Razer Prio Twists Full-Sized Controls for Your Smartphone Out of a Credit-Card Fold

Razer spent years shipping clip-on phone pads that played well and still needed a tote. Prio is the first of a new ultra-portable line, a $99.99 USB-C controller that folds to 107 by 67 by 23 millimeters and 101 grams, roughly a credit card’s footprint and a bar of soap’s weight. One twist unlocks the two halves. They swing open around a silicone band, a phone up to seven inches seats in the gap, and the layout that was hiding inside becomes a pair of analog sticks, a real four-way D-pad, face buttons, bumpers, and triggers. iPhone 17 Pro Max and Galaxy S26 Ultra both fit. So do most slim and medium cases, helped by three rubber pads in the box and removable locking brackets.

When folded, the two parts clasp shut like a wallet, shielding the buttons and sticks from being crushed by a phone case. The fact that you can carry it in your jeans pocket without worrying about the controller caps rubbing on the keyboard is kind of the purpose. The premium bumpers and Galaxy Z Fold-style bodies are a bit overdone because the same parts that keep it closed can also survive the abuse that comes with a foldable phone or a camera module when you pop it open. The thick phone case must be removed before the pads function properly.

Despite its small size, the controls are arranged similarly to a console. The sticks feature sophisticated sensor technology in place of traditional potentiometers, rest low and snug in their recesses, and offer a pleasant click-in to L3 and R3. According to Razer, this is the first time this technology has been applied to their pads, and it provides incredibly accurate and sensitive movement that won’t wander after a year of use. You can play a game in a bus or waiting area without making a scene because the face buttons are intentionally quiet rather than noisy and clicky like some other controllers. In addition to menu and home keys and a unique button that brings you directly to your Razer Cortex Mobile game library, dual bumpers and triggers attempt to give it the sensation of a real gamepad.

It can be connected to a single USB-C plug. There is no pairing screen, no separate battery to charge, and no Bluetooth handshake. Your phone provides the power and lowers latency for local gaming and streaming via Xbox Cloud Gaming, among other things. To use this device, you must have iOS 18 or later or Android 14. Prepare for your phone battery to drain when you’re playing games because the spec list doesn’t mention rumbling or passthrough charging. If you don’t require any of the additional functionality, you can still use the buttons as a standard controller.

The Razer Prio is currently available now for $99.99 in the United States via Razer.com and Amazon, €109.99 in Europe, and 16,980 yen in Japan on September 11. If you don’t like it, you have 14 days to return it and a full year of guarantee. However, the pitch is really easy to use; all you have to do is put it in your pocket, twist it open, and plug it in to get through those long delays.