In a time where there is a crowded market of mobile gaming controllers, it is getting harder to make something unique. Fortunately, SteelSeries came up with something that has not yet been attempted in this field. The SteelSeries Nimbus Cloud is the first dual mode mobile controller, featuring both USB-C and Bluetooth connectivity. The controller expands and clamps onto aptly sized and USB-C ready devices for latency-free mobile play. For larger devices or big screen setups, the controller collapses into a familiarly shaped controller while connecting via Bluetooth.
Is this the best controller for both mobile and stationed gameplay? Let’s dive into the SteelSeries Nimbus Cloud to see what $149.99 gets you.
SteelSeries Nimbus Cloud Specs
| Width | 154.69 mm / 6.09 in |
| Height | 71.68 mm / 2.822 in |
| Depth | 106.1mm / 4.177 in |
| Weight | 252.3g |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth LE v4.1, or docked with USB-C |
| Battery Life (Bluetooth) | 20h |
| Battery Type | Lithium-ion (300 mAh) |
| Range (Bluetooth) | 12 meters / 40 feet |
| Connector Type | USB-C |
| USB-C Pass-Through Charging | Yes |
| Joysticks / Triggers | Hall-Effect |
| Paddles | 2 Rear Paddles |
| USB-C Compatibility (Extended mode) | iPhone 15 models, iPhone 16 models, and Android devices (up to 171.5mm length × 11.5mm thickness) |
| Bluetooth v5.3 Compatibility (Collapsed mode) | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K, Apple TV HD, Mac, Android, PC, Chromebook, Smart TV |
Full specs and device compatibility listed on product page
A purchase of the SteelSeries Nimbus Cloud comes with two pairs of removable rubber kits and a USB-C to USB-A charging cable.
Build, Features and Comfort
In its collapsed form, the Nimbus Cloud maintains a familiar Xbox controller shape and control layout. As you would expect, you have the Xbox-like offset analog sticks, d-pad, XYAB face buttons, bumpers, triggers, and the View and Menu buttons. There is no “center” button akin to the “Xbox” button, but there is a Home button that takes you to your device’s Home screen. On the top of the controller, you have a Bluetooth pairing button, a pass-through USB-C charging port, and a Battery button for checking the controller’s power level. Finally, on the back, you have a pair of remappable paddles.
SteelSeries did not skimp with the quality of the Nimbus Cloud’s components. This controller features Hall-Effect triggers and sticks, touting both precise tracking and long-term resistance against drifting or wear and tear. The XYAB face buttons are tactile and mechanical, offering a lifespan of up to 3-million clicks. Topping this off is a solid 20-hour lifespan when using the controller in Bluetooth mode.
When extended, the Nimbus Cloud clamps onto supported devices while connecting via USB-C. In this form, the controller and its rubber kits can support mobile devices up to 171.5mm in length by 11.5mm in thickness. When connected in this form, the Nimbus Cloud maintains a very secure grasp on your device. While connected, you can use the USB-C port on the top of the controller to supply your device with passthrough charging.
From a build standpoint, the SteelSeries Nimbus Cloud is pretty impressive from right out of the box. Being the first controller to support both USB-C and Bluetooth connectivity with mobile devices is impressive in itself. However, the natural Xbox controller shape it takes in its collasped form is a welcomed one. Being an avid Xbox and PC gamer myself, the control and button placement on this device felt quite close to home. From the moment I grabbed the controller in its collasped form, I comfortably dove into my games with no handling learning curve whatsoever.
As mentioned before, the extended form of the Nimbus Cloud provides the means for latency free gameplay via USB-C. In this format, the controller seems to be able to handle a wide range of devices without protective cases attached. As such, I was curious to see how it handled the Nothing Phone 3 and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7. I had to remove the rubber kits to get the controller to fit with the Nothing Phone 3.
Now, the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 is 8.9mm thin in its collapsed form. So, I am pretty sure I could have gotten this device to fit in the clamp as well. However, this meant that I would have had to remove my 3rd party case, which uses adhesives to remain snug on my device. Since I did not want to do that, it was a good thing that this controller sports dual mode connectivity. So, for the duration of my review of the Nimbus Cloud, I used the USB-C extended form with the Nothing Phone 3 and Bluetooth with my foldable.
In its extended “clamp” form, the Nimbus Cloud continued to handle well thanks to the naturally sized palm grips. Expanded or collapsed, the controls felt responsive and satisfying to use. The analog sticks had a nice amount of resistance to them, making them easy to manage. The face buttons had a good degree of snap and bounce to them, making them also enjoyable to press. Knowing that these buttons had a 3-million click lifespan allowed me to mindlessly mash away on them since they were built to last.
The SteelSeries Nimbus Cloud sports a very solid build from right out of the box. It is ready to transition between stationed and on-the-go gameplay in an instant. You then have no nonsense components and a respectable 20-hour wireless battery life to complete an impressive mobile gaming package.
Performance
When it came to performance, the SteelSeries Nimbus Cloud delivers in both its “wired” and wireless styles. For wired, aka USB-C, you got the kind of latency free responsiveness that you would want in brawlers, fighters and shooters. In Streets of Rage 4 for Android, I got to enjoy the kind of fast-paced and well-executed combos that I pulled off on the console version. Then, with the newly released Destiny: Rising, aiming felt snappy and precise, giving me that almost close to home Destiny 2 console gaming feel.
When I wanted to enjoy gaming on a larger screen, the Nimbus Cloud continued to deliver with its Bluetooth connectivity. Sure, it did not match the latency-free responsiveness that only USB-C can provide. However, the latency was still plenty low enough to where you can still have a satisfyingly playable experience off of your connected device. Aiming and movement continued to feel natural in Destiny: Rising, where I now got to enjoy my Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7’s larger display. Streets of Rage 4 and fighters like King of Fighters ’98 also continued to be enjoyable in this format, since adjustments to latency in 2D brawlers and fighters is almost second nature to me thanks to all the cloud/remote gaming I dabble in.
Speaking of remote gaming, playing fighters over Steam Link in this format was still aptly playable. Sure, playing off of the Nothing Phone 3 through USB-C would have helped close the latency gap that cloud or remote play naturally introduces. However, I still wanted to enjoy that larger display. Plus, I play fighters with a controller resting on my leg, so here is where I was able to take full advantage of the Nimbus Cloud’s dual mode flexibility. I was particularly impressed by how well the D-pad handled in fighting games here, as I had no issues pulling off command inputs in all of my playthroughs.
Final Thoughts
In the end, the SteelSeries Nimbus Cloud finds a way to stand alone in a crowded market thanks to its dual mode connectivity. Sure, we have seen and used a controller that uses Bluetooth connectivity and a wired connection for PC play. We reviewed it here. However, that controller does not offer the natural comfort of using a familiar collapsed controller shape like the Nimbus Cloud does.
The Nimbus Cloud gives you both a comfortable and familiar-feeling controller for stationed play. It then gives you a latency free clamp controller for that Nintendo Switch style of on-the-go gameplay. Best of all, it offers you both play styles while sporting the kind of high-performance components seen in your more competitive controllers out today.
The SteelSeries Nimbus Cloud is the perfect controller for gamers looking to dabble in both wireless and mobile gameplay. My only wish is that it supported slightly thicker devices. That said, this is a very nice controller for Android, iOS, PC and more for you to consider if you are in the market for one. You can check it out for yourself by clicking here.
† We were provided with a SteelSeries Nimbus Cloud controller for review purposes and were not compensated for this review.
