Accessories
Gamesir X2 review: Turning phones into Switches
Supports a decent amount of games, but has its hiccups
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.
Accessories
CASETiFY Match: Finding the right case for your Galaxy Z8 Series phone
Cases that match your personality
A phone case can be more than protection. It can also be a way to show off your interests, personality, and the little things that make you, well, you.
For our CASETiFY Match for the Galaxy Z8 Series, we asked the team one question: Why was this CASETiFY design your Match?
From Spider-Man fandom and capybara obsession to feline-inspired art and snake motifs, here are the designs that found their way into our team’s everyday carry, plus a couple of bonus picks worth checking out.
Rodneil: A little New York energy for a certified web-head
If it wasn’t obvious enough, I’m a certified web-head. I love anything and everything Spider-Man, especially the iconic red-and-blue motif. Though, if we’re being honest, I’m more partial to the red.
I had my eyes on the Spider-Man suit design for the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra and the Spider-Man Mask Snappy Grip Stand. Unfortunately, those designs aren’t available for the Galaxy Z Fold8.
So, I went with a design that gives off a bit of New York energy instead. It still pairs nicely with the Spidey Snappy Grip Stand, letting me bring a little of that Spider-Man vibe to my everyday setup.
V: Keeping it cool with capybaras
I’ve been a capybara stan since 2020, long before the world finally caught up with just how cute and chill these animals are. Seeing them get the recognition they deserve has been a source of much excitement.
Finding cool and cute capybara cases and accessories for the phones I use every day, however, hasn’t always been easy.
That’s where Deville Dewil’s capybara collection comes in. It fills that gap while making my Galaxy Z Fold8 feel like an even more personal accessory.
At this point, I’d like to identify as a capy/bara.
Luigi: A cat design that’s playful without being too loud
There’s no shortage of cat-themed cases out there. If you’re a cat lover like me, chances are you’ve considered one at some point.
The tricky part is finding a design that isn’t too whimsical or loud. I love the little furballs, but I still want something sleek and clean.
CASETiFY’s cat collection speaks to that balance. In particular, this design by Catwheezie blends artistry with a touch of whimsy. It lets me show off my personality without being too flashy.
MJ: A little reputation energy
I’ve always had a soft spot for snake motifs, and CASETiFY’s Transparent Kingsnake case gives me Taylor Swift’s reputation era energy.
I love how snakes symbolize transformation. As someone who’s always evolving and never afraid to reinvent himself, that meaning feels personal.
The black-and-white design also brings a sleek, rebellious edge. Paired with my Galaxy Z Flip8, it’s giving statement accessory with a little bite.
Bonus Match: Sunglasses at Night
Sometimes, keeping it simple is the way to go. The Sunglasses at Night design is tasteful and understated, letting me show off the actual color of my phone without competing with it.
Bonus Match: Pink Weekly Planner
For the girls (and gaes) who plan their days–and life–ahead. And of course, for when they need to keep their Wednesdays pink.
Find your Match
There’s no single way to find a phone case that feels right. It might be a favorite character, an animal you’ve loved for years, a piece of art, or a symbol that means something to you.
For our team, the right CASETiFY design is the one that brings a little more personality to a device we carry every day.
So, which design would be your Match?
As one of the wisest sages of the 2000s once said, “He was a punk, she did ballet. What more can I say?” Sometimes, opposites attract. Now, two of those opposites in the audio space are coming together: the punk Skullcandy and the ballet-loving Bose.
Today, Bose has announced its acquisition of Skullcandy. The latter will continue to operate as a separate brand but now officially under the Bose umbrella. Although, it’s not a new collaboration as the two brands have previously worked together on devices before. Skullcandy will just have more access to Bose’s technologies moving forward.
Alternatively, Bose will now have access to Skullcandy’s more varied audience. Compared to Bose’s focus on premium products, Skullcandy caters to more alternative lifestyles. Though the brand has since mellowed from its more radical roots, it is still known as one of the alternative brands.
Bose, on the other hand, is still a household name for home audio and noise-cancelling headphones. The new relationship between two polar opposites might be seen as a weird one, but it’s ultimately beneficial to both parties. Besides, both brands were very strong in the 2010s. Keeping both brands going is a boon to audiophiles of the past decade.
Accessories
Fujifilm’s new instax Pal 2 and Link WIDE 2 make room for more creative memories
A new pocket camera and a collage-making printer join the instax family.
Seeing a memory take shape beyond your screen changes how it feels. A favorite photo becomes a print you can tuck into a journal or pin beside your desk, and the everyday moments you capture get a little more room to live.
That was the spirit of Fujifilm’s instax Playhou2e launch in Makati, where visual artist Jill Arteche brought her signature illustrations into the event space.
Her artwork surrounded the latest additions to the instax family, the instax Pal 2 and instax Link WIDE 2. Both devices treat photography as a form of personal expression, from the snapshots you take throughout the day to the printed memories you want to keep close.
A pocket-sized camera that goes wherever you do
The original instax Pal made the case for carrying a camera without a full-sized setup. Its successor, the instax Pal 2, builds on that with a refreshed design and improved image quality.
The palm-sized camera is built for everyday adventures and can capture angles that are awkward to get with a smartphone. Its compact body also makes it easy to bring along if you like documenting your day as it happens.
Fujifilm gave the Pal 2 a semi-matte finish. A new monitor on top lets you review shots right after you take them, and the added viewfinder, control dial, and lever give it a more tactile feel to shoot with.
The specs have moved up, too. The Pal 2 captures 10-megapixel images, double the original’s five megapixels, and its internal storage holds up to 100 images compared with 50 before. A separately sold microSD card adds more room.
The creative options are where the Pal 2 gets playful. It offers 30 effects, so you can give images different moods without editing each one from scratch. Its instax Animation mode strings up to 10 consecutive shots into a flipbook-style animated video.
Transferring your photos is straightforward. The Pal 2 supports wireless Bluetooth transfers, and a USB Type-C connection offers faster transfers to compatible smartphones. From there, you can edit the images and post them to social media or keep them in your camera roll.
Because the Pal 2 is part of the instax ecosystem, its digital photos can also be printed on instant film through compatible instax printers. That means you can shoot first and decide later which moments deserve a physical copy.
Turning your camera roll into something worth keeping
Taking photos is only half the fun. The other half is deciding what to do with the hundreds of images that pile up on our phones.
The instax Link WIDE 2 is Fujifilm’s answer for anyone who collects travel photos or documents celebrations. As the brand’s WIDE-format smartphone printer, it prints at twice the image area of the instax mini format, which leaves more space for group photos and landscapes.
Its biggest new feature is Photo Mixer, which builds scrapbook-style collages from multiple images you pick in the dedicated app. Instead of printing a single photo, you can combine highlights from a trip or a gathering into one larger keepsake.
The app suggests layouts based on your chosen photos and adjusts image sizes, angles, text placement, and fonts to keep the design cohesive. You can then add your own text and stamps. A cutout function identifies people and objects in your photos so you can layer them into the collage.
With Photo Mixer, printing becomes part of the creative process, and your camera roll turns into material for building a visual record of an experience in a single print.
The Link WIDE 2 also gets a design refresh, with two-tone finishes in Duo Beige and Duo Blue. The light and dark surfaces give it a polished look on a shelf or desk, and an illuminated instax logo glows while it prints.
Connectivity has expanded, too. Beyond smartphones and tablets, the printer works with PCs, Fujifilm X Series cameras, and the instax Pal 2, so digital artwork and other compatible images can become physical prints.
A more personal way to keep your memories
The instax Pal 2 and Link WIDE 2 share the idea that photography is a way to express yourself. The Pal 2 makes it easy to capture moments as they happen, and the Link WIDE 2 gives those images a place in the physical world.
Jill Arteche’s artwork at the launch backed that idea up. Her illustrations filled the space with personality and showed how photos and art can make an environment feel more personal. The event also made a case for revisiting and reinterpreting the images we collect.
Taking a photo takes seconds, and printing one can make the memory feel more special. The instax Pal 2 and Link WIDE 2 bring that into everyday life and give your snapshots room for creativity, from the moment you press the shutter to the moment you find a place for the print.
In the Philippines, the Fujifilm instax Pal 2 retails for PhP 10,599, while the Fujifilm instax Link WIDE 2 is priced at PhP 10,999. Both devices are now available on Fujifilm’s authorized stores and retailers nationwide.
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