PowerA Moga XP7-X Plus review: "A comprehensive controller, but not without its flaws"

The PowerA Moga XP7-X Plus adds a wraparound design option to the peripheral brand's range of XP mobile controllers. Designed with Xbox at its heart, this is a solid addition to your roster, with a range of unique features and some excellent-feeling controls supporting its $99.99 / £89.99 price tag. However, for all those wins there are some significant losses, which means you'll need to be sure this gamepad fits your current setup before investing. 

We spent three weeks testing the 2022 PowerA Moga XP7-X Plus alongside some of the best mobile controllers on the market so that you can work out whether this unit is right for your device. 

Key Information

PowerA Moga XP7-X Plus Design

At first glance, the PowerA Moga XP7-X Plus could be an official Xbox accessory. From the shiny face buttons to the soft matte black material, this certainly looks like the real deal. A pop of Xbox green underneath each thumbstick completes this look, providing the only splash of color aside from those iconic face buttons. 

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On top of that, everything feels comfortable in the hand. The grips provide a chunkier surface than more portable options like the Backbone One, which makes for a greater sense of control overall. Plus the curves of each grip (and the textured surface) running around the back of the device provides a nice anchor from which to navigate the front buttons as well. 

All of this feels solid and long-wearing, with only the extendable bridge running between the two gamepads providing pause for thought. This isn't the smoothest opening or closing in the world, with considerable force required to pry it fully open, and only one side moving at a time. In my three weeks of testing I didn't notice any early causes for concern regarding the longevity of this mechanism, but it doesn't feel quite as trustworthy as others in the hand. 

The back panel itself is considerably thicker than other options out there, which does make things feel a little cheaper. The whole profile does need to be this large, though, to accommodate the inbuilt wireless charging pad under the hood. That also means this is a heavier controller than you may be used to for your mobile device, weighing in at nearly 350g. For reference, the Backbone One and Razer Kishi V2 come in well under 150g. 

PowerA Moga XP7-X Plus Features

The PowerA Moga XP7-X Plus features everything you could reasonably ask for in a mobile controller. You've got a full set of buttons at your disposal, as well as two additional paddles around the back as well. A Bluetooth connection will tether your clickers to your gaming phone (or you can hardwire in if you're using the included kickstand), and classic Xbox menu buttons as well. However, there are plenty of additional extras baked in here to make that $99.99 price tag work even harder for you, and this is where the Moga shines. 

First up we've got wireless charging built straight into the extendable bridge. That's not something we've seen before, and while it won't exactly juice you all the way up (I generally only ever saw my mobile battery hold, rather than actually increase), it's certainly handy considering there's no direct connection to the controller (and therefore no passthrough). That does, however, limit your options if your phone doesn't support wireless charging. The Black Shark 5 Pro I used for the majority of my testing, for example, simply had to drain its battery while I tapped away. Adding a USB-C connection to the extendable bridge would make for a much easier life, especially seeing as you don't then need to rely on a Bluetooth connection when in 'Cinematic' mode (with the phone placed between the two gamepads).

That lack of physical connection also means you'll need to keep your controller charged as well as your phone. Thankfully, the Moga XP7-X Plus features a handy battery indicator and the option to hardwire in once your device is removed from the centre of the controller.

The supplied Micro-USB to USB-C cable is outdated, but once you get over the shock of seeing such a connection in this day and age, it's easy to enjoy the additional flexibility this hybrid controller brings. The included kickstand slides out from the middle of the device and opens up to hold your phone or gaming tablet nicely while playing in tabletop mode. You can even connect up to a Windows device, if you're after a PC controller as well.

The PowerA Moga XP7-X Plus feels like its feature list was designed around flexibility and choice. You decide how you want to use this set of buttons and, theoretically, it could replace a whole roster of gamepads. Add on-the-fly remappable back paddles and you've got yourself a stacked spec sheet.

PowerA Moga XP7-X Plus Performance

The fact that the thumbsticks on the PowerA Moga XP7-X Plus feel so incredible makes the horrendous triggers all the more offensive. I'll start with the good - the two joysticks in play here are the best of any mobile controller I've had my hands on. From perfect resistance levels to the secure grip across the concave tip, these little green sticks were a joy to use. I found R3 and L3 to be particularly tactile here, where many controllers veer into the realm of cumbersome when tuning these clickers. Plus, I didn't note any strong deadzones in all my testing, and enjoyed nice smooth tracking throughout. 

These are truly premium-feeling sticks, so why are the triggers so bargain bucket? Mushy doesn't even begin to describe these heavy, unwieldy shoulders - there's just far too much resistance under the finger. Aiming and shooting feels clunky as a result, and you can forget about rapid firing. It's a real shame because every other clicker is nicely tuned here. The face buttons feel identical to Xbox's own, and the D-Pad has a comfortable but still precise actuation across all directions.

Battery life is solid; I managed to hold a good few days' worth of casual play (a couple of hours a night) before needing to charge up, though juice ran out considerably quicker when using the wireless charging feature, as is to be expected.

Should you buy the PowerA Moga XP7-X Plus?

The PowerA Moga XP7-X Plus is the closest thing you'll find to a fully fledged Xbox controller designed for your phone. Why not simply use an official Microsoft controller then? The PowerA Moga does have plenty going for it to make up for that higher price tag; wireless charging, a wraparound extendable bridge design, and additional programmable back paddles to name a few. 

If you're planning on streaming from your mobile device, these features will certainly improve your experience. However, if your phone doesn't support wireless charging, there are other models out there at a similar price point which will keep you in the game far longer. Both the Razer Kishi V2 and Backbone One offer passthrough charging and a physical connection. While you're dropping the Bluetooth option, those only looking to play with their phones between the gamepads should check out these alternatives. 

How we tested the PowerA Moga XP7-X Plus

I used the PowerA Moga XP7-X Plus exclusively for all my mobile play over the course of one week, using it alongside the Razer Kishi V2 for another week as well. I was primarily running Dead Cells and Stardew Valley natively, while playing Halo Infinite and Forza Horizon 5 over Xbox's Game Pass streaming service. For more information on how we test controllers, check out our full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy.