Hori Mario Kart Racing Wheel Pro Deluxe: One-minute review
The best thing I can say about the Hori Mario Kart Racing Wheel Pro Deluxe is that it’ll make a good gift for younger gamers, especially if they’re into racing games on the Nintendo Switch. As a budget-friendly wheel, it performs admirably, even if it does lack features compared to many of the best racing wheels out there. Still, as a kid-friendly racing wheel, it more than gets the job done.
But is it worth considering for those looking for a new racing wheel in general? Well, its relatively low price tag makes it a decent option for first-time buyers. And with it being compatible with PC as well as Nintendo Switch, you certainly won’t be lacking in options for games.
If you’re okay with the bold Mario aesthetic (which I actually think is quite nice), you will have to contend with a relative lack of features. Build quality really takes a hit here for both the wheelbase and pedals - both certainly lacking compared to pricier wheels. There’s no force feedback to speak of, either, which may disappoint those looking for a more immersive racing experience. It does perform decently with the best racing games, but a limited 270-degree turning angle makes it somewhat ill-suited for serious racing sims.
To top it all off, even younger players may get frustrated with the Hori Mario Kart Racing Wheel Pro Deluxe, as it’s simply unsuitable for play with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. The wheel just doesn’t offer the pin-sharp responsiveness needed for such a fast-paced kart racer, and I found myself pining for one of the best Nintendo Switch controllers in its place.
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Hori Mario Kart Racing Wheel Pro Deluxe: Price and availability
$109.99 / £89.99
Definitely one of the more affordable racing wheel options on the market
A budget-friendly rate comparable to the Hori Apex racing wheel
The Hori Mario Kart Racing Wheel Pro Deluxe’s $109.99 / £89.99 retail price is actually pretty fair for what you’re getting. It’s comparable to Hori’s own Apex wheel ($119.99 / £99.99). But as Nintendo Switch-compatible wheels go, you’re unlikely to find one as cheap as this without seriously losing worthwhile features.
Compared to pricier options like the Logitech G923 and Thrustmaster T300RS GT Edition, you are going to be getting a stripped-back experience here. Hori’s Mario Kart wheel is not compatible with PlayStation or Xbox systems, nor does it have desirable features like force feedback or high rotation.
Hori Mario Kart Racing Wheel Pro Deluxe: Specs
Hori Mario Kart Racing Wheel Pro Deluxe: Design and features
Nice Mario-themed look
Overall cheap-feeling build
Optional suction cups aren’t very effective
The Hori Mario Kart Racing Wheel Pro Deluxe’s highlight design aspect is its overall look. Having been officially licensed by Nintendo, it bears the iconic Mario ‘M’ in the center of the wheel. The steering wheel and base both have a really tasteful red-on-black paint job that looks surprisingly smart and professional for a product primarily aimed at younger audiences.
The wheel is quite robust in terms of buttons, too. You’re getting almost a full suite here, with a d-pad, face buttons, ZL and ZR buttons as well as a pair of paddles primarily used for gear shifting.
The center of the wheel also houses the Start, Select, and Home buttons as well as a Capture button for screenshots, which is a very welcome and quite uncommon feature for racing wheels in general. A handy ‘Assign’ button also lets you map custom inputs on the fly.
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It’s a shame that overall build quality is quite lacking, then, but this is to be expected given the relatively low price tag. While the wheel itself is adequate, the wheelbase is quite light and hollow-feeling, which ultimately makes weighing it down on a flat surface oddly difficult.
The included pedals are broadly similar to the ones included with the Hori Apex; they’re very simple and similarly cheap-feeling. If not for the flip-out footrest, the pedal base would be prone to shifting under your weight.
You’ve got two options for clamping the wheel to a flat surface. A more traditional clamp and screw are included, and these work fine if you’re going to make the wheel part of a more long-term setup.
The five included suction cups, on the other hand, simply don’t get the job done. These lock into place via slots at the bottom of the base and a twist of each is meant to secure them on a flat surface without the use of a clamp. However, they were still extremely slippery and offered little purchase for the surfaces I tested on.
You’re better off opting for the clamp option, then, as I found the suction cups to be practically useless and often dislodged themselves from their slots, despite my best efforts to lock them into place.
Hori Mario Kart Racing Wheel Pro Deluxe: Performance
Ironically not well-suited for Mario Kart
Performs adequately on PC via XInput
On-board buttons are perfectly responsive
If you’re just looking for a good, cheap wheel that gets the job done on PC, then the Hori Mario Kart Racing Wheel Pro Deluxe definitely delivers on that front. The racing experience is by no means incredible - with a complete lack of force feedback and a relatively limited 270-degree turning radius - but it’s still perfectly serviceable.
I tested the wheel out on racing games that are lighter on sim elements like Tokyo Xtreme Racer and Forza Horizon 5, and I found it to be a great fit for them. It does start to show its limitations with more simulation-heavy fare like Assetto Corsa EVO, however, where I found I had to play with a variety of assists turned on to aid with the wheels stripped back performance.
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While competent on PC, then, I can’t really say the same for the wheel’s namesake. It’s just not very well suited to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Nintendo Switch. Fortunately, the wheel is compatible with the game out of the box, with no control fiddling necessary. However, the simple act of turning and drifting just didn’t feel right in the fast-paced kart racer. Stacked up against a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, Hori’s wheel just doesn’t have the quick responsiveness necessary to drive well in 150cc mode.
It is compatible with a wide variety of Switch racing games, though. So, if you own titles like Gear Club Unlimited or Grid Autosport, you might get more mileage out of it as a console wheel with these racers instead.
Should I buy the Hori Mario Kart Racing Wheel Pro Deluxe?
(Image credit: Future)
Buy it if...
You want a cheap wheel that performs decently on PC If you simply don’t have the budget for a pricier, more feature-rich wheel, you may still want to consider Hori’s wheel as a cheaper alternative given it’s well-suited to sim-lite or arcade style racers.
You’re buying for a younger player Thanks to the Mario aesthetic and a small feature set that’s easy to get to grips with, this racing wheel is actually a great fit for younger racing game enthusiasts as a first-time purchase.
You’re after a dedicated Switch wheel Hori’s is one of the very few bespoke Nintendo Switch wheels, with the other notable one being a cheaper version from Hori itself. Out of those two, I’d say this is the one to go for if you can afford it.
Don't buy it if...
You were hoping for a better experience with Mario Kart Unfortunately, playing Mario Kart 8 Deluxe with Hori’s racing wheel just isn’t very fun, and I found myself swapping back to a more traditional Switch controller after just a handful of cups completed.
Also consider...
If the Hori Mario Kart Racing Wheel Pro Deluxe isn’t quite meeting your expectations or preferences, you may want to consider these alternatives instead.
Thrustmaster T248 An oldie, but a goodie. The T248 is an impressive budget model with solid build quality, good force feedback, a handy on-wheel display, and 900 degrees of rotation making it well-suited to sim racers.
Logitech G920 The best Xbox racing wheel for most people (consider the identical Logitech G923 if you’re on PlayStation), boasts superb build quality, great force feedback, and a range of handy sim features. The pedals can be a little stiff, but it’s nonetheless a great mid-range option for consoles and PC.
How I tested the Hori Mario Kart Racing Wheel Pro Deluxe
Tested for one week
Tested across Nintendo Switch and PC
Played a variety of racing games
I tested the Hori Mario Kart Racing Wheel Pro Deluxe over the course of about a week, getting to grips with the wheel and its included pedals across a wide variety of racing games. I covered racers of all kinds, from arcade-like titles including Tokyo Xtreme Racer and Forza Horizon 5 to more simulation-heavy games like Assetto Corsa EVO and Forza Motorsport. I found it to be a better fit for less realistic racers overall.
I can’t say the same, specifically, for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and it’s a shame the wheel wasn’t a good fit for its targeted game. It’s no fault of the wheel, really, as the popular kart racer is just not designed with racing wheels in mind. But it’s definitely something to keep in mind if you’re buying for a younger gamer.
In our 2023 review of the Lenovo Legion Go, we described it as a "PC handheld built for PC gamers." Its stunning 8.8-inch QHD+ display with a 144Hz refresh rate, combined with AMD’s Ryzen Z1 Extreme CPU and RDNA 3 graphics, delivered exceptional gaming performance. At CES 2025, Lenovo introduced the smaller-profile Lenovo Legion Go S, shaking up the design of its original Legion Go handheld while introducing the one feature that so many PC gaming handheld fans have been clamoring for: SteamOS.
The new Legion Go S begins with the stunning 8-inch WQXGA LCD display, boasting a 1920 x 1200p resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and VVR support. While the controller layout remains mostly unchanged, this version opts for a non-detachable design, a few missing buttons under the left D-pad, and features a smaller touchpad.
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Additional highlights include two USB4 ports, a headphone jack, and a microSD slot. The Legion Go S is also available in two color options, which vary based on the operating system buyers select. Both come packed with either AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme or Ryzen Z2 Go, which was co-developed alongside Lenovo as a Legion Go S-exclusive.
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The Nebula Violet version comes packed in with SteamOS, making the Legion Go S the world’s first officially licensed PC gaming handheld powered by Valve’s popular operating system, first featured on the Steam Deck.
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During my time with the handheld at CES, I tried a few games on it, including Portal 2 and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate. Outside of having some pretty fantastic performance for less graphically intensive games, SteamOS worked incredibly well during my time with it.
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Playing around with the menu and selecting games felt as snappy as the Steam Deck, if not better, considering the newer hardware inside. Pushing various buttons and triggers felt as good as the bigger Lenovo Legion Go as well.
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Many have complained about Microsoft’s lack of care for the rising handheld gaming PC market. Though the SteamOS version felt like an evolved Steam Deck, the Windows 11 version didn’t provide that same feeling on the Glacier White version of the Legion Go S.
The first game I tried on that model was Forza Horizon 5, one of the best open-world racing games available despite being a nearly five-year-old game. It ran quite well at mid-to-high settings.
There were additional games available on the handheld I tried, including Spyro Reignited Trilogy and Indiana Jones and The Great Circle, though the latter wouldn’t run during our hands-on with it.
Though Windows 11 does open up the opportunity to easily use Xbox Gamepass or other store launchers like Steam, Epic Store, and GOG, Microsoft’s OS continues to hold this configuration back like it does with other handhelds.
Lenovo Legion Go S: Price & availability
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There will be multiple price points for the Lenovo Legion Go S, based around spec configurations and the OS you choose.
The base SteamOS model will launch in May, priced at $499, and featuring the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip, 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD. For $100 more, users can get one with an AMD Ryzen Z2 Go processor alongside 1TB SSD.
The Windows 11 version featuring the Ryzen Z2 Go chip, 32GB RAM, and 1TB SSD drops this month for $729, with a cheaper $599 configuration with the Z2 Go, 16GB RAM, and 1TB of storage, expected to launch in May.
Lenovo Legion Go S: Specs
Lenovo Legion Go S: Final thoughts
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The Lenovo Legion Go S makes some clever strides by offering two distinct versions that cater to different gaming preferences.
So far, the SteamOS version stands out as a seamless and polished handheld experience, integrating with Valve’s Steam platform to deliver smooth performance, responsive controls, and an intuitive interface. The Legion Go S truly feels like a refined evolution of the aging Steam Deck.
Meanwhile, the Windows 11 model provides flexibility for broader gaming options, but struggles with the same software limitations seen in other Windows-based handhelds, like difficult menu navigation, inconsistent touchscreen responses, and more.
Considering the Windows 11 version is coming out the gate first, it’ll be interesting to see how far it can be pushed with some of the more graphically demanding games currently on the market once we get it in hand for a proper review, but no matter which system you go with, the Lenovo Legion Go S could very well be the PC gaming handheld to beat in 2025.
The Xbox Series X Digital Edition is one of the new additions to Microsoft’s current-gen console family, ditching the disc drive entirely in order to offer the gaming console at a lower, potentially more compelling price point.
There’s certainly strong appeal to this; for folks who want Microsoft’s most powerful current-generation console without needing to pay the biggest bucks, the Xbox Series X Digital Edition is a compelling option as it comes in $50 / £50 cheaper than the flagship Xbox Series X. And if you’re not at all fussed about owning physical copies of the best Xbox Series X games, then this all-digital console will be the one to go for.
It’s also an excellent choice if you like the appeal of Xbox Game Pass, Microsoft’s digital games-on-demand subscription service that lets you download hundreds of games at a monthly (or annual) fee. The less-powerful Xbox Series S console is great for Game Pass, too, but with this Series X model, you’ll be getting full-fledged current-gen gaming experiences with no graphical compromises.
Moreover, it’s a slick bit of kit from an aesthetic standpoint. I actually prefer the Robot White color scheme of the Digital Edition over the Carbon Black of the disc-drive console (not to mention the rather gaudy Galaxy Black of the new 2TB model). Of course, the aesthetic difference has no bearing on overall performance. And on that note, you’re getting an identical experience compared to the disc-drive model - and just like it and the Xbox Series S, this new all-digital console is impressively quiet during play.
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That being said, I think the Xbox Series X Digital Edition’s price tag still errs on the higher side, coming in at $449.99 / £429.99. While that does match the price of the PS5 Slim Digital Edition in the US, it’s £40 more expensive than Sony’s all-digital machine in the UK. On top of that, the Xbox Series X Digital Edition only comes with around 800GB of usable storage (roughly 200GB is claimed by the operating system) compared to the PS5 Slim’s approximate 850GB. That’s also more or less the same as what is usable in the Xbox Series X disc-drive console.
That isn’t anything new for this console generation’s 1TB machines; all of them have had to reserve space for the essential software needed for them to function. Without some extra storage capacity, however, the value proposition of the Xbox Series X Digital Edition isn’t massively fantastic when compared to the disc-drive model or even the 1TB Xbox Series S. Granted, the latter is a less powerful system, but it is a much cheaper digital option ($349.99 / £299.99) with the same amount of storage.
You will also likely want to avoid the Digital Edition if you don’t have particularly good download speeds via your internet service provider. The lack of a disc drive here means you aren’t able to rely on physical media, and thus won’t be able to install games offline so are fully dependent on a strong internet connection.
In summary, then, the Xbox Series X Digital Edition is great for folks after optimal graphical capabilities from the current crop of Xbox consoles at a reduced price - especially if you don’t mind the absence of a disc drive or want to fully embrace Xbox Game Pass. But if you feel you’d miss the option for physical games, it’s worth stumping up that extra $50 / £50 for the base console instead.
Xbox Series X Digital Edition: Price and availability
$449.99 / £429.99 / AU$699
That’s $50 / £50 cheaper than the disc-drive Xbox Series X
Meanwhile, the 1TB Xbox Series S costs $349.99 / £299.99
The Xbox Series X Digital Edition retails at $449.99 / £429.99. It’s available to buy from the official Xbox online store, as well as plenty of big box retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, Argos, and Currys.
Despite the lack of a disc drive, the Xbox Series X Digital Edition still finds itself towards the higher end of the Series X|S price spectrum. As mentioned above, the standard Xbox Series X costs $499.99 / £479.99 after a price hike in 2023. For further comparison, the 1TB version of the Xbox Series S comes in at $349.99 / £299.99, making the Xbox Series X Digital Edition the priciest discless option within the Series X|S ecosystem.
You are at the very least getting the full brunt of the Series X’s graphical chops here, so those wanting a cheaper option for that will find value here. But, if your main drive for owning a current-generation Xbox is to play a lot of games at a significantly lower price point, then that 1TB Xbox Series S model may be the one to go for here.
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Xbox Series X Digital Edition: Specs
Xbox Series X Digital Edition: Design and features
Robot White color scheme fits the Series X like a glove
No disc drive, but otherwise identical in terms of appearance and features
3 USB-A ports as well as HDMI, power, ethernet, and another for storage expansion
The Xbox Series X Digital Edition maintains the striking cuboid design of the original model. In fact, if you’ve ever laid eyes on an original Xbox Series X, this new one is essentially that without the disc drive and in a slick Robot White color scheme. I’m quite a fan of this aesthetic change; not only does it distinguish the model from its Carbon Black counterpart, it’s also more in line with other all-digital models like the Xbox Series S (especially with the Carbon Black Xbox Series S being phased out and not available for purchase in Australia). I think it also looks quite nice contrasting against my black TV stand.
Everything else about the console is identical to the 2020 model. The lack of a disc drive means the front of the unit is without any indentations, save for the Xbox logo power button and a solitary USB port which are both in the same place. It's also worth noting that Microsoft hasn't opted to add any USB-C ports here like Sony has with the PS5 Slim Digital Edition. That certainly would've made connecting certain third-party controllers or headsets via wireless dongle much easier. Otherwise, the built-in vertical stand is also present, resting at the bottom of the console, with ventilation here as well as at the top of the unit.
The back side of the console is also the same as its disc-drive brethren. Ports for power, HDMI, ethernet cable, and a slot for storage expansion like the Seagate Xbox Storage Expansion Card or the WD Black C50 are here, as well as two more USB ports. There are also more ventilation holes back here, ensuring that the console runs cool and quiet throughout your play sessions.
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The Xbox Series X Digital Edition is also the same in terms of dimensions and, according to the official Xbox website, weighs the same 9.8lbs (around 4.5kg) as the disc-drive model. However, this digital console should be ever so slightly lighter than that due to the absence of the disc drive. In the grand scheme of things, this doesn’t have any bearing on the overall bulkiness or form factor of the console; while certainly smarter and more compact than the unwieldy PS5 silhouette, you still won’t want to move your Xbox around too much given its size and weight.
Boxed contents for the console are very straightforward. As well as the console, you get a Robot White Xbox Wireless Controller - which I feel looks much nicer than the fairly bog-standard Carbon Black. The contrast of the black thumbsticks, d-pad, and face buttons pops out really nicely here on the Robot White controller. Otherwise, you’ve got a power lead and HDMI cable for hooking the console up to your TV.
Unfortunately, there’s no inclusion of an Xbox Game Pass subscription, which I think would’ve been a welcome addition given the console’s all-digital nature, and with it largely being aimed at folks who’re looking to buy into the current Xbox generation at a lower price point.
Once you boot up the console and have it all set up, you’ll be greeted with the usual Windows 11-based Xbox dashboard. There are no changes here from other current-generation Xbox units which is to be expected.
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Xbox Series X Digital Edition: Performance
Full fat Series X experience, including support for 4K and framerates up to 120fps on supported TVs
Impressively quiet performance while gaming
800GB of usable storage space doesn’t go very far
Thanks to teardown videos, we know that the Xbox Series X Digital Edition has slightly revised internal components, opting for a smaller motherboard, a different cooling system, and overall slightly lower wattage than the launch Series X. However, there are no notable shifts in performance here. The Digital Edition is not a PS5 Pro-style upgrade; you’re getting Xbox Series X performance albeit in all-digital form.
The Xbox Series X Digital Edition supports resolution up to 4K, though you will find that most games compromise on framerate in order to achieve this target. As a result, many of the best Xbox Series X games offer performance mode options, allowing you to opt for higher framerates at the cost of image quality. On that front, the Xbox Series X Digital Edition can target framerates of up to 120fps.
There are even some games that offer performance modes targeting this. But do keep in mind that you’ll need a compatible gaming TV in order to make use of this. Just like the launch model, the Digital Edition also boosts performance for the best Xbox One games by default, so you’ll be getting the very best out of those older games too.
The Xbox Series X Digital Edition also has support for high dynamic range (HDR) and variable refresh rate (VRR). The former leverages the tech of compatible TVs (typically OLED and QLED models) to provide a much richer and crisper color palette. Meanwhile, VRR is able to smooth over games with rocky performance at 40fps or higher, creating a more stable play experience overall.
As with the base model, the Xbox Series X Digital Edition is phenomenally quiet during gaming. You’ll only ever hear the fans whirring on a fresh boot. I tested everything from lightweight indie games like Hollow Knight and Vampire Survivors all the way up to more demanding AAA releases like Lies of Pand Forza Horizon 4. Unless you’re really listening out for it (even then you’d practically have to press your ear up against the console itself), you won’t hear a peep from your console during gameplay, downloads, or installs.
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The one thing in terms of overall performance that could be a dealbreaker for you is the amount of usable storage space available on the console. As mentioned, you’re getting around 800GB of usable space. It’s absolutely a 1TB SSD in the console, but roughly a fifth of that space has to be taken up by its operating system and essential software.
The reality is that you’re not gaining any more storage space by going all-digital; on versions of the console with a disc drive, physical games still need to be installed in order to be played. And even though it’s a cheaper console relative, that’s not by much. I would of course recommend investing in one of the best Xbox Series X hard drives and SSDs, but the $50 / £50 price drop in comparison to the base Series X console does not offset the high cost of those internal storage cards from Seagate or WD Black.
You can of course opt for a cheaper external storage solution, but it’s worth noting that these will not be able to run Xbox Series X|S games or enhanced titles; you’ll strictly be limited to storing them here until you transfer them to the console’s main SSD.
If the Xbox Series X Digital Edition was slightly cheaper or offered a true 1TB after the essential installs, then I would feel much more comfortable recommending it. In summary, I feel that Microsoft could have done more especially with the console still costing well above $400 / £400.
On a better note, it’s worth noting that console setup is extremely simple and, if you have an existing Microsoft account, you can carry over your entire game library, save files (including cloud saves), subscriptions, and payment details if you’ve owned Xbox consoles prior. You don’t even need to have any previous consoles switched on simultaneously for this, and the whole process can be done via the Xbox app on your iOS or Android phone.
Should I buy the Xbox Series X Digital Edition?
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Buy it if...
You plan on getting Xbox Game Pass to play your games The Xbox Series X Digital Edition is clearly tailor-made for Xbox’s game subscription service. The cheaper price of the console does somewhat offset the cost of your first couple of months with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, making the console a great choice for playing hundreds of games at a relatively lower monthly or annual fee.
You simply want an Xbox Series X for less Not too fussed about the lack of a disc drive? The Xbox Series X Digital Edition, in this case, offers the best value for money by matching the original model on specs at $50 / £50 less.
You want full-fat Xbox Series X performance in digital form This all-digital option does not compromise on graphical capability unlike the Xbox Series S. If you truly have no use for a disc drive then this is the option to go for.
Don't buy it if...
You want the option for physical games Unlike the PS5 Slim Digital Edition, there’s no way to add a disc drive to your Xbox Series X Digital Edition after the fact. If you’d prefer to at least have the option to go physical, stick with the regular model.
You require plenty of storage for a large existing digital gaming library 800GB of usable storage is not a lot and is at odds with the focus on only being able to download games through Xbox Game Pass. You could invest in an internal storage card, but at that point, you’re paying close to the price of the 2TB Galaxy Black Xbox Series X which retails at $599.99 / £549.99. Cheaper USB external SSDs are another option, but these will only be able to store your games - not run them.
Your internet connection isn’t great If you find you have lackluster download speeds, I’d suggest purchasing or sticking with the original Xbox Series X instead, so that you can at least install games via a physical, offline option. With a digital-only console, you’ll need decent speeds in order to download games in a reasonable amount of time, which can be a struggle for those larger 100GB+ titles.
Also consider...
The Xbox Series X Digital Edition isn’t your only option when it comes to current-generation Xbox consoles. You may also want to consider the following options.
Xbox Series X The standard Xbox Series X model comes in a Carbon Black color scheme and matches the Digital Edition on specs. It’s $50 / £50 more expensive, but it does feature a built-in disc drive that would be better suited to players who prefer or rely on physical media.
Xbox Series S (1TB) The 1TB variant of the Xbox Series S is exceptional value for money, coming in at $100 / £130 less than its Xbox Series X digital counterpart. That is largely because it’s the less powerful console, but it does share 120fps support, as well as support for HDR and VRR. It’s also a much smaller and lighter unit which will fit better if your gaming setup doesn’t have much real estate.
For more information, check out our full Xbox Series S review (note that this is for the 512GB original model, but specs and performance are identical otherwise).
How I reviewed the Xbox Series X Digital Edition
I tested the Xbox Series X Digital Edition over a period of a week and a half, pairing it with the included Robot White Xbox Wireless Controller and my LG CX OLED TV, which let me make use of features like 4K/120fps support as well as HDR and variable refresh rate.
I tested a variety of games from my existing Xbox library, including AAA hits like Forza Horizon 4, Sea of Thieves, and Elden Ringalongside indie favorites like Hollow Knight and Vampire Survivors. I also played backwards compatible titles including Ridge Racer 6, Sonic Unleashed, and Crimson Skies.
Overall, I found performance to be in step with the original Xbox Series X when comparing the two models directly, with no noticeable downgrades or improvements. Rest assured that if you’re opting for the Digital Edition, you’ll be getting a true Xbox Series X experience at a lower price point.
The Asus ROG Tessen is an excellent mobile controller that’s well-suited for FPS gaming in spite of some small setbacks. Its overall design is mostly superb, with durable metal rear paddles and a unique folding mechanism that makes it even easier to take on the go. Its tactile face buttons and d-pad are satisfying to use, though the latter is definitely better suited for fast-paced competitive games than any retro titles or traditional platformers, even if it is on par with the feel of some of the best PC controllers.
While not utilizing Hall effect technology, its thumbsticks perform well and the triggers are a highlight - delivering a quick but satisfying motion that makes every match of Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile that much more enjoyable. Throw in some pretty RGB lighting (which is unfortunately controlled by a rather underwhelming app) and compatibility with most mobile phone cases and you have a very strong overall package.
Even so, there are a few areas with room for improvement. The more angular design of its grips won’t be for everyone and I found that they could often be a little uncomfortable during longer sessions, digging into the palms of my hands. It’s by no means the worst, but it is one of the few areas where the comparable Backbone One 2nd Gen takes a clear lead.
There’s also the fact that the Asus ROG Tessen only officially supports Android despite being a wired USB-C controller. I’m sure there’s some nitty gritty technical reason why this is the case, but it’s still disappointing now that iPhone 15 (and soon iPhone 16) series phones use the connector standard. The lack of a 3.5mm audio jack for headphones is also a notable, and mildly annoying, omission. Hopefully, a small hardware revision will be able to remedy these complaints in the future.
Overall, the Asus ROG Tessen is still remarkably close to being a best-in-class mobile controller at its price range. If you’re willing to look past these few minor frustrations, it offers a very capable and enjoyable mobile gaming experience.
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Asus ROG Tessen: Price and availability
$109.99 / £109.99 / AU$179
Available via Asus and Amazon
Slightly more expensive than the Backbone One
The Asus ROG Tessen costs $109.99 / £109.99 / AU$179 and is available directly from Asus or at online retailers such as Amazon. It comes in slightly more expensive than the Backbone One 2nd Gen which costs $99.99 / £99.99 / AU$179.99. This price seems quite fair given the additional features found on the Asus ROG Tessen though, such as the rear paddles and folding mechanism.
That said, this controller does not offer any iOS support, so those who often switch devices would be better off saving the cash and picking up a Backbone One 2nd Gen instead. I would also recommend that those who can stretch for the $149.99 / £149.99 / AU$269.95 Razer Kishi Ultra do so, as that controller is significantly more comfortable, offers iOS support, and features Hall effect components - though loses in terms of portability due to its much larger size.
Asus ROG Tessen: Specs
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Asus ROG Tessen: Design and features
Great overall look and feel
Folding mechanism
Fits most phone cases
Much of the Asus ROG Tessen looks and feels premium. It has a very similar design to most telescopic mobile controllers, though with the addition of two hinges on its extending portion. These allow the controller to be folded cleanly in two for greater portability. As a result, I had no trouble fitting the Asus ROG Tessen in a rucksack and could even cram it into the large pockets of my cargo jeans. Despite its compact form factor, there’s still plenty of space for a full phone case when you’re using the controller which is very convenient.
It is a tad unfortunate that, due to the orientation of the mechanism, the thumbsticks are left sticking out when the controller is folded, making it easy to catch them on your bag if you’re not careful.
The controller has pleasantly springy triggers with a good level of travel and shoulder buttons that are clicky and responsive. Thumbsticks are on the smaller side and have little friction, though I found them to be smooth and perfectly comfortable to use. The face buttons and d-pad are mechanical with a very pronounced tactile click. They’re enjoyable to press and the shallow travel distance of the d-pad is ideal for quickly organizing your gear in a battle royale like Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile.
It’s not perfect in games that require extensive use of the d-pad for movement, though, and I soon found myself missing the softer, more spongy d-pad of the Backbone One 2nd Gen after a few hours of Dead Cells. On the back of the controller, you’ll find two rear paddles, both made of aluminum and sporting a pleasant grippy texture. They’re easy to press and well-positioned and the use of metal gives them a more premium feel.
In addition to the standard home, menu, and start buttons, the Asus ROG Tessen features a dedicated button to open the Armoury Crate software. This is, unfortunately, extremely basic, with an ugly UI and few features beyond button remapping and the ability to configure the bright RGB strips located on the bottom of each grip. These lighting elements, on top of a few subtle printed graphics and plenty of different textures, lend the controller quite a distinctive aesthetic - which is appreciated.
(Image credit: Future)
Asus ROG Tessen: Performance
Best for fast-paced games
Compatible with native titles and cloud gaming
Grips can be uncomfortable
The Asus ROG Tessen is a fantastic fit for fast-paced games, particularly first-person shooter (FPS) titles. I was impressed with its snappy responsiveness in both Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile and Call of Duty Mobile. The use of a wired connection also eliminates any potential latency and facilitates pass-through charging via a USB-C port on the bottom of the right-hand grip.
I was pleasantly surprised by the performance of the thumbsticks, which have more than enough motion for navigating tight corners in Asphalt Legends Unite and power through dungeons in Zenless Zone Zero.
As previously mentioned, the d-pad is very shallow so can be quite harsh on your fingers if you’re playing very d-pad-centric titles. In addition to native games, the Asus ROG Tessen performed well when it came to cloud gaming, with full compatibility with Amazon Luna and Xbox Cloud Gaming.
The rear paddles are easy to reach and can be fully customized through a range of possible inputs. My only real complaint with the Asus ROG Tessen is that the very angular shape of its grips can be uncomfortable over extended playing sessions. Spending a few long train journeys with the controller, I found that they uncomfortably dug into the palms of my hands after just a few hours which wasn’t ideal.
This won’t be a problem if you intend to play in shorter bursts, but could be a very compelling reason to choose another product if you love to pour hours into mobile games at a time.
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the Asus ROG Tessen?
Buy it if...
You value FPS performance With its lovely tactile buttons and handy remappable rear paddles, the ASUS Rog Tessen is a great fit for playing fast-paced FPS games on your phone.
You want some premium features Although similarly priced to the Backbone One 2nd Gen, the Asus ROG Tessen sports some premium features like RGB lighting and its remappable rear inputs.
Don't buy it if...
You play for very long periods The biggest issue with the Asus ROG Tessen is its quite angular grips, which can be uncomfortable over long play sessions. Consider an alternative like the Razer Kishi Ultra if you want to game for hours with ease.
Also consider
Not fully sold on the Asus ROG Tessen? Here are two very strong alternatives to consider.
Backbone One 2nd Gen The Backbone One 2nd Gen is a small revision of the original Backbone One design. Like the Asus Rog Tessen, it’s compatible with most phone cases but has more comfortable grips and offers iOS support.
Razer Kishi Ultra The Razer Kishi Ultra is the definitive mobile controller if you have the budget. Incredibly comfortable with full-size console controls, RGB lighting, rumble effects, and more, it’s easily the leader in the mobile controller space.
I tested the Asus ROG Tessen for over a month, using it as my main Android gaming controller. I paired the controller with a Samsung S23 Plus and played a wide variety of games. This included native mobile titles like Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile, Call of Duty Mobile, Vampire Survivors, Don’t Starve: Pocket Edition, Diablo Immortal, Asphalt Legends Unite, Zenless Zone Zero, Genshin Impact, and more.
I also tried the controller with various game streaming services, such as Amazon Luna and Xbox Cloud Gaming. On Amazon Luna, I played Watch Dogs Legion, Mighty Switch Force Collection, River City Girls, and Star Wars Outlaws while Xbox Cloud Gaming saw me enjoy a few hours of Forza Horizon 5.
During my time with the controller I relied on a pair of Beats Solo 4 and Beats Studio Buds+ headphones for audio and compared my playing experience with my hands-on testing of many other mobile controllers such as the Backbone One 2nd Gen, Turtle Beach Atom, Scuf Nomad, and Razer Kishi Ultra.
The mid-range of the best racing wheels is a tricky space where competing technologies vie for space, but Thrustmaster makes a compelling argument with a wheel, wheelbase, and pedals bundled for $799.99 / £699.99.
That’s a lot pricier than Logitech’s all-conquering G923 bundle, but the advantages are clear: a quick-release system that lets you install new wheels and a particularly refined force feedback sensation that feels somewhere between traditional belt-driven and direct-drive servos. The underlying tech is still belt-driven, but it’s been engineered so carefully to deliver its considerable power smoothly and convincingly, with fewer of those notchy, snappy moments you usually get with belt-driven motors.
The controls on the wheel feel premium and long-lasting, particularly the four notched dials, which are really handy for mapping traction control, brake balance, engine modes, and fuel maps. Being a licensed wheel for Gran Turismo 7 and pitched as one of the best PS5 racing wheels, the giant ‘GT’ logo at the center of the wheel won’t be to everyone’s taste, and the overall look of the wheel - and particularly the plasticky pedal base - does this bundle a disservice. Despite the high volume of plastic and a slightly ‘gamey’ look this is up to the task for serious sim racers, who’ll appreciate the ability to fit different wheels for different disciplines.
(Image credit: Future)
Thrustmaster T-GT II: Price and availability
$799.99 / £699.99 (around) AU$1,221.99
Sits between entry-level force feedback and direct drive wheels
Pricier but more feature-laden than a G923
It might look like a lot of money for a non-direct drive wheel at first glance, but it all makes sense after a few hot laps. The wiser money would be spent investing in a Fanatec Ready2Race McLaren bundle for the same price, but ongoing stock availability issues make that a tricky purchase as of summer 2024.
Thrustmaster T-GT II: Specs
Thrustmaster T-GT II: Design and features
Looks inspired by Gran Turismo
Bulky servo
Feels better than it looks
There’s a line in the sand in sim racing gear. On one side, Moza and Fanatec have decided to take their visual cues directly from motorsport, rather than gaming peripherals. Their wheels and pedals look like they’ve been crowbarred out of a racing car and attached to your desk. On the other, Logitech and Thrustmaster - who also make a broad range of gaming peripherals besides wheels - have a design philosophy that sits closer to gaming mice, gaming keyboards, and gaming headsets.
Who’s right? That’s totally subjective, of course. To me the less automotive appearance of the T-GT II comes off as a bit less premium than this bundle really is, particularly the plastic casing around the servo and on the pedal base, which really doesn’t look like it should be part of an $800 / £700 racing bundle.
(Image credit: Future)
However, these aesthetic missteps have no bearing on the performance of either the wheels or pedals, and since the wheel’s detachable, you could replace it with a more motorsport-inspired option like Thrustmaster’s Ferrari SF100 if you like.
The wheel itself is finished in nicely stitched pleather which makes for a grippy surface while you’re racing, with no need for racing gloves, unlike pricier Alcantara-finished wheels which can get a bit crispy over time if you subject them to your palm sweat.
Being a PlayStation-compatible wheel as well as PC, all the DualSense controller’s inputs are mapped onto input buttons on the wheel itself, including two tiny analog sticks. Four dials complete the input array on the wheel face, and satisfyingly chunky paddle shifters with magnetic actuation sit at the rear. All the buttons feel substantial and the dials in particular are a joy to use, notched and manufactured from aluminum for a lovely weighty feel. The analog sticks and d-pad feel flimsy by comparison, but I didn’t find myself using them - there are plenty of other buttons to map important inputs to.
Those four dials are the stars of the show. They’re placed conveniently within thumb’s reach, and having four of them is especially useful in games like Assetto Corsa Competizione (ACC), where I find myself adjusting traction control and brake bias frequently from lap to lap as track conditions and tire wear levels evolve. It’s rare to find more than two dials on wheels at this price, and I find myself missing having four now when I use other wheels.
The pedals don’t feature a load cell design, so you can’t swap out the cells to adjust the resistance, but they are built with convincing resistance per pedal. The brake is particularly well-judged for stiffness, and you can add an additional rubber stay for some increased resistance right at the end of its path of travel.
Thrustmaster T-GT II: Performance
Powerful but smooth force feedback delivery
Easy to calibrate
Recognized by most racing games
Let’s quickly state the obvious: although this wheel was designed in collaboration with Gran Turismo developer Polyphony Digital and bears the PlayStation racer’s branding, it’s compatible across pretty much every racing game you throw at it on PS5 or PC. Assetto Corsa Competizione and F1 24 had profiles ready to go as soon as I loaded them up with the T-GT II connected, and I had no problems setting it up in The Crew Motorfest or Forza Horizon 5. You’d expect pretty much universal support across racing titles in 2024, and this wheel delivers it.
What discerns the force feedback on this wheel from the perennially popular Logitech G923, and indeed Thrustmaster’s own cheaper wheels, is the smoothness and detail of its feedback. It’s a subtle difference, not quite akin to the jump from belt-driven to direct-drive wheels, but it’s particularly noticeable in demanding sims like Assetto Corsa Competizione, whose force feedback implementation is absolutely exemplary. You can feel when your platform’s on the very limit, and rather than getting those snappy moments that feel like something inside the servo has let go, the T-GT II’s wheel stays smooth even when it’s doling out extremely forceful feedback.
In some instances, it feels too strong. In most games, the centering spring strength needed some adjustment using a combination of in-game settings and Thrustmaster’s own Control Panel software, and in ACC in particular I ended up reducing it down to as little as 20 per cent in order to find a realistic feel. However, once you do get a convincing feel dialed in, the detail and fidelity you feel through your hands is extremely impressive.
(Image credit: Future)
What about Gran Turismo 7? As you’d expect, it’s excellent with this wheel. Polyphony’s is a particularly weighty handling model in the first place, and it’s perfectly tuned to this wheel when you connect it to your PS5.
However, the fact remains that direct-drive wheel bundles are available at the same price point, and that makes life difficult for this particular wheel. It’s demonstrably better than its belt-driven contemporaries from other manufacturers, and lower down the Thrustmaster range. But it’s no match for a setup built around Fanatec’s CSL direct drive servo. Cheaper Fanatec bundles than the T-GT II generally feature an inferior two-pedal set, but the Ready2Race McLaren bundle uses a three-pedal base with load cells, and the McLaren GT-style wheel feels more luxurious and automotive than this model.
The best mandate for opting for this instead of a Fanatec bundle, then, is that you play primarily on PS5, put in a lot of hours with Gran Turismo 7, and want to use the same setup for some PC sim racing.
Should I buy the Thrustmaster T-GT II?
(Image credit: Future)
Buy it if...
Gran Turismo 7 is your go-to racing sim This wheel’s PS5 and PC compatible, and designed in partnership with Polyphony to work especially well in GT7. Drifting a Demio never felt better.
You like a powerful force feedback sensation The centering spring is set heavy by default, and there’s a lot of power behind the feedback going into your hands.
You plan to swap between multiple wheels Like to race rally titles as well as F1 games and GT? Thrustmaster’s add-on wheels are a solid option for making your rig more customizable, all using the T-GT II wheelbase.
Don't buy it if...
You race on Xbox It’s not Xbox-compatible, simple as that. Fanatec and Logitech offer better PC/Xbox bundles for the money.
Direct drive bundles are within your budget As impressive as the sensation is for a belt-driven motor, DD is a superior feel and it’s available for roughly the same outlay.
You’re new to sim racing It’s a lot of money for a racing bundle, and the benefits to its feel are subtle. Logitech’s G923 is better suited to beginners, and comes in PC/Xbox and PC/PlayStation varieties.
Also consider...
If the Thrustmaster T-GT II isn’t quite what you’re after, alert yourself to these other candidates.
Thrustmaster T248 A cheaper, less powerful option that’s great for newcomers, if lacking centering spring snap. Surprisingly good pedals for the price, too.
Logitech G923 It’s ubiquitous for a reason. Well-built, a smart button layout, and Trueforce feedback add something extra to supported games when it comes to detailed articulation.
We installed the T-GT II into our Playseat and used it as our daily driver in Assetto Corsa Competizione, Gran Turismo 7, The Crew Motorfest, and Forza Horizon 5 for a month of virtual racing on both PC and PlayStation 5. You don’t want to know how much of a hassle it was to get the rig downstairs in front of the PS5...
While far from the newest racing wheel on the market, the Logitech G920 is still a popular pick and, having spent much time with it over the last couple of weeks, it’s easy to see why. Compatible with current and last-generation Xbox consoles (as well as PC), the Logitech G920 is superbly simple to set up thanks to its plug-and-play design. Just hook it up to the mains and your console or PC via USB connection and you’re ready to go.
The G920 also boasts exceptional build quality, with firm plastic forming the wheel base, pedal floor and the center of the wheel itself where you’ll find the layout of Xbox buttons. The trio of throttle, brake and clutch pedals are crafted from brushed stainless steel, and the leather wrapping around the wheel provides sturdy and comfortable grip.
It holds up performance-wise too, thanks to 900-degree rotation that makes it an excellent choice for the very best racing sims and sim-lite titles like F1 24, Forza Motorsportand EA Sports WRC. Force feedback from the wheel is pretty strong by default, though this can be adjusted based on your preferences on the PC G Hub software or in games that support force feedback settings.
The only real sticking point - almost literally - is the incredibly stiff brake pedal which certainly isn’t suited for beginners or casual racing enjoyers. It’s the one part of the Logitech G920’s package that you may consider to be a deal breaker. While you can make things a little easier for yourself here by adjusting the pedal’s sensitivity in the G Hub app, those of you on Xbox exclusively will need to rely on settings from game to game.
(Image credit: Future)
Logitech G920: Price and availability
$299.99 / £349.99 / AU$549.95
Pedals are included with purchase
Available at Amazon and Logitech’s website
The Logitech G920 will run you $299.99 / £349.99 / AU$549.95 at its retail price. However, given the wheel’s age, we do see it subject to some pretty great discounts (we’ve seen it drop below $200 in the US, for example), especially during big sales periods throughout the year. The wheel is purchasable and readily available at Amazon and Logitech’s own store page.
Otherwise, its retail price is about what to expect for a mid-range, but entry-level-friendly racing wheel. The Thrustmaster T248, for example, comes in at $300 / £300 and offers largely similar features. The G920 also costs considerably less than some premium choices, including the Thrustmaster T-GT 2 which comes in at an eye-watering $799 / £699. Though options like this are typically targeted at racing sim enthusiasts.
Logitech G920: Specs
Logitech G920: Design and features
Logitech products are typically known for high build quality and that’s no different with the G920 racing wheel. Almost every aspect of the wheel’s design has been built to meet a high standard, from its sturdy non-hollow plastic to the brushed stainless steel pedals.In terms of build you’re absolutely getting your money’s worth, and nothing here ever felt wonky or loose. A solidly-built product all around.
The wheel itself is the highlight here. Hand-stitched leather helps to provide a sturdy and comfortable grip during even the most technically demanding circuits. The center of the wheel has your standard Xbox controller layout, sans the analog sticks. The d-pad, share button and left bumper are over to the left, with the four face buttons, menu button and right bumper on the opposite side.
(Image credit: Future)
The Logitech logo sits firmly in the middle, with the Xbox Home button just below. Positioned just behind the wheel are two large metal paddles that can be assigned as you like on a per-game basis. Personally, I usually preferred to assign gear shifts to these in the absence of a dedicated gear shifter with my setup.
I’ll talk more about the pedals soon, but they are solid in terms of build quality. The brushed stainless steel lends a classy, professional feel. Meanwhile, the pedals’ plastic base is grippy and rarely alters position on carpeted surfaces without some degree of force applied. But again, more on this later.
One thing worth noting is that you’ll have a bit of cable management to handle with the Logitech G920. The wheel itself needs plugging into the mains, so be sure you have a nearby plug socket free during play. You’ll also need to wire up the pedals and wheel base together and - finally - hook the wheel up to your console or PC. It ends up being quite a few wires, and while the wheel base itself has a built-in cable tidy, it’s something to be aware of if you already don’t have great cable management for your setup.
Logitech G920: Performance
Across all compatible racing games I tested, including F1 24, Forza Motorsport, Forza Horizon 5, and EA Sports WRC, the Logitech G920 felt perfectly responsive across a range of different racing styles. The wheel’s 900-degree rotation felt more than plenty for racers with varying depths of simulation, and I never found myself having to adjust its sensitivity in-game or via the G Hub software.
I ended up being a big fan of its force feedback, too. It definitely took a bit of getting used to, as it felt relatively aggressive when compared to newer wheels on the market. But I found this to be a great fit for rally, in particular, where various types of terrain were rendered accurately and felt appropriately meaty in response.
There were also no issues to mention with the throttle pedal, which was brilliantly responsive and provided just enough resistance by default to let you manage speed without your foot slipping or losing position. Unfortunately, the brake pedal is a different story.
By default, the brake pedal is simply uncomfortably stiff, to the point where you really need to press your foot in to brake even remotely effectively. Monza’s iconic 90-degree first corner made this issue very apparent, where I felt I needed to apply the brakes far earlier than I would on a controller simply because I couldn’t get the force I needed by default.
I ended up having to set the brake pedal’s sensitivity to maximum in the G Hub app for braking to become effective on PC. And on Xbox Series X, I was left to the whims of individual game settings in order to adjust sensitivity. It does feel like the brake pedal is intended for more serious sim racing titles like iRacing and Assetto Corsa. It’ll likely also help to have a racing seat with a frame to slide the pedal base into at an angle, making it easier to apply pressure on the brakes.
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the Logitech G920?
Buy it if...
You’re after a quality entry-level racing wheel Despite being a few years old, the G920 is still a top contender in its price bracket thanks to superb build quality, excellent force feedback and pin-sharp responsiveness.
You want immersion above all from your favorite racing games The Logitech G920’s force feedback is incredibly immersive and feels great across a variety of racing disciplines including the high-speed of Formula 1 and the demanding, bumpy terrains of rally.
Don't buy it if...
You don’t like the sound of that brake pedal This will be the main sticking point for most potential buyers; the stiff brake pedal is something you’ll have to get used to or adjust with in-game settings or via the G Hub app.
Also consider...
If you’d like to learn more about a couple of other racing wheel choices before committing to the Logitech G920, check below for more top recommendations.
Turtle Beach VelocityOne This racing wheel certainly won’t be for everyone with its higher price tag, but additional features like its bespoke race management display, robust button layout and high-quality build make it a solid choice for racing sim fanatics.
Thrustmaster T248 If you need a wheel for PS5 or PS4 as well as PC, the Thrustmaster T248 should be your first port of call. While getting on in years like the G920, it offers exceptional value and the on-wheel electronic display is a really nice touch.
I used the Logitech G920 over the course of a couple of weeks across both Xbox Series X and PC. Being a huge racing game fan, I aimed to test out as many disciplines as possible with the wheel across games like F1 24, EA Sports WRC, Forza Motorsport, Forza Horizon 5 and Euro Truck Simulator 2.
I spent time with each game customizing control and sensitivity settings with the G920, either in-game or with the G Hub companion software. There was an element of finding a sweet spot with each game, though I did find that I had to maximize the brake pedal’s sensitivity across all games tested.
The GameSir Kaleid fixes one of the few problems I had with its predecessor, the GameSir T4 Kaleid (for the sake of simplicity, I’ll refer to it as the ‘T4’ from now on): it lacked compatibility with Xbox consoles, despite having the console’s ‘ABXY’ face button layout.
Now, GameSir has released a version of one of the best PC controllers that's compatible with Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, and PC. However, the Kaleid does lose the Nintendo Switch compatibility enjoyed by the T4, so it isn’t the definitive option if you have to choose between the two based on your console of choice.
The GameSir Kaleid is identical to the T4 in almost every way. If you’re familiar with the T4 and its excellent micro switch buttons and Hall effect thumbsticks, you’re getting those same features here. The only notable differences are the darker translucent shell, a mildly improved D-pad, and a slightly higher price tag.
(Image credit: Future)
Price and availability
$49.99 / £59.99
Pricier than the T4 Kaleid ($41.99 / £41.99)
US and UK availability (not currently available in Australia)
The GameSir Kaleid launched on May 30, 2024, and can be bought either from GameSir’s website or the brand’s Amazon store page. It’s priced at $49.99 / £59.99, which is a good bit more than the T4 in the US ($41.99), and significantly more than in in the UK (£41.99). Overall, it’s similarly priced in comparison to the Xbox Wireless Controller ($59.99 / £54.99), though the GameSir wins out here in terms of overall features and customizability.
It’s worth noting that if this will be your first time purchasing a GameSir product, you can pick up the Kaleid from the brand’s official website with an 8% discount as a new customer. This brings the price of the Kaleid down to $46.99 / £56: a small saving, but noteworthy all the same.
Specs
(Image credit: Future)
Design and features
The new GameSir Kaleid is practically identical to the T4 in terms of features. That includes Hall-effect thumbsticks to practically eliminate the risk of drift, plus welcome ancillary features like remappable rear buttons, and a central multi-function button useful for adjusting trigger stop distance, the brightness of the controller’s RGB effects, overall RGB patterns, thumbstick dead zones and button layout profile creation.
Yes, that delightful RGB lighting remains in the new Kaleid. And despite the darker translucent shell, the lighting still manages to shine brightly. In fact, I think the subtler translucency helps the RGB effect stand out much more effectively here; it looks great encased in that darker shell.
Otherwise, this is, by and large, the same controller as the T4, albeit with Xbox console compatibility in place of Nintendo Switch. This nicely positions it as a top contender for one of the best Xbox controllers in its price range.
The new Kaleid retains that same Xbox Wireless Controller-adjacent build and button layout, and the central GameSir-branded Home button is replaced with the official Xbox logo. And yes, the Kaleid features the ‘Designed for Xbox’ seal of approval, meaning it’ll work with Xbox consoles out of the box with no fuss.
(Image credit: Future)
Performance
The T4 is one of my favorite PC controllers and my go-to controller for fighting games in particular, owing to its snappy micro switch buttons and drift-resistant Hall effect thumbsticks. Both of those are found here and feel just as excellent to play with.
One thing of note is that the new Kaleid’s D-pad is a step up from the T4's. Like the face buttons, it’s now micro switch-based, feeling much more tactile and responsive as a result. All other modules, meanwhile, including the shoulder buttons, triggers, sticks, and central Home and sharing buttons, feel practically identical. It also shares the T4’s lack of wireless functionality, unfortunately, so you’ll be relying on a wired USB-C connection (a cable is included in the box). This may be a dealbreaker if you typically prefer wireless play.
It’s also worth noting that you can further customize the Kaleid with the GameSir Nexus app, available on PC and now Xbox consoles as well. The dedicated controller software is genuinely excellent, allowing you to adjust thumbstick dead zones, RGB lighting patterns and brightness settings, trigger sensitivity, and map the functions of the extra rear buttons. Much of this can also be done via the controller’s multifunction button, by holding it down and referring to the button inputs found in the included manual. However, I preferred having a visual guide for my changes via the app, making it much easier to fine-tune my controller’s setup.
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the GameSir Kaleid?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
Also consider...
If the GameSir Kaleid isn’t quite what you’re looking for, consider the following two options, which we believe are strong alternative picks.
(Image credit: Future)
How I tested the GameSir Kaleid
Tested nearly every day for a week
Tested with Xbox and PC games
Compared with other recommended and affordable Xbox controllers
I tested the GameSir Kaleid over a week, starting on Xbox Series X with titles including Halo Infinite, Elden Ring, Sea of Thieves, and Forza Horizon 5. I downloaded the GameSir Nexus app on the console and created numerous custom profiles based on a variety of game genres for an enhanced experience with each. I also tested the controller in conjunction with similarly excellent Xbox gamepads, such as the Xbox Wireless Controller and the Victrix Gambit.
Moving over to PC, I tested the GameSir Kaleid with a range of Steam titles, including Elden Ring once again, Final Fantasy 14 Online, and Tekken 8. My experience here was largely similar to that of the T4, given that they are, by and large, identical. As such, less testing was required here as it provided a similarly high-quality experience overall.
The first thing to know about the LG Z3 OLED TV is its price: £7,999/$9,999 for a 77-inch screen size. While such a cost puts LG’s 8K OLED TV beyond the reach of most households, it doesn’t stop the Z3 from being not just one of the best OLED TVs, but stellar enough with its performance to make real inroads into the tough job of justifying such a 4K TV-busting price.
For starters, looking at the LG Z3 OLED TV, it's hard to overstate the jaw-dropping precision, detail and clarity you get when over 33 million self-emissive pixels produce their own light and color completely independently of their neighbours. Many people who have spent time with the best 8K TVs compare it to looking through a window rather than watching TV, but that experience is particularly acute when the pixels are combined with the pixel-level light control that only OLED technology can currently deliver (without spending six figures on a monster micro-LED display).
Unlike its 88-inch sibling, the 77-inch Z3 uses LG’s brightness-boosting Micro Lens Array technology, which adds more intensity to OLED’s light control advantage and, in conjunction with a much-improved new picture processor, opens up a wider but still beautifully natural and nuanced colour range. LG’s 8K monster delivers extraordinary big-screen gaming performance, too.
Its audio isn’t as potent as its pictures, and nothing – except a massive discount – gets around that hefty price. But the AV world would undoubtedly be a sadder, duller place without LG’s no-compromise, envelope-pushing 8K beast.
Along with 8K resolution, the LG Z3 brings all the regular picture benefits of OLED TV tech such as powerful contrast (Image credit: Future)
LG Z3 OLED TV review: Price and release date
Release date: March 10, 2024
77-inch: £7,999 / $9,999 (around AU$15,000)
88-inch: £24,999 / $24,999 (around AU$37,600)
When the 77-inch version of the Z3, the LG OLED77Z3, first launched, LG told us it wasn’t scheduled to go on sale in the US, while a search of UK and Australian retailers found it selling for a life savings-draining £14,999 in the UK and $15,999 in Australia. As we were in the process of writing and publishing this review, though, things changed pretty radically. First, the 77-inch Z3 suddenly appeared for sale in the US – priced at a relatively reasonable $9,999. Then it started showing up on many UK retailer sites costing just £7,999 – an overnight cut of almost 50% – while disappearing from Australian retailers.
All of this is a bit confusing, but the happy upshot is that for UK and US buyers the 77-inch Z3 is now a lot more approachable than it used to be. That’s not to say, of course, that it’s suddenly a mass market proposition. It still costs £3,500/$5,500 more than the 77-inch version of LG’s current flagship LG G4 4K OLED TV. It’s also the case that Samsung’s flagship 75-inch 8K TV, the Samsung QN900D, costs £1,500 less than the OLED77Z3. So it remains the case that going 8K costs more than sticking with 4K – especially in the OLED world. As I’ll discuss in the Value section later, though, the Z3 is just about unique enough to make its price at least feel appropriate.
LG Z3 OLED TV review: Specs
The LG Z3's side-mounted connections include four HDMI 2.1 ports (Image credit: Future)
LG Z3 OLED TV review: Features
8K OLED screen
MLA brightness-boosting technology
Comprehensive gaming support
As you’d hope for a 77-inch TV that costs £7,999 / $9,999, the OLED77Z3 is packed with cutting-edge features. Starting, of course, with that all-important 8K (7680x4320) resolution.
Some may question its importance, I guess, given that genuine 8K content remains extremely hard to find. However, one or two 8K green shoots are forming out there –including the ability to film your own 8K content on some of the latest smartphones, and hints of potential 8K gaming developments.
Some also argue that 8K doesn’t actually deliver a perceptible picture quality difference over the 4K resolution of the best TVs.
However, fitting so many pixels into a 77-inch screen delivers a much smaller pixel pitch than you get with a 4K resolution – and I’ve witnessed before how much this can improve your viewing experience, albeit more in areas such as depth of field, object three-dimensionality and noiseless immediacy than mere sharpness and detail.
Even better for the LG Z3’s usefulness in today’s limited 8K content world, 4K sources can look amazing on it too thanks to the power of the TV’s AI-infused Alpha 9 Gen 6 picture processor. Anyone who thinks upscaling is still the ugly mess it was when the first HDTVs rocked up a couple of decades ago is in for a shock if they get a chance to see how effectively the Z3 can add millions of extra pixels to 4K sources in real time.
Not all 8K TVs boast processing as potent as the LG Z3's, of course. But in this case, the idea that 8K TVs have no current purpose just doesn’t hold up. I’ll come back to this more in the picture performance section.
The 8K resolution gets extra weight in the Z3’s case, too, because it’s delivered by an OLED TV, where every single pixel creates its own light, contributing that bit more potential precision to the 8K experience. The difficulties associated with fitting so many self-illuminating pixels into a 77-inch screen likely impact production yield rates – hence the high price. But the fact that the screen’s lighting is as refined as its pixel count is a key attraction for well-heeled videophiles to ponder.
Happily, the challenges associated with fitting so many OLED pixels into the Z3’s screen hasn’t stopped LG from also fitting this flagship TV with its new Micro Lens Array technology (though not its 88-inch sibling, which has a standard OLED panel). Part of LG’s so-called ‘Brightness Booster Max’ functionality, MLA tech places thousands of tiny mirrors behind the screen to focus the light forward more directly, improving the TV’s brightness without putting more strain on OLED’s organic components.
My measurements revealed a peak brightness from the 77-inch Z3 on a 10% HDR window of almost 1,000 nits and just over 1,000 nits on a 2% HDR window. These numbers are up on LG’s previous Z2 8K OLED range, as I’d expect with MLA in play. They’re only up by between 10 and 15%, though, whereas using MLA technology has increased the peak brightness of the LG G3 and G4 4K TVs to more than 1,400 nits – more like a 25-30% increase over their non-MLA predecessors.
I can’t say for sure why MLA hasn’t had such a dazzling effect on the 77-inch Z3 I tested, but I suspect it has something to do with the EU’s latest round of TV energy consumption regulations.
As ever with a premium LG TV, the Z3’s HDR support encompasses the HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision formats, but not the HDR10+ format developed as a rival for Dolby Vision. Its connections are headed up by four full 48Gbps bandwidth HDMI ports capable of handling 8K signals at 60Hz and 4K signals at 120Hz.
Features Score: 5/5
The LG Z3 lets you look at nature in all its 'unpixellated' glory (Image credit: Future)
LG Z3 OLED TV review: Picture quality
Stunning detail and sharpness
Awesome contrast
Almost unbelievably good upscaling
To make it absolutely clear just how much the Z3 should be considered a TV of today rather than some potentially distant 8K tomorrow, let’s first focus on its remarkably good 8K upscaling.
The addition of AI to the picture processing world has transformed how well high-resolution TVs can upgrade lower-resolution sources in real time, and this transformation is no more obvious than in the way the LG Z3 converts 4K to its screen’s native 8K pixel count.
The results are pretty much flawless, in fact, resulting in pictures that look sharper, denser and more immediate than they do in their 4K original form. Even more amazingly, the Alpha 9 AI 8K Gen6 processor manages to add the literally millions of pixels required to turn 4K into 8K without exaggerating any noise or grain a source image may contain. It’s arguably this ability to distinguish between noise and ‘real’ picture information when deciding which pixels to add to the image that LG’s latest processor that most goes beyond anything we’ve seen before from the legendary OLED brand.
There’s no obvious lag, over-enthusiastic object edge enhancement or general softness to the 8K upscale, either. On the contrary, it achieves just the sort of three-dimensional, depth-enhanced look associated with a true 8K experience. So to reiterate this point for anyone nodding off at the back, the LG Z3 can make a difference to your AV life right now.
This is not to say that the Z3’s pictures aren’t even better with native 8K, of course. My trusty 8K demo reel of splendid creatures and amazing landscapes by the video gurus at Spears & Munsil looks nothing short of mesmerisingly real. It’s as if the TV has disappeared and a hole has opened up in your wall through which you can literally look directly out on the majesty of nature in all its ‘unpixellated’ glory.
This feels especially true in the Z3’s case because of OLED’s self-emissive nature. Having pixel-level light control working with so many pixels at such a fine pitch delivers a peerless degree of local contrast that feeds into an unprecedented sense of precision and sharpness. that I haven’t seen before. And this peerless local light control feeds into a supremely balanced, ultra-refined and seemingly more expansive colour palette courtesy of LG’s latest panel and processor.
So while the LG Z3’s 4K upscaler makes it relevant as a truly premium performer today, its native 8K performance confirms its arguably peerless readiness for the potential video format of tomorrow.
On top of its resolution joys, the Z3 delivers the other picture strengths OLED is renowned for, such as the ability to combine inkily deep and neutral black tones with peak white picture details even just a pixel apart without any compromise. This results in neither any light ‘blooming’ around stand-out bright objects nor any obvious reduction in the brightness of those same stand-out bright objects to avoid blooming.
The resulting intensity with HDR images makes the 77-inch LG Z3 appear brighter than its measured luminance values would lead you to expect.
You can also watch the Z3 from almost any angle without any loss of contrast or colour saturation unlike most LCD TVs. And LG’s latest 8K motion processor does an excellent job in its ‘Cinematic Movement’ mode of gently massaging away the harsh, resolution-reducing look that judder can otherwise cause during 24 frames a second film presentations.
There are only a couple of negative points I can muster about the LG Z3’s picture. First, while it copes extremely well with good quality HD sources, heavily compressed HD and really all standard definition sources can end up looking a bit soft and artificial despite the stellar efforts of the new processor. Second, while its use of light is insanely precise, it isn’t as outright bright as either premium LCD TVs or some premium 4K OLEDs – especially when it comes to HDR images that flood the whole screen with brightness.
This latter issue is a surprise given that the 77-inch Z3 uses MLA technology – though to reiterate this point, the extra light precision and local contrast control the 8K array of self-emissive pixels delivers does make the screen appear brighter than it actually is.
Picture quality score: 5/5
The LG Z3's remote control (Image credit: Future)
LG Z3 OLED TV review: Sound quality
Virtual 9.1.2-channel upmixer
60W 4.2-channel speaker system
Wireless Dolby Atmos and WOW Orchestra support
Tucked away behind the 77-inch LG Z3’s epic screen is a 4.2-channel speaker set up powered by a promising 60W of claimed power. LG’s latest Alpha 9 Gen 6 processor is able to up-mix any source to a virtual 9.1.2 presentation, and to top things off the TV supports both lossless transmission of Dolby Atmos sound to compatible LG soundbars and LG’s Wow Orchestra feature, where the speakers in the TV join forces with the soundbar to create a wider soundstage.
All these audio features only add up to a mixed bag of sound performance, though. On the upside, the AI upmixer option does a startlingly good job of taking limited-channel audio tracks, even plain stereo, and remixing their details into a much larger soundstage. Details are cast far and wide and are spaced around so artfully – including being given a sense of verticality – that it’s sometimes hard to believe you’re not listening to a native Dolby Atmos mix.
The remix helps the soundstage appear even bigger than the king-sized screen, making it more immersive – a feeling enhanced by the speakers being sensitive enough to pick out lots of detail without making anything sound harsh or exaggerated. Bass impact is diminished by LG Z3’s upmixer, though, leaving soundtracks feeling a bit thin – so much so that action movie fans might prefer to turn the upmixer off, despite its other strengths.
There also isn’t enough power available to the audio system to deliver the sort of volumes and raw impact with action movie soundtracks that pictures as big and resplendent as those the 77-inch Z3’s screen delivers deserve to be partnered by. Finally, while the sound can spread beyond the TV’s sides, it doesn’t enjoy much forward impact, typically seeming more like it’s happening behind the screen rather than around your seating position.
Sound quality score: 3.5/5
The LG Z3's support feet are a bit spindly for an otherwise premium TV (Image credit: Future)
LG Z3 OLED TV review: Design
Distinctive and attractive ‘strata’ rear design
Ships with feet this year
Designed for wall mounting
As with LG’s previous 8K TVs, the Z3 features a so-called Gallery design that’s intended to look particularly good when hung on a wall. So its bezel is slim and enjoys a premium finish, build quality is excellent throughout, and the rear angles in steeply from the screen’s edges so the TV looks unusually thin from all but the most extreme viewing angles.
That doesn’t mean, though, that the LG Z3 doesn’t also cater to people who’d rather place the TV on a stand. It ships with a pair of feet and features a very distinctive high gloss, almost mirrored rear finish together with comprehensive cable management features. In other words, LG is happy for its flagship TV to be admired from any angle.
While it’s nice to now find feet included rather than them being an optional extra, they are a bit spindly and basic for a TV that looks so premium in other ways. Also, while the 77-inch LG Z3 tries to create the illusion of being very slim around the back, in reality, it sticks out quite a long way when it’s hung on your wall.
Design score: 4/5
The LG Z3's webOS 23 smart interface supports multiple user profiles (Image credit: Future)
LG Z3 OLED TV review: Smart TV and menus
webOS 23 smart system
Voice control support
Support for multiple user profiles
Smart features on the Z3 are provided by LG’s 2023 WebOS platform. This delivers a rich landscape of apps covering all the most important global streaming services – including in the UK all of the main terrestrial broadcaster catch-up apps, as well as the Freeview Play app that brings all these terrestrial broadcaster services together in an easy to browse ‘umbrella’ interface.
The webOS interface can be upgraded to the latest webOS version, too, and while I still have fond memories of the old webOS system that used to superimpose its content over the picture rather than the interface taking over the whole screen as it does now, LG has continued to refine the home screen’s layout and content options to a point where the new approach is finally starting to win me over.
LG's extensive and effective voice control support also means you don’t even have to engage with the menus that much if you’d rather not. Plus, there’s now support for multiple user profiles so that different members of your household can establish their own personal OS ‘space’, complete with personal content recommendations and even personal preference picture settings.
Smart TV & menus score: 4.5/5
the Z3 features a Gallery design that’s intended to look particularly good when hung on a wall. (Image credit: Future)
LG Z3 OLED TV review: Gaming
4K 120Hz support on all HDMIs
AMD Freesync and Nvidia G-Sync support
13.5ms input lag in Game mode
The LG Z3 is as spectacular a gaming display as I’ve seen. Its sheer size, for starters, lets you become immersed in gaming worlds more than any small monitor ever could.
This is especially true as the Z3’s upscaler arguably works even more effectively with 4K and HD games than it does with video, making the likes of Viking-era England in Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla and modern-day Mexico in Forza Horizon 5 even more irresistibly beautiful places to hang out. Here again, you get an 8K boost without necessarily needing an 8K source.
The TV’s ultra-high resolution, extreme contrast and peerlessly precise lighting really help to enhance the sense of depth and three-dimensionality of first and third-person games too, while colours look gorgeously vivid and clean, but also subtly shaded and refined.
The HDR gaming support extends to a dedicated Dolby Vision game mode, meaning you can enjoy the most dynamic HDR gaming format without having to put up with high input lag. Talking of input lag, in its fastest Game mode the LG Z3 takes just 13.5ms to render images received at its inputs.
The Z3 is capable of taking in 4K 120Hz signals across all four of its HDMI ports, too, meaning dedicated gamers can attach a PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and gaming PC simultaneously with no compromise to performance. If you manage to find a PC capable of outputting 8K resolution games at 60Hz, the Z3 will support those too.
The comprehensive approach to gaming extends to support for variable refresh rates that takes in official support for both the AMD Freesync Premium and Nvidia G-Sync formats as well as the standard HDMI-based system. There’s support for HDMI 2.1’s Auto Low Latency Mode switching as well, and gamers can call up a dedicated Game Dashboard menu that provides access to a range of gaming features plus information on the incoming gaming signals.
I guess ultra-competitive gamers might prefer a much smaller screen than the LG Z3’s so they can take the whole image in at a glance more swiftly. Anyone who prefers games not totally built on reaction times, though, or who prefers immersion to milliseconds of responsiveness won’t be able to tear their eyes away from the Z3’s gaming glories.
Gaming score: 5/5
(Image credit: Future)
LG Z3 OLED TV review: Value
Retails for £7,999 / $9,999
Offers a unique set of features
Dazzling performance – but you may still need a soundbar
This is the trickiest part of the review for the 77-inch LG Z3. Dropping essentially £8K/$10K on a TV is clearly not something most households will be able to do. Plus, you can buy 75 and 77-inch 4K OLED and 8K LCD TVs for far less. Even Samsung’s flagship 75-inch 8K LCD TV, the excellent QN900D, only costs £6,499.
If you do happen to have the requisite pile of cash lying around, though, it is worth pointing out that the LG Z3, which combines 8K resolution with an OLED display that enables every single one of its pixels to be illuminated by its own light independent of its neighbours, is a unique proposition. One, moreover, that results in unprecedentedly precise and immersive pictures.
Value score: 3.5/5
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the LG Z3 OLED TV?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if…
Also consider...
How I tested the LG Z3 OLED TV
(Image credit: Future)
Tested over 10 days
Tested with 4K Blu-rays, streams from multiple platforms, Freeview HD broadcasts, and HD Blu-rays
Reviewed in light and dark room conditions, from multiple viewing angles and distances
The 77-inch LG Z3 was tested in a dark dedicated test room, as well as being used for multiple days as a regular living room TV, with all the varied light conditions and sources regular day to day TV use brings.
The dark test room sessions involved feeding the TV our 8K showreel from Spears & Munsil, and a series of 4K Blu-ray and 4K HDR stream sequences that we’ve learned are particularly good at highlighting any strengths and weaknesses a screen may display.
The native 8K demo reel mostly features HDR images of lovely vistas and animal close-ups, while the 4K discs most used for this ‘stress testing’ phase of the review are the first of Andy Muschietti’s recent It films (which features a tricky mix of deliberately exaggerated extremely dark and extremely bright, colourful sequences) and the stunning looking (and sounding) Top Gun: Maverick.
During its living room life, the LG Z3 was presented with everything from grubby standard-definition digital broadcasts from both the TV’s own tuner and a Sky Q box, HD feeds from those same sources, as well as 4K HDR Sky Sports feeds and 4K streams from multiple streaming platforms including Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+.
Gaming plays a big part in the LG Z3’s appeal, meanwhile, so I made sure I spent far too long checking it out while playing Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Baldur’s Gate 3, Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla and Forza Horizon 5.
The HyperX Cloud III Wireless cuts the cord on one of HyperX’s longstanding models and brings it into the twenty-first century, where wireless headsets seem to rule the roost. The big draw here is with its rated 120 hours of runtime, which is among the very best wireless headsets out there, and means you won’t be having to charge the Cloud III Wireless regularly.
Its bass-heavy audio and solid imaging make it an excellent choice for games, although it isn’t the best I’ve tested for music. There is spatial audio present, although that can be quite hit-and-miss. The same also goes for the NGenuity software which, while lightweight, offers only basic functionality compared to the competition.
The Cloud III Wireless is well-made, offering plush memory foam earcups and fantastic comfort for extended periods, so long as you adjust the headset correctly. Its mic is clear for communication over Discord or conferencing apps, and while it lacks the overall richness of features compared to other options from SteelSeries and Razer, this remains a competent choice.
(Image credit: Future)
Price and availability
$149.99 / £169.99 / AU$279
Available in the US and UK
Much better value in the US
Much like with the JBL Quantum 910X, the Cloud III Wireless is cheaper across the pond in the US than it is in the UK, being $149.99 and £169.99 in terms of retail pricing. That puts it in a similar ballpark to other class leaders such as the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X, with its $179.99 / £174.99 price tag, and while it’s slightly more expensive, you do get wider compatibility and connectivity options with Bluetooth, although HyperX’s competitor has a much longer battery life.
It’s also comparable in price to one of our favorite wireless gaming headsets, the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro, with its £179 / $179 price tag, and while the Cloud III Wireless is cheaper in the USA, it’s roughly equivalent in the UK, meaning this has got a lot to live up to. The Cloud III Wireless is also available in Australia at a price of AU$279.
Specs
(Image credit: Future)
Design and features
The Cloud III Wireless is a signature headset from HyperX in terms of its design, carrying the same recognizable shapes as the brand’s previous entries. In fact, squint, and you might think you’re looking at the Cloud Alpha Wireless instead.
The most noticeable differences here compared to the Alpha Wireless are the lack of red stitching on the headband, and slightly angular earcups compared to the perfect ovals found on other headsets in the HyperX range. The Cloud III Wireless also comes with bright red aluminum forks, as well as speckled black and red wiring from the headband to the earcups, which looks excellent.
This is a well-made headset, with no creaks or odd noises from the plastic. Its headband and earcups are noticeably plusher than the Cloud Alpha Wireless, while the cups are deep, aiding comfort and also helping the Cloud III Wireless to provide some class-leading passive noise isolation. At 11.6oz / 330g, this sits in the middle of over-ear gaming headsets weight-wise and feels reasonably comfortable to wear for extended periods, although the slightly lighter clamping force can mean the Cloud III Wireless moves around on your head if not adjusted properly.
Luckily, this is a comfortable headset to wear for extended periods, once configured for your head properly. I had little trouble setting it up for hours of use and found the Cloud III Wireless to be one of the more comfortable headsets I’ve used, especially with those deeper earcups. There isn’t much room for adjustment around those earcups, however, as the Cloud III Wireless doesn’t fold flat, or offer much rotation there.
As with other HyperX headsets, the Cloud III Wireless features physical controls which are well-distributed across both earcups. The left-hand option features a power button and mic mute, as well as a USB-C port for charging and a place for slotting the detachable boom mic into. The right-hand side is home to a tactile and textured volume roller. Luckily, the buttons are different sizes, so it’s easy to find the one you want with ease.
While this headset solely connects via the bundled 2.4GHz receiver, it is at least quite a small option compared to other receivers which can be quite bulky and protrude out from a USB port on your PC, PS5, or Switch. The Cloud III Wireless’ receiver also boasts a detachable USB-A adapter alongside its initial USB-C connector, therefore improving compatibility.
(Image credit: Future)
Performance
The Cloud III Wireless sounds superb in games with overall solid positioning in the likes of Counter-Strike 2 and other high-paced first-person shooter titles where finding the overall position of an enemy in time to pepper them with bullets is of top priority. In addition, engine notes in the likes of Forza Horizon 5 and F1 22 were clear, while explosions and gunfire in CS:2 had fantastic power thanks to the prominent low-end.
A word of advice - don’t enable the DTS Headphone:X spatial audio when listening to music, as it muddies the entire experience and can make some tracks sound as if they are being played from the next room, or down a loudspeaker. It is better with games, although only works in fully supported titles such as Forza Horizon 5. With games that don’t have full DTS Headphone:X support, the Cloud Wireless III has mixed results, occasionally spitting out a crunched-up mess as it attempts to process the signal. You’re better off leaving it off completely for the best performance.
As is typical for gaming headsets, the Cloud III Wireless has a lot of bass and this is particularly noticeable when listening to music. Rush’s Sweet Miracle offered plenty of low-end grunt, while Daryl Hall and John Oates’ Maneater presented more low-end than competing headsets, especially against Hall’s leading vocal on the verse lines.
(Image credit: Future)
Mids and highs are clearer than the low end, with the Cloud III Wireless representing vocals especially well such as on James Taylor’s Caroline I See You, while the top-end hi-hats on Could You Be Loved by Bob Marley were bright and crisp. The Cloud III Wireless doesn’t offer the widest soundstage, as busier recordings such as Rush’s Sweet Miracle can feel hemmed in with this particular set, while the prominent bongos on Earth, Wind and Fire’s September feel closer to my right ear than on other similarly-priced headsets and audio-focused headphones.
The Cloud III Wireless’ boom microphone is clear, offering a good amount of body from its pickup in my testing, while its rejection of noise other than voices is also pretty good. Compared to other options though, it lacks some low-end so recordings can sound a little open-ended at the bottom, although the mid-range where your voice lives is more than adequate.
Connectivity over the 2.4GHz receiver is convenient, and I had no trouble pairing the Cloud III Wireless to my PC. It’s a simple case of plugging the receiver into a spare USB-C or USB-A port and turning the headset on. The Cloud III Wireless flashes a green LED, bleeps, and then connects. The same also went for use with my Nintendo Switch.
The main reason for purchasing the Cloud III Wireless over its rivals is its especially long battery life of up to 120 hours. It means that you won’t be charging this head for a good couple of weeks for more intensive use, and for longer if you’re using it less frequently. In my fortnight of testing the Cloud III Wireless, I only had to charge it once, and it otherwise chugged along nicely. For reference, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X will only last for 38 hours between charges, while the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro only offers up to 24 hours, meaning this Cloud III Wireless has them both beat in terms of endurance.
Unfortunately, the Cloud III Wireless falls down with its software control. HyperX’s NGenuity software has never been the best option for peripheral controls, and that continues with the Cloud III Wireless. For a headset priced so optimistically against the competition, NGenuity feels cheap, only offering basic customization for picking an EQ preset or creating your own from a ten-band EQ. Otherwise, it provides toggle switches for mic monitoring and spatial audio, as well as volume control for the headset and microphone.
(Image credit: Future)
Should you buy the HyperX Cloud III Wireless?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
Also consider...
If the HyperX Cloud III Wireless isn’t your jam, then you should consider these two multi-platform marvels instead:
How I tested the HyperX Cloud III Wireless
I tested the HyperX Cloud III Wireless for two weeks, using it as my main headset during that time. I used it for playing a wide range of games on both PC and Nintendo Switch, as well as for conferencing duties on PC during working hours. As for games, I tested the Cloud III Wireless with a range of titles where directional audio was of major importance, including the likes of Counter-Strike 2, Forza Horizon 5, and F1 22. I also streamed music through Spotify and with high-quality MP3 files for understanding how the headset handles music. With the microphone, I tested it with online gaming sessions and recorded tested files in Audacity.
The GameSir X2s Type-C is a mobile controller that costs less than half the price of the Backbone One or the Razer Kishi V2. Despite this, it still manages to offer a comfortable gaming experience and plug-and-play compatibility with all major game streaming platforms and a wide selection of native mobile titles including Genshin Impact and Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile.
Its retro Nintendo 2DS-inspired aesthetic is charming and, while the plastic used across its construction feels cheap and hollow, the satisfying clicky buttons and Hall effect thumbsticks and triggers are excellent - and features that you'd normally expect to find on some of the best PC controllers. These controls not only feel great but also perform well no matter what kind of game you’re playing. The adjustable Type-C connector is itself a brilliant innovation, greatly reducing the frustration of trying to cram a phone into a retractable mobile controller. It simultaneously ensures compatibility with most phone cases, removing one of my biggest gripes with the Backbone One.
The lack of a headphone jack might be a deal-breaker if you intend to play with a wired pair of any of the best gaming earbuds, for example, but the GameSir X2s Type-C is otherwise an extremely compelling mobile controller that undercuts the competition with a great value price.
(Image credit: Dashiell Wood / Future)
Price and availability
$45.99 / £49 / AU$69
Cheaper than the competition
Widely available
The GameSir X2s Type-C is readily available via Amazon in the US, UK, and Australia for $45.99 / £49 / AU$69. It can also be purchased directly from the GameSir website, in addition to an official store on AliExpress. Although frequent discounts are available at AliExpress, you will have to contend with longer shipping times if you go with that option.
Even at full price, however, the GameSir X2s Type-C comes in considerably cheaper than its competition - namely, the Backbone One, which costs $99.99 / £99.99 / AU$179.99, and the Razer Kishi V2, which is $99.99 / £99.99 / AU$169.95. This positions it firmly as a budget alternative to these two controllers and, while it is lesser when it comes to overall build quality, it nevertheless offers excellent value for money.
Specs
(Image credit: Dashiell Wood / Future)
Design and features
According to GameSir, the design of the X2s Type-C mobile controller was inspired by the appearance of the Nintendo 2DS. This is evident in the purple hue of its buttons, which are strikingly similar to buttons found on the White and Lavender Nintendo 2DS XL. Despite these surface-level similarities, however, the GameSir X2s Type-C actually shares a lot in common with most other mobile controllers.
Firstly, it features a spring-loaded back, which can be extended to accommodate a phone up to 6.6 in / 168 mm tall. While the extension mechanism operates considerably less smoothly than the one found on the Backbone One, producing quite a rough sound, the controller still fits snugly around most phones and feels very secure once everything is in place. As the name would suggest, the controller connects to your phone through a USB Type-C connector, so is only compatible with the iPhone 15 series or Android devices that feature the port.
(Image credit: Dashiell Wood / Future)
On top of the ability to extend the controller, the GameSir X2s Type-C can accommodate an impressive range of phones thanks to the unique moveable nature of its Type-C connector. Unlike the fiddly, static connector of the Backbone One, the connector here can swivel both towards and away from the rest of the controller. This is a fantastic innovation and something that I believe should now become standard across all mobile controllers given just how much it improves the experience.
The added flexibility makes it far easier to attach or remove your phone safely, completely eliminating the risk of damaging your USB-C port or the controller itself if you pull your device away at an angle. It also means that the controller can be used in conjunction with a thin phone case, which is a welcome change. I find that having to remove my case to attach the Backbone One is inconvenient, leaving my phone exposed to potential damage.
Like the Backbone One, the rest of the GameSir X2s Type-C is effectively just two sides of a traditional controller that flanks your phone. There are asymmetrical thumbsticks, a d-pad, a set of face buttons labeled in the Xbox Wireless Controller layout, a screenshot button, a home button, two triggers, and two shoulder buttons. Rather than the conventional ‘Start’ or ‘Select’ though, each side of the controller has either a ‘G’ or ‘S’ button which performs those same functions.
A set of four thumbstick covers is also included in the box. These can be slipped onto the tips of the thumbsticks to give them a slightly larger surface area and a more tactile ribbed finish. Although I didn’t find the need to use them, it still makes for a neat little pack-in bonus.
You can then further customize the feel of the thumbsticks via the GameSir app, which allows you to tweak a range of settings. This includes thumbstick dead zones, trigger actuation depth, or even a toggle to switch to a Joy-Con controller button layout. In addition to a catalog of other GameSir products, there’s a tab containing a handy list of fully compatible mobile titles, with links to the relevant App Store, which could be a great way to source recommendations if you’re wondering what to play.
A Type-C charging port is located on the bottom of the left-hand side of the controller, allowing you to charge your phone while it’s in use. Two small LED lights are present on the right-hand side too, with one illuminating to show when it is connected to a phone and the other indicating whether your phone is charging. Despite ample space, there’s disappointingly no headphone jack to be seen anywhere.
(Image credit: Dashiell Wood / Future)
Performance
When I took the GameSir X2s Type-C out of the box, my first impressions were mixed. There’s no avoiding the fact that the plastic used on this controller simply feels cheap in the hands, especially compared to the likes of the Backbone One or Razer Kishi V2. Sure, these are much more expensive controllers, but the hollow-feeling grips of the GameSir X2s Type-C undeniably detract from the experience. Even the rubberized pads that cover the rear of each grip feel cheap, being far too hard to offer any real cushioning. My model also sported quite a few prominent manufacturing seams that tarnish the otherwise clean purple and gray aesthetic.
Still, once you have a phone slotted into place it’s hard to fault the GameSir X2s Type-C in any other areas. Although the thumbsticks are smaller than a standard gamepad, they offer a generous level of motion and feel substantially more precise than the awkward, stubbier set found on the Backbone One. Likewise, the triggers are a very comfortable size and operate responsively. Better still, both the thumbsticks and the triggers make use of Hall effect technology, which should enable them to last considerably longer without developing dead zones or drift.
The micro switch buttons are well-spaced and pleasantly tactile, with engraved lettering like the buttons of the Nintendo 2DS. Similar micro switches are then used in the d-pad, which is a comfortable concave shape. The shoulder buttons are then large, responsive, and produce a very satisfying mechanical click. It’s an excellent set of controls, only further elevated by the fact that every single game I tested worked flawlessly with no tweaking. The native mobile version of Vampire Survivors felt just like I was playing on Nintendo Switch, while my K/D ratio in online Call of Duty: Warzone Mobilematches benefited hugely from the pinpoint accurate thumbsticks and triggers.
This strong performance carried over into game streaming. Jumping into some Far Cry 5 and a fair few matches of Fortniteon Amazon Luna, the controller was instantly recognized by the web app, and the correct controller prompts were automatically displayed. Likewise, Xbox Cloud Gaming via Xbox Game Pass Ultimate was a treat with Halo: The Master Chief Collection,Forza Horizon 5, and a handful of other titles playing wonderfully. If you’re searching for a budget-friendly mobile controller that’s perfect for cloud gaming, few perform better than this.
(Image credit: Dashiell Wood / Future)
Should I buy the GameSir X2s Type-C?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
Also consider
If you’ve got a bit more to spend on a mobile controller, here’s how the GameSir X2s Type-C stacks up against two more premium alternatives.
(Image credit: Dashiell Wood / Future)
How I tested the GameSir X2s Type-C
Tested for over 15 hours
Tested with both native mobile titles and game streaming
Compared to other mobile controllers
I used the GameSir X2s Type-C for over 15 hours with a Samsung Galaxy S23+. During that time, I tried a selection of popular native mobile titles including Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile, Vampire Survivors, Diablo Immortal, Minecraft, and Genshin Impact. I then used the controller with multiple game streaming services, including Xbox Cloud Streaming and Amazon Luna which I used to explore a wide variety of available games.
As an avid mobile gamer, I also directly compared my experience with the GameSir X2s Type-C with the Backbone One and Razer Kishi V2 in addition to other mobile controllers.
