Through the years, I’ve been increasingly more impressed by the merchandise to return out of the GameSir secure. They began comparatively merely, providing up early cellular controller choices as a brand new wave of Sport Go, Cloud and cellular experiences got here to the fore. And since these early years, they’ve slowly and absolutely developed issues, integrating new concepts, new strategies, culminating within the GameSir G8 Galileo, a controller a world away from the early GameSir X2 controllers.
However now GameSir have regarded to take what labored for them years in the past, deciding to carry it a bit extra up-to-date. They’re doing so with the X2s Kind-C Cell Controller. The factor is, we’ve been a bit upset by it.
Issues have moved on massively on this planet of cellular gaming. There’s clearly an enormous market on iOS and Android, however then Xbox have quick muscled in, pushing Sport Go and Cloud Gaming to all new ranges. It means the X2s might be match for what’s required by many avid gamers. However while it feels first rate in hand and works nicely, there are some oddities we are able to’t recover from.
Impressed by an old-school Nintendo 2DS (though them’s GameSir’s phrases as we’re struggling to see many similarities), the X2s is available in a quite pleasant color scheme. It involves market with contrasting mild and darkish greys, complemented properly with some lilac particulars protecting the d-pad, face buttons and each bumpers and triggers. Actually, it’s not going to be favored by all, however we expect the color scheme suits.
It appears good across the rear too. That lilac color makes up a lot of the rear, damaged up by a GameSir brand slap bang within the center, in addition to some textured rubber grips on both aspect. These are completely positioned as you grip the X2s, feeling very good in hand. Don’t anticipate any rear-mounted buttons of set off locks spherical there although; this can be a pretty easy piece of package.
Entrance-side sees all the things you’ll anticipate of a cellular controller. The thumbsticks click on in properly, rotating like the very best of them with anti-friction glide rings and Corridor Impact abilities to make sure that they really feel exact sufficient, while the d-pad (albeit plasticky) works because it ought to. The face buttons are arrange in an Xbox-stylee too. And then you definitely’ve received 4 completely different menu buttons in place – a G, S, House and Seize buttons. This isn’t formally licensed for Xbox although so don’t anticipate any massive Xbox Nexus button to be discovered.
Every thing on the GameSir X2s feels first rate to make use of. Microswitched bumpers stand out alongside curved triggers, however in testing nothing has felt ‘dangerous’, working as meant every time, as we’ve made essentially the most of some Sport Go video games by means of the cloud. Oh yeah, and there’s USB-C passthrough on the underside of the unit too, guaranteeing you possibly can maintain enjoying and powered.
However – and we guess you might see this coming – the GameSir X2s Kind-C Cell Controller isn’t one which we see ourselves utilizing long run. Causes? Properly, there are numerous.
The GameSir X2s Kind-C Cell Controller utilises a pull and clasp system to maintain your cell phone entrance and centre. It comes with common compatibility on the core and this could imply some seamless integration with iPhone 15 collection and Android telephones – we are able to’t converse for the previous, however have used a number of Android telephones. You have to be sorted it doesn’t matter what your cellphone, because it’s fairly adaptable, catering for telephones starting from 110mm to 168mm in size, with no width restrictions. With rubber grips on both aspect of the controller, pulling it aside, sticking your cellphone into the USB-C port and shutting issues off is a cinch. And people grips maintain your cellphone safely clasped too; there’s by no means an opportunity this factor will let slip.
And we’ve used a couple of telephones too. A Google Pixel 7 Professional, a Pixel 4A, an older Pixel 2XL all match. However ALL require circumstances to be eliminated. And that’s as a result of, very similar to we discovered with the G8 Galileo, the moveable USB-C connector that’s connected to the X2s feels too brief. Take away these circumstances and issues slot in completely tremendous, the X2s powering up the second it recognises the cellphone, however although our circumstances are pretty minimal it looks as if even the smallest bumper stops connection from being made. It’s an odd name by GameSir to run such a brief USB-C connector and we definitely don’t need to take away a case each time we need to use it. Bear that in thoughts ought to your day by day driver be cased.
Additional, that USB-C connector is on the incorrect aspect of the X2s. We’ve used a ton of cellular controllers through the years and the overwhelming majority of these have seen the connector on the proper arm of the controller, cellphone slotting in, quantity and energy button left topside. However the X2s utilises a left-sided USB-C connector and so attaching a cellphone instantly feels unusual. What’s extra, we’ve been left scrabbling round for the quantity that’s then on the underside of the unit. An odd name certainly.
What’s extra, the thumbsticks, straight out of the field, are convexed up and over the lid of the stick. It’s not one thing we like, a lot preferring a extra concaved system. Once more, private? In all probability, however let it’s recognized that in case you agree with our thumbstick lifestyle, you’ll want to suit two of the – included in field – concaved thumbstick toppers.
The large kicker for the GameSir X2s Kind-C Cell Controller although? Properly, we don’t know what the ‘s’ stands for in X2s, however we’re going with ‘small’. Once more, this can be quite private and we now have come straight in from normal use of the larger G8 Galileo, however the X2s feels tiny in hand, the face buttons being of a ridiculous dimension. It signifies that we’ve felt fairly cramped while utilizing the GameSir X2s Kind-C Cell Controller for gaming classes. And while that’s tremendous for a short time, and it does imply that at simply 170 grams it’s a simple piece of package to chuck in a rucksack, long run use just isn’t one thing that excites.
Should you can look by means of these points, then the standard GameSir cellular controller options are current. The GameSir App (on Android for us) is pretty first rate, letting you take a look at the controller, amend key settings, stick some hair-triggers on, utilise a turbo mode and the like. A lot of that’s attainable by way of key shortcuts on the unit too. Do you want these items? We don’t assume so, but it surely’s good they’re there for these on the lookout for it.
Lag-free due to that USB-C connector, in case you’re on the lookout for an entry stage cellular controller that can assist you out with the likes of Sport Go and Cloud Gaming, the GameSir X2s Kind-C Cell Controller is okay. Simply be conscious that this can be a small unit and there are some bizarre quirks about it. Personally, we’ll be sticking with our GameSir G8 Galileo.
Enormous thanks exit to GameSir for offering the GameSir X2s Kind-C Cell Controller for evaluate. Seize a unit for your self from GameSir direct, anticipating to pay round £49.00.
