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We are huge fans of GameSir here at Readwrite Gaming and have covered plenty of its products before. If you want to game on the go and use what’s generally available in your pocket – i.e. your mobile phone rather than carrying round a Steam Deck or Nintendo Switch, then some form of mobile controller is essential.
We have all tried to play games on phones using those controls overlaid on the screen and it just simply is not much fun.
GameSir has certainly shot to the top of the pile when it comes to solutions for this and the GameSir X3 Pro is the latest in a growing line of exceptional devices that enhance your gaming and let you take out and about with you.
The last time we looked at anything similar to what we have here on the table though was back when we checked out the X2S Mobile controller, but this X3 Pro once again ups the game. Let’s have a look why.
X3 Pro out of the box
Cracking open the X3 Pro’s box reveals an unexpected soft carry case for the unit. Sure it adds a little extra bulk but offers a lot of protection if you are just planning to throw it in your backpack while you are and about.
Unzipping the carry case reveals the X3 Pro in all it’s glory. The lid holds some extra caps for the thumb sticks and d-pad while the lower part of the case contains the X3 Pro itself.
Now, probably showing my age here but I instantly thought ‘original iMac’ – the translucent green on the handles could have come straight out off Apple’s factory in the mid-90s and I like it all the more for that reason. The sticks come protected with foam bumpers for transport and there’s a grippy holder for the back of you mobile device that needs a protective sheet peeling off it.
Besides that you get a box with the cable and manual in it and you are good to go.
The Controller
The X3 Pro is a lovely looking piece of gear. We have already touched upon the controller’s color scheme, but on closer inspection it reveals similarities with the aforementioned X2S. The body extends laterally to accommodate your phone or (small) tablet and my iPhone 15 Pro Max fit very comfortably, although I did have to remove the case which was annoying or the phone sat at a weird angle.
On the rear of the unit is one of the big selling points of the X3 Pro and that is active cooling in the shape of a pretty powerful for its size fan. On the bottom of the fan assembly is a USB-C port which needs to have power supplied to it in order to spin up the fan and also charge the device at the same time. This is a little bit odd as it means I now need to attach a power bank to cool my phone if I am playing outdoors. It’s just an extra wire and box I don’t need in my life all the time.
When connected though the fan performs well and if you are playing ‘proper’ games on your phone you will be aware how things can heat up rapidly. The fan helps to keep all this under control. It’s just not quite an ideal solution in this iteration.
Connection and hardware
To connect your mobile device to the unit it needs to have a USB-C charging port which rules out older iPhones. Like the X2S the connector itself can be moved about to a degree to accommodate where the port is and this works as well as it did last time.
The sticks and buttons are where the X3 Pro excel though. Hall Effect sticks are now in play which will minimise the chance of dreaded stick drift for pretty much ever and the esports standard buttons, which can be swapped around so that the lettering on-board matches what you are used to are superbly clicky and responsive, as is the D Pad.
Those clear transparent grips you can see clearly on the image above are also removeable, making the unit smaller and more comfortable for those with smaller hands. The X3 Pro is a very customizable piece of kit.
Conclusion
In much the same conclusion as we came to with the X2S the X3 Pro is only going to be in your consideration if you actually want something like this for gaming but if you do, then this should, without doubt, be your go-to choice. It’s not Bluetooth so you are limited to a phone which has a USB-C connection and even then, some phones fit better than others so your mileage may vary. The USB-C equipped iPhone we tested with though was a treat to use, felt secure throughout and the fan, when active kept the phone cool and stopped any gameplay throttling through heat.
The sticks and buttons are a real pleasure and, as somebody who has gone through a number of, ‘Elite’ controllers for the Xbox and had all manner of stick drift or problems with shoulder buttons and the like, it has to be said that the main console manufacturers should be taking a leaf out of GameSir’s book when it comes down to quality control.
