Gamesir-X3 Controller Review – Comfortable and Cool

Unboxing the GameSir-X3 Controller

GameSir-X3 Controller Review – Casing

The GameSir-X3 Controller comes in a thick, hardy case that houses the controller and its components in it.

GameSir-X3 Controller Review – Box Content

With the packaging, you can find the following items:

• GameSir-X3 Controller
• Carry case
• Power-only Type-C cable for the cooler
• Faceted D-pad x1
• Convex Thumbstick Cap x2
• High-rise thumbstick x2
• Concave thumbstick cap x2
• User Manual
• Certification

Specifications

The Good

The GameSir-X3 looks slightly similar to its previous model, the GameSir-X2, with a thicker design and an additional fan on the back. The buttons, triggers, and joysticks are a delight to play on as the switches feel really responsive and smooth.

GameSir-X3 Controller Review – Rubberized Clamps & Type-C Port

Furthermore, the build quality of the controller feels solid and is really comfortable for someone with small hands. The rubberized clamps firmly secure your phone in place and despite them being really tight, they do not damage your phone’s frame. I managed to play games while lying down without any fear of my phone dropping on my face.

Plugging the smartphone into the controller is rather quick and easy as the device features a 51° rotatable Type-C port, which allows me to tilt and slot my phone immediately with ease. Taking it out is also the same as all I have to do is extend the clamps and pop goes my phone.

GameSir-X3 Controller Review – Top View

The GameSir-X3 comes with a new feature, a small cooling fan that is on the back and a large conductive backplate. When plugged into a power source, you can see the dynamic RGB backlight lighting up.

Having the cooler on does make a significant difference when I was playing Genshin Impact on medium settings. Without the cooler, my phone hits approximately 42°C whereas, with the cooler on, my smartphone’s temperature managed to dip to approximately 32°C. Additionally, I was able to charge my phone from the charging port on the bottom right of the controller when my battery is low, extending my game time.

GameSir-X3 Controller Review – Stardew Valley

The GameSir-X3 functions really well with Android Controller Support games such as Stardew Valley, as there were no input delays while gaming. The controller does recreate the feeling like I am playing on my Nintendo Switch and it is very responsive during any gameplay that requires quick time responses.

The Bad

Unfortunately, by the time the GameSir-X3 arrived in our hands, the RB button of the controller has been damaged. Even though the controller comes with a carry case that was designed to protect it, it is not recommended to drop the case since the controller can still be damaged by the impact.

GameSir-X3 Controller Review – Genshin Impact

Despite the cooler doing a great job regulating the temperature of my phone, it made the controller heavy and my hands got tired after playing on it for a long time. Not only that, it is impractical as it requires a separate USB-C power supply for it to function, gluing you down to one location if you really need the cooler to work.

Not only do you need a power cable for the cooler, but what if you need to charge your phone too? This would mean that you will need to plug into two power sources or choose either to power the cooler or your phone. Sadly, the cooler is non-detachable and the RGB backlight bothers me when playing games in the dark as it cannot be switched off.

GameSir-X3 Controller Review – Setting My Own Layout

With the controller working really well with games that have Android Controller Support, games that do not have this support are required to use the GameSir app. With this app, you can choose to remap the buttons to your own layout or import them from others who have previously made their own layouts. The software’s in-game UI did feel cluttered and overwhelming when I tried to create my own layout.

GameSir-X3 Controller Review – GameSir App

The app does need a bit of work as the localization in English was confusing the first time around and it did take me some time to understand the instructions.

GameSir-X3 Controller Verdict

The GameSir-X3 Controller, with a starting price of $99.99, is a solid controller with responsive and smooth buttons. If you’re looking for an affordable controller with a cooler but wouldn’t mind sacrificing portability, this might be the controller for you.

At the end of our review, I award this phone with a Bronze Pokdeaward.

Big thanks to GameSir for sending us this gamepad for the purposes of this review. If you’re interested to purchase one via international shipping, you can also use this link.