Razer Prio Review: A Foldable Mobile Gaming Controller Built for Travel

The Razer Prio combines a compact foldable design, USB-C connectivity, responsive controls, and extensive customization in a mobile gaming controller that’s easy to take anywhere.

I’ve been an avid player of first-person shooter games since I was a kid. Call of Duty is one of my favorites, and a few years ago, I picked up Call of Duty: Mobile on my iPhone. At the time, I wasn’t a fan of on-screen controls, so I investigated mobile gaming controllers and ended up with the Razer Kishi. It was a great controller to use with the iPhone, and I did really well in-game with its help.

I did step away from mobile gaming for a short period of time, but I recently decided to pick it back up. Fortunately for me, Razer happened to release a brand new controller for mobile gaming called the Razer Prio. Given my previous experience with the Kishi, I was particularly interested to see how the Prio compared and whether its compact, foldable design could provide the same type of gaming experience in a more portable package.

About the Razer Prio

The Razer Prio is a mobile gaming controller designed to provide a more traditional console-style gaming experience without the bulk typically associated with mobile controllers. Its most notable feature is its foldable design, allowing the controller to collapse into a compact form that is easy to carry when you’re not gaming. At just 101 grams, the Prio is also considerably lighter than many traditional mobile gaming controllers.

When unfolded, the Prio provides a familiar controller layout with two analog sticks, a D-pad, four face buttons, shoulder buttons, and triggers. Razer also equipped the controller with contactless capacitive analog sticks, which are designed to provide precise input while eliminating the physical contact points found in traditional potentiometer-based sticks.

The Prio connects directly to compatible smartphones through USB-C, eliminating the need for Bluetooth pairing or a built-in controller battery. This means there’s no controller to charge before a gaming session, although the controller does draw power from the connected smartphone. Razer says the Prio supports iPhone and Android devices, including phones with cases, making it compatible with a wide range of mobile gaming setups.

The controller also includes a dedicated Razer Cortex button for accessing supported games and services, including cloud and remote-play options. With its combination of a compact folding design, direct USB-C connection, and full controller controls, the Prio is designed for mobile gamers who want a more portable alternative to larger controllers without giving up the physical controls needed for serious gaming.

Specs

• Connectivity: USB-C
• Charging: None
• Battery Life: None
• Thumbsticks: Capacitive Thumbsticks
• Thumbstick Sensitivity Adjustment: None
• Multi-Function Buttons: 4 Multi-Function Buttons
• Action Buttons: Silent Tactile Face Buttons
• Triggers: Dual Bumper Triggers
• System Requirements: Android 14 or higher; iOS 18
• Supported Phone Dimensions: Devices up to 7 inches
• Size: 101 mm × 67 mm
• Weight: 101 g
• Mobile App: Razer Cortex Mobile

Pricing & Availability

The Razer Prio is available for $99.99 on razer.com and Amazon.

User Experience

The Razer Prio comes in a classic Razer-branded box. It’s primarily white with Razer green used as an accent color, and there’s a full-color image of the controller on the front. When you open the box, you’ll find the controller folded up into itself, different sizes of rubber inserts, a manual, and the usual Razer stickers.

When I first took a look at the folded-up Prio, I was a little confused about how to unfold it. I tried to figure it out without looking at the manual, and once I pulled the rubber band off to one side, the two halves of the controller split apart. At first, I thought I had broken something, but this is actually part of the Prio’s design. Rather than trying to game with it right away, I spent a little time figuring out how to put it back together. While the process does feel a little awkward at first, after a couple of attempts, opening and closing the controller became fairly easy.

As I mentioned, Razer includes replacement rubber inserts for different iPhone models. The different configurations are:

• iPhone: A + A
• iPhone Pro Max: E + A
• iPhone Air: A + D

I tested the Prio with both an iPhone 17 Pro Max and an iPhone 16 Pro, and the inserts worked as expected. One important thing to note is that the controller is not designed to work with all cases. The iPhone 16 Pro had a slim Defender-style case on it, and the Prio was unable to connect properly with the case installed. Removing the case resolved the issue.

Gaming with the Razer Prio

With the iPhone 17 Pro Max, I tested the Prio with Call of Duty: Mobile. The controller connected immediately and worked as expected as a wired controller. Overall, I think the Prio does a good job when it comes to responsiveness and general gameplay, although there are a few personal preferences that hold it back for me.

First, the thumbsticks sit almost flush with the rest of the controls. I prefer thumbsticks that sit higher, as they give me a greater sense of control and range of movement. I’m accustomed to the feel of an Xbox controller, and the Prio’s low-profile sticks feel noticeably different. This isn’t necessarily a flaw, but it did take some adjustment.

I also wasn’t a big fan of the L2 and R2 triggers. They have a somewhat squishy feel and lack the definitive tactile bump I prefer from a gaming controller. They also seem to have more travel than necessary. As a result, the triggers don’t feel quite as responsive or precise as I’d like, particularly during fast-paced gameplay.

Razer Cortex Mobile

With the iPhone 16 Pro, I connected the Prio to Razer Cortex Mobile and used the app as recommended. While Cortex is optional, I wanted to see how it integrates with the Prio and whether it adds anything meaningful to the overall experience.

One of the most useful aspects of Cortex is the additional customization it provides. The app can be used to update the controller’s firmware and change various controller settings. Most notably, I was able to adjust the thumbstick dead zones and polling rate.

This was one of the more surprising features I encountered while testing the Prio. I haven’t encountered many controllers in this category that offer this level of customization, particularly when being used with iOS devices. Having the ability to adjust the dead zones and polling rate gives users considerably more control over how the controller responds to their inputs.

After making sure the firmware was up to date, I played a few rounds of Combat Master, which provides a very similar first-person shooter experience to Call of Duty: Mobile. This gave me an opportunity to see whether my initial impressions of the Prio’s controls carried over to another FPS rather than relying solely on my experience with COD: Mobile. Since the controls felt virtually the same, I found that my initial impressions of the Prio carried over to another FPS.

After playing Combat Master, I moved over to Asphalt Legends Unite and found the controls to be more than adequate for this type of game. It doesn’t use as much of the controller as an FPS, but the controls were responsive and felt natural on the Prio. The overall experience was a significant improvement over using the touchscreen controls.

Final Impressions

I think the Prio is a very capable mobile gaming controller. It’s clearly designed with portability in mind, and much of my testing actually took place during a very long road trip. The compact, foldable design makes it remarkably easy to travel with, although I do wish Razer had included a carrying case. While the controls are protected when the controller is folded up, I still think a small case or sleeve would have been a worthwhile addition for protecting the Prio while it’s being carried around.

Overall, I found the controls to be responsive, and if you’re familiar with a console-style controller, the Prio should feel comfortable for mobile gaming. That said, the biggest adjustment for me was the overall layout and feel. Rather than reminding me of an Xbox controller, the Prio actually feels much more like the original Nintendo gamepad. The low-profile thumbsticks and overall arrangement of the controls give it a distinctly different feel from the traditional Xbox-style controllers I’m accustomed to using.

Conclusion

The Razer Prio is an interesting take on the mobile gaming controller. Rather than trying to replicate the size and feel of a traditional console controller, Razer took a different approach by making portability one of its biggest priorities. The foldable design makes the Prio easy to take with you, and the fact that it doesn’t require a battery or Bluetooth connection makes it especially convenient for mobile gaming on the go. It may take some adjustment if you’re accustomed to an Xbox-style controller, but the combination of its compact design, responsive controls, USB-C connectivity, and Cortex customization makes the Prio a compelling option for mobile gaming.

For more information, visit razer.com