GameSir X5s Wireless Mobile Game Controller with Hall Effect Sticks

One of the best (if not THE best) telescoping controllers out there today is the Gamesir G8+ (which I own). I jumped at the chance to review the X5s. Long story short, it's basically everything its big brother is, in a smaller package. It is extremely comfortable and still feels like you are holding a full-size console controller, even though it's much smaller. The grips rest in the balls of your palms and make it very easy to support the controller and your device. Another surprise is it fits easily on my 8" tablet (I was not expecting that). The triggers have a very short pull but are still fully analogue. This is great for shooters, but you'll need a light touch for racing games. Save and read the instructions! Pairing to your device requires you be in the right mode, so check the instructions on how to switch the modes. Pro-tip: Make sure you use the pairing button on the bottom of the right grip (it's hard to notice), or you will have a bad time (IE, the indicator needs to be rapidly blinking in order to pair correctly). I use android devices and have found the DS4 mode (blue) works great with everything I tested and has low latency. I believe you can also use USB-C to have a directly wired connection as well, but cabling will be tricky. It does come with replacement rubber side grips, I believe one of which allows for a USB ribbon cable. If you have smaller hands or want to save some money of the bigger brother the G8, the X5s is a no brainer!

Like Yoda, this guy is small but powerful!

This controller is nice and comes very impressively packaged! The whole presentation helps it make a great first impression and feel premium. Comes with a good handful of accessories including the hard case; definitely a nice thing to be able to throw the controller in a backpack and not worry about damage. To speak more on the controller, it is definitely high quality. From the details of the shapes and plastics, you get the sense they thought about things! All the controls and buttons feel tight and responsive, and the Bluetooth connection gave me no trouble in connectivity or lag. I like how the buttons can be swapped around to fit the different layouts. The joysticks are a little smaller than most controllers—not something that bothers me but maybe worth considering if you have large hands. It expands very wide, but just barely too small to fit my 11” iPad! One cool thing: I connected it via USB to my Switch 2 and it worked just fine that way, but of course Bluetooth also works.

I admit it -- I’m an iOS mobile gamer, not android. I grabbed this controller because I already liked the G8, X2, and several home PC/console controllers. I saw from the specs that this should fit my iPad Mini, and it does, and the Mini is the best way to play iOS games and emulators. Build This is well built, with great feeling plastics that are sturdy. The opening spring action is solid and has positive feedback without being too stiff.

I've tried a lot of telescopic controller and this one has become my favorite. These controller keep getting bigger each generation, while bigger gripe is good for comfort, it sacrifices portability. This strikes a good balance, being able to slide into a backpack without taking up much space while providing some grips for comfort. The ABXY buttons can be popped up and swapped to match whatever system you are playing on. I like that they aren't magnetic like some other controller, instead they just fit in with friction and have extra long stem. This makes it much less likely they'll fly out if you drop your controller. This also works on the Switch 1 and 2, making it even more versatile. Instead of having to bring separate controller for your handheld, you can just treat this controller as an extra one. It's lacking a screenshot button however so you won't be able to use this for certain game's photo mode. Overall, this is a great controller that strikes the perfect balance of portability, comfort, and versatility.