We’ve covered several of GameSir’s controllers here at AndroidGuys over the years and we’ve become a big fan of the brand during that time. With the recently released G8 Galileo Type-C Mobile Gaming Controller, GameSir has created its best mobile controller yet.
Key features:
- Hall effect joysticks and triggers
- Pivoting USB Type-C connector
- Pass-through charging
- 3.5mm audio jack
- Two programmable back buttons
- Magnetic detachable faceplates with three interchangeable thumbsticks
- Support for the iPhone 15 and Android smartphones
- Compatible with Amazon Luna, Nvidia GeForce Now, Steam Link, PS Remote Play, Xbox Game Pass, and more
Design
The GameSir G8 Galileo controller utilizes one of my favorite mobile controller designs because it converts your smartphone into a Switch-like gaming console. GameSir even uses a pivoting Type-C connector, making it easy to insert or remove your phone. It may seem like a trivial feature, but trust me, you’ll miss it when you use controllers without it.
Overall, the G8 Galileo uses a bulky yet sturdy design, and I love how large the grips are now. It makes the G8 Galileo more comfortable to hold and even closer to how a console controller feels. The spring-loaded back moves smoothly and it can easily hold phones up to 6.7-inches or larger. I had no issues with a phone of that size while testing it, and I was pleased that it worked without removing the slim case on the device as well.
The textured grips on the back of the G8 Galileo make it comfortable to hold, and the two additional programmable buttons add the ability to keep your thumbs on the joysticks while attacking, jumping, or looting during games.
Finally, one of the most important aspects of the G8 Galileo are the Hall effect sensors used for the joysticks. Hall effect sensors are magnetic and don’t allow for any wear and tear as you use the joysticks, which means, no worries of stick drift developing over time. If you’ve ever encountered stick drift on one of your controllers, like I have, then you know how incredibly frustrating it is. This is why I always ensure the controllers I buy use Hall effect sensors now.
Software and user experience
I highly suggest installing the GameSir app on your phone. The G8 Galileo will work without the app, but there have been some important firmware updates since its release. For example, one that increases the pass-through charging speed up to 27W. Additionally, the app allows you to calibrate the controller, map on-screen buttons to work with games without native gamepad support, and browse for or launch compatible games.
Mapping on-screen buttons with GameSir’s app works, in theory, but I found gameplay to be less than ideal when using this mode. Button presses aren’t the issue, that’s where the mapping works perfectly. Where things get a little murky, is with movement using the joysticks. This is because sensitivity and accuracy can be wildly off and movements can be unpredictable. Keep that in mind if you’re buying the G8 Galileo purely for the on-screen mapping feature.
The joysticks on the G8 Galileo have a nice smooth feel to them and GameSir provides three additional sticks in the box to customize your playing experience. It would have been nice if the sticks came in matching sets, but I was perfectly happy playing with the matching default sticks. The face buttons have a nice travel and feel responsive, while the D-pad and shoulder buttons offer a short press and satisfying click. Lastly, the trigger buttons have a lot of travel when pressed but that can be changed to hair trigger mode for more competitive players.
The GameSir button is also quite handy because it will bring up the Xbox Game Pass menu or main menu on the PlayStation when using the PS Remote Play app.
One final trick the G8 Galileo has up its sleeves is support for PS Remote Play. I’ve tried this in the past with GameSir controllers using on-screen mapping with mixed results, but the G8 Galileo supports it natively. The only caveat is that you’ll need to switch the controller into PS mode by long-pressing the View and Menu buttons for two seconds. This will activate the PS mode and turn the LED lights to white. Now, you can play games with the PS Remote Play app without the on-screen buttons all over the display.
This same shortcut can be used to swap back to G-touch or Android modes as well. It’s easy to tell which mode you’re in by the color of the LED lights, blue is for G-touch and green is for Android.
Final thoughts
GameSir has created its finest mobile controller yet with the G8 Galileo. It has everything you could want in a mobile controller, including compatibility for iPhone 15 and Android smartphones, support for all major cloud gaming services and PS Remote Play, interchangeable thumbsticks, Hall effect sensors, large comfortable grips, customizable back buttons, pass-through charging, a 3.5mm audio jack, on-screen button mapping, and more.
The G8 Galileo checks nearly every box for the perfect mobile controller. My only criticisms would be that I wish it came with a hardshell case and that the GameSir app had a dark mode. And really, those are just a couple of minor nitpicks because the G8 Galileo is a phenomenal mobile controller.
The GameSir G8 Galileo Type-C Mobile Gaming Controller can be purchased for $79.99 or less from GameSir’s website or Amazon.
