The Ultimate Portable Gaming Companion?
If you asked me just how many GameSir products I have used over the last few years, I’d be stumped to come up with an answer. I think it would probably be about ten, maybe a dozen at most, with the vast majority of those coming in the form of ‘mobile’ controllers; those that are best suited to gaming on the go, utilising the power of Game Pass in the process.
And now, researching for this piece, it turns out to be 14 units, and yes, the vast majority of those ARE of the mobile variety. I wasn’t far off.
GameSir’s Expanding Empire
But it never fails to amaze me just how integrated into the gaming world GameSir have become, going from the greenest of newbies some five years ago to absolute accessory-creating powerhouses with a huge portfolio behind them here and now in 2025. See, whilst GameSir products may come in many varied designs and sizes, they are mostly very good. Does that mean there is a space for a ‘Lite’ product though?
Well, I’m not sure.
Stripped Down and Streamlined
The GameSir X5 Lite takes the ‘X’ range of GameSir products, ensures it includes some moveable USB-C connection and power as standard, and then strips out anything that is not essential, crafting an extremely lightweight (135 grams), extremely portable product in the process.
It’s probably the most pocketable of all GameSir products too and certainly one that is easy to chuck in a bag as commutes and travel come to the fore; like all of the GameSir range in fact.
Wide Compatibility, Tight Grip
Available in a cool wasabi colour, or stealth black (the version we’ve been using), the X5 Lite Type C is a more than capable mobile controller, happily opening up as you look to slot a mobile phone in, immediate connection drawn on, as gaming goes on the move. With it working like most other GameSir controllers of this ilk (slide to open, close to clasp), it’s something that many will be very familiar with.
And frankly, the size that this thing opens up to is super impressive, eating up our Google Pixel 9 Pro XL without a care in the world. GameSir state that this can handle a phone (or iPad Mini) of some 213mm in length, and so it would come as a huge surprise if your device isn’t suitable for use.
So what do we have present on the X5 Lite Type C? Well, strangely we’ll start around the back, because aside from some ergonomic handles, it’s pretty bereft of anything else. You shouldn’t come to this one expecting to see programmable back buttons on the X5 Lite, for there is nothing there. There are no trigger stops either. This is basic mobile gaming. Lite gaming, if you will.
It’s on the front where the usual standard sits too. A couple of tiny thumbsticks feel good to the touch, well textured and super grippy under the thumb. They run a slight hybrid of concave and convex systems, but we’ve enjoyed making the most of these and the relative precision they allow. GameSir have seen fit to include some Hall Effect mechanics in there too; something that is pretty standard nowadays.
A Mixed Bag of Input
A D-Pad complements those sticks, but whilst it is fine to use, it does feel a little cheap in hand. It’s extremely plastic in feel, and there’s little depth to its motion, which means for us it’s not optimal. That said, we rarely jump onto a D-Pad as it is, and when the thumbsticks are so good, passing this by whenever possible is rarely an issue.
On the other side of the X5 Lite are some miniscule face buttons, all black in colour with a cool grey-ish, blue-ish detail. They look pretty good and work well, even though there is no micro-switching in place.
Other standards come in the form of bumpers and triggers, but whilst we love the feel – and shape – of the former, the latter do feel a bit spongy to pull on. There’s very little movement to the triggers, with them basically on or off, with nothing inbetween. Coming from the likes of some of the best alternatives to the Xbox Elite controller, it’s hard to fall in love with the ones here. Perhaps that’s being a bit picky, and maybe we shouldn’t compare, but we cannot sit here and say we loved or enjoyed the feel of the triggers at any point.
Gimmicks and Customisation
Aside from that, if you’ve used a GameSir product over recent years, then you’ll know what else to expect. There’s no Xbox branding on this one, so a GS home button is delicately lit depending on how you set up your X5 Lite (for the record, we’ve found it perfect straight from the box), whilst Menu and View buttons are also in place. If you need some fancy gimmicks to complement your gaming, then the M button is on call, with it helping power the likes of a Turbo function, the swapping of face buttons and more. On-device volume control is a nice touch too – just hold the GameSir button and hit that D-Pad to suit. We’ve found ourselves using that volume control much more often than we would ever have imagined.
With the well contoured grips, the GameSir X5 Lite Type C is a neat little device to use, but it’s also a device that is capable of handling many a phone. Not only does that spring-loaded clasp ensure you can go big if need be, the inclusion of removable silicone pads means any phone will be gripped tight. And with some various sizes included in the X5 Lite box, it’s easy to get the device set up to your own liking. For instance, we had to remove the standard pads for some slightly thinner ones for our Pixel 9 Pro XL to connect to the USB-C port correctly, even with a case on. With three sizes of pads available, we’re pretty sure GameSir have covered all reasonable use case scenarios. Moreso when you include the GameSir App.
And of course, there’s USB-C passthrough here as well, so cabling up to any old USB-C cable and/or power bank will mean you can pretty much game forevermore, all on your phone.
A Portable Powerhouse with Minor Compromises
To conclude, the GameSir X5 Lite Type C Controller is a super lightweight, easy-to-use mobile controller that will allow you the chance to game on the go, easier than ever before. With USB-C passthrough handling your power, and a stable physical connection ensuring there is no lag to worry about, there’s no reason to not consider this one as a device to keep you gaming as you travel. But it’s not as accomplished as other GameSir controllers, and the triggers are far from ideal.
For us, we’d probably go with the bigger, better, more expensive G8 Galileo instead.
Huge thanks go out to GameSir for providing the X5 Lite Type C Controller for review. You can find one for yourself via GameSir direct, and should expect to pay around £34.99. You’ll find it on Amazon too.
