Over time, I’ve been an increasing number of impressed by the merchandise to come back out of the GameSir steady. They began comparatively merely, providing up early cell controller choices as a brand new wave of Sport Cross, Cloud and cell experiences got here to the fore. And since these early years, they’ve slowly and certainly 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 seemed 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 Sort-C Cell Controller. The factor is, we’ve been a bit dissatisfied by it.
Issues have moved on massively on the earth of cell gaming. There’s clearly an enormous market on iOS and Android, however then Xbox have quick muscled in, pushing Sport Cross and Cloud Gaming to all new ranges. It means the X2s might be an excellent match for what’s required by many avid gamers. However while it feels respectable in hand and works properly, there are some oddities we will’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 fairly pleasant color scheme. It involves market with contrasting mild and darkish greys, complemented properly with some lilac particulars overlaying the d-pad, face buttons and each bumpers and triggers. Truthfully, it’s not going to be preferred by all, however we predict the color scheme suits.
It seems to be 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 facet. These are completely positioned as you grip the X2s, feeling very good in hand. Don’t count on any rear-mounted buttons of set off locks spherical there although; this can be a pretty easy piece of package.
Entrance-side sees every thing you’d count on of a cell controller. The thumbsticks click on in properly, rotating like the most effective 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 definately’ve acquired 4 completely different menu buttons in place – a G, S, Dwelling and Seize buttons. This isn’t formally licensed for Xbox although so don’t count on any massive Xbox Nexus button to be discovered.
Every little thing on the GameSir X2s feels respectable to make use of. Microswitched bumpers stand out alongside curved triggers, however in testing nothing has felt ‘unhealthy’, working as meant each time, as we’ve made essentially the most of some Sport Cross video games by the cloud. Oh yeah, and there’s USB-C passthrough on the underside of the unit too, guaranteeing you may maintain taking part in and powered.
However – and we guess you possibly can see this coming – the GameSir X2s Sort-C Cell Controller isn’t one which we see ourselves utilizing long run. Causes? Nicely, there are numerous.
The GameSir X2s Sort-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 sequence and Android telephones – we will’t communicate for the previous, however have used a number of Android telephones. You need 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 facet 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 instances to be eliminated. And that’s as a result of, very like we discovered with the G8 Galileo, the moveable USB-C connector that’s connected to the X2s feels too brief. Take away these instances and issues slot in completely high-quality, the X2s powering up the second it recognises the cellphone, however though our instances are pretty minimal it looks like 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 actually don’t wish to take away a case each time we wish to use it. Bear that in thoughts ought to your every day driver be cased.
Additional, that USB-C connector is on the incorrect facet of the X2s. We’ve used a ton of cell controllers over time and the overwhelming majority of these have seen the connector on the precise 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 or not it’s recognized that in the event you agree with our thumbstick lifestyle, you’ll want to suit two of the – included in field – concaved thumbstick toppers.
The massive kicker for the GameSir X2s Sort-C Cell Controller although? Nicely, we don’t know what the ‘s’ stands for in X2s, however we’re going with ‘small’. Once more, this can be fairly private and we’ve come straight in from common use of the larger G8 Galileo, however the X2s feels tiny in hand, the face buttons being of a ridiculous measurement. It implies that we’ve felt fairly cramped while utilizing the GameSir X2s Sort-C Cell Controller for gaming classes. And while that’s high-quality 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 these points, then the standard GameSir cell controller options are current. The GameSir App (on Android for us) is pretty respectable, letting you check the controller, amend key settings, stick some hair-triggers on, utilise a turbo mode and the like. A lot of that’s attainable through key shortcuts on the unit too. Do you want these items? We don’t suppose so, however it’s good they’re there for these searching for it.
Lag-free because of that USB-C connector, in the event you’re searching for an entry stage cell controller that can assist you out with the likes of Sport Cross and Cloud Gaming, the GameSir X2s Sort-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 Sort-C Cell Controller for overview. Seize a unit for your self from GameSir direct, anticipating to pay round £49.00.
