We’ve made the case for GameSir being one of the better controller makers in recent years. Somehow, they’re still underrated. When you mention mobile controllers, the mainstream top-of-mind are Backbone and Razer Kishi. GameSir aims to shake things up even further with the GameSir X5 Lite. 

Launching alongside the GameSir X5 Lite is the company’s brand new app – GameHub. Asked what the idea behind the GameHub is, this was their response to us: “We aim to defeat Backbone.” 

Bold statement. And one we think they can back up down the line. 

GameHub

Let’s keep the energy going with GameHub. During the review period, GameHub hasn’t officially launched and only the Android version was available. 

What it looks like is a one-stop-shop for many of your mobile gaming needs. There are sections for PC streaming whether that’s Steam or Xbox. You also get PS Remote Play and what not.

As primarily a PlayStation gamer, I immediately tried PS Remote Play first. There’s a key step-by-step process here for the GameSir X5 Lite to work on Remote Play. 

Instead of launching the native PS Remote Play app, connect it via the PS Link directly from the GameHub app. That’s the only way for Remote Play to work properly.  I suspect the same is mostly true for PC streaming. I didn’t have the opportunity to try it during my review period. 

All things considered, this looks like a good first step in the right direction and something we’ll try to come back to as more features get added to it. 

GameSir X5 Lite

Jumping straight onto the GameSir X5 Lite, it is indeed truly light. One of the best things it has going for it outside of its weight is that despite its relatively slim profile, GameSir managed to add ergonomic grips. 

Good grips

The grips have a groove that feels great on-hand. The laser engraved textured grips also go a long way in making it feel great to touch and hold. This is a distinct advantage over the mostly flat grips of the Backbone One and Razer Kishi. 

Movable Type-C 

One curious difference though, not only versus competing products but also in their previous ones is the decision to shift the movable Type-C port from the right over to the left. 

This meant that most Android phones whose power and volume buttons are usually flushed all on the right hand side will be situated on the lower right area when you have it mounted on the GameSir X5 Light. 

That makes for an awkward way to adjust the volume on most Android phones. 

However, if you’re using an iPhone 15 and up, the volume controls will now be on the upper-right side which seems more optimal. I’m just not sure if iPhone users are the ones who will actually want to consider this controller – but they probably should. 

We also tried connecting this on the iPad Mini 7 and while it isn’t ideal because of the iPad’s button placements, it still works fine overall. 

We asked GameSir what the reasoning behind this and they was said it is so that “It would be easier to attach (a) cooler to the phone while using X5 Lite.” 

The GameSir X5 Lite package we received didn’t come with a cooler and personally, I don’t imagine it being a big hurdle had it been on the right side. 

But the move also meant passthrough charging on the left-hand side. 

Wider stretch, enough backspace, bumpers

Official information notes that the space where you put your device is now longer–213mm to be exact. It fits up to about the iPad Mini 7 which measures at around 8.3 inches. 

Other than the realme 14 5G which is the smartphone visible in our photos, we also tried this with foldables like the OPPO Find N5 and HONOR Magic V3– smaller but taller devices than the iPad Mini 7 but still fit perfectly fine on the X5 Lite.

The design also left ample space for camera bumps. This means the device will lay mostly flat instead of sticking out. To protect the phone further, each inner part where you would put your device has removable silicone pads. It keeps your device sitting tight and securely. 

GameSir made minute but mindful adjustments here which all made sense. 

Hall Effect sticks, Membrane hair triggers, face buttons 

As expected from all their recent products, the primary controls you’ll interact with are all made with great quality. 

GameSir’s own Hall Effect Sticks are easily one of the best on any controller. They are firmly one of the leaders in using Hall Effect sticks and all manufacturers should follow suit 

The triggers and face buttons all have a satisfactory click and press feel to them. Zenless Zone Zero, which is best played with a controller, felt really good to play. I did not experience any noticeable input delay which is key in such a fast-paced, action-packed game. 

One issue I did have is while playing Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. To do a high jump in the game, you needed to long press the jump button. This was not at all possible on the X5 Lite. The long press was just not registering at all and I had to resort to holding the jump button on screen to execute the action. 

This turned me off from playing the game using the X5 Lite. Depending on the game you’re playing, you might encounter similar issues. 

You likely can address this by mapping the action to a different button or button press action using the GameSir app. 

Personally, this is not something I was inclined on doing. Even in other reviews, I mostly preferred playing games that already have built-in controller support. But it’s good to know that there’s an option to tweak things for those who have the bandwidth for it.

Is the GameSir X5 Lite your GadgetMatch? 

The GameSir X5 Lite retails for only PhP 2,100 or $34.99 USD. That’s a fantastic price point for the overall build quality and functionality it offers. It also undercuts its competition by quite a bit. 

Moreover, GameSir is directly challenging Backbone with the introduction of GameHub. This will be compatible not only with the GameSir X5 Lite but many of their other controllers as well and it’ll be interesting to see how that app evolves.

All things considered, we’ll give the GameSir X5 Lite a Swipe Right. It’s a relatively easy recommendation for anyone looking to add physical controls to their mobile gaming life. 

You can purchase the GameSir X5 Life on the official website. Add the GGMX5L10 coupon upon checkout for 10% OFF.