Gamesir X2s Controller Review – Upgrade your mobile gaming experience

I’ve enjoyed handheld gaming ever since playing the original Game Boy while in secondary school – yes, I’m old – but I’ve never really engaged with mobile games outside of the occasional game of Candy Crush during a boring commute. There are a number of reasons for this, but the main problem I have is the clunkiness of on-screen controls for any kind of traditional game. Unless a game is specifically designed for a touchscreen (Monument Valley for example) it’s generally a no from me. This blind spot in my gaming is increasingly unfortunate as modern phones can be capable of standout experiences, whether through ports, streaming, or emulation. With this in mind I was excited to try out the Gamesir X2s, the latest in an increasingly competitive range of devices that can turn your phone into something more closely resembling a standard controller.

With most modern controllers working via Bluetooth connection, it’s relatively easy to use your Xbox, PS5, or Switch gamepad with your phone, but the ergonomics of such a solution offers its own set of problems, as you either need to prop up your device or have a cumbersome phone holder that totally throws off the weight balance of the controller. It’s for that reason that companies like Gamesir, Razer and Backbone have produced wrap-around controllers to transform a phone into something closer to a Switch or Steam Deck. The Gamesir X2s is the latest of these – iterating on the Gamesir X2 and X2 Pro – and offers some great features and performance for a very affordable price of £59.99.

Unboxing the X2s reveals a well designed piece of kit. The pastel grey/violet colour scheme is nice and distinctive, paying just the right amount of homage to retro consoles, but most importantly, the buttons are all well placed, have the contemporary Xbox layout and ABXY labels, and feel responsive. The asymmetrical analogue sticks also use Hall Effect sensors to avoid the stick drift that has come to plague many modern controllers. These sticks are well calibrated and offer a good hand feel, especially in game ports that are clearly designed for regular controls. The one ding is that it’s a form factor with contours without full hand grips, which could lead to some discomfort – if that bothers you, look to the pricier Gamesir G8 Galileo.

The X2s clamps around your phone with a rubberised cradle to ensure it keeps your much more expensive device in place, with support for phones up to 168mm long. It connects via USB-C, so will have almost universal support for Android phones, alongside the iPhone 15 and future generations of Apple phones. A pass-through USB-C port tucked under your left palm means that you can also charge while playing. This means that you could comfortably keep the X2s on your phone if you have a pocket or bag to pop it in, and it’s super convenient for commutes where you need to change bus or train (or get off and go to the office to actually work).

So the look and feel check the boxes but what about ease of use? Unlike a Bluetooth connection, the inbuilt USB-C makes for an instant connection with no lag, and there’s no separate battery to keep charged between gaming sessions. Most games I tested on my Samsung phone automatically detected the gamepad too, although you should make sure that you fully close down an application before opening a new one to avoid it remaining being linked to the old one. For testing I finally made use of the range of games that Netflix have to offer (given the strength of their recent output, it was nice to make full use of my subscription), and almost all worked flawlessly – unfortunately Death’s Door didn’t want to install for me.

First up was Dead Cells, a game that requires smooth controls and fast reactions. Loading times on my phone were long, but once it had loaded, it played perfectly and is an ideal choice for commuting play. TMNT Shredder’s Revenge was equally well suited and helped several commutes pass in a more entertaining way than usual. I then tried a couple of emulated titles and, once set up via the app settings, these were also flawless. Finally, I tested streaming via Xbox Cloud Gaming and PlayStation Remote Play and this was easily good enough that I think it justifies the price of entry alone – certainly, you’re getting more bang for your buck than with a PS Portal!