GameSir G7 SE Controller Review

Manufacturer: GameSir
Where to Buy: GameSir
RRP: $44

With the controller market already quite full with variations and colours it is nice to see innovation still happening. I have been allowed to test and review the GameSir G7 SE. This is a lightweight wired controller that is a brilliant white with 2 anti-friction teal rings around the analog sticks. Probably due to its light weight the G7 looks slightly smaller than standard controllers but comparing them they are actually the same size.

Texturally speaking the grip feels very familiar with the matte finish on top and the grip finish underneath to hold your hands in place. The trigger buttons and the bumper buttons feel good to press and match the original controllers as do the main 4 buttons. The start and menu buttons have been placed higher so they are on either side of the slightly protruding Xbox Jewel button with the share button underneath which takes a little getting used to.

The D-pad is an old-school cross design which is very responsive. I know people have their preference on which D-pad they like but I am a fan of the cross D-pad as it leaves no room for deviation when it comes to diagonal pressing. The analog sticks however are a bit of a sticking point for me. They look fine and have a decent grip on the top and there is no stick drift or issues even after several hours of play. My issue comes with the squeaking that comes when you push the stick fully in one direction as it rubs against the anti-friction glide ring. I played a lot of FIFA with this controller and when I was pushing the stick hard right or left when running the stick would rub and make a squeaking sound which felt a bit uncomfortable physically and audibly. It’s strange as the right stick feels much different as it feels slightly looser but it doesn’t squeak.

The extra features this controller comes with are a program button which sits in between the D-pad and the right analog stick. This button has 2 purposes; the first is that it can be used in conjunction with the D-pad to control headset volume and audio balancing. Holding the program button down and pressing up or down controls the volume whereas pressing left and right allow you to lean more towards the game audio or party chat audio. This is a nice touch to amend these settings on the fly rather than have to fiddle with the Xbox menu. It also has a mute button at the bottom of the controller for a tactical cough which is also a nice touch.

The second feature of the program button is to map the 2 quick latch buttons on the back. These buttons can be customised to map any other button for an easier push. I am not a big fan of the paddles that come with the elite controllers so I much prefer buttons but unfortunately, I didn’t quite get on with these. Like the Elite controllers, it looks like you can only map one button press to the quick latch button whereas other 3^rd party controllers allow you to map multiple buttons to one. I also had trouble mapping the analog stick press button to one of the custom buttons which I feel is probably one of the most commonly mapped buttons but that just might be me doing it incorrectly. My other issue is that the position of these quick latch buttons sits far too close to where my middle finger rests at the back so accidental pressing become too much of an issue. However, they have added a lock slider next to the buttons which will lock the buttons in place so they can’t be used which I needed to do as it was becoming frustrating.

                I know that there is a general feeling that the heavier controllers feel more powerful or robust to hold but this controller gave me a different feeling. I liked the lighter feel in my hands and the controller still feels very robust and grips nicely. It comes with a 3m cable so that should be plenty for most people’s setups. Having the battery low messages have been a pain whilst playing live recently so I am starting to warm to wired controllers.

Conclusion

The GameSir G7 SE is a neat lightweight robust controller. It feels nice in the hands and feels just as good to play with as stand and elite controllers with a comfortable grip. I appreciate their attempt at adding the anti-gripping ring to the analog sticks but I do not like the squeaking it causes. The customisable buttons are always nice to have but I am not keen on their placement. The quick access features for the headset are a nice touch so there are definitely some positives to this controller which comes at a reasonable price.

Hardware provided by the manufacturer for review purposes.