Gamesir X4 Aileron Bluetooth controller review: gaming on Android never felt so premium
Versatile gamepad has a slick compact design, swappable buttons, a decent companion app and hall-effect sticks and triggers
The X4 Aileron is the latest gaming controller from GameSir, a firm which releases a lot of products, but few are as easy to recommend as this one.
Gamesir X4 Aileron is marketed as an Xbox controller for Xbox Gamepass but it is compatible with all manner of Android gaming options.
It’s an ultra-portable gamepad with a unique design, durable hall-effect sticks and low-latency Bluetooth connectivity.
READ MORE: Gamesir G8 Galileo will transform your mobile gaming experience on iPhone and Android
Design and build
Android controllers usually feature an extendable bridge or a single retaining clip at the top for you to secure your smartphone.
But this compact controller comes in a two-piece design. Those components magnetically join together when not in use so the device takes up much less space when you are storing it in the hard shell protective case which comes bundled in the box and includes a handy carry strap.
The case houses extra joysticks and an additional radial D-pad. There are no spare face buttons but you can easily pop them out and swap their places for a Nintendo Switch style layout if you prefer. You can also easily re-map the face buttons without removing them by tweaking the settings in the Gamesir app.
When you pull the two parts of the controller apart to attach your phone, you will see an extendable green clip on each side. Pulling up the green clip to slot in your phone powers on the device. You can also power on the device by pressing on the X button for a few seconds.
Visit the Gamesir store on Amazon and get free delivery.
The left side includes the Bluetooth connectivity for your phone and the right side has a low latency 2.4Ghz connection to the left hand side of the controller. It cannot be connected physically using USB, by the way.
The device can accommodate most sizes of non-folding smartphone (including coolers) but I did notice the green clip on the left side was not as secure a fit on one or two phones with extra large camera bumps, but it was perfect with the majority of handsets.
There are some sticky pads included in the box and what I did was put two of these on the inside of each half of the controller to protect my camera lens and phone from getting scratched.
The green clip, incidentally, does not extend far enough to enable you to slot in unfolded foldable phones such as Honor Magic V2. But this is not such a big deal as the field of view on unfolded phones is not always to your advantage when gaming.
And the gamepad can still be paired with any Android phone or tablet even if it’s not clipped in. Just hold down the Xbox and Share buttons to enter pairing mode.
Performance
One of the strongest features is the hall effect analog joysticks which will not wear or drift like those on Nintendo Switch. They have built-in anti-drift rings. The sticks are surrounded by RGB lighting that you can customise or switch off if you want to save battery.
The hall effect sensors, meanwhile, can switch between linear and hair trigger modes using the companion app.
The firm said the e-sport-grade microswitch face buttons are designed to withstand up to five million clicks.
Each side of the controller has a customisable button under the rubberised grip that can copy the face buttons, giving you a way to perform actions like jumping or reloading without taking your thumbs off the joysticks.
It is possible to use the left side of the controller on its own in conjunction with the touch controls on your phone. This is a decent option to have in some games – you can use the analog stick to move your character and use the touchscreen for more precise aiming, for example.
The app also lets you configure GameSir X4 Aileron for unsupported games once you have enabled developer mode on your smartphone. Check this tutorial here if you are unsure how to play unsupported games.
You get a one-month free subscription to Xbox GamePass Ultimate, by the way, and that works with accounts old and new.
There is no apparent way to use Gamesir X4 Aileron with the PlayStation Remote Play app. But other services such as NVIDIA GeForce Now, Amazon Luna and Steam Link should recognise the gamepad.
If you want a controller that works with both iPhone and Android, you could look at the Gamesir G8 Galileo.
Verdict
This is an incredibly versatile and ultra-portable Android Bluetooth controller that as I said at the outset is easy to recommend. I experienced no input lag or connection drops when testing. It’s super responsive and is comfortable to hold and use. The build quality is superb.
There are a couple of minor quibbles but neither is a deal-breaker.
One downside is related to the design approach. It doesn’t take much force to pull one of the sides away from your phone during the middle of a game. It didn’t happen to me often but it did occur and when it does it is frustrating.
Another drawback is you can only charge the controller using the USB-C port when it’s not in use. So running out of juice in the middle of a game is a possibility (unless you can get creative with a suitable wireless charger). I got up to five hours of battery stamina from the unit, incidentally, with the left hand side usually lower on power and I would assume that is because it houses the Bluetooth connection to your phone.
Pricing and availability
Gamesir X4 Aileron costs €118.95 from Gamesir with free delivery and one-year warranty. It costs €121 from Amazon with free delivery and one-year warranty.
Sign up for our daily newsletter to get the latest news direct to your inbox
Join the Irish Mirror’s breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive breaking news and the latest headlines direct to your phone. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Related
Share this page
Guest Posts by Easy Branches
