GameSir Cyclone 2 review

Perhaps my gamepad standards have become a little skewed by spending hours upon hours with the DualSense. Still, even as much as I love it, I'll be the first to admit that it's not quite the best PC gaming controller out there—even if it is a doddle to set up. Just for one major thing, the risk of stick drift makes the DualSense's premium price point difficult to justify (let alone the entirely separate issue of how the DualSense Edge can go tumble into a ditch for all I care—more on that in a bit).

If you're looking for a gamepad that feels premium at a slightly less premium price point, and without the risk of pesky stick drift, Gamesir has thrown its hat into the ring. Said hat is a bit, uh, ostentatious, but also turns heads for some of the right reasons too.

I got to grips with the GameSir Cyclone 2 in Phantom White, a lightweight gamepad with a light-up body. Whether you're gaming, connecting, or simply charging, you're in for a bit of a light show courtesy of the full RGB lighting. Though not distracting during play, it does still feel needlessly showy when most active use will see it doing little else but warm my sweaty palms. Still, the diffused look through the frosted plastic body is striking, and I suppose it is handy to see just how much battery is left via the little light up bars along the gamepad's face when you put it on charge.

On the subject of looks though, I'm personally not a huge fan of the gold D-pad and shoulder buttons. At the very least, the Phantom White colourway stands out among all of my black tech, with little risk of getting lost among my hardware hoard. Though an all-over black colourway is also available, the more time I spend with the Cyclone 2, the more I feel like the feathers in this cap do not disguise the fact it barely covers your head.

Setting aside the overextended metaphor for the moment, let's first take a look at what comes in the box. Unlike the budget GameSir Nova Lite controller, a (very short) USB-C cable is included in the box—alongside something a little extra in every sense. The Charging Station edition is pricier ($56/£56) as it packs-in a cradle that can power your controller via four little pins that insert directly into the underside of the gamepad. If you keep a clean gaming space, I can maybe see the argument for this, but as it stands for me, this charging station just introduces more clutter into a space that didn't especially need it. You really wouldn't lose much by picking up the Standard edition instead ($50/£50).

Speaking of options, you can connect the Cyclone 2 via the included USB-C cable, an array of Bluetooth profiles, or the also included 2.4 GHz dongle. Though this is a wireless controller foremost, I found the Bluetooth profile system nowhere near as smooth as the website's 'broad compatibility' claim would suggest. For starters, the GameSir Cyclone 2's compatibility taps out at the current gen of consoles. There's no official support for the Xbox Series X or S, nor the PS5—though I can confirm my Nintendo Switch was only too happy to connect (and that's a console that didn't even have Bluetooth connectivity at launch).

My ancient 2019 MacBook Pro presented no issues with Bluetooth connectivity—I just followed the easy to understand instructions to activate the Cyclone 2's specific iOS Bluetooth profile, and I was away. Bizarrely, I didn't have the same luck with my slightly more spritely Yoga Slim 9; despite many attempts across all of the controller's Bluetooth profiles, this Windows laptop repeatedly refused to see the device until I got the 2.4 GHz receiver nubbin involved. Due to the hardware quirks of my lightweight laptop, this made for a particularly ridiculous setup involving a USB-C to USB-A adapter capped off by the glowing receiver dongle. For a wireless controller, that's a bit more plug than I typically want to play with. Bottom line, if I'm going to buy a brand new gamepad, I ideally want it to be a bit of kit I can use with everything else among my hardware hoard.

So, after such a kerfuffle, how does the gamepad actually handle? Uh, well…I feel like now is a good time for me to tap the 'DualSense girlie' sign once more before really getting into it.

To start off on the right foot, the Cyclone 2 does boast both TMR sticks and Hall effect triggers. Jacob has already written about what a boon Hall effect is for gamepads, but TMR (or Tunneling Magnetoresistance) is tech that's a step above even that. To begin at the beginning, many controllers—such as my beloved DualSense—use an input method informed by changes in physical resistance exerted on the joysticks. Given how much heavy use thumbsticks tend to see, this can lead to overtaxed components and the dreaded phenomenon of your joystick going walkabout when you're not even touching it. Hall effect marks a move away from all of that physical friction, instead using magnets to more precisely detect fluctuations in electrical charge resulting from user inputs. TMR takes this magnetic method many steps further, making for even more precise input detection and consuming far less power—ideal for wireless controllers.

In the hands, that means both the asymmetrical sticks and triggers feel much less stiff than gamepads relying on physical-resistance-based input methods, ultimately offering a pleasing springyness. The tech under the hood should also offer lasting responsiveness, effectively banishing the prospect of stick drift or sticky triggers. On top of that, the spacing of the sticks and the overall size of the gamepad body didn't overstretch my itty bitty mitts.

Furthermore if you're specifically looking for a gamepad with a party in the back, and you too share my hatred of the DualSense Edge, the Cyclone 2 could be a real contender. I don't know about you, but the Dualsense Edge's flicky back paddles means I'm either forever clicking the wrong thing or making accidental inputs when all I meant to do was put the pad down. The Cyclone 2's two back buttons are blessedly low-profile while also boasting a good, solid click I can get behind.

That's definitely a few pivotal points over my beloved DualSense—but I'm not liking the Cyclone 2's odds of winning this throwdown.

Unfortunately, the face buttons, and the D-Pad all offer a tactile feedback that is simply not my cup of tea. Each tap offers an audible click with subtle sensation to match that's hardly distracting—however, the slightly spongy resistance of these buttons pushes mine in all the wrong ways. Perhaps this mumblecore chorus of clicks will be music to your ears, but I'd rather be enjoying the comparative silence with my DualSense.

The TMR sticks and Hall effect triggers remain impressive, but it's clear where GameSir has had to cut corners on this controller to make room for that headlining tech. The D-Pad and face buttons are ultimately what let it down, feeling of cheaper quality than even those found on GameSir's Nova Lite controller (a gamepad so budget it doesn't even have a headphone jack or come with a USB-C cable in the box). The build quality of the Cyclone 2's body also feels comparable to the Nova Lite in the hands, which is yet another disappointment for the price you're paying.

When it comes to value for money, the Nova Lite can't be beat, and that's why it remains our pick for the best budget controller. If you however really do need a 3.5 mm headphone jack and are willing to pay 50 big ones for it, the Xbox Wireless Controller remains the best of the best for a reason.