Giving Console Gaming a Run for Its Money

If you’re all about gaming on the go and have a smartphone ready to support several cloud services, then with the GameSir G8 Galileo, you’re one step closer to leaving the console world behind. Responsive controls and a sizable design make it difficult not to want to fully immerse yourself in cloud-based libraries like Xbox Cloud Gaming or mobile versions of top-tier games like Apple’s release of “Resident Evil 4.”

GameSir G8 Galileo Mobile Gaming Controller

$66.99 $79.99 Save $13

The GameSir G8 Galileo is a convenient and fun alternative to sitting in front of the TV and getting sucked into digital worlds. Mobile gaming gets a leg up with a device made to elevate cloud and streaming services like Xbox Cloud, PS Remote Play, and GeForce NOW.

Brand

GameSir

Platform

Android/iPhone 15

Battery

Pass-through charging

Connectivity

USB-C

Headset Support

3.5mm port

Programmable

Button mapping

Extra Buttons

L4/R4 rear buttons

Pros

• Large, comfortable size
• Programmable buttons to customize playstyle
• Passthrough charging via USB-C
• Responsive, latency-free inputs

Cons

• Relies on apps with their own flaws and costs
• Some connectivity issues

Comfort and Size: Did the Duke Have It Right?

I know the original Xbox’s Duke controller hasn’t been the best example of a shining achievement in gaming, but after some time with the G8 Galileo, I’m wondering if maybe we’ve been overcompensating with small, scrunched controller designs and not even knowing it. I use a DualShock 4 and an official Xbox wireless controller several times a week, and for so long they both felt like the ideal size. Now, with the G8 in recent memory, I pine for something a little more substantial.

GameSir’s G8 Galileo mobile controller, compatible with most Android devices, features all the expected buttons, from d-pads to thumbsticks and triggers, but moving between them feels more natural and unexpectedly more comfortable for my fingers. I had to make sure I wasn’t going crazy, so I tested it on a game that, on a normal controller, was murder on my stiff, old, arthritic hands—”Doom Eternal.”

I recall during my original playthrough, my hands cramped up trying to keep up with the chaotic flow of action. With how close the buttons on the Xbox controller were, I was always tripping over my fingers and failing to pull off anything cool. While I was still rubbish, having to stretch my fingers just that much more on the G8 was a lot more comfortable and allowed me to at least more easily utilize all of Doom Slayer’s nifty features.

I know. That sounds more like a skill issue, so I tinkered with less involved games like “Minecraft Dungeons” and “Gears Tactics” on both my Google Pixel 8 and Series S. In both cases, the G8 was still more comfortable to play on, if not for the vastly smaller screen size.

Due to its versatility, it also is the most customizable way to play, at least when compared to the console’s shrinking to a handheld, convenient size.

Button Mapping and Customization Enhance the Experience

As with GameSir’s X2 Pro controller, a big part of the experience with the G8 is customizing it to your liking. In fact, it’s bigger. With this model, customization goes a step further than previous, with options for button mapping accompanied by a set of different textured thumbsticks and the ability to swap between PlayStation, G-Touch, and Android modes on the fly.

Swapping modes really only came into play when moving from mobile games to Xbox Cloud to PlayStation Remote Play. Otherwise, the G8 aims to really let you play the way that’s most comfortable for you, and the quick-attach faceplate makes it easy to change to a stick that’s going to keep your thumb from slipping.

While you can map the rear L4 and R4 buttons and activate hair triggers by pressing the right combination of buttons on the controller, everything is much easier in the GameSir app (available on iPhone and Android). There are designated sections that allow you to alter whether you’re using the Xbox or Switch face button layout, assign virtually any button to the rear buttons, calibrate and change the sensitivity of the sticks, or toggle the hair trigger on either trigger button.

The app isn’t essential, but it condenses your entire mobile gaming experience into one location. From the home screen, I could quickly access Xbox Game Pass, PS Remote Play, and Steam Link, along with any other games or apps I added manually. If the point of a mobile cloud controller is convenience, GameSir hit a home run.

Of course, even the best stumble, and a few things are holding the G8 back from near perfection. Unfortunately, much of it, GameSir has no control of.

Some Frequent Hiccups

Before I get to the biggest issue with a device like GameSir’s G8, let’s cover the small but annoying stuff. On more than a few occasions, and for reasons I could never pinpoint, the controller didn’t always register with my Pixel 8. Regardless of when I plugged them together, both before and after the cloud service loaded, I’d run into occasional dead controls and have to re-establish the connection.

The only real fix I found was the GameSir app but even that wasn’t 100%. If I loaded the cloud service from the dedicated app, I never had an issue. However, even with the phone plugged in before launching the app, sometimes the G8 couldn’t connect without physically unplugging and reconnecting the devices or manually swapping to the G-Touch mode.

It’s not a dealbreaker at all, and there are plenty of benefits that come with the app to warrant using it, but as I watch my phone’s 128GB fill up, I get a little itchy at being forced to use more software. Especially when it just kind of serves as a bridge to a different app, and that’s kind of where my biggest problem lies.

It’s All a Matter of Apps

Without apps like Xbox Cloud, GeForce NOW, Steam Link, or PS Remote Play, the controller is kind of unnecessary. Sure, there are more involved games on mobile that would warrant its use, like “Resident Evil 4” or “Call of Duty Mobile,” but are they worth buying a whole mobile controller for if you can already experience them on a console?

So, we’re left with some flawed apps as the primary driving forces for the controller. It winds up being a matter of if you don’t mind dealing with Xbox’s limited library and potentially long wait times to even play, Steam Link’s stuttering and frequent lag on more taxing games, PS Remote Play’s unintuitive and clunky interface, or GeForce NOW’s limited session length. As it turns out, I wound up not minding.

There is something to be said about taking some of my favorite games and new experiences on the road, and the G8 Galileo does it in a comfortable, user-friendly way that makes it easy to overlook any of its shortcomings.

Should You Buy the GameSir G8 Galileo?

If you want to take your video gaming on the go, then this is a pretty clear answer. A robust design fits well in most hands and keeps you connected to many different ecosystems. It just all depends on what you want to play and if you care to play on the road.

GameSir’s G8 Galileo lets you customize your mobile gaming experience through button mapping, stick adjustments, trigger toggles, and more, ensuring you play the games you want to play the way you want to play them. Barring some connectivity issues that are more a nuisance than a hindrance and the quirks of every cloud gaming or streaming app, with the G8, you’re in for smooth, latency-free entertainment that paints a bright future for the future of mobile gaming.

GameSir G8 Galileo Mobile Gaming Controller

$66.99 $79.99 Save $13

GameSir’s G8 Galileo takes the best parts of console gaming and condenses it into mobile form with a comfortable controller build that works with virtually all type USB-C smartphones and game cloud and streaming apps.