One of the standard peripherals for any device capable of gaming is a controller. In the early days, most home consoles introduced a joypad with buttons and triggers designed for ease in gaming. I mean, instead of having to type the commands, you just had to press a button and it does it for you. Of course, even this kind of technology expanded to portable gaming devices.

Nowadays, you can use controllers to play games on your smartphone. In some genres like driving simulators and sports games, touch controls may not be the best way to play them. In their place, a controller is an ideal peripheral to have. This is where the Gamesir X2 Type-C Mobile Gaming Controller comes in, and that’s a mouthful to say.

Honestly, the entire name alone speaks of all the features the controller comes with, and on paper, it’s all good stuff. But is it something you should consider for the games you’re playing? Let’s find out.

A design that resembles a portable console

Upon initial inspection, the Gamesir X2 has the buttons and triggers you see in most controllers. Honestly, I find it weird that they incorporated Xbox/Nintendo face buttons but PlayStation triggers, but that’s just nitpicky. Also, the whole controller is made of hardened plastic that feels a little durable, but don’t try any drop tests on it.

At first glance, you would think it looks like a display-less Nintendo Switch, and I agree wholeheartedly. It comes with a USB Type-C connector for your smartphone, provided that it has a USB-C charging port and OTG connection support. When you plug your smartphone in, you basically get something that resembles the Nintendo Switch (OLED Model).

The only thing, though, is that it supports phones up to 6.5 inches in length. See, the whole controller extends to provide enough space for your smartphone to nest inside it while you play. Phones like the realme narzo 30A fit here quite well, so be sure to check your phone’s length first.

Setting it up was a little longer than expected

Now for what I think was the weird part of the experience: setting things up. Usually, plug and play controllers like the Gamesir X2 should be easy to set up. I mean, all you really have to do is plug it into your phone, and it just works. Apparently, there’s a lot more to it than just that as you need to tinker some phone settings first.

I mentioned earlier that your phone needs OTG connection support to use the Gamesir X2, and you have to toggle this in your phone’s settings. Once that’s done, it’s recommended that you download the Gamesir app to properly set up the controller. Unfortunately, you can’t use the app to create specific control mapping for certain games. After a required update, the Gamesir X2 is ready to go. 

Honestly, for something like the Gamesir X2, this was a rather long set up process. I mean, most controllers — with or without Bluetooth support — end up relatively easier and simpler in the set up process than this one. Alas, it’s a necessary process if you want the controller to work as intended.

Easy to use, but not recommended for all games

Once you set everything up, the Gamesir X2 works quite well and is easy to work around. It supports a wide variety of games, depending on which mode you switched the controller to. See, there are light indicators on the right side of the controller that turn blue or green, and you can only switch to either mode through the app.

If the light is blue, it will only work for games that are officially supported by Gamesir. This means that these games are fully mapped out against the Gamesir X2’s buttons and triggers. In my time using the controller, I found that most driving simulators and sports games work best with it. Honestly, the Gamesir X2 nails the controls so well in this regard.

If the light is green, the Gamesir X2 will work across all games provided you add them on the app. In essence, Gamesir will assign its own control mapping, even if the game comes with its own controller mapping. Even if the buttons and triggers work, I found that in games like Call of Duty Mobile, it doesn’t follow the controller mapping. I’m honestly better off using touch controls instead of the controller.

Charge or play, it’s one or the other

Another feature I found with the Gamesir X2 is support for power pass-through. Yes, you can actually charge your phone while it’s connected to the controller, as long it has a USB-C charging cable. Honestly, this is good considering that your phone’s battery drains a lot faster when you play longer.

Although, when you choose to charge your phone while connected to the controller, you can’t use your controller. Within the app, there’s no setting that allows you to do this, which is a bummer. I guess that’s your reminder to take a break from playing too much with the controller.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

The Gamesir X2 is a decent game controller for all kinds of smartphones. Even with the long set up process, it’s easy to use and work around once you start playing. If you wanted to know what it feels like to have a Nintendo Switch, the Gamesir X2’s design roughly resembles that.

I caution you, however, that it suits those who play a lot of driving games or sports games like NBA 2K. See, these are some of the games the controller officially supports, so the experience is much better with them. Most games people play aren’t fully supported by the Gamesir X2, and the control mapping is whack if you try to play them with this controller. 

Overall, the Gamesir X2 is well-suited for a specific set of mobile players, even if it caters to everyone somehow. It’s not for everyone, and it’s better that way.

The Gamesir X2 retails for PhP 3,499 /US$ 65.78  and is available on online shopping stores with various GameSir authorized resellers.