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 great-feeling controls to support its $99.99 / £89.99 price tag. However, for all those gains there are some significant losses, which means you’ll need to make sure this gamepad fits your current setup before investing.
We spent three weeks testing the PowerA Moga XP7-X Plus 2022 alongside some of the best mobile drivers on the market so you can determine if this drive is right for your device.
Key information
| Price | $99.99 / £89.99 |
| form factor | wraparound / tabletop |
| Platform | Android/PC |
| Reassignable buttons | two |
| Additional buttons | Battery, Vista, USB/BT Switch, Program, Menu, Bluetooth Pairing, Powerbank Switch |
| transfer charge | wireless |
| Software | N/A |
| Weight | 349g |
PowerA Moga XP7-X Plus Design
At first glance, the PowerA Moga XP7-X Plus could be an official Xbox accessory. From the shiny front buttons to the smooth matte black material, this certainly looks like the real deal. A splash of Xbox Green under each joystick completes this look, providing the only hint of color other than the iconic face buttons.
On top of that, everything feels comfortable in the hand. The grips provide a thicker surface than more portable options like the Backbone One, giving a greater sense of control overall. Plus, the curves of each grip (and textured surface) that run across the rear of the device provide a nice anchor from which to navigate the front buttons as well.
All of this feels solid and durable, and only the extendable bridge that spans between the two gamepads provides pause for thought. This is not the smoothest opening or closing in the world, it takes considerable force to open it all the way and it only moves one side at a time. In my three weeks of testing, I didn’t notice any early cause for concern regarding the longevity of this mechanism, but it doesn’t feel as reliable as others in the hand.
The back panel itself is considerably thicker than other options, which makes things feel a bit cheaper. However, the entire profile needs to be this big to accommodate the built-in 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 almost 350g. For reference, the Backbone One and the Razer Kishi V2 weigh less than 150g.
Features of PowerA Moga XP7-X Plus
The PowerA Moga XP7-X Plus features everything you could reasonably ask for in a mobile controller. You have a full set of buttons at your disposal, as well as two additional paddles on the back. A Bluetooth connection will connect your clickers to your gaming phone (or you can connect them if you’re using the included kickstand) and also the classic Xbox menu buttons. However, there are plenty of added extras built in here to make that $99.99 price work even more for you, and this is where the Moga shines.
First of all, we have wireless charging integrated directly into the extendable bridge. That’s not something we’ve seen before, and while it won’t exactly boost it (I usually just saw my phone’s battery hold up, rather than increase), it’s certainly useful considering there’s no direct connection to the controller. (and therefore without transfer). However, that limits your options if your phone doesn’t support wireless charging. The Black Shark 5 Pro that I used for most of my testing, for example, simply had to drain its battery while playing. Adding a USB-C connection to the extendable bridge would make life a lot easier, especially since you don’t need to rely on a Bluetooth connection when in ‘Kinematic’ mode (with the phone positioned between the two gamepads).
That lack of physical connection also means you’ll need to keep your controller and phone charged. Fortunately, the Moga XP7-X Plus features a handy battery indicator and the option to plug it in once the device is removed from the controller hub.
The supplied Micro-USB to USB-C cable is outdated, but once you get over the shock of seeing such a connection today, it’s easy to enjoy the added flexibility this hybrid controller brings. The included kickstand slides out from the center of the device and flips open to prop up your gaming phone or tablet while you play in tabletop mode. You can even connect to a Windows device, if you also search for a PC driver.
The PowerA Moga XP7-X Plus looks like its feature list was designed around flexibility and choice. You decide how you want to use this set of buttons, and in theory it could replace an entire list of gamepads. Add on-the-fly remappable rear paddles and you’ve got a stacked spec sheet.
Performance PowerA Moga XP7-X Plus
The fact that the control sticks on the PowerA Moga XP7-X Plus feel so incredible makes horrendous shooters 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 ever gotten my hands on. From the perfect resistance levels to the sure grip on the concave tip, these little green sticks were a joy to use. I found R3 and L3 to be particularly tactile here, where many drivers veer into the realm of cumbersome when adjusting these clickers. Also, I didn’t notice any strong dead zones in all my tests, and enjoyed good tracking throughout.
These are truly premium clubs, so why are triggers so cheap? Mushy doesn’t even begin to describe these heavy, unwieldy shoulders – there’s too much resistance under the finger. As a result, aiming and shooting feels clunky, and you can forget about rapid fire. It’s a real shame because all the other clickers are very well tuned here. The face buttons feel identical to the Xbox ones, and the D-Pad has comfortable yet precise actuation in all directions.
Battery life is solid; I managed to sustain a few good days of casual gaming (a couple of hours a night) before needing to charge, though the juice ran out considerably quicker when using the wireless charging feature, unsurprisingly.
Should you buy the PowerA Moga XP7-X Plus?
The PowerA Moga XP7-X Plus is the closest thing you’ll find to a full Xbox controller designed for your phone. So why not just use an official driver from Microsoft? The PowerA Moga has a lot going for it to offset that higher price tag; wireless charging, a wrap-around extendable bridge design, and additional programmable rear paddles, to name a few.
If you plan to stream from your mobile device, these features will certainly enhance your experience. However, if your phone doesn’t support wireless charging, there are other models for a similar price that will keep you in the game for much longer. Both the Razer Kishi V2 and the Backbone One offer pass-through charging and a physical connection. While ruling out the Bluetooth option, those just looking to play games with their phones between 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 of my mobile gaming over the course of a week, using it alongside the Razer Kishi V2 for another week as well. It primarily ran Dead Cells and Stardew Valley natively, while playing Halo Infinite and Forza Horizon 5 through Xbox’s Game Pass streaming service. For more information on how we test drivers, see our full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy.
