GameSir X5s review: "It’s a good controller, but it’s not the best you can get"

If there is one thing you should know about me, it’s that I absolutely adore handheld gaming. I grew up playing my PSP, my Nintendo DS, my PS Vita - yes, I was one of the few people who owned one - and it became one of my favourite ways to game as a kid. I dropped off in my adulthood until I got my hands on some of the best mobile controllers and later my Steam Deck, but I’m always looking for new ways to experience the joys of gaming on the go: enter the GameSir X5s.

The GameSir X5s is the latest portable gaming controller from GameSir that helps guide your grubby fingers away from touch controls and welcomes you into the embrace of handheld gaming. Arriving at a price of $49.99/£49.99, it’s hard to deny that it is one of the cheapest entry points to allow you to play your favourite mobile games, streamed titles, and Switch games - more on that later - from anywhere you like.

But with so many options to choose from when it comes to mobile controllers, does the GameSir X5s stand out and ensure that you’re getting the best experience for such a low price? Or are you better off splashing the cash and grabbing yourself one of GameSir’s more premium offerings, such as the G8 Galileo, or jumping ship to Scuf and picking up the Nomad?

Design

Like the majority of the best mobile controllers, the GameSir X5s follows the classic asymmetrical “Xbox style” stick and button layout, so the majority of gamers will feel right at home. It’s the go-to formation for a reason; you know exactly where the buttons should be, and that should help it feel like a familiar experience to gaming at home with one of the best PC controllers.

However, as someone who has slightly larger hands, I am personally not the biggest fan of mobile controllers having this asymmetrical layout. Due to the smaller form factor of the GameSir X5s, I found that the right stick was in a slightly uncomfortable position and too small for those longer gaming sessions. Above the right stick are your four face buttons, a bumper, and a trigger. Over on the other side, you’ve got a D-pad at the bottom, the left stick above that, and then a bumper and a trigger to finish it off.

In addition, you’ll also find a GameSir button, a menu button, a share button, and an ‘M’ button, which allows you to tweak and configure the turbo function. Additionally, due to this being a Bluetooth device, you’ll find a USB-C port at the base of the left grip which allows you to charge the device up.

Surprisingly, there are no back buttons or rear paddles to be found on the GameSir X5s. Perhaps this is because they wanted to differentiate more between this and the more premium flagship mobile controller, the GameSir G8 Galileo. It would have been nice to have a couple programmable as it’s something you’d expect from the best mobile controller and best controllers for modern gaming. However, when you directly compare it to the Backbone One, you’re getting all the same features and the same lack of back buttons but for a much cheaper entry price so there is certainly value in that.

Speaking of the rear of the controller, it has a lovely texture to the grip, which feels nice in hand, especially when playing for longer sessions. Similarly, the rear is shaped to fit the curve of your hand when holding the controller, which really helps make the experience more console-like.

Its light build is a double‑edged sword: great for fatigue‑free sessions, but undeniably flimsy compared to pricier rivals. I think I prefer less strain on my hands and wrists, but coming from the likes of the Scuf Nomad and also big players like the Steam Deck, it felt notably cheap in comparison. Having said that, it did feel a bit more sturdy than the Backbone One and the Asus ROG Tessen.

Features

Despite the default layout of the buttons being the Xbox style, GameSir has made it very easy for you to customise the layout to work for Nintendo games. This is a fantastic addition due to one of the selling points of the X5s being that you can use it as a Nintendo Switch 2 controller, it makes it much easier than trying to remember that the buttons in front of you don’t actually correspond to what they show. This compatibility is a huge factor for considering the GameSir X5s; it’s rare to see a controller at this price work seamlessly across iOS, Android, Windows, and both generations of Switch.

Despite the controller being positioned as a Bluetooth controller, if you so choose, you can plug it in via the USB-C port I mentioned earlier. However, if you plug it into your phone, then you’d no longer be able to slide your handset inside the grip, so this feature may be better suited for connecting it to a laptop or a larger tablet.

Speaking of the USB-C port, with this being a wireless controller, you’ll be wanting to know how much game time you’ll actually get on the X5s. According to GameSir, a full charge will last you between 8 and 12 hours, which is more than enough in my opinion. It’s easy enough to charge up via the supplied USB-C cable, so as long as you remember to do that after long gaming sessions then you should be golden. The only exception would be if you’re on very long-haul flights, but at that point it’d probably be worth investing in a power bank anyway.

Like the rest of GameSir’s mobile controller offerings, the X5s works with the brand’s app which allows you to customise the controller to fit your needs. This ranges from setting the joystick and trigger deadzones to updating the firmware of the controller itself. It’s quite barebones, but it does the job.

Speaking of joysticks and triggers, the X5s features Hall Effect joysticks and triggers. This is a feature that you’d expect on any of the best gaming controllers these days, and it’s baffling when companies decide not to feature them, so it is nice to see them here. Essentially, they use magnetic induction to avoid stick drift and give you more precision and control over your actions. I found their inclusion here to be one of the better aspects of the X5s.

Another one of the better aspects of the GameSir X5s is the implementation of HD rumble and haptics. It’s such a small but noticeable feature that really brings it together and makes it feel like an actual controller and not just a bit of plastic wrapped around your phone or Switch.

Performance

Whenever I get to review a handheld controller, my mind races with what game worlds I want to experience in a portable fashion, and the GameSir X5s landed on my desk at the perfect time, as I was in the middle of a house move so I’ve been relying on streaming and mobile games. I immediately jumped into the world of Cyberpunk 2077 via GeForce Now on my iPhone and was exploring Night City in all of its glory from the palms of my hand. The GameSir X5s was comfortable for the majority of my time exploring the seedy underworld of CDPR’s dystopian future, but I did find that the smaller sticks became a bit of a pain for me during more frantic moments of gameplay.

The sticks themselves I found to feel nice under my thumbs, but the height of them combined with the placement of the right stick meant that my right thumb was perpetually stuck in a strange position. If you have smaller hands than me then you may not experience this issue. I had a similar issue with the placement of the D-pad on the right-hand side, with my left thumb feeling uncomfortable when needing to use it.

The lack of programmable back buttons was something I immediately felt. Having recently been playing Cyberpunk 2077 on my Steam Deck and the Scuf Nomad controller, both of which feature back buttons, I felt like I was missing a limb. This is really a feature that should be standard across mobile controllers at this point, regardless of price.

After leaving Night City, I decided to boot up Call of Duty mobile to test out latency on a mobile native game. Whilst I experienced similar cramping issues due to the size of the controller, I found the latency to be perfect and minimal. The X5s was responsive, snappy, and ensured that I got that gaming winning kill* (*it was me being killed).

I was intrigued by GameSir’s selling point that it is compatible with Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, and while I don’t have Nintendo’s latest console, I do have the OG. So for the first time since the lockdown, I booted up Animal Crossing - what a throwback. The X5s connected to the Switch with no problems and it felt better to hold than the Joycons - I often feel like this is where the Switch fails for me, the flat-backed controllers make it difficult to play for long stretches - so this is an improvement for that experience.

After taking a trip to Tom Nook’s Turnip Laundering Island, I paid a visit to Los Santos via PlayStation Remote Play. I did encounter latency during PS Remote Play, though it was unclear whether this was network‑related rather than a controller issue. And while it was fun to play GTA V in handheld form, I found myself very quickly wishing for something a little more comfortable, and would spot my DualSense or my Steam Deck calling to me in the corner of my room.

Finally, I wanted to directly compare the X5s to both the Backbone One and the ROG Tessen as I had both on hand - no pun intended. I remained in the world of GTA V via PS remote play and spent 30 minutes on each controller. I can safely say that out of the three, the X5s was the most comfortable to use, especially compared to the Backbone One, but admittedly, it did fall behind the ROG Tessen overall due to the lack of rear buttons.

Should you buy the GameSir X5s?

As someone who, as I mentioned, loves handheld gaming, I would absolutely recommend people start investing in gaming on the go. While my immediate reaction is always to suggest a Steam Deck or one of the best gaming handhelds, I am aware that money is a little tighter these days, so people want a cheap solution.

The GameSir X5s is that cheap solution. At only $49.99/£49.99 it’s considerably more affordable than the Backbone One ($99.99/£100) while providing a better experience overall, but you have to be able to accept that there are some drawbacks such as the lack of back buttons or the uncomfortable placement of the right stick, and if those are a big factor for you then I’d suggest the Scuf Nomad which sets you back $69.99/£46.99 or the Gamesir G8 Galileo for $79.99/£82.99.

Overall, if you’re looking to break into the handheld market, you can’t really go wrong with the GameSir X5s. It’s a good controller, but it’s not the best you can get, and I’d strongly urge you to spend that little bit more to have a better experience. Essentially, it’s ideal for newcomers or casual mobile gamers, but enthusiasts will quickly feel its limitations.

How we tested the GameSir X5s

I spent almost two weeks with the GameSir X5s and used it as one of my main ways to game during a busy house move. This allowed me to game on the go without my TV being set up. I played games native to mobile, streamed from GeForce Now, and streamed games from my PS5 via Remote Play.

For more details on how we test controllers, take a look at the GamesRadar+ Hardware policy.