Overview
A wired mobile controller in which the phone is mounted between the grips and connects directly via a Type-C port, with no Bluetooth and no internal battery, resulting in very low latency. It features Hall Effect joysticks and triggers, two programmable back buttons, a headphone jack, and pass-through charging. This guide explains phone installation, connection, mode switching, programming, calibration, and troubleshooting common issues.
Features
- Direct wired connection to the phone: A movable Type-C port that plugs directly into the phone's port, without Bluetooth and without an internal battery.
- Hall Effect joysticks: Joysticks that use non-contact magnetic sensors to prevent stick drift.
- Hall Effect analog triggers: Analog triggers with a quick-trigger mode that can be activated from the controller.
- Two programmable back buttons: The R4 and L4 buttons allow for mapping any supported button function to them.
- Three input modes: White mode for Apple devices, green mode for Android devices, and blue mode for direct touch feature.
- Headphone jack and pass-through charging port: 3.5mm audio jack and Type-C charging port to charge the phone while playing.
- Swappable covers and joysticks: Magnetic detachable front covers, including three different joystick tops.
- Volume control: Adjust volume up and down directly from the controller.
Device Layout and Button Names
| Position | Elements |
|---|---|
| Front Face | View button, Menu button, A B X Y buttons, mode indicator, and M button |
| Top Edge | LB and RB buttons, LT and RT triggers |
| Bottom Edge | Type-C charging port, Type-C port, and 3.5mm audio jack |
| Back Face | L4 and R4 back buttons |
Specifications
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Supported Platforms | Android 8.0 or later, iPhone 15 series according to the official usage page |
| Connection Method | Wired via built-in Type-C port on the controller |
| Phone Size | Length 110 to 185 mm, thickness not exceeding 13 mm, and camera protrusion not exceeding 5 mm |
| Pass-through Charging | Max input 9V 3A; requires phone and charger to support Power Delivery 2.0 or later |
| Companion Software | GameSir app on Android devices |
Box Contents
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Controller | 1 piece |
| Short joystick top | 1 piece |
| Tall joystick top | 1 piece |
| Round joystick top | 1 piece |
| User Manual | 1 copy |
| Thank you and after-sales card | 1 card |
| GameSir sticker | 1 sticker |
| Compliance certificate | 1 copy |
Requirements: Android 8.0 or later device with a Type-C port.
Connection and Play
Phone Installation and Connection on Android Devices
- Align the Type-C port on the phone with the movable Type-C port on the controller.
- Pull the left side of the controller outward and fit the phone into place.
- Installation is complete when the controller grips fit snugly on both sides of the phone.
- A solid white connection status indicator means the connection was successful.
- Some Android devices require enabling the "Direct Connection" (or OTG) feature in phone settings for the controller to work.
- A suitable phone has a length between 110 and 185 mm, thickness not exceeding 13 mm, and camera protrusion not exceeding 5 mm according to the official usage page.
Connecting to iPhones
If the controller fails to connect to an iPhone, press the View button and Menu button for two seconds until the indicator turns white.
Standby and Wake-up
- The controller enters standby mode automatically after ten minutes of inactivity while powered on.
- While the controller is on, press and hold the Logo button for five seconds to manually enter standby mode.
- To wake it from standby, press one of the buttons: A, B, X, Y, or the Logo button.
Switching Input Mode
Press and hold the View button and Menu button for two seconds to cycle between the three modes; the mode indicator's color indicates the current mode.
| Mode | Indicator Color |
|---|---|
| PlayStation device mode | White |
| Android device mode | Green |
| Direct touch mode | Blue |
Indicator States
| State | Indication |
|---|---|
| Connection status indicator solid white | Connection successful |
| Mode indicator and connection status indicator flashing white slowly | Back button programming mode |
| Connection status indicator and mode indicator flashing rapidly | Entering calibration mode |
| Mode indicator glows red when trigger is pressed | Quick trigger mode activated |
| Red flashing indicator with repeated button presses | Turbo feature activated |
| Slowly flashing indicator and controller not connecting to Android phone | Connection issue, check FAQ |
The mode indicator colors corresponding to the input mode are mentioned in the Input Mode Switching table.
Button Combinations
| Function | Combination |
|---|---|
| Activate or deactivate quick trigger mode | M button with LT or RT trigger for two seconds; once activated, mode indicator glows red when trigger is pressed, settings persist after reboot |
| Swap A/B and X/Y button values | M button with A button for three seconds, settings persist after reboot |
| Increase or decrease volume | Logo button with D-pad Up or Down |
| Cycle between three input modes | View button with Menu button for two seconds |
| Enter or exit back button programming | M button with L4 or R4 button |
| Activate Turbo for a specific button | M button with the desired button to activate Turbo |
| Cancel Turbo from one button | M button with the button that has Turbo activated |
| Cancel Turbo from all buttons at once | Double press the M button |
| Enter calibration mode | View, Menu, and Logo buttons for five seconds |
| Wake up from standby | A, B, X, Y, or Logo button |
| Enter standby manually | Press and hold Logo button for five seconds |
Back Button Programming
Buttons that can be mapped to L4 and R4 are: A, B, X, Y, LB, RB, LT, RT, Left Stick Click, Right Stick Click, View, Menu, Screenshot button, and D-pad. The M button is the key to entering programming mode.
- To program: Press and hold the M button with the L4 or R4 button until the mode indicator and connection status indicator flash white slowly.
- Press the button you want to map to the back button; when the indicators return to their original state, programming is finished.
- To cancel: Press and hold the M button with L4 or R4 until the indicators flash slowly, then press the same L4 or R4 button; return to the original indicator state confirms cancellation.
- If ten seconds pass without any input during setup, it will automatically exit setup mode and the previous programming will remain unchanged.
Turbo
- Press and hold the M button, then press the button you want to activate Turbo for; configurable buttons are A, B, X, Y, LB, RB, LT, and RT.
- To cancel Turbo from one button: Press and hold the M button, then press the button that has Turbo activated.
- To cancel Turbo from all buttons at once: Double press the M button.
Calibration
- Connect the phone to the controller, then press and hold the View, Menu, and Logo buttons for five seconds until the connection status indicator and mode indicator flash rapidly, indicating entry into calibration mode.
- Ensure the triggers and sticks are in their neutral position without any touch, then press the A button.
- Rotate both sticks at maximum angle three times and let them return to their neutral position naturally.
- Press both triggers to their maximum travel three times and let them return to their neutral position naturally.
- Press the A button to finish calibration and exit the mode.
- Move sticks/triggers during calibration at a constant speed and gently to avoid errors in recorded data. Do not perform calibration if the sticks and triggers are working normally.
Companion Software and Firmware Update
- Visit the official GameSir website from the phone or scan the QR code printed in the manual to download the GameSir app; the app exclusively supports Android devices.
- Use the app to update firmware, test buttons, and adjust stick and trigger dead zones.
- The official usage page notes that firmware version V130 has issues and recommends reverting to V129 by following the same update steps.
Charging and Battery
The controller has no internal battery; it operates via direct wired connection. Its charging port is for passing current to the phone.
Pass-through Charging While Playing
- Connect the charger to the Type-C charging port on the bottom edge to deliver current to the phone via the controller.
- Enable the "Direct Connection" (or OTG) feature in phone settings, common on Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, Realme, and iQOO devices.
- If charging does not work, change the order of connecting the charging cable to the controller.
- Use a charger that supports the fast charging standard with a maximum of 9V and 3A, or replace the cable. Both the phone and the charger must support version 2.0 or later of this standard.
The 3.5mm audio jack is next to the charging port on the bottom edge.
Swapping Covers and Joystick Tops
The front covers of the controller are magnetic, detachable, and swappable. Joystick tops can be swapped as per your preference; the controller comes with three tops: short, tall, and round.
FAQ
iPhone is not connecting to the controller
Press and hold the View button with the Menu button for two seconds until the indicator turns white.
Controller is not connecting to Android phone and the indicator flashes slowly
First, ensure the port is securely inserted into the phone and remove the phone case. Then, ensure the "Direct Connection" (or OTG) feature is enabled in phone settings, common on Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, Realme, and iQOO devices. Also, ensure USB debugging is enabled on the phone.
Buttons press more than once and the red indicator flashes
The Turbo feature is activated. Double press the M button to stop it.
Stick drifts or trigger not working correctly
Perform stick and trigger calibration as explained in the calibration section.
Pass-through charging is not working with my phone
Enable "Direct Connection" in phone settings, change the order of connecting the charging cable, use a charger supporting fast charging up to 9V/3A, or replace the cable. Both phone and charger must support version 2.0 or later of this standard.
What phone size fits in the controller?
The official usage page mentions iPhone 15 series and Android devices with a length of 110 to 185 mm, thickness no more than 13 mm, and camera protrusion no more than 5 mm.
Does the controller need a battery?
No, it operates via direct wired connection without an internal battery. The charging port is for passing current to the phone.
What games and services does it work with?
The official usage page mentions over five hundred controller-supported games on Apple and Android devices; it also works with Xbox Game Pass, Steam Link, and Moonlight.
Documentation Notes
- The official manual does not include a specifications table, nor does it list the weight or latency in numbers; therefore, neither is included here.
- Phone size and Apple device support are stated on the official usage page, not the printed manual.
- One of the official usage page's questions regarding this model incorrectly writes the model name as G8 Plus; this is reproduced here as it appears on that model's page.
- The features section in the source states that white mode is for Apple devices, while the input mode table in the same source calls the white mode "PlayStation device mode".