The problem with mobile game controllers is usually the high price tag that comes with them. That’s why the GameSir X5 Lite is refreshing in its uniquely budget category. It’s not going to win any design awards, but it gets the job done for a reasonable price.

Control Types

Xbox and Nintendo layouts

Wireless?

No

Compatible Systems

Android, iOS

Brand

GameSir

The GameSir X5 Lite is a budget-friendly gaming controller for Android and iOS phones and tablets (maximum size of 8.39 inches). It includes Hall Effect sticks, a turbo function, and pass-through charging.

Pros & Cons

• Good phone cushioning
• Low price
• Pass-through charging
• Also fits small tablets

• Small grips and cramped controls
• No software customization for iOS
• Conflicting prompts for turbo and button layout swapping

See Our Process

How We Test and Review Products at How-To Geek

We go hands-on with every product to ensure it’s worth your time and money.

Price and Availability

The GameSir X5 Lite retails for $35 and comes in black or wasabi (light green). It comes with a set of replaceable silicone cushions.

Small In Both Good and Bad Ways

Sometimes big things come in small packages, but sometimes the small package is just small. Both are true here.

The GameSir X5 Lite can support phones and tablets of up to 8.39 inches thanks to an expanding mid-section that doubles its length. It clamps around your device, using silicone cushioning (of which you’re given interchangeable sets) to ensure no scuffs and scratches to the device’s band. It’s not a remotely new design, but it’s executed with a level of stability and care that never had me fearing phone damage. It’s also worth noting that the device is wonderfully portable when contracted, making it easy to throw in a backpack or store in a drawer.

However, getting down to that size required some pretty major concessions. The grips are tiny and pretty flat, something my big hands never really properly adjusted to. Smaller hands may have less of an issue slipping their fingers into the grooves, but I suspect this is nobody’s ergonomic dream. It doesn’t help that the control layout is overly compact to cram everything into a small frame.

I got used to it, but I also think a more spacious layout would be worth a slightly higher price.

Controls That Get the Job Done

If the GameSir X5 Lite was a more expensive controller, I’d be extremely critical of its membrane buttons, D-pad, and triggers. They’re not particularly satisfying to use, due a combination of their small size and mushy feel. At the same time, I can’t say they ever failed me. It helps that the direct USB-C connection to the docked phone alleviates the input lag that a cheap wireless controller would often come burdened with.

My expectations were a little higher for the Hall Effect sticks, which are a surprisingly premium inclusion. It maintains the smoothness typical of this technology, but given their diminutive size, they have a notably limited travel distance. For comparison, it’s shorter than the sticks on a Nintendo Switch’s Joy-Con, but hypothetically these sticks should also be less prone to drift. That’s a pretty fair trade-off as long as you don’t need fine controls (and most mobile games don’t).

Feature-Rich, With Caveats

There’s a solid set of features available on the GameSir X5 Lite, though Android phones get to take advantage of these more than iPhones.

Let’s look at the features that are universal to both phones first. The “M” button at the bottom corner of the left grip can be used in various manners to quickly take screenshots, switch between Xbox and Nintendo ABXY button layouts, and activate turbo mode while holding down a face button or trigger. It all works well, except for the fact that the “M” + “A” combination to swap layouts overlaps with using turbo on the A button. It’s an unfortunate oversight that could’ve easily been avoided by using a different button combination.

Everything else is Android-only. This includes using the D-pad to change the phone’s volume and using GameSir’s app for customization. The main feature iOS users miss out on here is G-Touch, which allows you to map on-screen buttons to controller buttons. Apple doesn’t provide developers with this functionality for iOS, so this can’t really be held against GameSir in any way. That said, if you own an Android phone, this could be a transformative feature (I was unable to test it myself).

The controller also supports USB-C pass-through charging so you can charge your phone while you play. I’m glad this corner wasn’t cut as games can be a massive battery drain and there would otherwise be no way to counteract it.

Should You Buy the GameSir X5 Lite?

The GameSir X5 Lite makes the often-expensive mobile gaming controller form-factor extremely affordable. Its flaws are easy to forgive when it offers the same core functionality at a fraction of the price. I can recommend it on this basis to casual mobile gamers. However, if you plan to use this for daily or long play sessions, it might be worth paying a bit extra for a more comfortable design.

Control Types

Xbox and Nintendo layouts

Wireless?

No

Compatible Systems

Android, iOS

Brand

GameSir

The GameSir X5 Lite is a budget-friendly gaming controller for Android and iOS phones and tablets (maximum size of 8.39 inches). It includes Hall Effect sticks, a turbo function, and pass-through charging.