GameSir G8+ review: This is the Bluetooth game controller to beat

GameSir has just launched the G8+ wireless game controller, offering an upgrade over its G8 Galileo from last year. We reviewed the G8 Galileo very highly, describing it as a premium gaming accessory, and the G8+ attempts to build on that design with some key changes and improvements.

Is it worth the upgrade? Let’s find out.

Similar Designs

At a glance, GameSir didn’t change all that much with the G8+. It’s so similar, in fact, that the interchangeable faceplates for the G8 Galileo will also work with the newer version. Good news if you’re making a direct upgrade!

And if the controller is similar enough to use the same faceplates, you can probably guess that, overall, it’s nearly identical. The G8+ does weigh a little bit more, but you’re still getting the same ergonomic shape that feels like an Xbox controller smashed together with Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons. I don’t think the weight is a bad thing – it gives the G8+ an extremely premium feel. It can feel somewhat bulky if you’re using this with a bigger device like a tablet or a Switch itself, though.

High Performance

The G8+ continues GameSir’s use of Hall effect joysticks for higher precision and better durability. We won’t bore you with the specifics of Hall effect joysticks compared to traditional analog sticks, but the long and short is that they deliver a better experience for longer, with the trade-off of typically being a little more expensive. You won’t find these in cheap controllers, but they’re becoming very common in high-end controllers like this.

The face buttons feel great, and the D-pad is plenty good for retro gaming. The joysticks are, obviously, excellent; they’re highly sensitive with minimal dead zones, making this a great choice for faster-paced FPS games or anything that needs the extra precision that you probably won’t get with a $20 controller.

The shoulder bumpers are fine, and the triggers are decent if a bit shallow. Overall, it’s a great controller for a variety of genres, whether you’re a fan of action games, emulators, or fast-paced competitive games. There are also remappable rear buttons, giving you two extra buttons for quick shortcuts in faster games.

GameSir Software and Features

GameSir offers a handful of extra features with its app, and it’s added a few small touches to the G8+ to make it more compelling.

What I’d consider the coolest feature of the G8+ is the auto-connecting and disconnecting when you stretch out the controller. After initially setting it up via Bluetooth, the G8+ will automatically connect to the last used device when you first open it up and removing your device and un-stretching the controller will turn it off. Don’t even need the button. It’s a small touch, but it does add that extra polish that makes the G8+ feel more like a native accessory.

GameSir’s app hasn’t really improved since our last review, offering some game recommendations and letting you tweak your controller and update its firmware. It has a way to assign touch inputs to native controller inputs, which is useful if you’re playing a game without controller support. Overall, it is incredibly janky to use in practice. I’d rather have it than not, but I’d bet most times, you’ll just play the game with the touchscreen and leave the controller in your bag.

It’s difficult to navigate the app with a controller, and there aren’t any game-enhancing features like you see from OEM game launcher apps (or even something like Backbone’s software). We still have a Google Stadia section in it. It’s fine, but after getting the latest updates, you can probably uninstall the app, and you won’t miss much.

Worth it?

The GameSir G8+ is priced at $79.99, before discounts or markdowns, putting it in direct competition with an Xbox controller. I think that’s a fair price for it considering it’s extremely ergonomic and functional. It undercuts the Backbone One by $20 and offers better joysticks.

This time around, you can even use the G8+ with your Nintendo Switch, which sweetens the value proposition just a bit. It’s an excellent game controller, but a device that can give you a better way to play Tears of the Kingdom when you’re not playing Call of Duty: Mobile, and you’re getting Hall Effect joysticks all the way through?

Not a bad deal at all.

If you don’t need this for a Switch and would rather avoid Bluetooth connections, the older G8 Galileo is still perfectly serviceable and almost identical. But you can’t go wrong with either.