SteelSeries Stratus Duo Review
SteelSeries Stratus Duo
Publisher: SteelSeries
Developer: SteelSeries
Genre:
PEGI:
Comments:
The SteelSeries Stratus Duo is effectively your one-stop shop for all of your on-the-go controller needs. In a world where gaming is available at our fingertips 24/7, at least for those of us who have our smartphones attached to our hips, accessories that enable or enhance mobile gaming are becoming much more popular. One major issue in particular is how difficult it can be to achieve precision movement while manipulating virtual joysticks on your smartphone screen, and up until recently there has not been an organic solution to this problem. Enter the SteelSeries Stratus Duo.
The SteelSeries Stratus Duo will feel familiar to most gamers. Once you get past the inevitable adjustment period between using different brands of controllers, it feels quite comfortable and intuitive. With the standard dual analogs, D-pad, ABXY, triggers and bumpers, the Stratus Duo enjoys full versatility of cross-platform game controls. This is important due to how many devices it supports, but more on that later.
The design of the controller is enjoyable, as it feels quite sturdy in construction and the buttons, bumpers, triggers and analog sticks all have satisfying feedback. Nothing can throw off your game like a controller that has such a low range of motion that you aren’t sure you even pressed a button. Not a worry with the SteelSeries Stratus Duo, as it keeps you fully in control of your every move.
The controller’s lithium-ion battery boasts 20+ hours of game time per charge, and also allows full gaming capability while charging – no need to pause the game for the sake of your battery anymore.
Another fantastic feature of the SteelSeries Stratus Duo is the ridiculous level of compatibility. It offers both Bluetooth and 2.4GHz wireless connectivity, allowing you – with the flip of a switch – to seamlessly swap between pairing to your Android mobile device, Oculus Go or Samsung Gear VR and controlling your Windows/Steam through the USB adapter.
The controller offers pair and play so no software needs to be downloaded before you hop into one of over 5000 controller-enabled Steam games! While the Stratus Duo was a bit finicky when initially pairing to our phone (a Google Pixel 3a), once connected it functioned without any issues.
Having a controller that switches so effortlessly between platforms, boasts a seriously impressive battery life and feels at home in any gamer’s hand is a monumental achievement. I have no doubt devices such as this will expand mobile gaming far beyond what it currently is. After all, the biggest drawback to many mobile games is the clunky nature of their controls on a touchscreen that is also being used as your display.
The Stratus Duo pairs perfectly with the SteelSeries Smart Grip
SteelSeries also offers compatible accessories including the SteelSeries Smart Grip (sold separately) which securely mounts your mobile device to the top of the controller, allowing for a fully-immersive mobile gaming experience. It is very akin to playing a handheld console – except with a fully functioning controller.
All-in-all the SteelSeries Stratus Duo is a wonderful product for those who do a ton of mobile gaming (Fortnite mobile, anyone?) and are looking for a greater level of control, and for those who are looking for a mobile-compatible wireless PC gaming controller.
Learn all about the SteelSeries Stratus Duo at: https://steelseries.com/gaming-controllers/stratus-duo