I always wanted to try playing some of my favourite mobile games with a controller, and until now, I haven’t had the chance. I have to say, I’ve been missing out! I guess I was waiting for the right one because, to me, the GameSir G8+ Bluetooth mobile controller is just the perfect fit.
Okay, okay, let’s not jump the gun. Let me explain why this controller is so good, and after having tested it (extensively) in quite extreme scenarios. Wild Rift ranked mode, I’m looking at you.
First look
Looking at the controller right out of the box, you can easily tell it’s solid. It comes with an additional three thumbsticks so you can switch them out however you want, and the moment you pick it up, you can tell it’s not as lightweight as you (probably) might expect.
That’s not a bad thing though, at least not to me, because it gives you the feeling that you’re holding something that’s high-quality.
Furthermore, the faceplates are held in place with magnets, and that is a big, big plus. You can easily remove them to switch the thumbstick out or just clean them, without needing any additional tools or indentations that could feel out of place.
Here are the technical specifications for the GameSir G8+ Bluetooth mobile controller:
- Compatible Models: Switch, iOS, Android, tablet, and PC
- Connection: Bluetooth for mobile devices, Wired and Wireless Dongle for PC
- Compatible Device Length: 110-215mm / 4.33-8.46in
- Battery: 1000mAh (500mAh each side)
- Hall Effect Sticks: Yes, GameSir™
- Analog Triggers: Yes, Hall Effect magnetic sensors
- 6-axis Gyroscope: Yes
- ABXY Buttons: Membrane, 5 million-click lifespan
- Back Buttons: Yes, 2 Back Buttons
- Customization Software: Yes, GameSir App
- Product Size: 230*107*55 mm / 9.06*4.21*2.17 in
- Net Weight: 314g / 0.69 lbs
- Package Size: 262*149*66 mm / 10.32*5.87*2.60 in
- Gross Weight: 638g / 1.41 lbs
- Carton Size (20pcs/carton): 538*349*331 mm / 21.18*13.74*13.03 in
- Carton Weight (20pcs/carton): 14.2 kg / 31.31 lbs
The design is neat and comfortable
When it comes to the design of the GameSir G8+, the grip on the handles is perfect, and so is the size. For me, having smaller hands, I expected the controller to feel big. However, that was most certainly not the case (thankfully!).
Despite the design being fairly big, it still feels comfortable to hold and play on, I could reach all the buttons with ease, and had a blast in the process too. I even passed it on to my boyfriend to try, and he completely agreed with me. We almost had to wrestle over who got to keep it, I’ll tell you that much.
As I said in the beginning, I haven’t had a lot of experience with controllers, but I wanted one, and this one feels perfect for long gaming sessions. It’s comfortable too, so the design gets a 10/10 from me.
The mappable buttons are a godsend
Now it’s time to talk about the elephant in the room – the mappable buttons. Of course, it has the left and right triggers like most controllers do, but it also has an additional two mappable buttons on the back, that you can easily configure for any game you want to play.
All you need to do is install the dedicated app for it, and that’s where the magic happens.
There is one thing though: I did run into a little issue with one of the sticks after an hour-long session in Tower of Adventures (those raids can get intense!). It was easily fixed after removing the faceplate and adjusting it, so no harm was done. I believe this could happen to any controller after a while, but the simplicity of fixing it did it for me.
Easy Bluetooth connectivity for any phone
I’ve used my ROG Phone 6D Ultimate phone with this, which is similar to the ROG Phone 6 Diablo Immortal Edition, and unlike my colleague’s slight issues with the GameSir G8, I didn’t even have to take my phone cover off.
Thanks to Bluetooth connectivity, it is a lot easier to connect any device, including tablets – as long as they are at most 215mm long. Pairing is breezy, and there is no latency between the devices during playing.
It’s sturdy enough for intense gaming sessions
Admittedly, I dropped the console as soon as I unpacked it (butterfingers, can’t help it) by mistake, and I got terrified that something would be wrong with it before I even had a chance to test it out. To my surprise, nothing happened – not even a scratch.
Add some hour-long gaming sessions to that, and I had no issues with the GameSir G8+ glitching out, being unresponsive, or anything of sorts. It runs extremely well, it responds to the commands instantly, and it has a battery life that can outlive many smartphones.
You can purchase the GameSir G8+ Bluetooth Mobile Controller for $79.99/ £79.99/ €89.99 from Amazon UK, Amazon US, Amazon Europe stores and the GameSir official website.
