Xbox Nostalgia Hits
There is no doubt that 2026 is the year of green, as Xbox celebrates 25 years since the launch of the original Xbox console. They are doing so by harking back to the neon green hues that accompanied one of the earliest consoles. They’ve gone big too, promising a limited edition Xbox Series X|S and controller that plays on vibes first introduced with the iconic Halo-themed Special Edition from 2004.
It makes sense then for others to jump on that train, and GameSir are doing so with a new controller – the T7 Pro Retro Green. A wired controller (yeah we know, but don’t step away just yet), it takes the standard T7 and injects that Xbox Green into the equation. Whether that is enough to warrant a purchase will be entirely personal to you.
Compatible with Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC, you really should know what to expect from the T7 Pro, for it’s all reasonably standard controller fare, just with a new aesthetic.
A Familiar Xbox Controller Layout
That means you’re getting standard Xbox controller feels, with this one shaped about as close to a standard Xbox pad as you can get, albeit slightly squared off as GameSir like to do. But you do have thumbsticks in the right places, four iconic face buttons, an Xbox Nexus button, and the usual trio of Menu, View and Share. It’s all laid out as you would expect too. Nothing weird, nothing out of the ordinary, nothing to get too excited by.
But as this is GameSir, you do get access to some extras. Those thumbsticks, for instance, are drift-proof Hall effect sticks, to ensure that this is a controller that should well last the length of time, perhaps making sure it’ll handle your gaming sessions for another 25 years as Xbox looks to celebrate a half century. Those sticks are complete with a very textured top ridge that ensures your thumbs won’t ever slip.
The face buttons are fairly decent to smash down on too, as is the d-pad, although if we’re honest, we do think they feel a little too squishy in use, and on multiple occasions when navigating menus and the like, we’ve found the d-pad to struggle with the correct input. Fat fingers? Perhaps, but coming from an Elite 2 – or any of the other Xbox controllers that are in that price bracket – this cheaper controller from GameSir doesn’t quite match up. We’re not shocked by that fact, it is what it is, but we’re struggling to get enthused.
Trigger Stops And Programmable Back Buttons
Bumpers and triggers are similar. They all work fine, are neatly textured and easy to pull on. But we’d not at any point say they are stunning in use; the bumpers in particular feeling a little small. What we do like though are the very prominent trigger stops that sit around the back of the controller – they are easy to switch on and off as you fly, pulling right down on the length of trigger allowed.
Also around the back are a couple of programmable back buttons – this wouldn’t be a 2026 controller if it didn’t come with those extras. We’ve written countless times how back buttons aren’t particularly our bag, preferring to get on with our gaming without the need to ‘learn’ a new button layout, but these ones sit very well under the middle finger as you hold the controller. Again, the texturing on them is nice, and so if you are one of the many who prefer to customise and personalise their controller layouts, the T7 Pro Retro Green should cover the bases.
Nexus App Customisation
Equally as important in this day and age – and something that would never have been a thing when green gaming first landed on the scene – is further customisation through an App. GameSir run the Nexus App (we’ve been using the Android version), if you want to fine tune things further. The App is fine (we’ll ignore it crashing as it tried to update our controller initially), albeit a little complicated to get around, and currently lacking the promise of some light ‘animations’. Of course, it does the job if you need to mess around further.
A Retro Green Design That Comes To Life
And so, we get this far through the review and we’ve hardly spoken of that ‘Retro Green’ aesthetic. Why? Well, with the controller switched off, it’s a bit disappointing really. We fondly remember the original green Xbox from 2004, and we look forward to seeing the Series X|S laid out in such colours. But we think this GameSir T7 Pro Retro Green is just a bit too mucky; a bit dark. In fact, the only green is shown sparingly along the top of the controller face, covering the left thumbstick, the nexus and face buttons. At least that is until you switch the thing on and it powers into life. From there, you’re getting a glow that is bright enough to light up even the most darkened room, with neighbours no doubt witnessing that green glow from across the street. The T7 Pro Retro Green really is that bright, and whilst we aren’t particularly fans of seeing the innards, you can’t really complain much about how this one goes about its business. In fact, it shines so bright, it washes out the face buttons completely.
Of course though, for that power, you need to utilise a cable; wiring the controller into your Xbox via USB-A to USB-C. Granted, this one is 10ft in length, which should be good enough for many, but be aware, there are no wireless capabilities here. And unlike some controllers we’ve used previously, the T7 Pro Retro Green only has a standard USB-C port on it. There is no safety mechanism to ensure you don’t unplug this thing in the heat of battle, and we’ll admit that on a few occasions during testing, we’ve stretched things just a tad too far, watching the cable ping across the room.
A Decent But Underwhelming Controller
So, the GameSir T7 Pro Retro Green controller – a decent GameSir interpretation of Xbox’s classic and worthy of celebration? We’re not completely convinced by it, and whilst the controller is neat enough in hand, works well, and delivers what you need, pushing out that green shine across the land, we feel a tad disappointed.
Of course, it’s fine as another iron in GameSir’s budget fire, and if you’re considering the T7, this is an option, but don’t get hung up on the love of an icon.
Huge thanks go out to GameSir for providing the T7 Pro Retro Green for review. You’ll be able to pick up a unit for yourself from GameSir direct. It’ll cost you £55.99, which feels about right.
