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The Backbone One turns a phone into a handheld: the phone clicks into the middle, the two halves give real thumbsticks, triggers and buttons, and the USB-C connection has no lag. It plays games downloaded to the phone, streams Xbox Game Pass and GeForce Now, and runs remote play from a PlayStation or a PC at home. The second generation fits phones with cases and has better sticks.
It is the Christmas gift for a gamer who commutes, a birthday gift for a brother who lives on his phone, and a graduation present for someone moving somewhere small without room for a console. It is the gift that makes a flight shorter.
This is the USB-C model, which fits iPhone 15 and later and Android phones; check the phone before buying. The Backbone app organizes everything and is free to use. Seventy dollars for a handheld they already carry.
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