Try Manette GameSir X2 Pro

Incidentally, cloud gaming on platforms such as Microsoft’s Game Pass Ultimate or Nvidia’s GeForce Now is forcing the creation of a new market: gaming accessories for smartphones that allow them to be turned into a portable console. Many disparate references have existed on the market for a very long time, but have become more sophisticated over the past two years. The GameSir X2 Pro is one of them.

Buy GameSir X2 Pro from Rakuten

Design and ergonomics: the Xbox PSP

The GameSir X2 Pro continues the dynamic of the design of the first X2 while refining many elements. This time the controller is officially endorsed by Microsoft’s Xbox label. Also, the default button layout is now closer to that of an Xbox controller than Nintendo’s. Most notably, the biggest innovation now is the inclusion of analog R2/L2 triggers, while before they were just a simple click away.

There are also the classic Start/Select buttons instead of GameSir buttons, which previously served essentially the same function but could be recognized by Android in a very odd way. The Xbox button also works fine this time. The final button is the screenshot button, which is simply Android’s built-in shortcut. As a result, it works at all times and is very convenient to use.

If you don’t know the principle of the controller, it’s very simple: it’s extendable thanks to a system of springs and therefore allows you to block between its two large parts many of the largest phones on the market. The GameSir X2 Pro is a USB-C controller, which means that it connects directly to the device and therefore does not introduce any additional latency compared to a Bluetooth controller. This is extremely important, especially for cloud gaming.

But that also means that the smartphone or device you want to use with it absolutely has to have the USB-C connector centered on the edge. This is the case with most smartphones, but models like the Asus ROG or the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 will protrude from the GameSir X2’s body. Functional, still, but the idea of ​​creating your own portable console like this doesn’t work quite as unsightly.

If your smartphone has a classic format, the GameSir X2 Pro turns it into a real portable console. Connecting your smartphone is incredibly easy, too, thanks to the USB-C connector, which lifts up for easier pairing. The advantage of this product over, say, a Razer Kishi V2 is that its back stays flat even when lying down. Thanks to this, the console thus created remains comfortable even during long gaming sessions, which is one of its great advantages over the competition.

Note that the GameSir X2 Pro again gives you a choice of convex or concave sticks, with both types of tips coming right in the box. Only on this model you also have the possibility to change the position of the A/B/X/Y buttons if you want to find the Nintendo layout of the previous models. However, you must go through the GameSir application to configure the controller in Nintendo format. It’s a nice customization option to find, although we wouldn’t recommend it: Android apps expect to use the Xbox layout far more often than Nintendo’s.

The console keys are of very good quality, even more so than on previous models. We particularly like that the width of the GameSir X2 Pro has been slightly expanded. There remains one problem that simply cannot be solved in this format: the A/B/X/Y are very close to the right stick, which can sometimes make operation complicated. However, we quickly get used to it. Also, the directional cross is on click switches rather than membranes, which may displease some players who prefer the feel of classic controllers.

Despite these shortcomings, we remain at a level that rivals the best mobile controllers optimized for cloud gaming on the market. In this Pro version, GameSir has just finally integrated all the feedback from players while removing the superfluous found on the GameSir X3. One disappointment remains: the M1/M2 shortcuts on the back, which can only play back a pre-existing key. For example, it is not possible to assign them to another function in an emulator. They therefore become very accessory when they could have offered much more.

Transportability: well protected

The GameSir X2 Pro is sold directly in a hard case in black and red color “so gamer”. This case is very rigid and guarantees that once tossed loosely in your bag the controller will not be damaged. However, due to its telescopic format and inherently wide body, the GameSir X2 Pro is currently not the most portable solution and takes up a lot of space. On this point, the Razer Kishi V1 remains the easiest to take anywhere, although its comfort is nowhere near the level of the controller we’re testing here.

Properties: avoid application

Since the GameSir X2 connects directly to your smartphone’s USB-C, you absolutely must have an Android smartphone to use it. As mentioned earlier, the port of the device you are using needs to be centered at the bottom of the smartphone for the best effect. However, there is no further limit. Some older versions of Android will require you to accept that the device is powered by your phone’s battery in the settings, but that’s about the only limitation it has to use.

Thanks to the USB-C passthrough port on the bottom of the controller, it’s also possible to charge your smartphone while gaming. The latter only allows the transmission of power: don’t expect to connect a wired headset to it, for example. It may also be incompatible with some devices, but the reasons for this are hard to find. When used with a 65W PowerDelivery charger on Samsung or OnePlus devices, I had no problems.

GameSir has its own application to manage the controller (in particular to switch the layout from Xbox to Nintendo) and to be able to use it for games that don’t natively support the controller… but we strongly advise against using it . In order to have access to all of its functions, you absolutely have to install the APK outside of the Play Store, and the manufacturer’s past suggests that it wouldn’t be the last, recovering far too much data for our liking. The GameSir X2 Pro works perfectly fine without it, you can always skip it and use alternative solutions to find the features it promises. We’re finally on Android.

Buy GameSir X2 Pro from Rakuten

Conclusion