I spent the weekend playing PS5 and Switch 2 games using the GameSir G8 Plus — and its performance and versatility blew me away

The best phone controllers let you play your favorite video games on the go, and if you’re as much an avid gamer as I am, you need a gamepad like the GameSir G8 Plus. Featuring Hall Effect thumbsticks and triggers, the G8 Plus is a formidable gamepad, offering precise control over in-game movements.

The controller can accommodate phones, tablets and the Nintendo Switch 2, and combined with Bluetooth connectivity, it’s extremely versatile. Sporting chunky grips and an ABXY layout, the G8 Plus is ergonomic and lets you game for long periods of time.

Is this the right phone controller for you? Read my full GameSir G8 Plus review to find out.

GameSir G8 Plus review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A mobile gaming controller for iOS and Android devices, as well as the Nintendo Switch
• Who is it for? For on-the-go gamers who want a sturdy, reliable controller
• How much does it cost? The GameSir G8 Plus is available for $99 / £79
• What do we like? The Hall Effect triggers and thumbsticks, customizable back buttons, ergonomic design and customizable back buttons
• What don’t we like? The short battery life and lack of passthrough charging

GameSir G8 Plus review: Specs

GameSir G8 Plus review: The ups

From its ergonomic design and user-friendly companion app to its responsive Hall Effect triggers and thumbsticks, the GameSir G8 Plus is truly GOATed.

Ergonomic design

If you like gaming for extended periods of time, the GameSir G8 Plus is the one for you. It features full-sized thumbsticks and triggers like on a traditional console/PC controller, so your fingers sit comfortably on them. The G8 Plus also sports an asymmetrical ABXY design, like an Xbox gamepad, so the thumbsticks are offset, making it more ergonomic.

The G8 Plus has chunky grips, and as someone with medium-sized hands, I found the controller extremely comfortable to hold. When fully outstretched, the G8 Plus measures 9.06 x 4.21 x 2.17 inches, and it can mount most smartphones and the Nintendo Switch 2 and the OG Nintendo Switch, so if you aren’t a fan of Joy-Cons, you can use the G8 Plus.

I love this as even the pricier Backbone Pro ($169) can’t house the Switch models because its USB-C port gets in the way. The G8 Plus doesn’t have a USB-C port and instead utilizes Bluetooth to connect to your smart devices, increasing its versatility.

The G8 Plus weighs 11.04oz, so it’s lighter than the Backbone Pro (18.4oz). I usually prefer heavier mobile controllers, but I didn’t have much of an issue with the G8 Plus. This also means that it isn’t difficult to carry the controller in a small handbag, as you don’t feel weighed down by it.

For Marvel fans

I’m a huge Marvel fan — I even have a tattoo of Loki’s helmet. The GameSir G8 Plus is right up my street then, and it comes in three colorways. There’s a black model that looks inconspicuous, and there’s also a Hulk edition as well as a Thanos edition. I tested the latter, which sports a combination of gold and purple, and the face buttons take the form of the Infinity Stones.

I was slightly skeptical at first when I saw the box, but you know what? I kind of dig it! I love purple and gold as the two colors go well together. The design is not only aesthetically pleasing, but it’s practical, too. The area where the phone sits has a purple rubber-textured surface, which keeps your smart device from slipping and sliding.

Magnetizing triggers and sticks

Thanks to Bluetooth LE connectivity, the GameSir G8 Plus can be used with iOS and Android smartphones, tablets, PC and the Nintendo Switch 2 and OG Nintendo Switch. The controller’s triggers and thumbsticks utilize Hall Effect sensors, making the G8 Plus’ controls more durable and responsive. Having magnetic thumbsticks also means that you won’t experience stick drift as you do with analog ones (Joy-Con owners will be all too familiar with this annoying problem).

If you’re using a smartphone, like I was using my Google Pixel 7 Pro, you can play PS5 games via PS Remote Play, turning the G8 Plus into basically a PlayStation Portal (barring proprietary haptic feedback). I tested the G8 Plus in two ways: by playing PS5 games on my phone, and by playing Switch 2 games on, well, the Switch 2. And the G8 Plus impressed me thoroughly with its performance.

Over a fast and steady Wi-Fi connection and using PS Remote Play, I played Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Planet Zoo. In Planet Zoo, L2 and R2 are used for precise zooming in and out action, and the G8 Plus’ Hall Effect triggers never missed a beat, allowing me to fine-tune my camera movements. I also appreciated the diagonal D-pad here, as it let me cycle through chunky building menus easily.

Enabling Hair Trigger mode was easy, too, by holding down the Mode button and either trigger, allowing for quicker inputs in Expedition 33. When I needed to execute a Gradient Counter with R2, all I needed to do was press it lightly and not all the way down, which came in clutch against powerful enemies.

Spider-Man 2 requires a fair bit of button mashing to defeat enemies in hand-to-hand combat, and the G8 Plus made quick work of it. Each input was instantaneously registered. I also appreciated the controller’s two back buttons here. I customized one of the rear pedals so I could use it to jump while fighting and without taking my thumb off the punch/kick button, and this gave me an edge in the game.

Switch performance

I then played a few rounds of Mario Kart World on the Switch 2, and I enjoyed playing it a lot more with the G8 Plus. The controller’s rumble motors in each grip were powerful (and the intensity can be customized via the companion app), offering an immersive gaming experience. I also enjoyed the precision the Hall Effect thumbsticks offered, enabling me to drift around tight corners easily.

I also played 51 Worldwide Games, which includes a game called Six Ball Puzzle where you must arrange the falling pieces so that balls connect six together. In Six Ball Puzzle, you can push the left thumbstick up to make the trio of balls fall instantly to the bottom. Now, my Joy-Cons on the OG Switch and the Switch 2 struggle with this and don’t always register my command. I didn’t face this issue with the G8 Plus, though, which helped me beat the CPU on more than one occasion. It’s a very small thing, but it goes to show just how responsive the G8 Plus’ Hall Effect sticks are.

User-friendly companion app

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If you want to customize your GameSir G8 Plus, you’ll need to download the GameSir app on either iOS or Android. The app sports a clean user interface and enables you to remap buttons, assign functions to the two back buttons, update firmware, set dead zones for the triggers and sticks and even disable diagonal inputs on the D-pad. The last is particularly useful in games that don’t make use of anything beyond the four cardinal directions.

Physically customizable

Alongside digital customization via the companion app, you can change the GameSir G8 Plus’ physical buttons, too. The left and right grips’ top covers can be easily removed, as can the face buttons and thumbsticks. Included in the box are different stick sizes that can be easily swapped.

You can change the layout of the face buttons by pulling on the left of each keycap. For instance, if you prefer the Switch button layout, you can swap the buttons accordingly, and then use either the app or the Mode button to switch between Xbox and Switch layouts. Easy as pie!

Competitively priced

The GameSir G8 Plus is priced well and competitively, so if you’re on the hunt for a premium gaming controller but don’t want to spend loads, this could be it. It retails for $99 / £79, and in the U.S., we’ve seen it drop to $79 in the past. The G8 Plus finds itself competing against the likes of the SteelSeries Nimbus+ / Stratus+ ($69), the PowerA MOGA XP7-X Plus ($99) and the Scuf Nomad ($99).

It’s a little pricier than the SteelSeries Stratus Duo ($59), but it isn’t built well and doesn’t feature Hall Effect thumbsticks. The G8 Plus packs more premium gaming features, making it well worth the extra spend.

GameSir G8 Plus review: The downs

There really isn’t much wrong with the GameSir G8 Plus, but I do wish the controller had longer battery life and passthrough charging.

Short battery life

The GameSir G8 Plus is fitted with two 500mAh batteries, one in each controller grip, utilizing a total of 1,000mAh. The G8 Plus has a listed battery life of only eight hours, which is disappointing. Even worse, in my testing, the controller promptly died after just over seven hours.

In comparison, the SteelSeries Nimbus+ / Stratus+ boasts 50 hours of battery life, while the SteelSeries Stratus Duo lasts nearly 20 hours, and the Scuf Nomad gets 16 hours between charges. The Backbone Pro blows the G8 Plus out of the water with its 40-hour battery life, but it’s important to remember that it costs nearly double.

No passthrough charging

There’s no USB-C port on the GameSir G8 Plus’ phone mount, which means there’s no passthrough charging, so you can’t charge your phone while using the controller. This is something that’s also missing from the Scuf Nomad. If it’s a feature you value, I’d recommend grabbing the Backbone One ($99) instead.

GameSir G8 Plus review: Verdict

If you’re on the hunt for a powerful phone controller, I’m pleased to say you need look no further than the GameSir G8 Plus. It’s compatible with an array of devices, including the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. Fitted with Hall Effect sensors in its triggers and thumbsticks (which are physically changeable, by the way), the controller gives you a competitive edge and pinpoint precision in a wide variety of games.

While its 8-hour battery life is disappointing, it more than makes up for it with its fantastic gaming performance and ergonomic design.

Having spent an entire weekend playing my favorite PS5 games on my phone and with this controller, I don’t want to leave the house without the G8 Plus now.