- Perfect mapping features
- Comfortable to use
- Noticeable lack of stability with phone
As a seasoned mobile gamer with hands as large as a giant’s and a pocket full of disappointing controllers, I must say that the GameSir X4 Aileron has truly won my heart… or at least my thumbs! This modular marvel fits like a glove in my oversized mitts, and its portability is unmatched. It’s so compact, I feel like I’m carrying around two pocket-sized arcade machines instead of a controller!
Throughout my lifetime, I’ve experimented with various mobile controllers, and I strongly prefer the modular configuration. Unlike their telescopic counterparts that can be rather cumbersome, these two components wirelessly link to your phone but also neatly nestle together for easy transportation. Lately, I had the opportunity to evaluate the GameSir X4 Aileron, a compact modular controller, and share my experience with it.
A delight to store and hold
The first thing you will notice is how perfectly sized and pretty the X4 is. When the two halves are put together it fits pretty easily in a jacket pocket for great portability, which is the biggest positive for module controllers over the one-pieces. It also comes with a solid case for your new friend to ride around in. More space will be used, of course, but you won’t worry about it being damaged, it’s a hefty case.
As far as comfort goes, you won’t encounter any problems with these controllers. Even for someone like me with large hands, the X4 fits snugly, and I didn’t face any discomfort during extended gaming periods. Inside the case, you’ll find thumbsticks of varying sizes to cater to your preference. The only minor issue is that the buttons might be slightly smaller than expected, but they function flawlessly and provide a satisfying click when pressed, indicating thoughtful design.
The greatest mapping system in the world
The mapping itself when playing is quite in-depth. Each game has its own pre-set configuration if you want to get straight to playing, but if you prefer your own configuration, the option is there.
You can drag and resize another of the controller’s ten buttons or d-pad wherever you like, alongside using the Combo buttons. You might accidentally trigger the single action if you have one of those combos already set up, but if you use the two back buttons or four shoulder buttons in conjunction with the face buttons, you could cover the entire screen.
One concern I had with the X4, that I’m sure others might, was when booting up the app it demanded Developers Mode be activated on my phone. I am not exactly a technophobe, I have toyed around with some very minor programming in the past, but seeing that did put me off a bit, so I reached out to GameSir to ask the question.
Apparently, as this product is licensed by Microsoft it can’t use G-Touch, GameSir’s usual mapping method that doesn’t need activation. Instead, it needs to use V-Touch, which requires a lot of permissions that need Developer Mode turned on. It is not the biggest dealbreaker, you can just switch it on and never touch it again, but it might be a safety worry for some.
Stability might be an issue
Now unfortunately we must address the biggest flaw. As well-made as the modules are, they do not grasp your phone as securely as you would want. I tried the controller with three separate phones of various widths, and there was a noticeable amount of wobble on all of them.
The product comes with four protective rubber feet that can be attached to the modules for a stronger grip, but there’s still some flexibility. However, if your phone is relatively thin, you might not be able to stack too many of these feet or they may not fit together properly when stored. While light gaming should be manageable, it may become more noticeable during intense gaming sessions involving frequent firefights or critical football matches.
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2024-09-23 16:18