Controllers iPhone models. It has a holder, which can be adjusted to fit iPhone sizes of all types.

MOGA has been a household name in mobile game controllers for years now, and the Hero Power is probably one of their best options to date as far as control and precision go. There’s some excellent sensitivity as well.

The MOGA Hero Power doesn’t have a massive battery inside, but it still provides you the ability to charge your iPhone while you’re playing games. Keep in mind that this does drain your controller faster.

Once you’re done with it, it folds up pretty nicely, making it compact for travel.

Buy it now: Amazon

4. Apple MFi Certified Bluetooth Gamepad

When playing games on the iPhone, it’s handy to be able to attach the phone to the controller. That way, you can play during your morning commute as well as on the toilet—and who wouldn’t want to do that.

This Apple MFi-certified Bluetooth gamepad has an extendable telescopic holder that can clamp all smartphones with width up to 3.5 inches. The gamepad supports most iOS-compatible games as well as all iOS devices running iOS 7 or later. It connects via the Bluetooth 3.0 wireless transmission standard, allowing you to play up to 8 meters away from your phone or tablet.

Integrated into the controller is a 550mAh battery that lasts approximately 30 hours and can be charged back to its maximum capacity in under 2 hours. To pair the controller with your iPhone, press the power button for 3 seconds and wait for your iPhone to find the controller.

Buy it now: here

5. Razer Serval

The Razer Serval is one of the best that you can pick up for your iPhone. A lot of game controllers out on the market aren’t even close to a full size controller that you would see with a game console; however, the Razer Serval is a full size controller, made for the iPhone and other platforms.

That said, the Razer Serval provides you with some excellent precision, which is handy in games where it matters, such as in first-person shooters and RPGs.

What we like about the Razer Serval is the ability to connect with multiple devices. You could be playing on your iPhone, get bored of it, and then seamlessly switch over to your console or TV.

6. 8bitdo SNES30 Wireless Bluetooth Controller

With such great emulators available for iOS as GBA4iOS or iNDS, it would be a shame not to have a way how to enjoy your favorite console classics the way they were meant to be played—or as close to it as you can get.

The 8bitdo wireless Bluetooth controller mimics the look and feels of the old-school Super Nintendo gamepad, right down to that icon gray color scheme. It supports both Bluetooth and USB connection, so you can choose whether you would instead extend the controller’s battery life or enjoy the freedom that comes with wireless gamepads. The 480mAh battery lasts up to 20 hours and, according to the manufacturer, can be recharged over 1000 times.

Besides your iPhone, you can also use the controller with any Android device or your Mac OS X or Windows computer. Perhaps Nintendo should have licensed this controller for the NES Mini instead of the one that comes with the system.

7. Satechi Bluetooth Wireless Gamepad

Satechi’s Wireless GamePad is an excellent addition on iPhone MFi Gaming Controllers, as well. It’s not a full-size controller, but it does get close. Ergonomics aren’t super excellent, which might mean you need more breaks during gaming sessions to give your hands a rest.

The beautiful thing about this one is the spring-loaded holder, keeping your iPhone firmly in place and view so that you can game in comfort.

Satechi also has some excellent battery life built into the controller. There’s a Power Save mode, which allows you to eke out as much juice as possible, at least until you can get to that next save point!

8. iEGrow F18 Universal Portable Bluetooth Keyboard

For some game genres, such as typing or puzzle games, a traditional keyboard can be a better input method than a gaming controller. This foldable Bluetooth keyboard from iEGrow is made of aluminum alloy and ABS plastic, offering superior durability while keeping the weight down. It lasts up to three years on a single charge (yes, we’re not joking) thanks to the power-efficient design and automatic power off feature. What’s more, the keyboard has an integrated tablet stand, and it takes very little space when folded, making it perfect for college students and travelers.

9. IPEGA PG-9023 Telescopic Bluetooth Controller

If you own a large iPhone or smaller iPad, this Bluetooth controller from IPEGA is perfect for you. It fits all smartphones and tablets that are between 5 and 10 inches, and its telescopic holder provides enough clamping force to keep your device in place even if you manage to get into the action on the screen.

Because the controller supports a bunch of different operating systems using several compatibility modes, it’s essential to read the included manual. So many people skip this step only to complain later, saying the controller isn’t functioning correctly. For example, X+home switches it to Android gamepad mode, and B+home is used when you want to pair the controller with iOS devices.

Best iPhone MFi Gaming Controllers That Connect Wirelessly via Bluetooth Verdict

There are a lot of game controllers for the iPhone and iPad out there; however, the options from Razer and SteelSeries are easily some of the best experiences to date. There’s some awesome compatibility with the iPhone and iPad. Still, with seamless integration, you can easily take those and almost immediately start playing on your PC, console, or TV of choice.

What’s your favorite game controller?