Since Amazon combines both the nimbus and Stratus Duo reviews, I have to put both those reviews here.
Nimbus Review:
Because I saw that someone had posted on YouTube that this controller does not work with OpenEmu, I thought that I would clarify that at the time of this review (Feb 19, 2017), it does work. It connects just fine to the Mac via bluetooth, and there is no button that does not get detected and function just fine (including the joysticks).
Don't be fooled though, outside of OpenEmu, there was no game on my Mac that worked with it. Obviously it works great with iOS though and I definitely preferred it for that over other MFI controllers that I found.
Edit: I wanted to add that I have further tested this controller and it also works with the "Dolphin" Emulator (which runs GameCube games), except that it doesn't sense the start button. In case you're wondering, this doesn't work at all with the "Boxer" emulator (that's a DOS emulator for Mac).
Also, although this controller doesn't work with most regular Mac Games (including Steam games), you can make it work with many games by using a program called Joystick Mapper or something similar. If you go that route, you can remap the inputs to read as keyboard inputs inside of your games, which still doesn't work in every game (plus the D-Pad and Start Button aren't picked up at all by that program), but it certainly extends the usefulness and capabilities of this controller.
Stratus Duo Review
Summary
The Stratus Duo feels just like the Nimbus Controller for iOS, except for small improvements to the triggers and D-Pad. The Wi-Fi connection dongle has an amazing range and was fairly reliable on windows. The Bluetooth is essentially useless for anything but an android phone. Battery life seems great as long as you use the dongle and not Bluetooth.
The Details
Look and Feel
This controller looks and feels almost identical to the Nimbus controller. I was a big fan of the Nimbus, so having one that works natively on PC is awesome. The things that are different are the triggers, D-Pad, and front LED’s. The triggers have a shorter range, and are slightly more ergonomic/curved. I would say that they’re better than the Nimbus in that regard. The front LED’s are a step down in the sense that they’re white instead of red. This makes them a lot more distracting in dark environments compared to the Nimbus’ red lights. They also seem brighter. So they constitute a strange design change in my opinion. The D-Pad is bigger than the Nimbus, the surface is different. It feels better to me than the Nimbus but is definitely more stiff than the PS4 controller.
Wi-Fi Dongle
When you plug in the dongle to a PC, it’s basically is plug and play, and the range is incredible. I was planning on using the Bluetooth setting to connect to my Steam link a couple rooms away, but the connection is so good using the included dongle, that I was able to play on my Steam link while still connected directly to my PC. That means that the connection has a greater range than even my Xbox One Controller when I connect it to my PC through Microsoft’s proprietary USB dongle. It’s also substantially better than the Bluetooth range on my PS4 controller, which cuts out before even reaching my living room (where the steam link is). As far as negatives go… This does not work at all with an Xbox One. I tried it, and it doesn’t even detect that something is plugged in. It also has a strange issue on PC, where if you turn the controller off, it will often connect as the second player controller when you turn it on again, which means that you can’t play any one player games because of being considered a second player. You have to restart your PC to fix that issue. Windows is fairly buggy with controllers sometimes, and this could very well be their issue and not the this controller’s issue. However, I haven’t had that problem with my Xbox One controller or my PS4 controller.
Bluetooth
By far the biggest failing with this controller is its extremely bad Bluetooth. I guess when they say that it works with Android and VR, they really just mean those two and nothing else. It connected with the Steam link, but had a bug where the left joystick moves the mouse slightly, while also moving the joystick at the same time. No other controller has that issue on my Steam Link. iOS 13 brought xinput and direct input controller support with it and I can confirm that both the Xbox One and PS4 controllers connect and work just fine. This controller… not so much. iOS can’t even see this controller in the Bluetooth connection menu. I tested that on multiple iOS devices. So don’t plan on using this with iOS. My MacBook was able to see it and connect to it, but then I couldn’t use it in any way, not even in OpenEmu, which is something that even the Nimbus can be used with. The lights also indicated that the connection was unstable or something, since they went back and forth from showing the looking-for-a-connection pattern to the now-connecting pattern. So don’t count on using the Bluetooth for anything but Android.
Durability
The controller’s durability has yet to be evaluated, so I might update this review with that in the future. I will say that the Nimbus had a design flaw that caused the triggers to become sticky within a fairly short time. iFixit has a page about how to fix that issue, and they also explain what causes it. This controller feels very similar to the nimbus as far as the triggers go, so I wouldn’t be surprised if it has the same flaw.
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Color: Black
Brand: SteelSeries
Connectivity Technology: Bluetooth
Special Features: Wireless
Item Weight: 8.0 to 11.9 oz
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From the manufacturer
SteelSeries Stratus XL for Windows + Android
Play over 2000 of your favorite full controller supported games through your Steam account with the new Stratus XL Wireless Gaming Controller for Windows and Android.
The Stratus XL was designed to pull out of the box, connect to a PC, and start gaming. Play all of your controller enabled Steam games. It also works on all Android devices.
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Comfort & FamiliarityWe took two of the world's most recognizable controllers and combined them into one super controller. The Stratus XL's ergonomic design fits perfectly in your hands and feels great for hours of use. |
No Strings Attached!We wanted to make sure nothing was holding you back from your game. Our wireless BluetoothTM connection is just as responsive as the major consoles. |
Joysticks, Home, and Shoulder Buttons, Oh My!Clickable joysticks, easy to use home buttons, and smooth, responsive shoulder buttons place you in the center of the action. |
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Knowing is Half the BattleWith four easy-to-read LEDs, the status and connectivity of the controller are always visible. |
Unlimited Power!... AlmostUsing two AA batteries (included), the Stratus XL provides you with over 40 hours of gaming experience. |
Action-Packed CustomizationWant that hair trigger? Change the actuation point of the triggers in SteelSeries Engine 3 for quicker shots, faster attacks, or easier acceleration. |
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Reviews with images
Almost Perfect
I ordered a used/refurbished model so I wasn't expecting “brand new” condition but the fact that the box says it includes a lightning cable and it didn't come with one, is a disappointment.
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