Introduction

As a predominantly console gamer, I’m not one to be on my phone playing many games. Yet, as of late, I do notice that with many amazing titles releasing (like Arknights: Endfield which you can read our review here), my Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 has become my new side gaming machine.

While I did already have a controller for it—the Razer Kishi Pro—it isn’t that portable when I need to go to work. That’s why I began doing some research on a controller that was kickstarted a while back and finally made public, Ohsnap’s MCON. If you have heard of Ohsnap! It’s probably from their various videos showing off their sleek ring phone accessories—I’ve owned a few in the past and they are pretty neat—but this was something extremely different for them and I won’t deny…I was worried for a few reasons.

I decided to take a risk, buy the MCON (the night color version) and after a few weeks I can honestly say…wow this might make me a mobile gamer. Okay, not really on that last comment but the MCON is awesome and I knew I needed to review it for all of you portable gamers out there reading our amazing articles here at SunsetNerdVerse.

Here’s my review of the MCON controller from Ohsnap!

Design/Texture

Right out of the box the Ohsnap MCON is a brilliantly designed piece of hardware. At first glance, you could mistake the device as a PSP GO but a more boxy-looking one. When you put it in your hands though, the MCON feels sturdy, weighty but very nice texture wise.

What I loved right out of the box was the snap to controller mode design. One button press launches the holder/cover up and shows you the gamepad. This acts as both a defense from pockets possibly damaging the controller parts and/or dust build up.

But what’s even more eye opening is there’s a button that allows you to separate the cover/holder from the controller to be used as a stand instead of holding the phone up. I loved this design when I first saw the introduction video but when you have the MCON in person, it’s a neat idea. I’ll get more into that in the comfort section—as it does alter the comfort levels while playing—but design wise it just makes the MCON that much cooler.

Texture wise, the MCON has a feeling of durable plastic which is a relief. I’ve used other, way cheaper portable controllers and they can range from feeling like dollar store plastic to I can break this in my hand material. The MCON isn’t like that at all, this is a tough feeling controller that has a nice smooth finish all around.

I did have minor issues with the feeling of the grips that can be folded up or down when using the MCON but that’s a personal issue more than one I feel many would have with it. The texture overall though is solid and feels nice to hold without feeling cheap.

Comfort

Early on I mentioned my phone is the Fold 7 and if you know about phones in any way, you’d know this isn’t a small phone. Yes, the Fold 7 is slimmer than the past entries in the Galaxy Z Fold series but it’s still a bigger phone due to its design. I mention this because even using my original Razar Kishi was a challenge as it felt like a strange prototype of the Nintendo Switch and not in a good way.

When I first saw the MCON, part of me worried this would be about the same result as using a controller like the Kishi, the Fold 7 is amazing and my daily driver but it’s form and shape make it cumbersome to most devices. The MCON however lives by its statement that it “works with all phones”.

When I got it, I saw immediately where I would have issues with it but quickly I learned there were solutions already made for even my phone. The MCON’s metallic plate where the phone connects to can be moved around for maximum comfort. I was able to swap it around so it fit without being problematic to my case.

Equally, the MCON has the ability to even be used vertically for those with smaller phones, which is nice if I too want to use it when my Fold 7 isn’t opened up.

Now, given the weight of my phone and the controller, part of me wondered if it would eventually become too heavy to hold for long gaming sessions. Oddly enough, no this wasn’t an issue. I could hold my Fold 7 fully opened and with the controller extended with minimal issue. I do think the grips need to be used when the Fold 7 is open for comfort reasons but even without them, the MCON is still usable and comfy.

Now I mentioned this in the design that the MCON can be split apart but I want to talk more on that as it is a comfort factor too. When I was at work, I could split the MCON into the stand and controller mode, so the phone was on the table and I was on my chair playing.

The beauty of a phone like the Fold 7 is the big screen makes it like a mini tablet so I didn’t feel eye strain or issues playing this way. Top that the controller itself without the extra weight feels still great even if a tad too light. I would compare it to a NES controller when the grips aren’t used and when they are something else entirely.

Regardless of how you play it, the MCON is comfortable and feels great to hold.

As a controller, the MCON is incredible despite how it looks. The analog sticks are depressed in but offer a nice amount of movement. Likewise buttons are a mix between clicky and soft. They have some give but don’t feel cheap at all.

Again, without the grips and with them, the MCON has two distinct feelings but both just meld with the hand perfectly and I have larger hands so this was a concern initially. I feel even smaller hands will enjoy the MCON’s comfort factor while bigger handed users like me will feel it works beyond well and is just right.

How I tested the comfort even further is by putting the MCON through some hoops. I played several games such as Arknights: Endfield, Asphalt 9: Legends, Fortnite and Persona 5: The Phantom X. I can report happily, every game played extremely well with the MCON.

Attacking/dodging felt great in Arknights: Endfield, driving felt incredibly smooth in Asphalt 9: Legends and the controller auto-maps quite well with the RPGs I played. Even after playing each for several hours with the MCON, I never felt the need to take a long break due to finger fatigue or hand numbness, which I get from other controllers.

The MCON is quite comfortable regardless how you use it or what game you play.

Packaging

I swear, gaming controllers that aren’t from big brands should be looked at a bit more. When the MCON arrived in the mail, I was blown away with the box it came in.

Not a flimsy cardboard box or silly plastic encased one, the MCON comes in a neat hard box that can be shown off for those who like to do that. Everything you need is nestled within and I was happy that I didn’t need a huge pair of scissors to break it open.

Given the price though, I’m glad it didn’t come in a cheap disposable box…you’ll understand in a second.

Price

Are you sitting down? I kind of hope you are because this is where many of you might want to have a brief internal crisis. The MCON isn’t a cheap little phone accessory but will set you back a bit…like $149.99.

Yeah, MCON isn’t an easy buy for those trying to save some cash—trust me I had to dig deep a bit to warrant buying this—but let’s look at the reasons that this price makes sense.

First, this is by far the most portable mobile controller compared to literally anything on the market that isn’t some cheap attempt at being a controller. Next, it doubles as a phone stand—one that oddly works surprisingly well—and is made from durable materials.

Innovation has a price I feel and the MCON developers I’m sure realized that too. You also are getting a gadget that really will make your phone feel akin to a PSP GO, a phrase I’ve seen online a lot and won’t deny works here.

Thus, the price is quite steep and if you have no plans to play many games on your phone or mobile device I can’t justify dropping $150 on the MCON but if you are a hardcore gamer on the go…this is honestly your best bet for comfort, convenience and accessibility.

Program Specs

Alright time to get into the nerdy elements of the Ohsnap MCON, which I love personally. You have the two modes of play which we talked about already but there’s more under the hood when it comes to the MCON that really warrants the price.

The MCON uses gyroscopes for tilt based aiming—something I didn’t use much but can see being quite helpful—there’s also the much beloved hall effect triggers which are nice for driving or shooting games.

GameSir—which we just reviewed one of their controllers here recently—helped Ohsnap with adding their joysticks to the MCON. These are anti-drift so you won’t need to worry about that annoying stick drift that plagues most controllers as of late.

The battery life also is amazing with an impressive 9 hours use or 1.8 years (yes years) in standby mode. I’m mystified this controller has such a powerful battery within.

For those who need more information—or to buy it—here’s the link which shows you all the information we missed or if you need more clarification, check out the link here.

Longevity

As someone who works in a place where I’m constantly moving around slamming into objects at times or picking up heavy equipment and items, I can already say the MCON isn’t going to break easily.

Made from thick plastic materials and smartly protected from dust/small materials, the MCON should be able to last quite a while even if you aren’t someone careful with their accessories.

The only thing I could see failing on the MCON after a long while might be the grips with heavy open and close use but even then, that would be after a long time.

The MCON seems made for longevity and for the price it better be.

Overall Impression

I used the MCON for a decent amount of games and just to play around with, it blew all my expectations away almost instantaneously. This is an innovative controller that shows with some ingenuity and careful testing, technology can be both fun and effective.

Again, the price is a turn off I know but given what you’re receiving when buying this…the Ohsnap MCON is without a doubt the best mobile controller I’ve ever used in my life.

There are minor issues here and there for sure—why do we need to pay more for a separate case when other controllers come with one quite often—but if you consider yourself a hardcore mobile gamer or one who just needs a good controller for mobile devices, the MCON is awesome.

Conclusion

The Ohsnap! MCON is by far one of the coolest and most surprising mobile gaming controllers out there. Perfect for those who love to use their phones as little gaming consoles or those who need a separate controller for various compatible systems.

The price is a turn off, I won’t deny—trust me I told some of my coworkers and friends what I paid for it and they nearly had heart attacks—but you have to realize that the MCON is doing something unheard of…its making mobile gaming quite possible, especially for those who game on their phones.

I don’t need to have a huge controller to play some of my controller enabled games anymore…I can use the MCON and play whenever and wherever…which is liberating.

In my opinion, if you love mobile gaming and want a truly neat piece of tech that works beyond well, the MCON is your solution.

—Aaron