Key Takeaways

• Scuf’s premium Nomad mobile gaming controller delivers a host of competitive features.
• Nomad offers fine-tuned controls and customizable options but lacks pass-through charging and an audio jack.
• With top-tier design, exceptional app support, and impressive battery life, Scuf Nomad outshines Backbone One and Razer Kishi V2.

The Scuf Nomad wireless mobile gaming controller seems designed with a singular purpose—to dethrone the Backbone One and Razer Kishi V2 as the top mobile gaming controllers. After spending a few weeks with the unit, I have to admit, I think the company may have succeeded.

Price and Availability

The Scuf Nomad is available on Scuf’s website for $100. However, by purchasing on Amazon, you’ll save about $20 off that price. Which means you can pick up the Nomad for around $80. This controller is an absolute no-brainer for any iPhone gamer at that price.

A Premium Mobile Controller

Gamers across the globe both love and hate Scuf’s modified controller offerings. Usually, the point of contention is determined by whether you’re holding a Scuf controller or playing against someone using one.

The new Scuf Nomad continues that tradition by incorporating a host of competitive gamer features. Customizable rear paddles, anti-drift Hall effect joysticks, full-size triggers, Bluetooth 5.0, swappable thumbstick grips, and premium design cues make the Nomad feel like a serious gaming device.

A standout feature of the device is the ability to use your iPhone while in its case. Unlike other mobile controllers, Nomad lets you game without the worry of dropping a naked iPhone. It also connects via Bluetooth, so there’s no fragile connector tempting fate by sticking out of the device. The Nomad is available in two colors: black and white.

What About the Battery?

Scuf’s mobile gaming monster has its own internal rapid-charging battery that promises around 16 hours of battery life. That should be plenty of gaming time for most. If you manage to kill the battery, though, it’ll only take about 20 minutes to top up. The Nomad also uses USB-C, so iPhone 15 and 16 folks will only need one charging cable when they’re on the move. Unfortunately, there’s no pass-through charging.

Nomad Is Made for iPhone

Aside from the device itself, the controller comes with a USB-C charging cable, a small rubber adapter for larger iPhones, and a set of replacement thumbstick grips. You can also purchase a hard-shell case for an additional $20.

Connectivity is solely via Bluetooth, but for some reason, the device can’t be paired with anything apart from an iPhone. With so many Android users out there, it doesn’t make sense to limit a Bluetooth mobile controller like this to the Apple ecosystem.

After doing a bit of research, though, it seems Android support is on the way—though it’s not clear when it’s coming. So, sorry Android folks, until Scuf makes the change, iPhone (and iPad) users will have exclusive access to this bad boy.

The Scuf App

Like every other accessory manufacturer on the market, Scuf has designed its own app to help with the setup and adjustment of the Nomad’s features. Unlike many others, however, the Scuf app is deviously simple to use. You also won’t need to shell out a subscription fee to get the most out of it.

The app acts as a central hub for game launchers like Apple Arcade, PS Remote Play, Steam Link, Gamma and Delta Emulators, and Xbox Remote Play. Everything here functions like a one-stop shop that should be familiar to both console users and PC gamers alike.

Using the app, you can create up to three custom controller profiles, adjust button settings and trigger sensitivity, configure thumbstick dead zones, and even adjust recording settings. Flashback recording, unfortunately, is not possible.

Gaming and Remote Play Performance

Over the years, I’ve done most of my gaming on my PS5. So, naturally, I leaned toward the PS Remote Play app as my testing ground of choice for the Nomad.

For games like Session: Skate Sim and Lies of P, I could find no discernible difference between a regular controller and the Scuf. There was also no lag. During my testing, the Nomad didn’t blip or hiccup once. It worked just as well as if I were sitting in front of my console.

The same was true while playing the PC version of Dark Souls III and Elden Ring. Both games ran fantastically, and I didn’t feel I was missing out on precision or timing by using a mobile controller.

Firing up Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile was also a real treat, as having a mobile controller offered a unique competitive advantage. I found the Nomad super responsive, and it was easy to forget that I wasn’t gaming on something like a Steam Deck.

How Does the Nomad Stack Up?

When it comes to the competition, the two obvious contenders are the Backbone One and Razer Kishi V2. We’ve previously reviewed the Kishi V2 and found it had its own quirks. Still, both are viable controllers with slight advantages in specific areas over the Nomad.

For example, the buttons and D-pad on the Nomad are much smaller than the buttons on both the Backbone and the Kishi V2. This means if you have gigantic hands, you might struggle with this device.

There’s also the lack of pass-through charging, which both Razer Kishi V2 and Backbone have. And Backbone One offers a 3.5mm audio jack for wired headphone support. But Nomad more than makes up for its shortcomings.

First, it doesn’t require a limiting Lightning or USB-C charging port connection. If you have a Lightning-compatible Backbone One or Razer Kishi V2, it becomes obsolete as soon as you upgrade to USB-C, which means that eventually, those controllers will be worthless.

With Nomad, that’s not the case. I can use it for the next few iterations of the iPhone, as long as Apple doesn’t drastically change the design.

Second, there’s the thumbsticks. Both the Kishi V2 and the Backbone One have similar milquetoast thumbsticks that constantly remind you you’re using a mobile gaming controller. The sticks on the Nomad, on the other hand, are customizable and actually make it feel like you’re using a serious controller. Which is something die-hard gamers will appreciate.

Should You Buy the Scuf Nomad?

As a reviewer, I hesitate to call something “best-in-class” because it’s rare that I encounter a product that can honestly earn the moniker. That said, the Scuf Nomad is absolutely worthy of that distinction. It is, undoubtedly, a best-in-class device. I adore it and think it sets the bar for mobile gaming controllers. It’s even sparked a new sense of excitement about mobile gaming for me.

The Nomad is inexpensive, responsive, exceptionally portable, and a lot of fun to use. Plus, I don’t need to take off my iPhone’s case to game. I can just pop my phone in and out. No fuss, no headache. It’s hassle-free. Overall, the Scuf Nomad is a wonderful controller with an awesome feature set. So, yes, you should buy it. Buy it right now, and don’t look back.