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This smartphone gamepad turns a modern phone into a pocket console with clickable sticks, gyro aiming, and a clever sliding design.
A good phone can already run console ports, stream major game libraries, and emulate the machines many of us grew up with. The missing piece has always been physical control. Abxylute’s M5 and M6 try to fill that gap with sliding gamepads that attach magnetically to the back of a phone, turning a familiar slab into something that feels much closer to a handheld console.
The M5 starts at $65 during the campaign, while the wireless M6 costs $69. That’s a surprisingly small price for hardware promising Hall Effect triggers, rumble, adjustable controls, and, in the M6, gyro aiming. The catch is that these are campaign prices, with estimated shipping planned for late 2026.
A modern take on the classic phone slider
The first thing that grabbed my attention is the sliding mechanism. There’s a bit of old mobile-phone history hiding in this design, recalling the era when phones clicked and glided open instead of presenting one uninterrupted touchscreen. The M5 and M6 borrow that feeling, but replace a tiny keypad with a proper control layout.
Closed, either controller sits behind the phone like a chunky protective case. Slide the phone upward and the gamepad reveals itself underneath, with analog controls, shoulder buttons, and vibration. It has a faint Xperia Play flavor, though the execution here is aimed at current phones rather than one particular handset.
Abxylute says it found a manufacturer with experience producing slider rails for older Nokia and Sony devices. That matters because the mechanism needs to support considerably more weight than an old sliding display. The M5 and M6 are designed to hold a phone and case weighing up to roughly 10.6 ounces, or 300 grams.
The rail moves in both directions with a damped glide, then uses magnets to hold the controller fully open or closed. That should feel more controlled than a spring-loaded slider that launches the phone outward at the press of a button. I haven’t handled the finished hardware, so long-term durability remains uncertain, but the mechanical approach sounds more reassuring than a flimsy telescoping arm.
Magnetic mounting with a few case-related caveats
The phone attaches through an adjustable magnetic mount rated at 4,098 gf, or about nine pounds of pull. Abxylute compares that with the 2,500 to 3,500 gf range it gives for Apple’s MagSafe system.
Both models leave room for camera bumps up to 0.28 inches, or 7mm, and the mounting plate shifts to accommodate different phone sizes. Supported devices listed for the controllers include the iPhone 18 series, Galaxy S26, Pixel 11, OnePlus 15, and Xiaomi 17.
Phones without built-in magnetic alignment can use the adhesive ring included in the package. Thick cases are the obvious concern. They may reduce the magnetic grip, so a slim case—or no case at all—looks like the safer option for intense gaming sessions.
The M5 also requires a USB-C port because it connects directly to the phone. That leaves older Lightning-equipped iPhones out of the picture. It’s a limitation worth noticing before getting carried away by the low price.
The M5 keeps things simple, wired, and pocketable
The M5 is the more focused design. It connects over USB-C, which means there’s no wireless pairing and no internal battery to charge. It can also pass power through to the phone, allowing the handset to charge while you play.
That simplicity is appealing. One less battery means one less thing to remember before leaving the house, and a wired connection avoids the occasional Bluetooth ritual of switching devices off and on until they finally agree to cooperate.
The M5 originated as a personal project by Jinjiang, an independent maker who handled the 3D modeling, circuit-board design, and programming. Abxylute later partnered with him to prepare the design for larger-scale production.
Its analog controls use low-profile carbon-film sliders inspired by the PSP, PSP Go, and Nintendo 3DS. They sit almost flush with the controller body, helping the M5 stay thin. The trade-off is travel distance: these sliders don’t offer the same range as conventional analog sticks.
Because the sliders cannot click inward, Abxylute adds dedicated LS and RS buttons. Those buttons can also work as programmable macro keys. The triggers use microswitches with short travel and a distinct click, giving the M5 a more immediate feel than its compact size might suggest.
The controller weighs around 6 ounces, or 170 grams. With its mount, it measures about 0.91 inches thick, slimming to 0.45 inches around the grip area. At 5.9 inches wide, it is roughly as broad as a large phone and should fit comfortably into a jacket pocket.
That compactness comes with a clear preference. The M5 seems better suited to platformers, classic games, turn-based adventures, and emulators than fast competitive shooters. My first impression was that the small sliders might feel like a compromise everywhere, but the more I consider the design, the more convincing the trade-off becomes: this is a portability-first controller, not a miniature living-room pad.
A limited Founder’s Edition is planned in translucent retro green, capped at 1,000 units. It replaces the usual logo with a customizable two-letter badge, which is exactly the sort of small nostalgic flourish that makes old hardware collectors reach for their wallets.
The M6 adds the controls serious players expect
The M6 takes the same sliding concept and pushes it toward a fuller gamepad experience. Abxylute says development lasted nearly three years, and the internal nickname “little Nezha” apparently followed the project through that process.
The M6 uses capacitive analog sticks developed with K-Silver. They tilt 20 degrees, compared with roughly 23 degrees for a full-size controller, and they support clickable L3 and R3 inputs. Abxylute also designed them to resist magnetic interference, an important detail when a powerful magnetic mounting system sits just above the controls.
Instead of placing the sticks inside deep circular wells, the M6 uses a stepped surface around each one. This opens up more room for your thumbs while keeping the body relatively compact. Stick output can switch between circular and square modes, which should be useful for racing games and certain emulator setups.
The Hall Effect linear triggers offer 0.22 inches, or 5.5mm, of travel. A Fast Trigger Mode reduces actuation distance for shooters, while the standard setting gives racing games more room for gradual throttle and brake control.
There’s also a front-facing Z button for remapping and multi-button macros. That could place a fighting-game special move or a jump-and-shoot combination beneath one thumb instead of requiring finger gymnastics. Whether every game benefits from that will depend on the software, but the flexibility is welcome.
The M6 includes a six-axis gyroscope for motion aiming, Bluetooth 5.3, and a 500mAh battery rated for up to 10 hours. Its lighting is diffused across the controller rather than aimed directly at the player’s eyes, and the color changes according to the selected mode.
At 6.7 ounces, or 191 grams, and 1.02 inches thick, the M6 is only modestly heavier and thicker than the M5. That seems like a reasonable premium for wireless play, clickable sticks, gyro support, and Hall Effect triggers.
Shared features and the companion app
The similarities between the two models go beyond the sliding shell. Both include a physical mode switch for NS, XInput, and PS layouts. Those modes are intended to cover emulator setups, Android and cloud gaming, and iPhone titles.
Each controller includes dual Z-axis linear vibration motors with four intensity levels. A Turbo function works through the M button, while the abxy Game App handles configuration duties.
The app can manage:
- Button remapping
- Stick dead zones
- Macros
- Lighting controls
- Vibration intensity
- Emulator and cloud-service launching
- Virtual touch mapping
Virtual touch mapping is particularly useful for games that never added physical-controller support. It lets you assign on-screen controls to the real buttons, although setting up a touchscreen layout can sometimes feel like doing taxes with a gamepad.
Both models can also accept detachable magnetic grips. These add fuller handles for longer sessions and use magnets combined with a mechanical shear lock. They aren’t listed among the standard box contents, so they appear to be an optional accessory rather than something included by default.
Pricing, bundles, and the wait ahead
Campaign pricing lists the M5 at $65 and the M6 at $69. Their planned retail prices are $84.99 and $89.99, respectively. A bundle containing one of each costs $119 instead of $174.98.
The M5 package includes the controller, a USB-C cable, an adhesive magnetic ring, and a manual. Both models share the ring and documentation, while the M6’s wireless design naturally avoids the need for a connection cable during play.
Estimated shipping is November 2026 for the M6 and December 2026 for the M5, with worldwide delivery planned. That is a long wait, and it’s the biggest wrinkle in an otherwise tidy proposition. Hardware specifications can look excellent on paper, but campaign products still have to survive manufacturing, quality control, and the final transition from prototype to something people can carry around every day.
The M5 makes the stronger case for buyers who want the thinnest, simplest setup. The M6 is the more complete gamepad, with wireless operation and the controls most modern players expect. Neither replaces a dedicated handheld in every situation, but that isn’t really the point. They upgrade the phone already in your pocket.
Abxylute’s smartphone gamepad pair takes an appealingly old-school idea—a phone that slides open to reveal controls—and rebuilds it around modern magnetic mounting and console-style features. The M5 is wonderfully focused, while the M6 offers the more convincing all-round package. Which one would you trust for your next long commute?
FAQ
- What is the difference between the Abxylute M5 and M6?
The M5 is a wired USB-C controller with low-profile slider sticks and pass-through charging. The M6 connects wirelessly and adds clickable capacitive sticks, Hall Effect triggers, gyro aiming, and a rechargeable battery. - How much do the Abxylute M5 and M6 cost?
Campaign pricing lists the M5 at $65 and the M6 at $69. Planned retail pricing is $84.99 for the M5 and $89.99 for the M6. - Will the controllers work with phones without magnetic attachment hardware?
Yes. An adhesive magnetic ring is included for compatible phones that do not have built-in magnetic alignment. - Can the M5 charge a phone while gaming?
Yes. The M5 uses a wired USB-C connection and supports pass-through charging, allowing the phone to receive power during play. - What does the abxy Game App control?
The app manages remapping, dead zones, macros, vibration, lighting, virtual touch controls, and launching supported gaming services and emulators.
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