If you want a game controller that works AND looks great, CRKD’s NEO S Frost Edition, an exclusive NEO S design, is calling your name. I’ve been using mine for over a week and am really impressed.
Now available in limited quantities, the NEO S Frost Edition is great for gaming on controller-compatible games for the Mac (which is what I mostly use it with), the iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV set-top box. With its cool (pun intended) semi-translucent frosted, retro design, the NEO S is a charming delight.
The gamepad comes with a matching Charging Dock that stores and charges your NEO S when you’re not using it. Thanks to its compact design, the CRKD accessory is easy to stow away for traveling.
Of course, even a handsome, easily-portable game controller is useless unless it enhances gameplay. Thankfully, the advanced feature set of the NEO S does just that. It will appeal to both casual and more serious gamers.
On the front of the NEO S Frost Edition — which is kinda like a Nintendo Pro Controller with more rounded edges — are the left stick and L3 button, D-Pad, minus button, capture button, home button (CRKD logo), plus button, right stick and R3 button, and the face buttons in the Nintendo-style B, A, X, Y layout. A status LED is below the capture button.
On the top of the controller are the ZL left trigger, L left bumper, USB-C port, ZR right trigger, and R right bumper. On the bottom of the controller are charging contacts and a 3.5mm headset jack. The rear of the NEO S Frost Edition sports a RFID touchpoint to use with the CRKD app (more on this below), the S1 and S2 programmable buttons, the program button to map S1 and S2, and a pinhole reset button.
The NEO S Frosted Edition is fully compatible with the CRKD “True Collection System,” a free mobile app for iOS that will register the product number and rarity ranking of your hardware into your personal collection of CRKD gaming gear (assuming you have some). For example, you can purchase Swappable Stick Tops from CRKD within the app.
If you don’t have any interest in buying extra items, you might think the app may not appeal to you. However, the CRKD CTRL feature within the app ets you customize the adjustable features of the controller via programmable back buttons. For example, you can fine tune vibration rumble feedback and assign Turbo functionality to any button for rapid-fire action.
Even more importantly, the Hall Effect thumbsticks help overcome “stick drift” issues. Stick drift is a problem that occurs when a controller’s joystick gets stuck in a certain direction instead of returning to neutral. This can cause the character or camera to move on the screen without any input from the player.
The CRKD NEO S uses Bluetooth to pair with your Apple devices, although you can use it “wired,” as well. The controller charges via a standard USB Type-C input. You can use the USB-C cable to play with a wired attachment.
The CRKD Neo S comes complete with a USB Type-C to Type-A cable in addition to a Charging Dock. It requires a USB Battery Charging 1.2-compatible Type-A wall charger (which isn’t included) to charge, or standard USB 2.0 or 3.0 compatible port found on a Mac.
The NEO S Frost Edition is available for purchase today for US$59.99 exclusively at CRKD NEO S Controller with Charging Dock – White – Apple and via select Apple Store locations. However, it’s only available in limited quantities. If this is on your holiday wish list, you’ll want to nab one ASAP.
Apple World Today rating (out of 5 stars): ★★★★★
