As a controller gamer, I’m always on the look out for good looking pads that do things a little differently. Quality is something that can vary wildly in controllers from fancy offerings like Razer’s newest Wolverine V3 8K, all the way to the off brand cheeto covered 2nd player controller from your youth. Some brands, like GameSir seem to drift all over this scale, delivering controllers we loved like the GameSir Nova Lite, and ones we didn’t like the Cyclone 2. I’m hoping GameSir’s newest offering is more of the first, because the G7 Pro is looking like a great mid-tier budget friendly option.
The new GameSir G7 Pro is an Xbox style controller that comes in a black/red or white/grey livery complete with charging dock. The black and red in particular is very cool looking with a nice ombre down the front. If neither are your scene, these actually feature removable magnetic faceplates so you can change out the way they look. This is something I wish we saw more in controllers and other peripherals to swap out aesthetics on the fly.
The mechanical micro switch D-pad can also be swapped out for those that prefer a different shape. The unit comes with two other options to play around with, so you can swap depending on game, ergonomics, or just aesthetics.
Specwise, the G7 Pro doesn’t sound like a slouch. It boasts four programmable back buttons, two at the bottom which can be locked in, and two alongside the bumpers. We see Hall Effect sticks using GameSir’s own TMR magnetic resistance tech to keep stick drift away for the foreseeable future. Under these are four motors powering haptic feedback, as well as a gyroscope for motion controls on PC.
The face buttons look fairly standard. They are powered by optical micro switches, so it’s hard to get a gauge on how tactile they’ll feel. GameSir is boasting that the G7 Pro packs a 1000Hz polling rate when used on PC in both wired and 2.4Ghz connections so things should be pretty responsive.
For those unfamiliar with polling rates, what we are talking about is how quickly and often your device talks to the computer. In the case of a controller this refers to how quickly your inputs are relayed. Console controllers are typically under 500 Hz, so the G7 Pro is blowing those out of the water. If it’s polling at the rated 1000Hz, that’s a really fast response on par with the original Wolverine V3 Pro. The new ones go up to a ridiculous 8000 Hz, but they also cost a lot more than the GameSir G7 Pro.
If the quality is there, the GameSir G7 Pro sounds like an excellent controller, especially at the MSRP of $80 USD/£80. I have my fingers crossed, but given how bad the company’s GameHub app was, I’m keeping my expectations nice and low.
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