The Best Game Controller for iPhone 15/16 Pro - PERIOD! GameSir G8
I’ve been searching for a good iPhone controller for a couple of years, and I think I finally found it: the GameSir G8 Galileo. It feels good, it’s very customizable, and it’s inexpensive compared with others.
Compared with the rest
It’s an Xbox-style controller that actually feels almost like an Xbox controller, without trying to be so compact it’s uncomfortable. I’ve used the Backbone One (Lightning and the USB-C PlayStation version) and the Razer Kishi V2, and honestly they’re terrible: floppy, unresponsive buttons, everything too small, and Switch-like analog sticks, which are awful. The best I’d found for older iPhones was the Gamevice Flex, closer to an Xbox controller with better sticks, but still too small a grip and not premium-feeling buttons.
The G8 outdoes them all. The grip is deep, so it’s easy to hold with big or small hands, and every button feels tactile. You get the classic Xbox layout (X, Y, A, B), offset sticks, a D-pad, two triggers and two shoulder buttons, a home button whose light shows the controller’s status, a mode button for customizing, and a capture button that doesn’t seem to capture anything on iPhone yet.
On the bottom are a USB-C port for pass-through charging and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. Pass-through was limited to about 7 W in my testing, not enough to keep your iPhone charged while gaming.
Anker sponsored this video, with its MagGo 3-in-1 foldable wireless charging station.
Customizing
It comes with several thumbsticks: standard ones, a different-feeling pair, maybe for more precise movement, and a taller one. The sides pop off with magnets, the sticks pull right off, and you push on new ones; there are colored sticks too. I use a taller stick on the right for better accuracy in shooters.
To insert your iPhone, pull the controller apart; the USB-C connector moves, so I never felt I’d break anything, as I did with cheaper controllers. Slide the iPhone onto the connector, let it close, and it’s solid.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t work with my Apple Silicone or FineWoven cases; they’re too thick for the connector to reach. A thinner case will probably work. The Gamevice Flex worked with most cases.
Back buttons: the two rear buttons can copy any other button (not new functions). Hold mode and a back button for two seconds until it flashes, then press the button to copy. In Call of Duty Mobile, I set one to jump and one to slide, so I don’t take my thumb off the stick. It’s been a game changer.
Hair triggers: hold mode and a trigger for two seconds; the light turns red, and the slightest touch fires.
Playing
It feels really good. In Call of Duty Mobile, which I play most, the buttons are very responsive and the sticks are exactly what I need. I’m still getting used to the back paddles, but I like them. Hair triggers make it feel like I fire faster, with more control on single shots.
Xbox Cloud Gaming with Starfield was laggy with no audio, which I blame on the service, not the controller. GeForce Now worked better, with audio. Apple Arcade games and anything on iPhone that supports controllers work, and I got stuck racing as Peter Griffin way too long.
Complaints
- Ergonomics: it’s the best-feeling all-in-one iPhone controller I’ve used, period, but the sticks aren’t offset enough. On an Xbox controller your thumb just slides over; here I push up, straining my thumb. It’s already not tiny, so why not make it a bit bigger?
- Cases: with a movable connector, a little more room would fit cases.
- The GameSir app didn’t even recognize the controller on iPhone, so firmware updates will have to wait for an app update.
Price
Usually around $80 on Amazon, and I’ve seen it as low as $65, versus $90–110 for the others. It’s the cheapest iPhone controller I’ve bought and by far the best. I definitely recommend it.
Links
- Anker MagGo Wireless charger Station (Foldable 3-in-1)
- Anker MagGo Collection (15% off code AKWDKOL15)
- GameSir G8 Galileo
- Backbone One controller (USB-C)
- Matte Glass Screen Protector
- GAMEVICE Flex
- Backbone One
- Razer Kishi v2
- PowerA Moga 2.0
- iPhone 15 Pro accessories I actually use!
- CalDigit is my dock partner
- https://www.threads.net/@jerryschulzeonyt
- My iPhone Art
- Grovemade Desk Mat and Knife (save 10% JERRY10)
- UNLIMITED Cloud Backup for your Mac with Backblaze
In this video
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