Amkette Evo Gamepad Pro Review: Great Device for Smartphone Gamers

Gaming industry has been evolving ever since the advent of the mobile device and to be precise, it was prevalent even before smartphones came into existence. However, the way gamers used to play and the way the device used to function has apparently become ancient if you look at the consoles and game titles of the current generation.

From independent consoles, to portable and mobile gaming devices, this generation has probably seen the most so far. And now the entry of the gamepads have made it easier for avid gamers to continue their games even in their mobile devices by easily attaching the game controller to their smartphones or tablets. Amkette's latest Evo Gamepads Pro exactly does that.

PROS

• Efficient Analog sticks
• Great texture
• Good Price

CONS

• Battery life could have been better
• Buttons need refinement
• Build quality not up to the competition

Priced just at Rs. 2,799 the Evo Gamepads from Amkette is definitely the most logical buy if you like playing games on mobile devices. Because of the affordable price compared to the controllers from Microsoft and Sony for their gaming consoles -- Xbox and PlayStation respectively, this latest device does make a huge sense. GizBot played a couple of games on it and hence we give you our thoughts about the device in this full review of the device.

Design

Game controllers have technologically improved a lot but there has hardly been any major change in the shape so far. Since, the gamers are always looking for the most comfortable controllers, this one according to me has the comfort of the Xbox 360 controller as it shares the similar design language.

Despite, Amkette not being much of a popular brand in the gaming sector, it has delivered this gamepads with much efficiency. Not that the Evo Gamepads Pro is the top notch device, but it does seem pretty alluring with the price tag that it is being sold at.

The company has made the device with quite a focus. They have added a textured, rubberized finishing, which is quite soothing to the hands and doesn't slip easily at all. I found the analog sticks pretty responsive but a bit of a problem with the buttons were eminent with the direction button. They seemed stiff and rigid at times, preventing the smooth game play.

Other buttons like power, LED indicators for power, Bluetooth pairing and a microUSB port for charging the device, have no issues as such (at least with the unit which we had). All the buttons are efficient in functionality but appearance-wise they appear cheap. A little refinement would have helped here.

The controller in itself is impressive but the docking mechanism which had to be flipped open to saddle your phone sounds like a terrible idea because you might snap it out if you are not doing it the right way. This is a bit of a downside of the Evo Gamepad Pro. However, if you can handle that part, then it's not a big deal.

Talking about the extras that you get in the gamepad, the best are the Home and Back buttons, which help to operate the device without actually touching the display of your smartphone.

Connectivity

The device comes with a slot to connect the phone. Pair it via Bluetooth and enjoy the regular gaming benefits from your phone itself. However, it only supports Android phones (up to 5.5-inch) at the moment and yes, you'll need Evo Gamepad app as well. Well, I have to tell you, that it was an amazing experience to play Asphalt 8: Airborne on this one.

Battery

Battery is of the major concern here. The Evo Gamepad Pro doesn't satiate the avid gamers with it maximum playtime of 4 hours. The worst part is that the battery drains out even if you are not playing.

Verdict

When it comes to value and usability, the Evo Gamepad Pro is an apt device. It's not at all the best gamepad available in the market but it's not the wort either. This particular device stands somewhat at the middle. There are both negative aspects to it and positive. Firstly, the quality of analog sticks are great, which you will know only if you are analog stick user. But the other control buttons are not as efficient as the analogue stick. Moreover, the buttons also sometimes become stiffer, but it just happened seldom.

The device could have used a larger cell as it just lasts for 4 hours and avid gamers will definitely not choose to own it. But for average and occasional mobile gamers, the Evo Gamepad Pro is a perfect device.