Whilst mobile gaming has always been a bit of an independent offshoot from the mainstream gaming space, there are many who would still prefer to use traditional controls when playing on the go. Whilst some games have tried to emulate button controls on a touch screen, I’ve never really felt satisfied with this style and thus always avoided playing full-control games on my phone.
However, when I was given the chance to review the GameSir X2 Bluetooth controller I saw an opportunity to experience phone gaming through fresh eyes. My only concern was that the Bluetooth nature of the controller may restrict battery life, but I was willing to give it a try. Luckily, the X2 blew away all of my expectations.
Before I get into the nitty-gritty, I’ll just mention what I decided to play whilst testing the device. Unfortunately, as phone peripherals have always been quite a niche there isn’t an over-abundance of games to play with them. There are a few that you’d expect to see – Fortnite, Minecraft, Call of Duty Mobile (eugh…) – but I was surprised with how many indie and niche titles I found. Stardew Valley, Dead Cells, Castlevania SotN and Hyper Light Drifter all made it to mobile somehow. There’s also a wide range of emulators that those with swashbuckling tendencies may peruse. However, the app I spent the most time in was surprisingly Steam Link. Whilst there were a few obvious compatibility hiccups with recognising the controller (that’s just a quirk of Steam Link) I ended up putting the X2 really through its paces in the likes of Elder Scrolls Online, Hitman, Psychonauts, Fallout 4 and Monkey Island. Whilst using a Bluetooth controller whilst streaming games through an internal network sounds a bit like a nightmare, it really wasn’t, and I think that’s thanks to the GameSir itself. There is also a dedicated app designed to help compatibility with touch-controlled games, but whilst it’s a good idea in theory I didn’t really get on with it.
The controller looks great. It’s very clearly inspired by the Nintendo Switch, with neon red and blue accents inside the control sticks and an identical layout. Thankfully, this also extends to the controls themselves. The sticks feel almost identical to those of the Switch – but without the drift. The buttons feel nice and substantial with good return and the triggers are satisfyingly clicky. Alongside the dual sticks, there is a nice d-pad and four buttons on the right labelled as they would be on an Xbox. There is also a dedicated turbo button, a home/power button and a screenshot button, which links to your phone’s dedicated screenshot capability. Finally, there are two extra buttons used for…various stuff? They’re basically function keys, but some games automatically seem to map them and at other times they are used as part of button combos for turbo mode and volume. Regardless of these strange brothers, the buttons are wonderful to use on the whole and I can’t think of any immediate complaints. To put it simply, whilst many off-brand peripherals end up feeling cheap in the button department, the GameSir X2 doesn’t- in fact, it feels almost as good as any Nintendo or Sony-produced controller.
The rest of the controller continues this trend of quality. It fits around your phone nicely, with plenty of rubberised material to keep your expensive device safe. To install, you simply stretch the X2 around the phone, and with a max compatible size of 173mm, it easily fits my Pixel 5, even with the case on. I found the phone felt safe and secure in it; again, much like the Switch. This was another worry for me, but thankfully the whole device just feels really stable. It’s bizarre – most of the time clipping a device to your phone feels a bit risky, but adding the GameSir almost felt transformative. It looks, feels and acts like a whole new device. The only thing reminding me that I was playing through my phone was the constant stream of spam email notifications. In the hands, the controller yet again excels, with nice, comfy rubberised grips at the back. It’s comfortable to hold, even for long periods, and substantial enough even for my Ogre hands. The main limiting factor for long sessions wasn’t comfort, but my phone’s battery life.
On the topic of battery life, I was surprised by how long it lasted. I played it pretty intensely and only had to charge it every few days. Again, the issue was my phone, not the controller. I also didn’t notice much excess heat from my phone thanks to the vented design of the peripheral, so it seems that it’s not going to cause any additional heat damage.
Of course, despite all of this there’s still one unaddressed question – does the Bluetooth nature of the controller impact gameplay? Now, whilst I personally didn’t notice any input lag whatsoever between the controller and phone, I have seen that many others have. I think this may be one of those things where your mileage may vary based on your phone, your preferred titles and your specific controller. I’ve also heard that some iPhone users have had issues with Apple Arcade compatibility, so again, please bear that in mind.
Another surprise I had with the GameSir was the abundance of extras out of the box. It came with a neat little hard carrying case, four thumb stick caps, a charging cable and some stickers. Neat! Yes, the case isn’t a looker, but it’s great that it was provided and it’s meant my controller has stayed clean and safe on the go. The thumb caps were also a nice addition, especially with my aforementioned Ogre hands.
In short, I love this thing. It feels good to hold, it’s truly transformative for your phone and it lasts longer than most players would need it to. Whilst I can’t attest to its iPhone capabilities, I can easily say it’s one of the best Android peripherals I’ve ever seen and it’s converted me to the benefits of mobile gaming – at least when it comes to streaming and emulation. If that sounds good to you, I can highly recommend it.
Grab your unit here – this is not an affiliated link https://www.amazon.co.uk/GameSir-Bluetooth-Wireless-Controller-Charging/dp/B09155BTFX
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