An excellent controller that feels comfortable even after hours of gaming, but some game compatibility issues are expected
Playing games anytime, anywhere has never been so attractive. From mobile streaming services to full triple A ports, your mobile games are more interesting than ever, but touch screens are not enough. Enter GameSir X2 ( Check Latest price at Amazon. ), which is a high-quality side-mounted game controller designed to provide excellent quality without breaking the bank, but does it provide it?
Hands-on With the GameSir x2 Bluetooth
When you open the box of your GameSir X2 Bluetooth, here’s what you’ll find inside:
- GameSir X2 Bluetooth Controller
- Controller Carry Case
- USB-C Charging Cable
- 4 Black Thumbstick Grips
- User Manual
- GameSir Logo Sticker
- GameSir Registration Card
- Quality Control Slip
Setting Up The GameSir X2 Bluetooth
Setting up the GameSir X2 Bluetooth controller is very simple. Pull gently but firmly to open the phone handle and insert the phone into it. Then you just need to connect the controller to the phone via Bluetooth manager.
The connection process between the controller and the mobile phone is very simple and reliable. However, you should note that our test phone encountered strange connection problems. Once connected, X2 has the habit of randomly disconnecting, and you must select it again.
After fixing this initial connection problem, the controller remains connected even if the playback time is very long. The problem may be more on the phone than on the controller, because we have not encountered this connection problem on other test phones. ( Check Latest price at Amazon. )
GameSir X2 Bluetooth – Key Features
Before getting down to brass tacks, we should discuss a few of the key features of the GameSir X2 Bluetooth controller.
- Bluetooth 5.0 connection
- 500 mAh battery
- Quick-action mechanical switches
- GameSir App integration for controller mapping
- Ergonomic rubber grip
- Supports Phones up to 173mm tall
- Screenshot and Turbo Buttons
Gaming on the Go With the GameSir X2 Bluetooth
At first glance, GameSir X2 Bluetooth has many similarities with Nintendo Switch. The controller is rectangular with slightly rounded corners and offset analog sticks. A set of buttons on the right panel is also very close to the right joystick, if you have large hands or fingers, it will be a little annoying.
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One major difference here is that the back of the X2 Bluetooth is not completely flat. The rear edge of the controller has some ergonomic shapes to make it more comfortable to hold in the hand. To help achieve this, there is also textured rubber that helps maintain a firm grip during the game.
The buttons on the X2 use mechanical switches, so you can really tell them when you use them. These buttons not only have quick and clear actions, but they are also loud. Whether excessive volume is an advantage or disadvantage for you depends on your personal taste, but if you plan to use the controller extensively in public, you will definitely annoy others.
GameSir X2 Bluetooth is surprisingly suitable for longer games. You should find that after a few hours, your hands won’t constrict, even though you generally get cramps from using other smaller controllers.
If the similarity between X2 and Switch can cause discomfort, it is psychological. Due to the similarity, you may often find yourself pressing B instead of A, thanks to the alternate button layout used by Nintendo. Although this is not a real problem with the driver, it is worth keeping in mind.
There are special screenshots and acceleration buttons at the bottom of the device. The screenshot button is useful for sharing fun or interesting moments in the game, but the turbo button has many shortcomings. Although turbocharging functions are occasionally useful, setting them is very unintuitive, and has left us in turbo mode more than once.
Game Compatability
For mobile game controllers, one of the biggest issues is game compatibility. Although there are many mobile games that support controllers, not all controllers are suitable for all games.
Of course, there are ways to solve compatibility issues, like third-party apps or X2’s touchscreen mapping mode, but out-of-the-box compatibility is still essential.
So how does X2 stack up? In most cases, GameSir X2 Bluetooth works very well. In Knights of the Old Republic 2, Stardew Valley, Death Trigger 2, and Terraria, the controller is connected and working immediately after setup. In many cases, the controller doesn’t even need to be configured at all, which is a nice bonus.
However, not everything is sunshine and roses in terms of compatibility. No matter what we tried, the shelter couldn’t recognize the controller. Even installing the application on another device will not help. We ran into a similar issue in Dead Effect 2, which worked in most cases, but some buttons were not recognized for some reason.
It is not uncommon to find that certain controllers do not work properly in games. However, games like Dead Effect 2 work out of the box on our other test controllers, and the GameSir controller is also not recognized by third-party mapping software. Obviously, there are some compatibility issues, even if they are relatively small.
The GameSir App
If you want to play games like COD: Mobile, the GameSir application allows you to map the controller to the touch screen controls. Download the GameSir application and connect the controller with touch screen mapping. You can create any game connected to the application.
The touch screen system works well and we did not notice any obvious difference between the native controls and the touch screen mapping. Even better, you usually don’t need to map these controls yourself.
This application not only allows you to upload your own designs, but also download touch screen maps of more popular games. Darker titles may not be available for download, but mapping the controls yourself is a simple matter.
One of the coolest parts of this feature is that the touchscreen mapping is stored on the device itself. If you disconnect the driver from the device and reconnect it to another device in touch screen mapping mode, it will retain screen mapping. Obviously, if you connect to devices with different aspect ratios, the mapping will be slightly off-center, but it is still a useful feature.
That said, the application itself has many shortcomings. Most of the content in the app seems to only be available in Chinese, making it difficult to use at times. We also encountered some problems connecting to the GameSir server when trying to create an account. ( Check Latest price at Amazon. )
Does the GameSir X2 Bluetooth Match up to the Competition?
Compared with other similar controllers, GameSir X2 Bluetooth has many advantages. Most smartphone controllers don’t feel like holding the controller.
X2 Bluetooth also has a good sense of weight, but it is not too heavy to become bulky. The most amazing thing about the Bluetooth controller is that there is no real delay in the control. The response may not be as fast as a direct USBC connection, but unless you are a more advanced e-sports player, you may not notice the difference.
There is also an attention to detail, but it is often overlooked. By default, the joystick is a bit small and can be difficult to use, but GameSir includes a joystick cap to solve the problem and reduce wear and tear.
The accompanying suitcase also reflects the excellent quality and attention to detail. This is a rugged, material-clad enclosure that can really protect your controller and generally we expect this to increase costs. Finding it as a free investment is a good contact. Also, if it is small enough, the protective case can also double as a carrying case for your gaming phone.
The finishing touch comes from the design of the controller itself. Like many side-mounted controllers, you cannot use the charging port and headphone jack when using the controller. However, the ribbing and segmented design can prevent the speaker from turning off and allow the phone to have enough airflow to keep it cool under extreme pressure.
Is the GameSir X2 Bluetooth Worth Your Money?
The bigger question is whether you should spend your hard-earned money on the GameSir X2 Bluetooth controller. If you are looking for a side mount controller that can be used with almost any mobile phone, X2 Bluetooth is highly recommended.
The design of the controller has been carefully designed, so you can be sure that if you are emulating, streaming or playing native applications, X2 Bluetooth will meet your needs well.
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