SteelSeries Nimbus Game Controller Review

Gaming on Apple TV is finally here with the fourth-gen Apple TV, and it’s one of the best accessories to buy to make it feel more like a console experience. SteelSeries Nimbus game controller.

You can use the Apple TV Siri Remote that came with the set-top box, but it’s not that great when used as a game controller. Instead, I prefer to use some kind of real gamepad, and while there aren’t many options to choose from, the Nimbus is thankfully a really cool option and hassle-free at all.

Its $50 price tag is pretty much the same as the Xbox One controller and other gaming controllers like the PS4’s DualShock 4, but the Nimbus can be used with multiple devices, making it a little more versatile.

Nimbus one Made for iPhone Game controller that works with all iOS devices (even Macs) as well as fourth-generation Apple TV, so you can play Modern Combat on your iPad and then play a different game on your Apple TV using the same controller.

It connects to your devices via Bluetooth, so it’s a completely wireless experience, and the controller uses the same ABXY button layout as the Xbox, so you’ll likely be familiar with the controller right away. Also, the Nimbus has bumper and shoulder buttons very similar to the Xbox One’s controller.

That’s where the similarities end, though. The Nimbus has two fingerprints, but in a similar layout to the DualShock 4, with the D-Pad placed above. Other than that, there is a single Menu button in the middle of the controller for pause and other navigation uses.

The controller feels good in the hand and by no means feels like a cheap controller, but the ABXY buttons don’t feel that good when you press them, compared to the Xbox One controller or DualShock 4.

The controller has a built-in battery that charges using a Lightning cable (more on the battery later), which is pretty good considering you don’t need a separate cable; You can use the same cable with which you charge your iPhone. There are many certified iPhone accessories with Lightning connectors, but we rarely see third-party Apple accessories with Lightning ports.

Next to the Lightning port is a Bluetooth button for pairing it with devices, and a “Hold” button, which is really just an on/off switch.

As for battery life, you can expect around 40 hours of gameplay, which is pretty impressive considering I struggled to get even 10 hours out of my DualShock 4 controller. That said, it probably helps that the Nimbus doesn’t have force feedback vibration, which definitely improves battery life.

What can be a bit confusing with the Nimbus is the four numbered lights on the front, these sometimes show the battery level and other times show you’re connected and which player you are (eg Players 1-4). It’s not a huge deal, and as long as you keep the controller charged, you don’t have to worry about seeing how much juice is left.

Another issue was how the controller worked in different games. It worked great in Modern Combat 5, but Real Racing 3 was terrible. In console racing games, steering is gradual and pressure sensitive, meaning your car will turn slightly when you apply light pressure on the joystick or D-pad, and your car will turn more when you apply more pressure. This was not the case when playing Real Racing 3 on Apple TV.

Instead, no matter how much pressure you put on the control stick or D-pad, your car either doesn’t turn at all or does it all the way through, making it a constant battle not to overdo it with every turn, and the same with the throttle and brakes. It’s better on the iPhone, but it still took some getting used to the wheel. It’s probably an issue at EA’s end in-game and not exactly the controller’s fault, but it’s definitely something to be aware of.

Overall, getting something like the SteelSeries Nimbus is effortless if you plan on playing a lot of games on the Apple TV, but the games themselves still have a long way to go to truly support controllers. Not many games support Nimbus, and if they do, it’s possible that a game is doing a terrible job of supporting it. However, it’s usually better than using the little Siri Remote as a controller, and controller support will undoubtedly get better over time.