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2025 is about to become one of the biggest years in the history of gaming. GTA VI is on the horizon, Switch 2 is bound to make an appearance, and who knows what else might happen. Meanwhile, Switch keeps on chugging along, still as popular as ever. Today we take a look at yet another controller for it (as well as mobile devices and computers, of course).
GameSir is a company that doesn’t really need an introduction by this point. We called the G8 Plus one of the best products of 2024, and for a good reason: it is a near-perfect mobile controller. GameSir has proven a lot of times that they know what they are doing, and the new gamepad, proudly named Super Nova, has all the elements of a potential hit: Hall Stocks, great build quality and a 1000Hz polling rate. Oh, and there’s a charging station too. And for just $44.99!
- Platform: PC, Switch, iOS, and Android
- Connection: Bluetooth, Wired, and Wireless Dongle
- Sticks: GameSir Hall Effect sticks
- Triggers: Hall Effect triggers with trigger stops
- ABXY Buttons and D-pad: Membrane
- Rumble Motor: Yes, dual asymmetric motors
- Back Button: Yes, two back buttons
- 6-axis Gyroscope: Yes
- Grips: Rubber-coated textured grips
- Battery: 1000mAh
- Charging Station: Yes, smart auto start-stop
- Color: Whipped Pink/Nightfall Blue
- Customization Software: Yes, GameSir App and GameSir Connect App
- Product Size: 156*106*59mm/6.14*4.17*2.32in
- Net Weight: 263g/0.58lbs
Design
Looking at the Super Nova (generally not something you are supposed to be doing), I can immediately see the resemblance to the other controller we reviewed. The BINBOK Ultra Pro Controller also has RBG lines across its body, as well as back buttons and the ability to easily change the source. Even the overall design is similar, although Hall Sticks — one of the main features of any modern controller — are missing. It’s also more expensive.
I like the Super Nova design more. It feels more compact and elegant. It also has an easily removable face place (very on-brand) and a swappable ABXY layout. All of that was present in the G8 Plus. This level of customizability in an affordable controller is incredible and reason enough to recommend it.
Of course, we can’t forget about the RGB lighting strips! For some, a tacky and useless feature, but that hardly matters when you can just turn it off. I find it nice to have, for the neat charging animation alone.
Read also: GameSir G8 Plus review: There’s a New King In Town
Design and testing
Testing a controller is always an interesting experience. Outwardly, they might look different, but in actual use, they are never the same. We all have our favorites, and it’s hard to say, which one is the best. Myself, I prefer controllers that last, even if they don’t have all the fancy features.
Modern controllers are not known to be reliable. The DualSense is the worst controller I’ve ever used based on that criteria. Xbox is better, but its Elite controllers are infamous for breaking down after a year. The Switch JoyCons are a disaster, although my Pro Controller has been serving me for almost six years now.
I take the GameSir Super Nova in my hands, and it feels a bit like the Pro Controller. It feels more compact than the DualSense (most do), but the buttons feel just right. The triggers are wonderful: miles better than the Pro Controller, and even the Xbox gamepad. The Hall Sticks are different, but tight and responsible. The set does not include additional sticks, which is a shame, but we can’t also forget the price.
The sticks are most comparable to the Xbox controller: the shape is almost identical. It allows for a nice grip.
Read also: BINBOK Ultra Pro Controller review: The best controller for the Nintendo Switch?
The D-pad is interesting, too. The D-pads, in general, are NEVER the same and are always a mystery. I’ve tested some incredible controllers with some of the jankiest D-pads. But Super Nova’s is… almost perfect? I don’t like using words like that, but man oh man does it feel nice to use. It’s not overly clicky like the Xbox that wakes up everyone in my house, but also not as mushy as DualSense’s. It’s right in the middle. Exceptional!
The ABXY buttons are where I can find some fault with the controller, even if it’s subjective (but then again, most of this is). I find the buttons a bit too small for my liking, and their placement a bit inconvenient. It’s not bad — definitely not JoyCon level. But the buttons feel smaller than most other controller that I have. They are silent just like GameSir promised — not as clicky as BINBOK. There’s a reason for that, though: BINBOK uses mechanical buttons and here we have good old membrane ones. Which is, admittedly, a bummer.
Feel-wise, they are somewhere between DualSense and Xbox. They feel okay, but not as good as the trigger buttons or the D-pad.
The back also hides a pair of additional buttons. These are still considered extras worth additional hundreds of dollars by Sony and Microsoft, but most third-party companies know better than to exclude them. I wish there were four, but two is better than nothing. You can, of course, rebind them to whatever you want. For me, it’s always the same: L3 and R3 actions. I hope the next iteration of the controller does have four buttons though: a lot of people consider it the bare minimum.
The controller has a built-in rechargeable battery, and the set includes a dock station — now that is new. The 1000mAh battery is nothing to write home about, but it’s decent and good enough for your standard gaming session. And thanks to the dock, charging is quite seamless.
Read also: Logitech MX Ergo S and Ergo M575S Trackballs Review
Verdict
GameSir knows how to make a great affordable controller. Even their best gamepads end up cheaper than the official ones, and I have long replaced my Nintendo Switch Pro controller with one of theirs. The Super Nova is easy to use and easy on the eyes. To use the stale phrase, it just works, and for that price, with that many features, that’s barely anything to criticize.
