The OnePlus Ace 6 Ultra gets a snap-on gamepad that turns it into a handheld

China is gearing up for the launch of the next OnePlus Ace series phone, but it's not just another gaming smartphone. A neat trick will allow the device to double as a gaming handheld, at least in spirit. Ahead of its April 28 launch, the company has now shared details and images of how the Ace 6 Ultra pairs with its attachable gamepad.

Teased on Weibo and spotted by Android Authority, the company describes it as the "ultimate FPS shooting experience" for the phone. The controller, called the OnePlus Marksman Gaming Controller, functions more like a lightweight shell that the device snaps into. It features four buttons on the back: two act as bumpers (L1 and R1), and the other two double as triggers (L2 and R2).

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All four buttons are fully customizable and handle actions like aiming, firing, and special abilities, similar to a standard gamepad layout. Though you will have to keep your thumbs on the screen for movement and camera control. The switches inside the buttons have a 1000Hz polling rate and a response time of roughly 1.8ms, meaning little to no input lag between aiming and firing.

OnePlus adds that the control scheme is closer to the PC version, with an ergonomic grip that bridges the gap between handheld and PC gaming experiences. At the same time, it comes with several meaningful adjustments tailored to its form factor.

OnePlus' images show support for an attachable magnetic cooling setup that adds extra thermal headroom. There's also a built-in gaming antenna to improve signal stability. The bottom USB-C port is positioned so you can keep charging while playing. Together, these features help avoid a clumsy mobile gaming experience where a charger sticks out or an external cooler gets in the way.

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OnePlus has been eyeing the mobile gaming market for some time now and has pushed worthwhile upgrades to increase its appeal. The Ace 5 Ultra featured what the company called the "Esports Triple-chip," and this year's version steps it up with a 33% faster GPU, 120FPS capabilities, ray tracing for that PC-like graphical experience, and now this attachable controller. The OnePlus Ace 6 Ultra and Marksman Gaming Controller are set to launch in China on April 28, with no confirmed global release yet.